Hiking Snowshoes

These snow shoes are noisy, but seem to be designed around ordinary usage scenarios performing common ordinary tasks when compared to hunting or other more specialized tactical tasks. If you're wondering whether or not to buy the extra accessory tails, the included instructions provide guide lines; In brief, if you're fat or planning on hauling heavy loads, get the tails. More seriously, if you are of average weight and using the snow shoes on a foot to foot and a half of snow, the accessory tails are likely not needed or of little use. (Others' have complained the tails get in the way or frequently detach if not attached properly.) If you routinely deal with snow depths of 2+ feet, and are of average weight or planning on carrying extra weight, the acessary tails are probably a wise investment. See attached photo for the accessary tail use included guidelines. Since I'm a lightweight and am in wimpy tropical Ohio with little constant snow accumalation, until the next political Global Cooling occurs, likely not needed at all. PROS 1) Can be put on using one hand 2) Great traction along a narrow path in the woods, with ~2 inches of melting snow. 3) Straps and buckles are extremely easier to use when compared to other cheaper snow shoes. 4) Bindings, buckels and straps can be easily replaced, with an optional repair kit unlike cheaper or other snow shoe bindings. (Plastic ordinary snow shoe straps tend to break after a a year or so use.) CONS 1) Extremely noisy! (Can wake the neighbor's dog more than 300 feet away! Probabely can leave the bear whistle at home!) 2) No idea which one is lefty or righty. Appear all the same except binding strap buckle side. TIP: To make the binding quieter, use a grease such as Bel-Ray Waterproof grease on the clevis pin assembly. If opting not to remove the assembly, use a toothpick to apply the waterproof grease. Also add something to quiet the clapping of the heal to the snowshoe while walking. I used a ziptie between the two holes under the heal. I'd really like a pair of these made with wood having the same bindings, for a much quieter usage experience. PROS Although most do not recommend using snowshoes on ice, these perform excellent on extremely slippery ice, likely due to the metal claw! Zero slipping! CONS 1) If you are walking surface is mostly flat iced paved surfaces and not snow, I would suggest using Yaktrax. Yaktrax slips or gives a few more millimeters compared to no slipping with the snowshoes metal claws. 2) Walking throughout the house or interior of buildings with this snow shoe is difficult but doable if the floors are durable enough. 3) The plastic clips on the straps should be more well statically temporarily set, for easier re-installing of the snow shoe onto shoes/boots.

I rented a pair of these last year and was impressed enough to purchase a pair for my annual overnight backpacking trip in Dolly Sods, WV. It says a lot that the outfitter (White Grass) uses these as their rentals, because it means these snowshoes can stand up to a lot of use and abuse. I weigh about 180 and was carrying about 40 lbs, and I put about 11 miles on these over the weekend. In some places we had fresh powder that was over a foot deep, while underneath dense forest coverage we had about an inch of snow covering rocks and roots, and we also had dense, mashed-potato-esque snow on the warmer second day. Through all of it, these snowshoes were perfect. My friend bought a cheaper brand and his not only developed ice balls around the spikes, but pieces of the foot board actually kept breaking off. My MSRs had none of those issues. Snowshoeing involves a slight learning curve (don’t walk backward!), but these are extremely light, durable, and easy to use. I highly recommend these, at least for East coast snow conditions.

I purchased two pair of these snowshoes on February 19, 2019. Our final day of snowshoeing this year was March 24 so I'm thinking that a review is in order. We logged about 75 miles in various types of snow. These shoes were purchased to replace Atlas brand snowshoes that I purchased 15 years ago. The Atlas brand proved to be good qualiity after 2 -3 thousand miles but finally gave out. Will these new ones last as long? We'll see. My Atlas shoes were 32" long, these new ones are only 22" long but seem to do just as good a job. I did not buy the tails but suspect I will need them in deep, fresh December powder. I love the solid body! The traditional webbing used in the Atlas shoes was their weak point. The webbing tends to wear out first and I had to make repairs over the years. I also like how light and narrow these news shoes are. Given the price, I can replace them every couple of years, if necessary.

If you are looking for something to try snowshoeing with that is generally inexpensive these are worth a go. MSR has a bewildering product line up and choosing a snowshoe can be hard. I got these plus the tails and seemed to be good for wondering around Vermont either around the ski resort or on trails. It's an excellent work out for the days the days you don't ski, and you get out and you don't pay for a full price lift pass. I would probably get the Evo Ascent if it was available, but that's more money and they weren't available when I was buying. Beware: A lot of is made of where you snowshoe and the conditions in the place when buying. I feel like a lot of reviews and recommendation are for the deep powder white conditions of Colorado and similar. This worked for me on the East Coast. If I was going to CO, I'd probably get a bigger, fancier one. In the East Coast around NY and souther VT it seems it can still be cold but deep snow is rare.

Around the Olympic National Forest these are used as the main rentals. They are almost bulletproof, figuratively speaking. The straps will wear, and could eventually break, but as with all Great Gear, they are Easily (and relatively inexpensively) replaced. Was able to traverse steep terrain in very deep powder conditions, hike comfortably for a few hours, and even gracefully glissade the descent. Love these snowshoes and the fact that you can put floats on them, though they performed well enough without to not warrant need for them! Also they Seem Indestructible, so far GREAT product and I don't think my mind will be changing any time soon!

Excellent product. Very sturdy and light weight. I used them in a heavy wooded area and they worked very well.

Light weight, 22inch, didnt get the accent version but still user friendly climbing high peaks adk.

If its really cold like it gets in Canada, the rubber straps can be hard to manipulate. Other than that great product!

performs well and easy to carry

After talking to some friends who are avid snowshoers I bought a pair of MSR Evo. One friend has had her MSRs for over 10 years and has had no issues with them. They are light weight and are narrow. I can't even tell I am wearing them!! I have owned them for a couple months now and LOVE them. My hips used to get tired with my old snowshoes but not with these ones. I would recommend these to beginners all the way to pros!!