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Ice cleats is a rubber contraption with small spikes underneath. They are used to avoid sliding on slippery surfaces like ice and snow. The ice cleats or crampons are attached to footwear with either rubber straps on the heel and toes that covers the whole sole or a single strip over the foot. Not to be mistaken for crampons used for ice climbing, ice cleats are much smaller and are commonly used in arctic areas
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Different styles
There are specially made ice cleats for jogging and hiking. In the past, cleats were often used by elders, but new designs have made them more popular among younger people. There are also shoes with spikes already fastened to their soles.
History
It is difficult to say exactly when ice cleats first appeared, but the patent records show that the ice cleat of today are a result of many trials in time. Hundreds of years of ago military were early users of ice cleats, while performing duties in cold weather regions, to increase mobility in the mountains and arctic areas.
Early findings
Ice cleats date back to the Vikings, from around 800AD till 1100AD. The cleats were found in the town of öde in Medelpad, Sweden. It was examined in 1939. The crampon is located in the history museum in Sweden.