MSR DEnali. They are ~$120 plus you’ll want the extensions for all, but the firmest stuff–$25. They are plastic and tough as hell. The Sheriff’s rescue uses them up in the Angeles crest. They’re not the best for REALLY deep stuff if you’re heavy. You can get them at Campmor.com.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39162147&memberId=12500226&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1
They’re $99 until the 10th. Get the extensions.
I prefer the cinch type binding you will find on the dual track and catalyst…the lower end tend to use the buckle type like snowboard bindings which I didn’t prefer as much as you don’t get as tight or secure a fit…I have had my shoes drilled directly onto my snowshoes so the binding is not used, but this is really only good if you strictly run in them, or race…I have a few pairs so I can rotate from racing to wearing something with boots. I find the boots fit better in the buckle system and yes your butt does not get as wet if you use the none flicking binding, but I find are harder to run in depending on your running style
I would have to second Atlas or MSR for a bomb proof hiking snowshoe. I work in the rental department of REI renting snowshoes. Those are the two brands we rent for good reason. Tubbs wanted in real bad and they gave us a great deal. We had enough customer complaints that we no longer rent Tubbs. The bindings just don’t hold up. If you are using the snowshoes for hiking and if you are snowshoeing in fresh snow you will sink no matter what snowshoe you have on. When you do sink, the powder you sunk through will inevitably fall in on top of the snowshoe. The binding must be secure and strong or els when you go to pick your foot up in recovery the snowshoe does not come up since it is held down by the weight of the snow. Atlas and MSR have bindings that hold up to this abuse week after week. Atlas has a few different series of bindings 8,9,10,12. We rent the 10 series, the 12 is a ratcheting system. The 8 or 9 is comperable to Tubbs, but I wouldn’t use them. Tubbs and Atlas are both owned by K2. From what I understand on the east coast, 2/3 of all snowshoes are tubbs because of name recogntition and history. Here in Colorado, it is hard to go wrong with atlas or MSR.
MSR snowshoes have an awesome simple design underrated by many. I know many people that will use nothing but MSR. You still get a great bombproof snowshoe with a bit of a different style than atlas and at a cheaper price.
You mentioned crescent moon. I made a pair in the shop up in boulder and talked with the CEO/ owner/ employee. He was a designer for Altas back in the day and then left the company. He designed, built the company, and then sold Redfeather snowshoes. Then he designed and built up crescent moon.
Crescent Moon and redfeather are both similiar and design to eacher and then atlas. Think of atlas as the subaru forrester, and then crescent moon as BMW and Volvo SUV’s to follow.
If you are thinking about running snowshoes, this is a completely different ball of wax. In this realm Tubbs has a good running snowshoe, and it is very similiar to atlas’ dual trac. Crescent Moon also has a awsome program for running snowshoes. (If you are concerned about weight, which is a silly concern, this is slowtwitch after all) Crescent moon will bolt your running snowshoe that you would use for snowshoe running directly to the platform cutting out all of the binding weight.
This is my opinion, take it or leave it, I feel it is just a little bit more than N=1
Wow, thanks for the lengthy and well thought out advice. I truly appreicate it. What does REI do with its rentals at year end?
I can’t speak for all of the stores but, here in Denver we use our snowshoes for two or three seasons and then sell them at the garage sales for about $90 (only because we can).
I can’t speak for all of the stores but, here in Denver we use our snowshoes for two or three seasons and then sell them at the garage sales for about $90 (only because we can).
3 year old well worn rentals for 75% the cost of a brand new pair? I don’t understand people.
Hey, I don’t understand it either. I don’t make the business decisions. I know they were used, but I know they will last for life. I am also a little surprised to watch them seel like hotcakes even at that price. (On the other hand how many triathletes do you see drop a grand on equipment every year that will not make them noticable faster.) I just know that ever winter no matter how many they order for the floor to sell, we always have cutomers walking in in february looking for new snowshoes leaving empty handed because we sell out. I know they have come down in price substantially but the 1025’s that we sold this summer retailed for around $250. K2 moved the manufaturing process to china and now they are much chreaper than that full retail.
MY daughters did a little running in their MSRs, but they were pretty light at the time. I don’t know how well they work for running for adults.
Hey Picasso
How about converting your bike club to xc skiing?
IMO it is a much better workout. I’ve snowshoe raced before, and had to do a couple of backcountry trips in snowshoes, and I just don’t see it!
my $.02
DB
Hey Picasso
How about converting your bike club to xc skiing?
IMO it is a much better workout. I’ve snowshoe raced before, and had to do a couple of backcountry trips in snowshoes, and I just don’t see it!
my $.02
DB
No chance they are converting. And I live in Utah so we have access to some of the best XC and AT skiing on the planet. I’ll probably just head out on my own and catch up with the bike club in the spring. That way I can show them my new hairdo and they’ll all be, “hey girlfriend” cause they haven’t seen it before.
Going out to snowshoe in UT is just wrong. You’re right - ditch’em until the (late) spring!