10 Best Snowshoes for Winter Hiking in 2023

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10 Best Snowshoes for Winter Hiking in 2023


10 best snowshoes for winter hiking

For winter snowshoeing on mountain climbing trails and within the backcountry, you desire a winter mountain climbing snowshoe that’s sturdy, with aggressive crampons for traction and a safe binding system that locks your boots to the snowshoes. If you’re excited about getting off the grid and snowshoeing via backcountry terrain, these are the ten finest snowshoes we suggest. For extra info, see our purchasing recommendation under.

1. MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes

MSR Lightning Ascent Paragon Binding
The MSR Lightning Ascents revolutionized snowshoeing after they have been first launched and MSR has continued to refine them since. They characteristic a singular 360 diploma toothed crampon that’s constructed into the body for traction once you’re strolling uphill, downhill, or side-hilling throughout a slope. A flip-up heel bar makes it simpler to climb hills, whereas the four-strap binding lays flat, and makes them simple to pack or strap to a backpack.  A ladies’s mannequin is offered.  Read the SectionHiker Review. 

Check for the newest worth at:
REI | MSR

2. Atlas Helium MTN Snowshoes

Atlas Helium Mtn Snowshoe
The Atlas Helium MTN  is a light-weight, tear-drop-shaped snowshoe that has a wrap-around binding, aggressive traction, and a heel bar that makes it simpler to climb hills. A Boa binding locks the entrance of your winter boots in place and whereas a rear strap retains them correctly positioned. A spring-loaded suspension system lets your foot rotate naturally with slope adjustments for max effectivity. An aggressive toe crampon and twin side-traction rails present wonderful traction on snow and ice. But the most effective characteristic of those snowshoes is the burden, which is surprisingly low for such a full-featured snowshoe.

Check for the newest worth at:
 REI

3. Tubbs Flex ALP Snowshoes

Tubbs Flex ALP Snowshoe
The Tubbs Flex ALP has a simplified binding that’s simple to make use of, comfy, and suitable with all types of shoes. The Flex Alp has carbon metal toe crampons that maximize traction whereas lengthy, toothed aspect rails (just like the MSR Evo Ascent and Atlas Serrate) present enhanced grip on arduous snow and icy situations. The plastic decking offers good flotation and has some flex to it which helps with stability when mountain climbing throughout blended surfaces and side-hilling. A heel bar is included. A ladies’s Flex ALP can be accessible.

Check for the newest worth at:
Backcountry| Amazon

4. TSL Symbioz Elite Snowshoes

TSL Symbioz Elite Snowshoes
The TSL Symbioz Elite is a favourite with mountain hikers as a result of it has a versatile plastic footbed that adapts to various terrain and a cushty ratchet-style binding that remembers your boot dimension for simple on and off. They have a big horizontal entrance crampon, good for digging into slopes, with eight very aggressive stainless-steel cleats, diagonally oriented down the edges to stop aspect slipping. This snowshoe is finest for climbing steep and icy terrain. A heel bar is included. Unisex. Read our Symbioz Elite Review. 

Check for the newest worth at:
REI | Backcountry | Amazon

5. MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoes

MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoes
MSR’s Evo Ascent Snowshoes are made with a tough plastic body as a substitute of the versatile decking utilized by many snowshoes. This makes them additional robust and sturdy, and ultimate for off-trail backcountry use. They use a strap-based, lay-flat binding that makes them simple to strap to the skin of a backpack and gained’t freeze up. There are two lengthy crampon rails alongside the edges of the Evo Ascent that present wonderful traction, along with a metal crampon beneath your foot, and rear braking bars. A heel bar can be included for hill climbing. Unisex. Read our Evo Ascent Review.

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MSR |  Amazon

6. Tubbs Mountaineer Snowshoes

Tubbs Mountaineer Snowshoes have a teardrop design that gives wonderful flotation, together with an aggressive entrance crampon, and specifically designed heel crampons which can be angled to assist with braking down steep slopes.  They have a ratchet-strap managed step-in binding system w/ a rear heel strap to carry your boots in place. The Mountaineers are additionally accessible in a really giant 36″ dimension, appropriate for bigger people, or if it’s good to carry heavy masses and wish extra floatation in deep powder. A heel bar is included. A ladies’s mannequin is offered. 

Check for the newest worth at:
REI | Backcountry |  Amazon

7. Atlas Montane Snowshoes

Atlas Montane Snowshoes
The Atlas Montane Snowshoe is a backcountry snowshoe with aggressive toe, heel, and aspect rail crampons with a heel bar to alleviate calf stress on hill and mountain climbs.  The Montane has a easy pull strap binding with an easy-to-adjust rear strap and is properly padded for elevated consolation. This snowshoe can be accessible in very giant sizes for bigger people or individuals who want to hold heavy backpacks or want extra flotation in deep and powdery snow. A ladies’s mannequin can be accessible.

Check for the newest worth at:
REI | Backcountry 

8. MSR Revo Explore Snowshoes

MSR Revo Explore Snowshoes
The MSR Revo Explore Snowshoe has a ratchet-strap type binding system that makes them simple to make use of with all forms of footwear (contact MSR for longer substitute entrance straps to accommodate very giant boots). They have an aggressive toe crampon, a toothed crossbar member, and a serrated body that gives wonderful traction on snow and ice. Plastic decking retains them light-weight, whereas a heel bar can be included to cut back calf fatigue when climbing slopes. A ladies’s mannequin is offered. Read our Revo Explore Review.

Check for the newest worth at:
REI | Backcountry 

9. Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes

Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes
Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes are 30″ ultralight snowshoes that solely weigh 43 oz per pair. They’re lighter weight and fewer fatiguing to hold as a result of they’re made with lighter weight aluminum framing, they’ve aluminum crampons, and plastic decking. They have easy bindings with three plastic straps and one heel strap which can be suitable with all forms of footwear. The Backcountry mannequin is optimized to be used in deep powder for customers as much as 250lbs in weight, together with gear. We don’t suggest them for climbing mountains as a result of they don’t have a heel bar. Read our Northern Lites Gear Review. Unisex.

Check for the newest worth at:
Garage Grown Gear

10. Crescent Moon Gold 10

Crescent Moon Gold 10 Snowshoe
Crescent Moon’s Backcountry Snowshoes even have a excessive flotation teardrop design. Loaded with traction, the Gold 10 has 4 crampons beneath the toe, forefoot, and heel, in addition to aspect crampons for traversing sloped terrain. They have a step-in binding system tightened on prime with a single strap w/ a ratchet-style rear strap to lock your boot in place. Sizing runs giant, becoming males’s boot sizes 10-15, together with large-volume boots like snowboard or hardshell tele boots. For smaller sizes, see the Crescent Moon All-terrain Snowshoes.  A heel bar is included.

Check for the newest worth at:
Crescent Moon 

How to Buy Winter Snowshoes

Winter mountain climbing snowshoes serve two key features: they supply traction on icy trails and when climbing steep terrain, and so they present flotation over snow, so that you don’t sink or posthole, which may be fairly exhausting. While all the winter mountain climbing snowshoes listed above fulfill each of those necessities, some excel within the traction division, just like the MSR Lightning Ascents, MSR Evo Ascents, Tubbs Flex VRTs, and TSL Symbioz Elites, whereas others emphasize flotation, just like the Tubbs Mountaineers and the Northern Lites.

As a rule of thumb, tear-drop formed snowshoes with artificial riveted decks have a tendency to emphasise flotation, whereas rectangular-shaped snowshoes are extra traction-focused. If you’re going to be climbing ice-covered mountains predominantly, you’ll in all probability desire a snowshoe that emphasizes traction, whereas snowshoes that concentrate on flotation, might be a greater match for areas the place deep, powdery snow is the norm.

Snowshoes are bulky and can be difficult to pack
Snowshoes are cumbersome and may be tough to pack

If you’re making an attempt to decide on between totally different snowshoes, there are 4 key properties that ought to information your decision-making:

  1. Packability
  2. Weight
  3. Bindings
  4. Sizing

Packability

Most winter hikers carry a number of traction units and swap between them through the day. If you’re mountain climbing a packed path, you would possibly begin out in naked boots, relying in your boot treads for traction as a result of the much less weight you’ve got in your toes, the slower you’ll fatigue. If you encounter slick or icy terrain you would possibly swap to microspikes, after which snowshoes, if you happen to encounter contemporary snow that hasn’t been packed down or is blended up with slush.

In order to have these traction aids once you want them, it’s good to carry them. While microspikes are fairly simple to pack, snowshoes aren’t as a result of they’re huge and ponderous. The bulk comes from their size, width, and thickness, which is primarily a perform of the type of binding they use. Lay flat bindings like the straightforward straps on the MSR Lightning Ascent and the MSR Evo Ascent are the best snowshoes to connect or carry in a backpack, whereas snowshoes with Boa binding programs are usually the bulkiest and most tough to pack.

Weight

Weight can be a key issue when selecting which snowshoe to purchase. Most snowshoes weigh 4 to 5 kilos, and so they’re in all probability going to be the heaviest factor in your backpack, after water. That weight provides up through the course of a day, no matter whether or not it’s in your backpack or in your toes.

Bindings

We’ve already thought of the packability of snowshoe bindings, however there are different components you need to take into account when making a variety, akin to consolation, safety, ease of use whereas sporting gloves, whether or not the binding can freeze and turn into inoperative, and the way simple it’s to restore if it does break. For instance, some folks fear that Boa closure programs can freeze up in the event that they get moist and can stop to function till they are often defrosted. It’s a legitimate concern. One of their benefits, nevertheless, is that they’re simple to make use of whereas sporting gloves and supply a safe grip that’s unlikely to come back undone as soon as set. Contrast that to the flat straps used on MSR snowshoes. They’ll by no means freeze up, they’re simple to interchange if torn or misplaced, however they are often arduous to connect when sporting gloves, and so they are inclined to pop open a couple of times throughout a hike.

Sizing

Snowshoes are available in all kinds of sizes. These are decided by the entire weight you need to carry (body weight + pack weight) and the quantity of flotation you require. Men’s sizes are normally bigger than ladies’s sizes, as a result of males are taller and heavier, whereas ladies’s snowshoes are usually narrower than males’s as a result of their gait isn’t as vast.

If you’re shopping for a snowshoe that’s extra traction oriented, you may typically drop a dimension under the producer’s really useful sizing, particularly if you happen to’re mountain climbing in an space that doesn’t get plenty of snow otherwise you’re mountain climbing on trails which were damaged out by different hikers. Sizing is straight correlated to gear weight and this can be a tactic you should use to lighten your load. If flotation is a precedence, you may typically purchase tails, that are add-on snowshoe extensions that make them longer and improve their floor space. This is one other approach to reduce down on the burden of a snowshoe as a result of you may convey your tails once you want extra flotation, however carry a lighter weight snowshoe in much less difficult situations.

SectionHiker is reader-supported. We independently analysis, take a look at, and price the most effective merchandise. We solely earn money if you buy a product via our affiliate hyperlinks. Help us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear opinions, newbie FAQs, and free mountain climbing guides.

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