20 Best Snowshoes For Backcountry Snowboarding (2023 Updated)

I got the snowshoes last winter. They track very straight and the findings attached securely to your boots. They are easy on and off, and do well climbing steep terrain. The one problem I had is the first time that I wore them the tab that you pull on to loosen the front of a binding pulled right off.

It was an easy fix with some Epoxy and a zip strip but it never should have come apart like that. It was a five minute fix which was faster than messing around with the shipping it back and waiting for a repair or a replacement.

Other than that they were a great pair of snowshoes and I look forward to using them this winter.

I got these to replace my old snowshoes that slipped sideways from a poor strap system at the front. These were a major upgrade. Serious claw for digging into crunchy terrain which is good for the Alaskan landscape I explore.

They fit snugly with no shifting of my boot – easy to put on & off. And the color is nice too. Love them!.

To me, the harness is the most important part of the snowshoe and this shoe has a very good one. It locks quite nicely and is secure and comfortable on the foot. It gives you very good control of the snowshoes.

The shoes have aggressive traction cleats that work well on hard slopes and yet do not impede normal stride.

I really like these snowshoes. Why the 3 star rating? I recently purchased my second pair in less than 3 winter seasons. The first pair broke at the binding last winter. The second pair broke at the crampon this winter.

The first pair was replaced under warranty; the warranty for the second pair is currently pending as I write this review. Why did I buy a second pair? Quite simply, because the performance on these snowshoes is awesome.

The traction is amazing and the ergonomics are amazing. By comparison, I prefer them over the MSR Lightning Ascent, although the MSR’s may have slightly better flotation in deep snow. Otherwise the Tubbs are superior in performance.

I’d give them 6 stars if they didn’t break. I will add 2 final thoughts. First, in both instances that my Tubbs broke, I was still able to wear them and complete the hike. That is a major positive and can’t be ignored.

Second, Tubbs did honor its warranty (at least once), and that counts for something too.

I’ve only used these on one snowshoe outing but I am happy with them so far. The binding system is so easy. I have another, longer pair of snowshoes (27s) and their binding system is much more complicated and always has to be readjusted.

The ease of this system was a breath of fresh air. I bought the Tubbs to be my shorter set of snowshoes for groomed trails as I find my longer ones are better for powdery, off the beaten track conditions but can be cumbersome otherwise.

So far so good!.

These are much lighter than my former pair and have superior traction, especially on steep slopes. They are very easy to carry attached to my pack, and they have served me well for alpine outings when I am transitioning back and forth between snowshoes, crampons, etc.

The only flaw is how loud they are, especially on snow with a crunchy surface. It’s almost not tolerable in certain situations. As great as they are, I hesitate to use them unless I absolutely need to.

I wasn’t sure what kind of snowshoes I would need but these are the ones I chose. I’ve used them a few times and have no complaints. They are light and easy to attach to my backpack and very easy to put on in the snow with gloves on.

I have hiked up a mountain in powder snow as well as broken new trails in the forest with these. I got the longer ones for better floatation, not sure if it made a difference. These are light and easy to walk with even with some snow on them and they are narrow so my stride feels normal.

I do experience a little snow kick up the back of my legs, it’s not a deal breaker for me and I wear gaiters so I stay dry. I’ve had so much hiking with these snowshoes!.

I bought these a month ago when my old snowshoes broke. Wasn’t sure how I was going to like them, they are a little more aggressive than I need for recreation snowshoeing that I do. But to my surprise I haven’t been happier.

The bindings are amazing and quick to get in and out off. Love the toe binding that makes sure you foot is in the exact spot it should be in. I wasn’t sure what the wire under the heel was for. I did some research to find out it was for climbing hills.

So I tried the wire thingy and I couldn’t beleave how easy it made climbing a hill. It keeps your foot at a much better angle and you just walk up the hill. Less effort and less strain on you ankle. Was amazed how a piece of wire under your heel made such a difference.

I had read the other review about the snow kicking up, and was a little concerned. And yes they do kick up some snow but I have yet to come home soaked. I don’t find that they kick up all the time just once and a while.

I think it all depends on how you walk in them. Overall I am very happy with my purchase.

A very well designed binding makes getting in and out a breeze when crossing territory that switches from deep snow to long patches of exposed ground. The binding also holds tight to the foot which means I can focus on hiking and not worry about losing a shoe.

They’re lightweight and the 30″ allowed my 220 pound body and 50 pound pack to glide along the snow with little sinkage. Whether I am trudging up Stuart Peak in the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area, cruising downhill on a steep face, or simply gliding along a long flat snow covered stretch these awesome snowshoes allow me to get where I want to go.

I got an incredible deal on these about 4 years ago and have been using them since then. They were my first pair of snowshoes. I now regularly trek up in the hills trails in the Finger Lakes and have gone up to the ADK’s with these.

The terrain I’m on is varied; powder and icy snow, technical and steep, packed soft snowmobile trails and open fields with deep snow. I have also used these for Winter backpacking and the grip was great.

My biggest complaint is the absolutely horrible bindings. It took me awhile to realize how awful they were. The straps are way too long and flop around. They are easy to accidentally kick loose and unlatch and you have to be careful to put them on with the strap ends facing out.

Overall they have been a decent entry level snowshoe and have been generallydurable. They don’t have the best float in deep powder as I never bought the extension tails. The metal edges started rusting a few years after I purchased them but this has no impact on their functionality.

I have another brand/style that only have the metal grip under foot with a tube going around the perimeter which I use in strictly deep powder as they give me more float than these do. I’m about to upgrade to a more advanced pair most importantly with different bindings.

I cannot emphasize how much I dislike the strap style of these. If you think you are going to snowshoe more than just a few times a season, I’d spend the money on a pair with a better strap system. If you will only be traversing deep powder, these also might not be the best.

I purchased these snow shoes a couple of weeks ago and took them for the first time this week. About an hour and change into the day, I noticed one of the bindings had become very floppy. I removed the snowshoe and discovered that the pin holding the binding to the frame had sheared off.

I cut the trip short and had to posthole in mid calf snow for about a mile to get to a more firm surface for the return to my car. I contacted MSR immediately, and to their credit, they were very responsive.

Apparently the “clevis pin” which holds the binding to the snowshoe came off. Based on the photos i provided, they said “all you needed was a clevis pin, and you’d’ve been back in business” and that “this is a rare case/doesn’t happen often.

” I wouldn’t expect to need to carry a “clevis pin” as a spare part the next time I snowshoe. Bottom line: I like the ratcheting system which makes shoe/boot adjustment much easier for those with arthritic hands (like myself) I think MSR has a design problem here.

I would have rated the product one star, but I appreciate the prompt customer followup, so two stars it is. And I would definitely order some “clevis pins” along with the snowshoes.

I received the cheapest EVOs for Christmas but they arrived late for my trip. My husband and I were able to rent the EVO ascent (mens) from a local REI which are practically identical. While in Jackson hole over NYE we saw the store there had this style in store so I picked them up and tried them the next day in fresh powder (tons of it).

These are worth the price! I would have originally been happy with the cheaper ones but they took so long to put on and off. It was -7 the first day using these and with gloves I had them on in under 2mins.

I’m a size 9 and had to adjust the strap to M instead of S which was easy to do. These were much lighter on the feet to and could hardly feel them. The strapping is much easier to use and similar to ski bindings.

I carried around 170 total pounds and worked great. It was nice testing them out in fresh powder after a storm dumbed a foot of snow. I honestly do think I’ll ever need to add the tails but who knows.

If you’re in between these and the cheaper ones do yourself a favor and get these or the higher end models. I feel like I could hike like I do in the summer with these and go for a long distance.

I can not wait to get these into powder on the mountains. I Winter hike and i live in Alaska and I snowshow a good part of the year. I own the 23 inches but I can not get floatation with gear which is why they tell you the wt limit is 160.

Fine if you are a smaller guy with no pack. So this is me walking with a heavy parka, boots, clothing, insulated overpants and a daypack that weighs 4 lbs. Your on the body gear is heavier than you think.

One of my ridiculous but so warm and bear resistant Alaskan Hardgear cordura, down, coyote fur parkas wigh like 7 lbs pre humidity. Factor that all in and I had to get a 26 incher at backcountry as well.

The crampon teeth and side rail teeth (I do a lot of traversing on steeper terrain) are very aggressive and that was what I needed. Between the custom fit of the Boa, its quality and attractiveness, its design – it justifies the price easily.

I found it easier to adjust and the heel straps were of a very good quality. I have a feeling that this product may hit five stars (the 26 inch, the 23 hit 5 for casual walking around as transportation the end of last year.

)These straps where the easiest to adjst on my heels. And I own a TSL, I need to take mitts off in -30F-so ease of adjstment in the trail is manditory. These were my first Atlas’s in a long while and they will not be my last.

I was impressed.

I have been going on snowy hikes for years but never had snowshoes. I got these last week and got accustomed to them in the backyard. Super easy to figure that out except I was in the dark regarding which goes on which foot.

A quick inquiry on the Google told me the casings do better on the outside of the foot which I had tried and I agree, that feels comfortable. These are super lightweight which made me skeptical before getting out in the snow.

Really easy to walk in and turn. Backing up is tough because of the physics of the whole thing but I would imagine that is with any pair? But that doesn’t really matter much. I wore my regular snow boots and was perfectly comfortable for an hour hike.

I will update this should more use reveal problems with the desing. So far I can’t believe how great they are! I’m 5’7/5’8 ~120 lbs and wear a size 10 snowboot. I bought the 23″ which feels like a comfortable size.

I don’t think I’d want longer ones, especially hiking with dogs. Only issue I had was the poles are insanely snug and hard to extend. I will not be messing with the height at all. Bag is super convienient to store them once they dry! Very happy with this purchase.

I’ve been snowshoeing since I was in high school and one of the things that sets this snowshoe apart from the rest is the Boa binding system. This is is the best. Just slide your foot in, then adjust the dial and voila the binding system perfectly tightens up around your boot.

No buckles or straps to contend with other than a back strap which is also easily adjustable. Spend the extra money – it’s worth it. There’s nothing worse than putting on snowshoes in frigid temperatures just to have your hands and fingers freeze while trying to adjust the buckles before you even get going! With respect to the snow shoe itself, it’s nice and light, has good traction, there is a heel lift (which I have not yet used), and is great on trails.

I tended to sink a little bit in really deep snow but that is to be expected.

These running snowshoes do exactly what I hoped they would do. They attach securely with no worries of getting loose or coming off. Then, they easily detach when I want. Best of all, they are the right size for running and I use them in various conditions that don’t require my larger back country snowshoes.

That’s an added convenience I didn’t expect, but it’s important. They are an ideal size allowing me to focus on form and running issues instead of tripping over myself.

I’ve been using crescent moon snowshoes for over 20 years. I love them and over the years have given them to family members at Christmas. The tear drop shape is great, they float you well and climb great.

The bindings are easy to to use and keep your foot secure. Would highly recommend!.

I was tired having to take off my gloves in cold weather to buckle up my old snowshoes. Bought the Panoramic based on the model having the Boa closure system, which I had experienced on mountain bike shoes.

Just returned from my first outing with these snowshoes; They deliver ! Tested the setup in near 0F conditions, the Boa closure worked flawlessly with my gloves on. An added bonus, which I had not come across in any other reviews, is that the rear strap can be adjusted to the correct size at home and and then left as-is.

With the Boa system loose, the back strap falls off the heal and you step out. At the start of the snow shoeing outing, you simply step into the binding and as the Boa closure tightens, the back strap is brought in contact with the heel.

No fussing with back strap in the cold.

I had an old pair of MSR Denali snowshoes that offered good traction , but were a pain to put on due to their bindings. The floatation wasn’t the best either because of the hard plastic. On a recent winter sport trip, I had tried some newer model Tubbs snowshoes which were much easier to put on due their bindings.

I found the ultimate pair of snowshoes in the Tubbs Panorama. The BOA binding is very easy to put on. You can also adjust the tension on the fly by reaching down and turning the dial. After hiking in deep snow bindings tend to loosen up a bit, so these shoes are awesome.

I’m a big guy , but the 36’ provided ample floatation in deep snow. They were hard to find , but I was lucky to find them at Sunny Sports. Highly recommended!.

I was looking for a general use showshoe – one that wasn’t for alpine climbing but also one that wasn’t for baby use. One that I could trust when stepping up and down an uneven trail. One where I could step confidently when going in deep show or on slick, icy terrain.

uphill or downhill. I’m not in tip-top shape but want to enjoy the outdoors and not feel insecure because of my crappy equipment. These snowshoes are simply great. Lightweight and easy to get on and off.

and the bindings – oh the bindings!!! – were just so easy to use – slide in and out. Able to tighten and release even in freezing temps. The ease of these bindings make me want to just slide them on and.

GO!!!! Buy these. I suggest checking out a promo code if you can.

Bought these for my wife for Christmas so she can more easily do what she loves, which is take the kids out and enjoy the woods and walking trails. These shoes work great for that and she can climb the few moderate hills with ease And easily keep up with the Kids and their shoes.

The decking is nice and sturdy, the shoes themselves have the benefit of being maneuverable and light with plenty of traction for where we Trek. The major downsides revolve around the bindings. They worked fine, but a little more cumbersome than she’d like, and they aren’t exactly comfortable for her, which really bummed me out.

She says they dig into her ankles and feet, which will potentially create blister points if she doesn’t add cushioning. I tried them and the bindings feel fine on my boots but her boots are much slimmer and sleek than my hikers.

Other than that, these snowshoes are a bit noisy to use, which causes 0 issues for us when we are out as a family, but compared to the more traditional style snow shoe these are loud. They also do not offer as much flotation as a traditional snow shoe, which may or may not matter all that much because, as stated, they are more maneuverable and offer more traction making them decent for winter hikes in the woods.

If you are trudging through deeper snow on trails, get the largest size available and have some fun. You’ll not float perfectly on top, but if you only sink 6-8 inches deep that’s a whole lot better than sinking 18″.

In the woods and rolling terrains these will be a definite improvement over just winter boots and still offer maneuverability. I am going to pick up a set for myself after trying hers.

I am trying to make friends with winter, I am 70 soon to be 71. Mn Landscape Arboretum offered a full moon snowshoeing event , I needed snowshoes. I have never snowshoes before. These were so easy to use, even I could get them in and off.

I look forward to the next event!.

These are pretty nice. Poles not so much, they tend to collapse after a few minutes of using them but the are twist lock.

I really love the BOA boot type system for the foot and they were very light and not noisy like my last ones. They did super well on hills. They were narrower than expected so they may sink more in deep snow.

The strap for the back heel is a little fussy – they never look closed but my foot did not slip off. I recommend buying the Atlas snowshoe bag if your car is not nearby as they don’t really snug together for transport.

The bag has backpack straps.

I couldn’t find many reviews on this snowshoe, so it felt like I was taking a risk. I am so glad I did! So far I am very pleased with my purchase. – Quick and easy to put on (and take off). – My feet don’t slide around or move forward in the bindings – The side traction and crampons help me to feel confident on steep icy terrain – Heel lock is easy to put up and down Lightweight, durable.

I have warm fuzzy feelings for this product.

Have used these on several outings now in the deep snow on the Canadian shield – not mountains, but granite cliffs with forested valleys. These snowshoes are great for grip on the granite and prevent sinking to the full depths of the snow.

I love that they pivot so well, the bindings are great and the surface material lets snow slide off easily so you’re not hauling a bunch of snow with every step. I would buy these again.

I figured I would try to purchase a “good” pair of snowshoes instead of going for another cheap pair. Well, I can say I am happy that I did. These are a great pair of snowshoes! Well made with easy adjustment points.

The flex plastic base is great for movement across varying terrain types. They also transfer weight well and I did not sink very much in heavy snow with a backpack on. I am 6’3” and weight 220 lbs. I was carrying a 20 lbs.

pack on my back. I was making my own path through 7 feet of snow. That’s correct 7 feet. I purchased the large size due to hauling backpacking packs on winter camping adventures as the large size is rated for up to 300 lbs.

I would defiantly purchase these snowshoes again!.

After growing up with classic wooden snowshoes, these were quite a change! I took my time getting the bindings set just right with my winter hiking boots and that made all the difference when I hit the trail.

These snowshoes are incredibly easy to get on and off (once you’ve dialed in the bindings) and very light. I purchased these specifically for hiking, so I knew I needed a snowshoe that was pliable, light and had good traction.

The Symbioz snowshoes deliver on all three areas. Whereas my childhood wooden snowshoes would easily glide over powder snow in fields, these snowshoes felt like I was glued to the terrain. I took them up a decent grade on my first time out and didn’t so much as slip backwards once.

I was hiking without poles and never once felt unsteady. The heel lifts were also indispensable for the steeper terrain. Highly recommended. Mad City was also awesome to deal with as my local shops were all sold out by the time I got around to getting snowshoes this year.

Great price and quick shipping!.

The perfect snowshoe for steep, icy, hard-packed trails, but also performs decently in loose, powdery snow. The heel lift works as advertised — less calf fatigue and better balance on steep ascents. I have done several 10-15 km hikes with these and I’ve had no soreness in the hips or back, as I sometimes did with standard rigid snowshoes.

Hyperflex works! Memory lock is great as you don’t have to remove your gloves to fiddle with straps, a huge bonus on colder days. Only downside is that the friction from the plastic toe binding appears to be causing premature wear on my hiking boots, but that’s a small price to pay for the convenience and adjustability.

I bought these for my wife for Christmas but I waited until I could try them out before I would review them. I have a pair of MSR snowshoes that are mountain capable and they have a 3 buckle system that takes time to put them on.

The Tubbs with the single clip are much faster and simpler to adjust. My boots are a little big and I had to take the adjustments to the max. My wife can get them on much easier although she has only used them a couple of times.

I found them lighter, a bit narrower and easier to walk around our field. They have the same weight range as my MSRs. I think these are perfect for my wife and she loves the colour. I think she would have been frustrated buckling up the MSR.

Really great quality snow shoes. Absolutely love the double bindings, allowing me more peace of mind when I am snow showing removing any doubts that they would fall off when I am in the snow. I also really liked the quick release latches on them as well, making them really easy to remove when needed.

Another nice feature about them was that they also had metal spikes underneath the shoes so when I wanted to climb up a hill or go down a hill, this would allow me more traction, preventing me from falling up or down.

Overall a really great product. Definitely worth the money.

Great set of snowshoes. I live just east of Lake Ontario (one of the snowiest places in the country) and I’ve been able to break new trails with these in fresh powder. I weigh about 220lbs without my winter gear on or any additional equipment ( gun for hunting, backpack etc) and with the 36in model I’ve been able to fully gear up and not sink more than 6 inches in the snow.

I would highly recommend.

Great product, par for the course with Tubbs. 145lb female – used in a variety of conditions in New Hampshire. The grips is solid, even on icy descents. They climb well too. My only suggestion would be that for a small increase in price you can get a model with the heel riser, which these do not have.

Would buy again.

Bought these for my wife (I have the men’s version) and she just loves them. Super easy to put on and adjust. Great quality and built well. She has just over 30 miles on them so far and they are flawless.

She loves the heel lifts as we do have some steep hills on our property. To us, Tubbs are the best snowshoes out there.

I’ve put these snowshoes through the ringer for the past 2 years and love them. They hold up well while scrambling over ice, snow, and rock. The continuous grip along the perimeter gives way better traction than the tube framed shoes.

The additional traction is really noticeable when going downhill. I also like the bindings. They come off and on easily even while wearing thick gloves and don’t pinch on the top of the foot. I find myself in deep powder pretty often so the option to use the MSR float tails is great.

I can’t recommend these enough for anyone who goes on long tracks in deep, or icy snow, especially when there is a good amount of elevation change. Pick up a field repair kit if you are heading out far.

It’s not expensive and sure beats using paracord to jury-rig them if something busts.

First rule of buying gear is knowing what you’re going to be using it for. These are not the best snowshoes for flat terrain in deep powdery snow. These are the best for ascending and descending. Other snowshoes come close to it when ascending but the traction during descents is what separates it from other snowshoes and makes these worth the money.

I’ve gone up and down some very steep grades on ice covered snow without issue. The bindings are comfortable for all day use. The heel lift makes steep climbs so much easier (It feels like I’m cheating when I use them).

Sidehilling isn’t the most comfortable in as they have zero side to side flexibility which puts the weight on your ankles. I would not use these in very early or late season treks as rocks wear out the teeth on the frame pretty quickly.

Overall I’m extremely satisfied with them.

I just used these for the first time and they did everything they were supposed to quite well. Where the snow was deep I sunk but the shoes were light enough (as was the snow) to keep moving pretty well.

The claws got me up the inclines well and no snow built up under my feet. The ratchet straps stayed tight and the heel clasp was easy to use and stayed tight. Everything I was looking for and the colour is great too!.

I’m a cyclist so I recognized the Retrospec brand. I recently moved north to where I can’t (ok, don’t want to) cycle year round, and thought that snowshoeing would be a better alternative activity to a boring indoor trainer.

I used to xc ski a long time ago, but was never really good at it, so I thought I would try this instead. These looked to be a good entry-level shoe and I am impressed at the quality and value for the price.

My only issue is that the rear ankle strap is almost too long for my feet – I have to have it adjusted all the way in to secure my boot (this is using the 25″ shoe which is the right length for my size/weight).

The bindings are secure. I had a great time snowshoeing for the first time on our local xc/hiking trails and look forward to more adventures!.

I would highly recommend these snow shoes. We live in Wisconsin and have snowshoes at our second home in Utah. We paid a lot for those snowshoes and they work great. But these are just as good for a fraction of the price.

The only issue I had was the back strap occasionally slips off if I’m wearing xc ski boots. I only wear those when it’s really cold and my feet don’t stay warm in hiking boots. Otherwise they are great!!! Easy on and off which is handy in frigid weather.

Would buy them again.

These snowshoes are great for flat walking. I use them to make paths in the snow for my dogs. The Boa bindings are good but not as easy to use as i expected. I had to take off my gloves and adjust them for my boots and some of my boots do not fit into the toe of the binding.

Specifically my size 7. 5 womens Dryshod boots. I would recommend using women’s boots that are not as beefy if you purchase the women’s. Looking back i wish i had bought the men’s. I still thinki they are good for lighter smaller footwear.

I purchased Tubbs Frontier Men’s snowshoes (directly through their web site) this year and had a problem with the back strap repeatedly coming loose and the shoe falling off. I tried to post a review with a 1 (out of 5) star rating.

Despite them verifying me as a buyer they would not publish the review. After perusing the ratings of their 20+ men’s snowshoes I noticed they only posted one review with less than 3 stars. One person must have tried almost every type snowshoe in their inventory as he posted the majority of ratings for most snowshoes.

I do not trust their ratings/reviews.

I picked these for the BOA and have not been disappointed! No more pulling straps at awkward angles and inevitable on-the-trail adjustments. With one hand and a few seconds my boots are secure and I’m ready.

The frame has held up well so far though I do notice that the rear/tail portion is a bit wider overall than my spouse’s snowshoes but I mostly break trail for her and the dog so that’s been fine.

I snowshoe almost daily in winter on our large country property which is has lots of steep hills. The heel lift is pretty easy to use and helps me out on the steeper inclines. The bindings are super comfortable and easy in and out.

There is some snow kick up my legs but not bad. after a week of using them I did see that the binding was rubbing on the deck and causing wear. I was able to stop this by tightening the toe as far as it could go.

I wear a women’s size 6. 5 winter boot with them. I would worry with a larger boot that there may not be room to tighten them all the way like I can. Service from Skiis and Biikes was exellent, this was an online order.

The Treeline 30 snowshoes were given to me as a gift from my wife. We spend as much time as possible in the outdoors and we usually snowshoe 4 or 5 times each week. Since getting my Treeline 30 snowshoes, I have walked almost 40 kilometers in these shoes and I am more than pleased with their performance.

Most of my walking is on creeks and relatively flat trails. These Atlas snowshoes have superb bindings and plenty of traction. This is our fourth pair of Atlas Snowshoes and they have quickly become my favorite.

These mid-sized snow shoes were used extensively in a variety of conditions during the winter of 20-21. They were used on well worn trails and also breaking trail through deep fresh snow. They worked well in all conditions tested.

The binding was simple to use and easy to tighten and release. They seem quite durable given the extensive use. I would perhaps prefer a different colour, although that is a trivial matter. I do want to note that the bindings do not fold down very much for storage.

They do not fit in a snowshoe bag that I have used for other similarly sized snow shoes. This is not a major flaw, but one to consider if the ability to carry these shoes on or in a pack is an issue.

I own 2 pairs now. 9×30 and 8×25. This is my 3rd winter with them and I snowshoe about 50 times a winter. The 9×30’s I use for breaking trails and deep sloppy snow and the 8×25’s for every other condition.

Incredible grip climbing and downhill in all snow conditions. Steep downhill on firm or icy conditions I have to force the grips into the snow and rely somewhat on my poles. A couple things to note. When walking for some reason the snow collects under my heals and forms a compact snow bridge that gives a sense of walking on high heals.

I just bang the snow off with my pole basket. And one of the heal straps on the BOA binding broke while tightening it. Thanks for lifetime warranties. I have been very happy with my snowshoes and highly recommend them for avid snowshoers.

I bought these last year and used them once last year and once this year. Both times one of the rivets that hold the heel strap in place popped out leaving me with a loose strap. The first time I contacted MEC but decided to repair it instead of all the hassle of sending it in.

I found a spare nut and bolt and it was an easy repair. I thought I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and keep the snowshoes. Fast forward to this year and I’m out for a Xmas morning snowshoe. It was a well used trail so no strain on the shoes but the other end of the same strap went within minutes of putting them on.

I have lost faith in the snowshoes so I returned them. During all of this MEC were great. I had no trouble returning them and I haven’t lost faith with MEC. Thank you!.

Thanks to global warming and the lack of snow where I live this year I haven’t been able to take these out yet but my initial impression of them is good. They came highly recommended to me by a guide I worked with on an outing in Canada.

Of particular interest to me are bindings that go on and come off without a lot of effort. These seem to meet that need. They are lightweight and pretty cool looking as well. Sadly it looks like I might not get a chance to check out their performance till next season though.

I’ll have to check back in with a performance review then.