I thought freezing weather would ruin my winter trip — but this $29 hiking shoe accessory saved my vacation

Yaktrax saved my vacation.

I know, I know — it sounds dramatic, but it's true. Two weeks back, I went to Budapest, Hungary, which is a lovely historical city in central Europe (and not too far from the U.K., where I live!). This location, however, means the winters are much harsher than those in Britain. Where I live, you're lucky if you get one snowflake. Budapest, however, had just seen an unprecedented amount of snow — it was so bad that the airport closed two days before I was due to arrive.

While I worried this would ruin my trip, it was quickly saved when I found out about Yaktrax. If you're snowed in because of winter storms or worrying about having to head back to the office in the icy weather, then you'll want to know about Yaktrax, too. This is a nifty little shoe accessory that slips around the sole of your hiking shoes and transforms you into a snow-chained monster truck. Once I put on my Yaktrax, the ice was an ant, and I was a boot. A boot incapable of slipping over, I may add.

Yaktrax Walk: $29 at Amazon

Yaktrax saved my vacation. These versatile cleats are slip-on, which means you can add them to any shoe. Going on a hike? Slip them on your trekking boots. Going to dinner, but don't want to fall on the way there? Put them on your sneakers. As they fold up super small, I was able to put them in my bag when I got on the bus or the tram, too. They come in four different sizes — I'm a U.S. size 8, and I got small. My boyfriend is a U.S. 11, and he used large.

Also available at REI, but only in size XS right now.

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Slip-on, slip-off, for no slips at all

The beauty of Yaktrax is that they're so easy. All you have to do is slip them on the soles of your hiking shoes, hiking boots, or snow boots, and you're good to go.

Attaching the Yaktrax to my Merrell Accentor Sport GTX (my exact style is now discontinued, but you can get the Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof) was a breeze. I'm going to be completely honest with you: I was on vacation, so I wasn't thinking about photographing my shoes for post-trip content. As a result, I don't have any pictures of me wearing the Yaktrax in the snow. However, I've re-enacted this for your viewing pleasure.

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Once the Yaktrax were secured to my shoes, I wore them on a 10-mile hike up to the tallest point in Budapest. I didn't slip once. Even when coming down a 400-meter decline, I was completely stable — all because of my Yaktrax. Those who know me know that I am one of the clumsiest people to grace (wobble upon) this planet, so this is a marvel.

I didn't feel embarrassed wearing Yaktrax either. They're kind of like a more subtle crampon. Instead of using huge metal spikes to grip into the snow or ice, Yaktrax utilizes steel coils, which dig into the terrain to stabilize you. If you think crampons are a bit excessive, look no further than Yaktrax.

At the end of the hike, I simply removed my Yaktrax and put them in my bag. As they fold up to around 3 inches and weigh just 3.5 ounces, they fit in my purse(and come with a little carrying bag if you buy Yaktrax through REI!).

They're super easy to clean, too — I just wiped the debris off with a damp paper towel, and my Yaktrax look as good as new. I find myself actually looking forward to next winter when I might be able to wear them again.

Yaktrax are now a firm favorite hiking accessory. This is a must-have if you live in a wintry area, and a packing essential if you're heading out on a hike in bad weather.

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