snow shoe opinions

LavaFalls · Sep 18, 2008

My current pair of snow shoes need replacing. So...Can I please have opinions on Atlas, Tubbs, MSR's, others. To have or not to have televators? Who has the "most reliable" record? Who has the better customer service? Which one can take the most abuse? Thanks

Lavafalls

DougPaul · Sep 18, 2008

Take a search though last winter's threads--this topic has been discussed to death multiple times...

Doug

Chip · Sep 18, 2008

I like the discussion but I agree with Doug; this is one subject that has had lots of energy put into it already. Everybody has an as........ I mean opinion. Ideally you'd probably own at least 2 pair. 1 for light fast travel on packed trails and another for backpacking and/or breaking trail.

Here's some threads to review: Enjoy !

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19650&highlight=snowshoe

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21234&highlight=snowshoe

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=20661&highlight=snowshoe

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=20175&highlight=snowshoe

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19417&highlight=snowshoe

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15884&highlight=snowshoe

WinterWarlock · Sep 18, 2008

I was going to point to a long recent thread on ADKHighPeaks until I saw that LavaFalls had already started that one too!!

kaseri · Sep 19, 2008

I'm a big fan of MSR Denali Evo Ascents.

Little Rickie · Sep 19, 2008

I love televators! Their a small hassel popping them up and down but when you need them they are great. They make a huge difference on steep slopes.

HikingBryan · Sep 19, 2008

Televators are very cool

I love my Denali Evo Ascents. Never leave home without them in the winter.

Jay H · Sep 19, 2008

I never knew snowshoes had opinions... Hmm, I'll have to ask mine the next time I see them.

I've never owned a show with televators but can see them useful in some cases, but I don't think that should be the end all of what shoes to buy. Something that is reliable and as fairly lightweight if you plan on doing long winter hikes is something that I would look for. I've heard some horror stories with MSRs but on the other hand, a lot of us have them so wouldn't be to hesitant to rec them based on others here.

I have a pair of Northern Lites which I like and are non-televators... Despite their lightness, I've used them a lot the last 2 winters with no sign of death (to it or it's user).

Jay

roadtripper · Sep 19, 2008

MSR Lightning Ascents are amazing. I liked them so much I bought an extra pair so that I could let friends use them and come with me.

J.Dub · Sep 21, 2008

Chip said:
Ideally you'd probably own at least 2 pair.

And here I was thinking I was all that (and a bag of chips) with my singular pair of 24" Tubbs.

Now I feel so...inadequate.

Little Ricky said:
I love televators!

At the risk of sounding like an ignorant jamoke -- or worse, a n00b -- what's a televator?

DougPaul · Sep 21, 2008

J.Dub said:
what's a televator?

Same as a heel lifter on a ski.

Doug

bikehikeskifish · Sep 22, 2008

J.Dub said:
what's a televator?

See that thing under his right heel?

Tim

J.Dub · Sep 22, 2008

bikehikeskifish said:
See that thing under his right heel?

Tim

Doug had me at "heel lift on a ski".

Thanks to you both.

JoeCedar · Sep 22, 2008

roadtripper said:
MSR Lightning Ascents are amazing. I liked them so much I bought an extra pair so that I could let friends use them and come with me.

Yeah, I liked mine too. You will need both pairs, one for a spare when the others are sent back to MSR for repair when the crampon rivets (see picture above) pull out. Performance is great, but durability is awful. For some reason, MSR won't improve their product. Light weight was judged more important than durability.

Last year I bought a pair of Denali Evo Ascents and haven't had a problem with them: same guy, same trails, same miles...much more durable product.

albee · Sep 24, 2008

Jay H said:
I have a pair of Northern Lites which I like and are non-televators... Despite their lightness, I've used them a lot the last 2 winters with no sign of death (to it or it's user).

I've got a pair of Northern Lites and I love them, too. I must say, however, their warranty and customer service are awful. When part of my cleat sheared off in crusty snow early last winter, I called about the warranty and the owner of the company told me he would be too busy to fix them until spring...

I sent them in at the end of the winter and he told me they were too worn out to fix, and that it would cost $100 plus $15 shipping to refurbish them after one winter's use - which I refused to pay. So much for a warranty. It was quite a hassle just to get him to fix the original problem and not charge me additional shipping fees for a manufacturing flaw in one particular batch of their aluminum cleats. This is too bad, since they are otherwise the best pair of snowshoes I've ever owned.

skiguy · Sep 24, 2008

JoeCedar said:
Last year I bought a pair of Denali Evo Ascents and haven't had a problem with them: same guy, same trails, same miles...much more durable product.

I"ve only played aound with these a bit at a snowshoe demo. They seem very durable and climb like a madman although a bit on the heavy side. My question has anyone switched in and out with the extra tails and actually noticed any significant difference in flotation?

Thclimer · Sep 24, 2008

albee said:
I've got a pair of Northern Lites and I love them, too. I must say, however, their warranty and customer service are awful. When part of my cleat sheared off in crusty snow early last winter, I called about the warranty and the owner of the company told me he would be too busy to fix them until spring... I sent them in at the end of the winter and he told me they were too worn out to fix, and that it would cost $100 plus $15 shipping to refurbish them after one winter's use - which I refused to pay. So much for a warranty. It was quite a hassle just to get him to fix the original problem and not charge me additional shipping fees for a manufacturing flaw in one particular batch of their aluminum cleats. This is too bad, since they are otherwise the best pair of snowshoes I've ever owned.

I actually have 2 pairs of the Northern Lites Elites. The first pair is over 10 years old and still going although they are starting to really show signs of ware, but with as many miles that I have put on them I can really complain. I bought the second pair about 5 years ago just to let friends use them to come hiking with me. I think for how light they are they are about the best shoes out there.

It is disappointing to hear their customer service seems to be lacking.

DougPaul · Sep 24, 2008

skiguy said:
I"ve only played aound with these a bit at a snowshoe demo. They seem very durable and climb like a madman although a bit on the heavy side. My question has anyone switched in and out with the extra tails and actually noticed any significant difference in flotation?

I have used the tail extensions on an earlier model (Denali Classic, before they knew that they were classic...

) and had some minor problems with tip dive. The extensions, of course, only add area to the tail resulting in the binding being too far forward for the best balance.

BTW, they are nice and light compared to my original wood with neoprene and nylon decking. However, I still prefer the old traditional Howe (neoprene) bindings on the wood ones over the new-fangled bindings on the MSRs.

Doug

nazdarovye · Sep 24, 2008

skiguy said:
I"ve only played aound with these a bit at a snowshoe demo. They seem very durable and climb like a madman although a bit on the heavy side. My question has anyone switched in and out with the extra tails and actually noticed any significant difference in flotation?

I've noticed little difference in flotation but noticeable difference in balance. I don't like the way the shoes feel with the extra length hanging off the back, and now use them exclusively without the tails.

Great shoes otherwise - they're my second favorite pair after my Northern Lites, which in the conditions we have here in California and Oregon are great. I used the Evos in the Santanonis and appreciated their durability compared to the Northern Lites.

One other brand to consider: Crescent Moon. I have the Magnesium 9s and they're light and durable - good for consolidated snow and ice.

bikehikeskifish · Sep 24, 2008

I mostly use them without the tails. The 4" tails don't significantly mess up my balance, nor do they significantly increase my flotation. The 8" tails do mess up my balance while not offering a commensurate increase in flotation (only used once, in 20"+ fresh poweder.) Both increase the amount of trail I can break out though. Note that I also have a pair of 30" Tubbs which I don't think floats my 200# + gear all that much better -- they aren't climbing shoes so I use them in the rolling terrain (power lines) adjacent to my house mainly for quick exercise, but also to compare with my MSR Denalis.

I will probably but a pair of Atlas 1030s or similar at some point for those deep-powder days.

Tim

snow shoe opinions

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