If you’re someone who loves to ice fish, or even someone who works in an area where there is slippery ice, it’s not at all hard to make ice cleats that will help you walk without sliding. Use shoes you already have, and turn them into ice cleats, and you’ll never slide on the ice again. Make a quick trip to your nearest hardware store and you’ll have all you need for very little money.
The best pair of shoes for making ice cleats are heavy boots with rubber soles. Whether they’re insulated, waterproof, logging boots, snow boots, or another type, they should have thick soles.
At a hardware store, have a look at their hex screws. The screws look like normal screws on the sharp end, but on the head, they have a six-sided design. The best hex screws are the ones which have a slit down the middle of the head, made for use with a screwdriver. Before going to the hardware store measure how thick the sole of the boot is. A 5/8″ hex screw will work for most boots. You’ll need to buy screws that are slightly shorter than the sole is thick.
Turn your boot over and have a look at the pattern on the bottom. If there are raised areas, those are perfect for installing the hex screws. If the bottom is completely flat, you can still install the screws. Spot areas where there is pressure on the shoe when walking, like the ball of the foot and heel, and screw the hex screws into those areas. Make a pattern on the bottom of the shoe and insert screws where needed. The pattern can be random, with a hex screw here and there, or you can make neat little rows of the screws.
The hex screws grab the ice and keep you from slipping and sliding. However, keep in mind that the screws will cause damage to hardwood floors, linoleum, and tile. If the ice fishing season ends, and you want your regular boots back, just back the screws out with a screwdriver. You will, however, have holes in the bottoms of the boots, but the holes won’t go all the way through to the inside.
Purchasing ice fishing cleats will cost you over a hundred bucks but, with hex screws, you can make something similar, which works just as well, for a couple of bucks. Hurry and get the screws in your boots; that ice fishing hole is calling you.