FSTSLK Metal Lawn Aerator Shoes With Straps

I was very skeptical because of all the negative comments online, but I still took a chance with these particular ones, because of the cast aluminium soles and the sturdy straps. Glad I did. The other thing I was wary about is that I wear size 15 boots, but these fit alright. Of course that means that if you have very small feet, your user experience could differ significantly from mine.

Don’t believe all the naysayers who say that these are useless, they totally work. I had a 12 by 12 feet patch in my backyard that went from very sparse, yellow colored, dead-looking grass, to lush, dark green, dense turf over the course of only 2 months. And all I did was treat it with this product 2 times, one week apart, and water the area lightly between rainfalls for 2 weeks. And that’s it.

All the video reviews I found of people who actually tried to test similar products to assess their effectiveness said it didn’t do anything, but they tried it on grass that was nearly perfect to begin with. This is not really what those are for. Of course these won’t replace a core aerating machine, but if you only have manageably small spots to treat, these offer significant advantages. First, they are cheaper than even renting a machine one single time, and then you get to keep the product in case you need it again in the future. Second, the machine will immediately make your yard look like ass, and it will then repair itself to eventually look better than before. With this product, you skip right through the ”progressively looks better part”, skipping the ”looks like ass” phase altogether. Unlike a machine, I don’t think of this as something you use on your whole property all at once (unless you have a very small lawn), more like a tool you use to fix problem areas.

Where this product will REALLY shine is if you have a problem with dry, dead soil. You know, when you forget to water a house plant, and the soil becomes dried up ? You then try to water it, but the water just comes out from the holes in the bottom of the pot, and the soil stays a dry clump. Basically once the soil is dry enough, it loses the ability to soak water, aggravating the problem, and eventually it can’t support life anymore. If you want to use that soil again, you have to find a way to keep it wet long enough to rehydrate, until it ”works” again.

That was my problem. Whenever it rained, water just glided over the problem area like off the back of a duck. When I walked over the lawn with the product, the spikes penetrated like butter, but when I reached the problem spots, I felt some resistance, like there was a thin crust that was tough to pierce, and then the spikes go all the way down… That’s how you know you’re in the right spot. Once you’ve poked the area full of holes, rainfall will fill them, allowing the soil below the surface to get some much-needed moisture. Eventually, bacterial and fungal life will return to the area, earthworms will start doing their thing, etc. If you still had some some established grass there that had somehow managed to survive up to that point, you will see it bounce back like you won’t believe.

Off course that might not be your problem, or your only problem. Maybe your pH is off, or you’re lacking some specific nutrient, or whatever. But if you have problem spots, just do a quick test and try to water the area during a dry spell, and check to see if the water seeps in easily or not. If it doesn’t, this product can do wonders for you.

Oh, and just to get one thing straight… The item description says that you ”simply take a walk”… Not quite. You do have to be very careful, and you will probably look stupid. I think I’ve even seen some vendors suggest that you wear these while mowing the lawn… Just don’t, it’s a bad idea. And if your mower is self-propelled, then it’s a FANTASTICALLY bad idea. Just don’t.

Here in Lithuania, the landscape companies call scarifying turf “aeration” This is hardly true as there is no penetration. I used the aeration shoes yesterday and had a challenging experience. The makers suggest watering before using the shoes. However, we had a half inch of rain and, as I used the shoes, they slid off my shoes because of the density and thickiness of the turf. It will take me weeks to do our 2 acres; however, we will get one level of true aeration with the 2″ spikes and allow fall fertilizer to seep into the turf. Thanks for a nice but challenging product. Update 10/14/2023–tried them a second time and it’s a huge struggle as the heel pulls out of the shoe after a few steps because of the deep penetration. Maybe 20 years ago, yes; but at 78 I struggle to get much done per try. Perhaps other styles would work better for me.

Overall, I like these shoe spikes, but if you’re considering buying, be aware of a few things…
1. Easy to assemble, but you will need to attach the straps and all the spikes (wrench included).
2. They are awkward to walk in and if you’re not careful, there is the potential to twist an ankle or impale yourself. This should not be a surprise if you take even a cursory glance at the provided pictures. Still, there are those out there who will be surprised by this and complain when they get hurt. Slow and steady wins the race.
3. Mine worked best when the ground was moist, but not swampy. I tried in bone dry condition and I struggled to break the surface layer of soil. I weigh 245 lbs. When the ground was damp, the spikes went straight in with no problems. Too wet and you will pull up clumps of soil.

All in all, as solid product. My grass is growing nicely about 5 weeks since I used. I do not know to what extent these spikes are to responsible, but I’m pleased with them and will sue them again the fall when I reseed the lawn.

I put these on when I mow the lawn to aerate at the same time. Just be sure to strap them on tightly so you don’t injure you ankles.

These work great on dry lawn. Walked on wet area by mistake and boy do they hold mud. Took a few minutes to pull/wash it all off. I wore size 8 womens hiking boots and it worked great. I tightened them well and no slip. Good product. The others had plastic. I chose these because they are all steel. No plastic to break.