Atlas Snow Shoe's New Snow Tracker

Bucking the trend to outfit every man, woman, and child for Everest, Atlas Snow Shoe Company has designed an appealingly low-tech crampon for those of us who frolic in the snow at more hospitable altitudes.
The Snow Tracker ($59; 888-482-8527) is a strap-on winter hiking cleat for everything from walking Fido around the block to negotiating heavily tramped winter trails. It works beautifully on hard-packed snow, icy paths, and any other conditions in which crampons are overkill and snowshoes flounder for lack of powder.

The nylon-webbing straps accommodate all manner of footwear, from sneakers to hiking boots to snowboard boots. With a gentle stomp, aluminum fangs dig deep, while one-inch incisors provide good lateral grip. It takes all of two seconds to strap on the cleats, something you'll likely do quite often.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.