mountaineer snowshoes

[bikehikeskifish]

FWIW, peakbagger, and others... I do wear them a lot. The Denalis broke at the shovel from plastic fatigue, probably due to spanning rocks. I haven't the patience to change traction very often and as such admit to being hard on the snowshoes.

EMS had, for a while, a limited supply of the older grey Denalis which they were selling at a steep discount. I didn't get new ones because I had that binding rubbing and wearing issue prior to breaking the decking.

For the time being, I am please with the Tubbs Flex Alp 24s and my only real complaint is that they don't lie flat when carried due to the non-flat nature of the bindings. Since I wear them way more than carry them, it's not a huge problem. You can carry them tip-to-tail for added ease, as shown below.

Tim

 

[Tim Seaver]

The other thing about the Lightnings that I do not like at all is their "cookie cutter" nature when walking downhill - I find it's much more tiring and hard on the knees than shoes that allow a little slippage.

I am a big fan of Northern Lites snowshoes for their super light weight and packability, but they are kind of light in the traction department, with a small aluminum crampon that gets shredded pretty quickly. These shoes would be much more popular in the NE if the manufacturer would simply offer a model with a larger steel crampon, but the design has not been changed for years. If you are willing to hot-rod a pair with another manufacturers crampon, you'll have a great pair of shoes that will take an incredible pounding and not break.

 

[sardog1]

He opined that not many manufacturers would be able to build a pair that would survive his abuse which included climbing up trees in snowshoes and jumping off. I think Sherpa shoes were built for folks like UFC. Most have abandoned Sherpa's (long out of business) and gone to lighter shoes

IT'S ALIVE, I TELL YOU, IT'S ALIVE!!!! But it ain't cheap: IRL Snowshoes

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I used Tubbs Katahdins for 3+ rounds of the NH 4's plus peaks in the ADK's and Maine several years ago when I lived in VT. I worked near Tubbs (then in Stowe) and they'd do warranty repairs for me at the end of the season. I bought a set of the Talon crampons for them - some people didn't like them because they're super grippy, and sometimes cause faceplants going downhill. When I moved back from the Sierra last year I used them on a few winter hikes but found that nearly everyone had switched to the slightly narrower MSR or Tubbs Flex Alps 'shoes, and so walking in a broken track was a bit uncomfortable. I bought a pair of MSR's, and liked them, especially the televator on the steeps. However, getting the tension on the neoprene straps exactly right was difficult, at least for my feet. I found that if the strap over my instep was a bit too tight then my feet would be in agony after 12 miles or so. After a trip to Isolation in early January I had to take them off about 2 miles short of the TH and bareboot it the rest of the way. I switched over to the Tubbs Flex Alps as it uses a different binding method, and I found it much more comfortable.

In terms of traction, both the MSR and Tubbs are great, with the Tubbs having a slight edge due to the aggressive crampon under the toe. Some might consider it a liability, however, because it's nearly impossible to glide downhill. The men's Tubbs Flex is a bit longer than it needs to be, and if something happened to my current Flex 'shoes I'd get the women's model.

In terms of your current Atlas 'shoes - if they work for you (i.e., are not too wide for existing tracks) then I'd join the others here and suggest you stick with them.

 

[dug]

Sheesh, If I show up with my 20 year-old Redfeathers with a replaced, duct-tape built neoprene decking, bent cleats, and scratched and dented frame I fear I'll be laughed off the mountain. That being said, other than around the house, they actually haven't done much than ride on my pack in the last several years.

 

[TCD]

Like Tim, I've had good luck with my Northern Lites. Surprisingly durable, given the small diameter Al tubing frame. I modified mine by re-drilling and bolting on an old "instep crampon." Now they have great traction!

 

[Mike P.]

My .02, the Tubbs and Atlas's are typical built to be more durable. I've still got a couple of pair of old rental Tubbs but the cleats are in need of sharpening so I just use them we get a big snowfall here to make the snowshoe track in the yard for the kids. (bought them both LL Bean snowshoes as they will grow out of them. - my 80 lb son is wearing size 10 boots, he may be already wearing snowshoes.)

The MSR's do grip well, better than most of the Tubbs and Atlas shoes & they fit the trail track well and they aren't that pricey to replace. I keep going through clips that lock in the neoprene straps when you double them back. The bindings on the Bean shoes and the Tubbs while more tedious to secure are less likely to fail. Just IMO

 

[summitseeker]

Friends don't let friends go into the mountains with the Lightnings: MSR Lightning Ascents R.I.P.

Some friendly advice: Buy the MSR Evos instead. At your weight, you probably won't need the extending tails most of the time, but get those as well for the occasions when you might.

When the Lightnings break it is usually a catastrophic failure of the one-piece frame. I LOVE my MSR Evo Ascents and have rarely felt I needed the floats. FWIW.

Z

 

[Raven]

I have had the same pair of MSR Denali Classics (essentially the Evo Ascent without the televator) for 14 years of pretty consistent use, maybe averaging 8-10 trips yearly.

My opinion of these shoes is that they are nearly indestructible. The crampons are good but not as aggressive as some others. This is an advantage on descents as they allow me to slide forward without catching. I shredded the metal at one of the connection points where the bindings attach to the decking. They appeared to be constructed of aluminum. The repaired shoe has had no issues. I ripped a rubber strap at one point too and had that replaced.

Considering the mileage and rough use these have gotten, I give them an A. I don't envision ever needing to replace these shoes if they haven't needed it yet.

I have never used the tails other than for one trial to test them out. I will never use them. If anyone here wants a pair of tails, message me and they are yours if you will use them. I still have them in the original band they came with in 2000.

For comparison, I'm 5'10, 175 pounds and carry about 25-30 pounds in winter.

 

[DougPaul]

MSR Denali Classics (essentially the Evo Ascent without the televator)

Some of the MSR Denali models have a larger toe hole than the others which can be important for some boots. (My double boots with supergaiters rubbed on the smaller toe holes and I had to switch to a model with larger toe holes.)

Just to add my 2 cents: I like my MSR Denalis (specific model?). Good grip in all directions (up, down, and to the side). I don't particularly like the binding, but it works ok. (I prefer the traditional Howe binding on my wood and neoprene snowshoes. For a picture of a leather Howe binding see: http://www.etsy.com/se-en/listing/120168062/pair-leather-howe-snowshoe-snow-shoe. See also http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?10557-Bindings-for-Traditional-Snowshoes )

Doug

 

[Raven]

Some of the MSR Denali models have a larger toe hole than the others which can be important for some boots. (My double boots with supergaiters rubbed on the smaller toe holes and I had to switch to a model with larger toe holes.)

Doug

Good point Doug. My Koflach double plastics are size 11 and seem to be at the limit of the toe hole on these. I can't see a 12 fitting. I only combine the two very rarely as I am often in a less rigid pair of winter boots that is compatible with G-10s.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

If you have a large boot (mine are size 13 Columbia Ice Dragon IIs), you might be better off with the Flex Alp (and maybe the 28 at that) -- The MSR Evo Ascents do not allow my boots to pivot through the toe hole (making them unusable). The original grey Denali Ascent fit better, but still the binding material rubbed against the decking and wore out the binding.

Some of the MSR Denali models have a larger toe hole than the others which can be important for some boots. (My double boots with supergaiters rubbed on the smaller toe holes and I had to switch to a model with larger toe holes.)

Good point Doug. My Koflach double plastics are size 11 and seem to be at the limit of the toe hole on these. I can't see a 12 fitting. I only combine the two very rarely as I am often in a less rigid pair of winter boots that is compatible with G-10s.

I'm sensing a theme here... be sure to try the shoes on with the boots you'll be wearing. Walk around and make sure the toe end moves cleanly through the toe hole.

Tim

 

[peakbagger]

Years ago when I used Scarpas (size 13), my Tubbs binding (TD-91)wouldn't fit the boots. I ended up building a custom binding plate specific to the Scarpas. The custom binding worked well but was useless for any other boot. Given that I no longer use plastic boots due to inability to get then in 13 4E, its no longer a problem. The hole in the decking was tight but I set the binding up so the wear parts were outside of the region of possible interference. I think the plastic decking eventually wore away in these spots.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

...13 4E...

Do you really need snowshoes?

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

I'm sensing a theme here... be sure to try the shoes on with the boots you'll be wearing.

Generally a good idea.

Walk around and make sure the toe end moves cleanly through the toe hole.

(bolding mine)
A little hard to do in the store if the snowshoe has a decent crampon... But it should be easy enough to check the clearance by simply mounting the boot in the snowshoe and flexing the binding forward.

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

A little hard to do in the store if the snowshoe has a decent crampon...

Depends on the store. Most EMS stores have a rubberized ramp you can walk up and down. If your boot is not properly positioned and weighted, you might get fooled into thinking it will clear the toe hole, until you have been walking down hill for a while and your boot is sliding slowly forward, as it is prone to doing in the MSR cross-the-top-of-the-boot style binding.

Tim

 

[TCD]

When shopping, one thing to look for also is the security of the binding on the heel. I don't have MSRs, but looking at pictures, they appear to have done this part well. Many other snowshoe bindings feature a heel strap that basically lays flat on the shoe at the very bottom of the boot heel, with nothing to keep it elevated. (It's puzzling why bindings like this continue to be sold.) A common problem with these bindings is that the heel strap eventually slips down off the heel, and you "walk out" of the snowshoe. (My Northern Lites have this problem, and I'm planning a minor modification to fix this.)

 

[TJsName]

Depends on the store. Most EMS stores have a rubberized ramp you can walk up and down. If your boot is not properly positioned and weighted, you might get fooled into thinking it will clear the toe hole, until you have been walking down hill for a while and your boot is sliding slowly forward, as it is prone to doing in the MSR cross-the-top-of-the-boot style binding.

Tim

This advice is very important if you have big feet. My boot just barely makes it through the toe hole (and if it shifts in the binding, then it just nicks it). Thankfully the Tubbs bindings are pretty good and I don't get much movement once it is in.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

This advice is very important if you have big feet. My boot just barely makes it through the toe hole (and if it shifts in the binding, then it just nicks it). Thankfully the Tubbs bindings are pretty good and I don't get much movement once it is in.

I had this exact problem with my original Denalis. The giveaway was the distinctive "crunch" sound when I put my weight on it and the toe rand scraped the front of the shovel. Time to re-position/tighten the bindings. I could not even begin to get the toe through the Evos. Flex Alp - no problem.

Tim

 

[Tom Rankin]

A common problem with these bindings is that the heel strap eventually slips down off the heel, and you "walk out" of the snowshoe.

I've seen this happen and sometimes the person does not even notice!