Are you talking about walking on flat ice or steep ice? In the city or hiking mountains? I have full crampons for winter hiking, but find instep crampons to be wonderful in lots of conditions that don't require full crampons. Insteps have 4-6 points and fit under your instep only, allowing you to take a few steps over rocks on the balls of your feet without engaging the points. They have a simple strap that goes behind your heel and over your instep. I hike with mine on moderately steep trails - when other people are mincing their way up and trying to step from rock to rock, I'm galumpfing my way up rapidly by stomping over the iciest parts. On downhills I take the big steps with confidence and move rapidly. You need to learn to walk confidently on crampons and stomp your feet down with some force to get the best purchase.

The Stabilicers and many of the alternatives have very short spikes, which aren't even sharp, limiting their usefulness to soft ice/packed snow at low angles. Insteps have sharp points like regular crampons, so they really stick. They do stick out from your foot by about 2 inches, so awkward to walk on if they can't dig into something. I do wear mine for taking the dog out in icy conditions, sometimes even over sneakers, but that would be uncomfortable for a long excursion on icy sidewalks. So your application will dictate your choice. If you are interested in insteps, Backpacker mag did a review of several models a few year ago and you could probably find it on their web site (www.backpacker.com). The pair I have are no longer available, but have given me great servive for 25 years.