Traction

Geckos are able to maintain a grip on wet surfaces not because their toe pads repel water, but because they attract it. A new polymer, which was inspired by this phenomenon, could find use in shoe soles that keep people from slipping on ice.

A study suggests that a certain salamander may be able to control its grip on trees' bark by pumping blood in and out of the tips of its toes. This strategy could one day be copied in human technology such as prosthetic hands and reusable adhesives.

Kahtoola is preparing to launch its most portable MICROspikes traction aid to date, one so light it calls it the Ghost. It replaces stiff chains with a collapsible TPU web that disappears away in your pack until it's needed for a slick traverse.

A couple of years ago, Harvard scientists copied the structure of snake skin to create a soft-bodied robot that gripped the ground as it moved. Now, they've applied that same thinking to shoe grips that could help keep seniors from falling.

​​When you're shopping for winter boots, it would be good to know how well they do on ice – and there hasn't been a standard rating system in place for that until now, in the form of the Maximum Achievable Angle (MAA) testing method.

If there's too much ice or snow on the rails, locomotives' steel wheels will just spin out when traveling up inclines. Now, however, GE Transportation has developed a supersonic air blower to keep those tracks dry.

Studded tires may make it easier to drive on ice, but those same studs will quickly wear down when used on dry asphalt. The problem is, most winter drivers encounter both types of road conditions. That's why Nokian has created a snow tire with retractable studs.

You may think that your 4 x 4 with its lugged tires is pretty good in the snow, but it's never going to match the traction and flotation offered by a tracked vehicle. That's why AD Boivin Inc's Track N Go system lets you add tracks onto your wheels when needed.

Meindl's new Tecvision Spike System makes winter navigation on slick, variable terrain easier than ever.

ADAPTRAC is a frame-mounted compressed air system that allows mountain bikers to change the air pressure in their tires, as they're riding.

The OluKai Maliko has hoof-like split toes and octopus-like suction cups to provide extra grip.

Korkers winter boots have interchangeable soles to give you the best traction in various conditions.