any advice on snowshoe purchasing

I am looking into getting my first pair of snowshoes (I have used them beore) I am looking something relatively reasonable in price, but good quality. My intention for winter hiking is on the moderate side, I am mostly interested in dayhikes along the lines of the easier NH/VT 4k's. I have never done a 4k in true winter but have done several in late fall/early spring, that were certainly winter conditions. I am 5'-4" and weigh 150 pounds.

I have a pair of Atlas snowshoes that i really like. I got them from ll bean's. I got the high end ones, and they have some big claws on the bottom for climbing ice/hard pack snow. They also have some more reasonable priced ones too from Atlas. http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...ggedIn=0&page_type=&hotBG=0&searchTerms=atlas

That page will give you a little look at Atlas.

The MSR Denali line has a good "track" record. I have a pair--reasonably light, great built-in crampons. A little small for deep powder (but so are 99% of the snowshoes sold these days...).

Doug

Here is a previous thread

Showshoes

disclaimer: I am not a hardcore snowshoer - basically use them when have to in deep powder to get above treeline, etc...

I probably go on 8 to 12 winter hikes a year and 80% of those are on packed trails. (tuckerman, lowes, valley way, franconia, etc...) I rented them for years putting off the need to buy some so....

but when I finally bit the buller got a pair last year - I did a little research - spent very little on yukon charlies. they have served me well so far.

http://yukoncharlies.com/index.cfm

I know you get what you pay for - but many reviews I read and people on this board said they were decent. so far so good. might not be a bad choice for your first pair and what you describe your gonna do.

and you can get them very cheap on ebay - typically with poles included.

So far my Yukons have also held up well. Do not depend on the poles, unless they've changed, they are pretty worthless.

Quietman said:

So far my Yukons have also held up well. Do not depend on the poles, unless they've changed, they are pretty worthless.

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just a FYI - I have the 2004 versions (poles) and have beat the crap out of them (including a climb to camp muir (and down) on rainier with 50 pounds on the back over snow,rock,etc...) - and they are still holding up well. I did have to duck tape the snow baskets to keep them from falling off. but minor issue!!

not dis-agreeing with quietman - just giving my input as maybe they have made them better lately.

Havlick

You might also want to consider Havlick. A little higher priced than Yukon Charlies but, for what it's worth, they're hand-made inside the Adirondack Blue Line, NY, USA. I have to admit, though, that the eBay offers for YK's look good.

No relationship with the company but I have a pair and haven't had any problems. But, they haven't been used extensively, either.

teejay

I think you need to make a "best guess" at the type of snow and trail conditions you'll be dealing with. Then what your total weight with all gear, clothes, pack etc will be. (Are you going for fast paced day hikes on broken trails or slogging overnighters in fresh snow?) Then read this entire link. There are more variables then you might guess. Once you have a style and size in mind, it'll be easier to select a specific product. One pair of shoes won't be appropriate for all conditions, but will be fine for most if you guess correctly now.

The 25" length has been good for me for the most part, I'm around 200lbs.
I did have some serious sinkage in the 3' of snow 2 weeks ago, but was much better off than having no snowshoes.

I would second King Tut's recommendation. The Atlas 10XX and 12XX series are excellent and very tough. I have known people to have trouble with MSR and Yukons falling apart quickly in the Whites. Watch at REI outlet - they go on sale most years.

Even for "easier" White Mountain hikes, you want an agressive crampon on your snowshoe. Look for claws on the bottom, not just a row of dull teeth such as you find on some of the recreational or "discovery" series put out by the various lines.

Bindings change every year, so all I can recommend is trying them on and trying to imagine getting them on and off in the cold, with the straps frozen and your hands cold. Make sure there is some way to stop your foot from sliding forward in the binding as you descend a steep slope.

If your weight is at all close to the dividing line for size (length of the snowshoe) get the smaller one for the Whites. We have heavier snow than they do out west, and our trails get packed more quickly. The smaller the shoe the easier to use.

A 25" snowshoe will serve you well. Unless you're going out in major powder, anything much longer will just get in the way. I use Atlas Altitude 25s and love them. The (older) binding system is easy to use and vertually idiotproof and the crampons are agressive.

I would avoid snowshoes that use a ratcheting system in place of clips since these seem to be more prone to freezing and then you can't tighten or remove them. Also make sure they have good taildrop so they'll shed snow well and you won't wind up carrying snow around with you. Look for a steel pin being used for the pivot.

Double Bow said:

A 25" snowshoe will serve you well. Unless you're going out in major powder, anything much longer will just get in the way. I use Atlas Altitude 25s and love them. The (older) binding system is easy to use and vertually idiotproof and the crampons are agressive.

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I agree with Double Bow...I have Atlas 30s and they are tough to deal with when it gets steep. Most people in the Whites that are summiting with shoes a lot shorter than 30 inches. You will findi to difficult ot kick steps in with larger shoes on steep terrain.

Double Bow said:

A 25" snowshoe will serve you well. Unless you're going out in major powder, anything much longer will just get in the way. I use Atlas Altitude 25s and love them. The (older) binding system is easy to use and vertually idiotproof and the crampons are agressive.

I would avoid snowshoes that use a ratcheting system in place of clips since these seem to be more prone to freezing and then you can't tighten or remove them. Also make sure they have good taildrop so they'll shed snow well and you won't wind up carrying snow around with you. Look for a steel pin being used for the pivot.

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I also agree that people anywhere near the recommended weight cutoff should opt for the smaller shoe for hiking in the Whites but disagree that ratchet bindings should be avoided. I ended up buying Atlas 12s specifically because the ratchet binding was so easy to use. I can put the shoes on and take them off while wearing thick wool mittens, which is important to me because my fingers numb very quickly when exposed. Over thirty winter hikes later, including most of the Presidentials, the bindings have never frozen, even after stepping in running water or in those annoying conditions where snow tends to ice-up underfoot.

I use the MSR Denali Evo Ascent with 6" tails. It gives You the option of removing the tails when you don't need them and they are very good on steep terrain.

KevCon223 said:

I use the MSR Denali Evo Ascent with 6" tails. It gives You the option of removing the tails when you don't need them and they are very good on steep terrain.

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I use the MSR Denali Ascent with 8" tails (predecessor to the Evo line). I ignore the option of removing the tails; I like the flotation and the steering effect. They are also very good on steep terrain.

It took me a long time to get past my mistrust in plastic. I started on wood and rawhide a long time ago, wore out two pair of those and broke a third, then wore out a pair of original Sherpas, and finally took the leap of faith necessary to buy plastic four years ago. I love 'em, except for the racket from plastic on hardpack and ice.

If you're buying MSR snowshoes, be sure you know whether you're buying Evo or non-Evo. There are Evo tails and non-Evo tails, and "never the twain shall meet", as the two types are not interchangeable. Evo tails are always 6"; non-Evo are available in 4" or 8".

I'm also ready for new shoes, after punishing a pair of 30' Tubbs for five years. They were so good to me that I'll probably get another pair. The new ones I see in the store now are identical to the ones I bought five years ago, which says alot about their success.

Snowbird, your point about the rachet system is intereseting, since it seems to be a better system than the straps. John S. seems quite convinced that they don't suffer from freezing. I have never had that problem with snowboard bindings, either.

Caution!!! Make sure that the boot you intend to wear fits the snowshoe. My wife bought a pair of 25" Tubbs, but her LL Bean Snowclaw boots were too wide. The salesman said it's because they weren't made for winter boots, but rather winter running shoes.

I'm sure you'll get tons of replies with multitudes of good advice. I have Sherpas and I think there is nothing better, but they're expensive, so I won't belabor the point. I only have 2 pieces of advice for you:

Make sure the material that attaches the snowshoe to the frame is durable, like a hard plastic as the Tubbs and many others have, or a tough plastic lace like Sherpas. Beware of lower quality shoes (LL Bean has its own name brand pair) that use a softer material to wrap around the frame, since it wears through very quickly.

You may prefer a binding that is a full metal hinge. This allows the snowshoe to flop 360 degrees around your foot and helps when you're extricating yourself from a pile of snow that you fell into. Many less expensive shoes have a strap binding rather than a hinge, which doesn't allow the snowshoe to rotate around your foot; this also prevents the tail from dragging on the ground well and you tend to get whacked in the butt with a pile of snow kicked up by the snowshoe every time you pick up your foot. Generally this isn't a problem if you won't be going in deep snow or places where you are likely to find yourself stuck deep in the powder with the need to deftly maneuver your legs and feet unencumbered by an inflexible snowshoe.

That's my 20 cents.

Also have MSR Denali ascent

My wife and I have have the MSR Denali Ascents. I have the 8" tails. I like the modular ability, the televator (makes it easier to climb) and the durability of the materials. They are lighter and less expensive than most competitors too. They work well with a variety of footwear, from leather boots to plastic.

Re EVO vs. Non EVO. EVOs are more expensive and a tad heavier but newer. I can't tell much of a difference other than the tail length.

MSR denali ascents.. Love that televator. 5 years and god knows how many miles... w/ no problems.