MSR Lightning Ascents, R.I.P.

[erugs]

My old Tubbs were in great shape until I looked at this thread and then looked at the bottom of my snowshoes. I've got three out of four possible deck material tears near the front crampon rivet. Now what? Short term, I have a pair of Atlas that I picked up from an EMS rental sale. Longer term, I'd like to find out if the shoes can be repaired. Crying.

 

[blaze]

Here's a shot of my friend's busted Tubbs snowshoe (on my foot) after some hasty, Rube Goldberg type field repairs, applied with very cold hands, on Saturday 1/9, just shy of the Zealand summit:

While the snow was not brutally deep, it was still a bad place to have this happen. Nine miles from the road. And the snow was deep enough so that somebody would have hopped like Festus, expending considerable energy, all the way back to where we'd dropped our skis.

I used some velcro straps, and knotted a bandanna tight to keep the velcro in place. That held for quite a while. When it finally started loosening up, we used a bungee cord.

I still have a busted MSR Classic (actually they were called "Denali Lamas" at the time) in my basement... what exactly I'm saving it for I'm not sure. That happened on a Bonds attempt in March 2008? An ill-fated day, and the busted snowshoe was the least of my problems.

I'm going to be more conscientious about carrying repair items. It's one thing to throw some odds and ends in your pack.... actually using it, far from the road on a cold day, really brings the lesson home.

 

[MadRiver]

I just got back my Lightning Ascents from MSR in two weeks rather than the six week turnaround time. Instead of repairing my old ones, they sent me a new pair. One thing I will do differently is rather than aggressively kick step as I have done in the past, especially in icy conditions, is to let the shoe’s design do its job. If I put less force on the front crampon and allow the cross sections and the side sections to grip the ice/snow, I might reduce the force on the crampons and rivets. I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t be redesigned, I’m just saying since I’m aware of certain design flaws, I should reduce the force that I normally apply to the shoe so as not to accelerate the metal fatigue.

 

[JoeCedar]

I just got back my Lightning Ascents from MSR in two weeks rather than the six week turnaround time. Instead of repairing my old ones, they sent me a new pair. One thing I will do differently is rather than aggressively kick step as I have done in the past, especially in icy conditions, is to let the shoe’s design do its job. If I put less force on the front crampon and allow the cross sections and the side sections to grip the ice/snow, I might reduce the force on the crampons and rivets. I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t be redesigned, I’m just saying since I’m aware of certain design flaws, I should reduce the force that I normally apply to the shoe so as not to accelerate the metal fatigue.

While you are at it, you should also be very careful going downhill and sidehilling, particularly in crusty or icy conditions. I had a suspicion that these were the problematic conditions when mine broke several times.

Come to think of it, you should always be careful with these high-strung, delicate snowshoes..........

 

[MadRiver]

I might keep the box they came in just in case.

 

[Lawn Sale]

Just keep them in the case, that way they won't get worn out.

 

[MadRiver]

Just keep them in the case, that way they won't get worn out.

Hmmmm, no! Even with all the problems, I like my Ascents.

 

[The Hikers]

Had to go check our Denali's after reading this thread. We've had them for four years, and the only wear I see is to the plastic cross-treads at the rear, probably from rocks . Only used the 8" tails once in deep snow and found it pretty clumsy. I DO love the "televators"

 

[AOC-1]

While you are at it, you should also be very careful going downhill and sidehilling, particularly in crusty or icy conditions. I had a suspicion that these were the problematic conditions when mine broke several times.

Come to think of it, you should always be careful with these high-strung, delicate snowshoes..........

Yep, my LA's have broken 3 times in the same location - and each time I was sidehilling or going down. I now use the LA's only when snowshoes might be necessary, never when they clearly will be required gear. And when I do use them I take them off whenever and whereever possible.

 

[Stash]

Here's a shot of my friend's busted Tubbs snowshoe (on my foot) after some hasty, Rube Goldberg type field repairs, applied with very cold hands, on Saturday 1/9, just shy of the Zealand summit:

While the snow was not brutally deep, it was still a bad place to have this happen. Nine miles from the road. And the snow was deep enough so that somebody would have hopped like Festus, expending considerable energy, all the way back to where we'd dropped our skis.

I used some velcro straps, and knotted a bandanna tight to keep the velcro in place. That held for quite a while. When it finally started loosening up, we used a bungee cord.

Blaze. What happened here. Heel strap broke but toe basket still in good shape? Did you get any results from Tubbs?

 

[Juniper]

I called Cascade Designs today to see what my options are for repairing/replacing my LA's which both have a broken binding. Mine have cracked not at the point where the rivets are, but farther down the plate. Same exact break on each shoe. I've used them for 1.5 seasons. Anyway, the customer service rep told me that I had a couple of options - I could send my shoes to them at my expense and they would replace the binding for about $20 or I could buy a new binding for about $35 from Second Ascents (www.secondascents.com) which is a used/new gear shop in Seattle where I have purchased other things in the past. The second option would be faster since I'd only have to deal with one-way travel of the item. Then she asked me to confirm which model I have (LAs) and said that - oops - Second Ascent doesn't carry bindings for that particular snowshoe, so I should send them to them and they will cover the repair under warranty. Interesting outcome...what was going to cost me at least $20 is now free? We'll see where it goes.

Since I can't really be without shoes for as long as this may take, I am looking at getting a new pair. I have really loved the Lightning Ascents, and may just get the same thing again. I have also been looking at the Crescent Moon Gold 13s, but they don't appear to have a televator which I really would like to have.

I believe I read over on adkhp that the denali evo binding will fit on the LAs and may be a better alternative to the standard LA setup. I am considering purchasing a set of these bindings from Second Ascents to have as a repair kit for my (potential) two pair of LAs. Can someone confirm that this will work?

 

[Chip]

I have also been looking at the Crescent Moon Gold 13s, but they don't appear to have a televator which I really would like to have.

FWIW, I've been on Crescent Moon Golds for about 5 years and really like them, love the binding and crampons, no real wear nor any breakage yet...but they don't have the 'vators.

 

[MadRiver]

Since I can't really be without shoes for as long as this may take, I am looking at getting a new pair. I have really loved the Lightning Ascents, and may just get the same thing again.

I recently sent mine back to repair both crampons and they told me 4-6 weeks. They sent me a new pair within two weeks. I too like my LA and will keep using them until they break again.

 

[bobandgeri]

Juniper - if you want to borrow a pair of Tubbs until your MSR's are back we'd be glad to lend you a pair. LA's are the best out there IMO. We've both had ours for 5 years and haven't had a single issue.

 

[JoeCedar]

I believe I read over on adkhp that the denali evo binding will fit on the LAs and may be a better alternative to the standard LA setup. I am considering purchasing a set of these bindings from Second Ascents to have as a repair kit for my (potential) two pair of LAs. Can someone confirm that this will work?

As my last resort with the LAs, I put the evo binding on the LAs last spring and wore them on several 20 mile hikes. This fall I was doing well again with this hybrid setup, until the binding mounting tab on the frame broke (not the evo binding). Then it was R.I.P. for my Lightnings. I had no problem at all with using the evo bindings on the LA snowshoe. They are very similar in dimensions and design.

 

[MadRiver]

We've both had ours for 5 years and haven't had a single issue.

You must have gotten the pair that were made on Wednesday.

 

[Juniper]

Yay! I just received two brand new sets of snowshoes free from MSR - a replacement for the Lightning Ascents mentioned previously in this thread and also a pair of Denali Ascents (record attempt fatality) that frankly had seen better days but which they replaced under warranty anyway. Total turnaround time was only about 16 days. Of course, in the meantime I went out and got a new pair of LAs, so now I have two identical pair of shoes...we'll see how long they last.

 

[bobandgeri]

That's great! When I went to use mine recently I noticed that the crampon on one was broken and the other cracked at the same spot (where they are rivited to the binding) Call to MSR was just a couple of minutes - told me to remove the bindings from the shoe and just send them in for a free replacement. Very good customer service. I feel I got way more than my moneys worth from them.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I got lucky - they only wanted a photo of my damaged Denali bindings - not the actual bindings - so I ended up with some spares / parts bindings.

Tim

 

[Paradox]

Yay! I just received two brand new sets of snowshoes free from MSR - a replacement for the Lightning Ascents mentioned previously in this thread and also a pair of Denali Ascents (record attempt fatality) that frankly had seen better days but which they replaced under warranty anyway. Total turnaround time was only about 16 days. Of course, in the meantime I went out and got a new pair of LAs, so now I have two identical pair of shoes...we'll see how long they last.

With all this new equipment, maybe you should try for a winter record of some sort!