Walking in Viking Footsteps: The Millennia-Old Secret Behind Modern Winter Traction
Exploring how medieval Norwegian shoe spikes were eerily similar to our modern crampons and microspikes
Winter is upon us again, bringing a daily dance with icy sidewalks and snow-slicked roads for countless Americans. If you find yourself slipping microspikes or crampons over your boots, you might be intrigued to learn that you’re stepping into a longstanding tradition that includes the Vikings. Recent findings from Norway suggest that Vikings and early medieval Norwegians were using iron crampons, not unlike ours, to keep their footing firm on treacherous winter terrain.
Tested and True: Viking-Era Crampons in Action
A Science Norway article, “The Vikings also used crampons to avoid slipping on ice,” spotlights archaeologist and museum educator Espen Kutschera, who tested reconstructed Viking-age crampons in real-life conditions. Kutschera’s experiment was simple but effective: by strapping these spiked contraptions onto his shoes, he found that they made a clear difference on icy ground. Through these …
