Scared of Slipping on Ice? Try This Clever Winter Shoe Hack

Mother Nature continues to give us the cold shoulder across the United States, but many of us have no choice but to venture outside. If you’re hoping to make it to your car or across the sidewalk without face-planting on ice, consider a trend embraced by TikTok users and backed by science: wearing socks over your shoes.

It’s not a new idea. In 2010, three researchers at the University of Otago published a report in the New Zealand Medical Journal finding that people wearing socks over their shoes were less likely to slip on ice. Unfortunately, embracing this clever trick comes with a drawback: your cool factor drops. As effective as it was during the study, many people were reluctant to make the socks-over-the-shoes approach a long-term solution. 

If your pride can take the hit, you can grab just about any pair of socks in your home. On TikTok, people donned fuzzy sets and other mismatched pairings—a great way of using a couple of socks that lost their mate in the dryer, by the way—and ones usually worn by their larger-footed partner. Your best bet is selecting oversized or easy-to-stretch socks to put on over your shoes.

Not ready to make socks your new winter accessory? You can get to your car without slipping by sprinkling some kitty litter or sand in front of you as you walk. You might also want to try the penguin shuffle. It works exactly like you’d imagine: just mimic the way our Antarctic friends walk over ice. (Better make sure to keep your hands out of your pockets and out to your side to gain better balance, though.)

If you are willing to spend extra money, consider getting removable traction cleats (brands like YakTrax specialize in this) for your shoes. These ice cleats are designed to fit over shoes and prevent slips and falls. Plus, they’re affordable and won’t wear down your sock supply. Just make sure you remove them before walking across any nice flooring, as they can shred wooden or vinyl floors.

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