My mom says she wants a pair for her birthday, and there’s a ton of different brands on Amazon. Anyone have a first hand positive suggestion or advice?
I’ve had good luck with Yaktrax.
It’s worth spending a few dollars more for a reputable brand. The rubber will stretch better, they will fit over shoes better, etc. If any thing size up (they run small). I like that yaktrax have coils for traction versus spikes or cleats~that way I can step back inside my house to take them off without scarring up my floors. Sometimes I just leave them on my shoes or boots and take off the shoes or boots instead and go straight to slippers.
ETA: FWIW I’m a 73yo woman.
A walking stick with an ice tip might be another idea.
I second BBBoo on the Yaktrax - I bought some for my mum when she was in her late 70s, she had taken a couple of falls and was very wary of walking even with a stick. She loved those Yaktrax, they really made a difference to her ability to get out and about.
Yes Yaktrax are great. BUT, for my size13 feet you need pretty good hand strength to get them on your shoe.
They are rubber with coils yes, but you have to stretch that rubber out over your shoe. It’s the elasticity of the rubber that keeps them on your shoe.
If you have serious snow, the Kahtoola micro spikes are the bomb. They grip way better than Yaktrax on ice, too. I even run in them. They are extremely durable, also.
I had an issue with yaktrax. They were great on the snow and ice, but very slippy when on bare pavement or concrete. Just as bad as no yaktrax on ice.
Whatever you get will be quantum leaps better than having nothing on the shoes. If more people were like your mom, the ERs would have an easier job: busted heads, busted elbows, ruined shoulders, fractured wrists and destroyed knees/hips. I never understood why people in winter climates don’t wear them as a matter of course.
If you’re really committed, you can do a winter trail running trick… drive a bunch of 1/4" hex head screws in to the bottom of your shoe. Works great!
Should I take the shoe off first, or is that part of the trick? 
But really, thanks for all of the suggestions so far! She did twist her ankle a few days ago, so that’s likely what inspired the idea.
Please let me unrecommend these by EnergeticSky. Unless your mom would love to have ice clinging to the spikes which gives the feeling of walking on high heels. Completely worthless in wet snow.
Agree with that. Oh yeah. YakTraxs on something like concrete with no ice or snow, is kinda bad.
These thoughts are from a guy that has fallen on a a steep icy driveway that was covered in a half inch of snow on top of ice (no YakTraxs on). There was NO way to stand up. I once had to crawl to my shed with the hope that I had some salt in there so I could make it back to the house.
The four paw low to the ground dogs with toenails of course couldn’t figure out what my problem was. But one time, one slid out bad enough that they had to to go to the veterinarian. I swear, I saw it, it sort of looked like an F1 racer going right into a wall. She tried to take a corner too tight and fast. Didn’t make the turn.
Be careful out there.
I’ve never been able to find a pair of rubber pull-on cleats that would fit my size 13’s, including YakTrax.
However, I love my studded boots from icebug.com. I especially like that the studs retract on a hard surface like cement or floor tile so they are not slippery.
Hah! Reminds me of one ice storm we had in North Carolina when I was in grad school. Went to leave the building to go home around 9 PM, the parking lot was very slightly uphill. I couldn’t even get to my car. Forget driving on that crap. Pulled an all-nighter in the studio instead.
I’ve known a couple of people who used a pair of socks over their shoes to be able to walk home after an ice storm. I’ve never tried it myself, but I have a spare pair of socks in the car for emergencies, and that’s one of the things they’re there for.
I don’t have recommendations, except to agree that you should not get cheap no-name ones. I did, and most of the studs have fallen out after just a few uses.
I have considered sacrificing a pair of boots to drive screws into the soles.
IceBugs site is not real clear to me. Can you manually retract the studs? That’s what I would like so I could walk on a hardwood floor with out messing it up. And then have them stick out for ice.
Sadly it doesn’t look like they ship to me 
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You cannot manually retract the studs, but they are embedded into the rubber sole in such a way that they retract enough on hard surfaces to give you traction. I would not use them on a hardwood floor.
I’ve tried and given up on yaktrax for ice. Kahtoolas are superior. They stay on better, they grip better. They’re better. Once the ice sets in, they stay on my insulated boots all winter.
Like all such devices, they are dangerous on non-icy paved surfaces and will put holes in anything you stand on except tile and rock. I use them for getting to the barn in winter without falling on my ass, and for hiking in winter.
My take, from Snow Country:
If your car is okay with street tires or all-seasons (M+S rated), then you’ll probably be okay with Yaktrax.
If, OTOH, you have to switch to snow tires (3PMS – Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol), use studs, or use chains, you’ll most likely be better off with Kahtoola MicroSpikes.
Big feet? I have a spare pair of winter boots that I tend to leave the Yaktrax mounted to. I warmed up the rubber with a hair dryer before stretching them over the soles. I think putting the Yaktrax into a pillowcase, tying a knot in the case, and 10-15 minutes in a dryer would probably do the trick, too.
Snow tires year round for me. No point in taking them off. Chains on the plow truck.
The YakTrax do work great for me. Sort of depends. I wear at least hiking shoes year round unless I’m on vacation. I only take off my shoes if I am certain that I’m not going outside anymore for the day.
Micro spikes look great, but would tear up my deck.
YakTrax would be a very, very mean ‘rubber band’ if you shot it at someone. Good to be a little cautious when putting them on.