DIY Studded Running Shoes

These DIY studded running shoes are perfect for running in the snow, on ice, or on the trails.

Winter running is a lot of fun. It’s beautiful and full of adventure! But you have to be safe, right? Snow, ice, windchills — these are all things that could have negative consequences if not prepared for properly. Ice especially is something that keeps many people indoors when they’d rather opt outside.

An easy fix for running in snowy and icy conditions are trail shoes. But trail shoes can be cost prohibitive and not everyone can, or wants, to buy another pair of shoes. Luckily, it’s easy to transform regular running shoes into ice-stopping, snow-plowing, trail-safe winter running shoes. All you’ll need is a pair of old running shoes, a Sharpie or black marker, some hex head sheet metal screws, and a hex screw driver.

Helpful tip: chose a pair of older road shoes that still have some life left in them. They can be well past their prime, but you’ll be happy to breathe some new life into them.

Do-It-Yourself Studded Running Shoes

for Snow, Ice, and Trails

What You’ll Need:

1. Old shoes.

Grab a pair of older pair of running shoes that still have some life in them. You probably won’t want to be poking holes in the soles of newer road shoes.

2. Hex head sheet metal screws.

You can use whatever length of sheet metal screws you want BUT if you go too long, you risk puncturing the insoles and thus ruining the shoes. #8 3/8-inch hex head sheet metal screws are the recommended length.

3. Sharpie or black marker.

You’ll need a sharpie or black marker to mark the spots on the bottoms of your shoes for where you want the screws to go.

4. Hex head screw driver.

If you don’t have a hex head screw driver, you can use a flathead screw driver or a drill. A word of caution if you use a drill: like with the length of the screws, you’ll want to be very careful not to puncture the insoles.

Do-It-Yourself Studded Running Shoes

Instructions

1. Mark locations for screws.

Turn your shoes over and make a dot with the Sharpie where you want each of the screws to go. Spread them out fairly evenly with particular focus on the forefoot and heel area. Pro tip: mark both shoes in the same spot so you don’t feel “off” when running.

2. Place the screws.

Start screwing the screws into place. A hex head screw driver will be best but you can use a flathead or drill if necessary. Pro tip: go slow and don’t screw them in too hard or too far. Also, since these are sheet metal screws, there’s no need for a pilot hole.

3. Bonus step — add duct tape!

To truly winterize your kicks, you’ll want to wrap the toe box portion of your shoes with duct tape. While this won’t be a completely waterproof solution, it will help keep your toes warm and dry.

And voila! Brand new, shiny winter running shoes. Three super simple steps to transforming any pair of running shoes into winter, snow-running beasts. And unlike coils and springs, you can wear studded running shoes safely on a variety of terrain including concrete, asphalt, grass, snow, and ice.

What to do with them after winter’s over? Take ’em for a run on your favorite trails. The added studs will act like slightly more aggressive treads.

Happy running!