There are a lot of shoes on the market that aim to be used for activities outdoor. For these types of shoes, the most important qualities are durability and performance.

No one wants a pair of shoes that will fall apart on them or that won’t be able to handle the elements that the world will throw at them. The Arctic Grip tries to be a pair of shoes that both performs well and last a long time, but there is more to talk about when looking deeper into them.

Technology

The technology behind a shoe is not what I tend to first think about when buying a pair. Even with shoes that need to fill a specific purpose, I don’t tend to think about much beyond the way the shoe is put together and what materials are used for it. With shoes like the Arctic Grip, they want you to think about a bit more so that’s what I will do here.

Made by the company Vibram, a business with a focus on high-performance soles, the Arctic Grip’s main feature is right there in the name. What many would call an advanced cold weather gripping system is used with the shoes to give them more reliability and traction in colder climates that often see slippery grounds.

With a tread made out of a rubber compound with an advanced filler system, Vibram says the Arctic Grip has up to three times better grip on wet ice surfaces than its other premium rubber products. While it can be hard to judge these, it’s clear that the shoes do offer decent traction on icier grounds. You won’t be running a marathon across a frozen lake, but every bit of extra grip helps keep the risk of slipping at bay.

Vibram has clocked in over two years worth of R&D, but what else other than better grips has that amounted to that I feel is worth it? The answer to that question is durability.

Arctic Grip’s sturdy and grippy rubber claims to last over the course of 200 miles of wear and tear. This gives the shoes a long-lasting attribute for shoes that will be seeing a lot of heavy-duty work out in the cold. As far as shoes that aim for the niche that Arctic Grip does, they provide a long-lasting amount of traction that won’t lose its grip after a week.

Design

The technology and the design of the Arctic Grip are nearly one and the same. A lot of the technology impacts the design more than anything else. If I wanted to describe the Arctic Grip’s look in just one word, it would be practical.

Vibram technology put into the design gives the shoes a look that will also stay intact for a long time. Despite miles of abuse, the super rubber will maintain itself.

Arctic Grip, advertised as an advanced cold weather gripping system, works on both wet and dry ice. All Wolverine shoes featuring the magic rubber will have a mix of Arctic Grip and IceTrek (Vibram’s tested dry ice compound).

Whether you’re adventure leads to shoveling out your car or a day of ice fishing, the surface conditions do not matter. The Arctic Grip has been rigorously tested to ensure maximum grip across all ice conditions.

Other Notes

I think it goes without saying that the shoes which feature Arctic Grip technology have a specific design philosophy in mind. While there are plenty of ways to take the technology and make it look good, most of these designs are going to be aimed toward more practical applications.

This doesn’t mean the shoes ever look back. Instead, they look rugged and capable. The technology and design of the Arctic Grip technology even enhance a few of the options I’ve seen, giving them a look that stands out without getting in the way of the intended purpose.

All this said it should be obvious that shoes with Arctic Grip aren’t meant for everyone. People who live in hotter climates that don’t see much ice or snow will have basically no use for this addition. I feel it’s a technology that you will either get miles of use out of or no use at all depending on your location.

Pros And Cons

With everything I’ve talked about so far, I think it’s a good idea to line up the pros and the cons that the Arctic Grip technology offers. I want to allow the most informed choices possible to be made, so I’ll be giving what I think are the biggest things for and against it.

I would also like to note that all of these pros and cons are under the assumption that a person lives in a region where these types of shoes would see used. If you live in a hot place that never sees ice then there wouldn’t be much of a need for Arctic Grip shoes.

Pros

• Wet & Dry Ice Technology
• Thermo Chromatic Lugs
• 200 Miles Worth of Use
• Sole Factory Program
• Partnership with Wolverine Worldwide

Cons

• Adds More to Price
• Limited Available Options

Final Thoughts

I’ve found a lot of reasons to love the Arctic Grip and the additions it can give to a pair of outdoor shoes. It’s got a specific market in mind, and people outside of that cold-climate clientele would see much of a need for these. That said, if you do live in a region where ice on the ground is a yearly occurrence then you might have found a solution.