Trail runner / neoprene overboot setup for snowshoeing

I am in the same boat as you..would love to hear some feedback and get some thoughts. I have my eyes on the 40 below over boots for trail runners. I currently use sirrus sock liners (I'm pretty sure that's the name) with smartwool mid weight merino socks. Depending on conditions I use salomon trail runners or a pair of salomon gtx boot/shoe. I do not mind wet feet..As long as they stay warm and as long as I have dry socks for overnight.

Bueller? …Bueller? …Bueller?

Anyone? Anyone?

A friend of mine – Guthook has been really happy with his setup:http://www.guthookhikes.com/2011/03/guthooks-gear-guide-40-below-light-energy-overboots.html

We tackled the steepest half mile on the AT, PCT and CDT which happens to be partway up the Wildcat Ridge trail in NH on MSR snowshoes. I was in my regular boots and he was in mesh trail runners and the forty below's without any VBL. We used the snowshoes the whole way up and switched to crampons for the packed icy trail down (we were expecting to need the crampons on the way up). No complaints!

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forty_below_light_energy_footwear_system_spotlite_review.html#.VL_Qk8bF_8t

I use the 40Below Light Energy T.R.'s over my trail runners with just a pair of medium wool socks and my feet have stayed warm down to -17 F. I use them with MSR Lightning Ascents. Love the system. This is in Colorado.

I have just taken my new Forty Below Light Energy overboots on their first couple of snowshoe outings. Deep powdery conditions to about 15deg. I have the "simple slipper" inner booties too, but did not use them yet – not cold enough. They performed great. Toasty dry comfortable feet. Easy to slip on when I needed to get up at night, and no worries about frozen boots.

Just to be clear on the design of these: they do not have a robust sole for any kind of walking. It's tough enough to wander around camp on the snow, but when you're traveling they require either showshoes or crampons, or you have to take them off. And they are designed to be snowproof, not waterproof. They are designed for full winter sub-freezing conditions, I think not so suitable for "mixed" conditions where you might be traveling part of the way on bare trail or rock, or where you might encounter rain.

I have a pair of msr ascents and now a northern lite backcountry set, and I have the light energy overboots now too. I understand the overboots are not meant for rocks/dirt, but the snowshoes themselves look really "aggressive" to the soles too.

The northern lites have several metal grommet rivet things, and the msr's have really aggressive plastic tracks for its boot holder….seems almost as bad as walking on rocks?

I asked Joel from 40 below and he advised shaving off the plastic spikes on my msr evos.

Bueller..bueller…lmao. love it!

"The northern lites have several metal grommet rivet things, and the msr's have really aggressive plastic tracks for its boot holder….seems almost as bad as walking on rocks?"

While I only used mine for three days using Northern Lites, I saw no wearing of any kind on the sole of the overboots.

Will R did a BPL review of the lightest winter trail runner a while back: the New Balance 1000. My size 11.5 weigh in at 1 lb per shoe (many decent summer trail runners weigh 14 oz), and they're insulated and waterproof…probably a lot lighter than an uninsulated trail runner/overboot combo. The last two winters have seen many a snowshoe miles, and I don't have to worry about wearing out the bottoms because they're Vibram. Just a thought.

Happy trails!

"The northern lites have several metal grommet rivet things, and the msr's have really aggressive plastic tracks for its boot holder….seems almost as bad as walking on rocks?"

I'm not familiar with the Evo Ascents but I wouldn't consider the Lightning Ascents boot holder plate to be aggressive. The bolts are recessed. There are some ridges but they're not sharp. Once you're strapped in your feet shouldn't move around anyway. This is my 3rd season with this combo and the soles, other than being a little dirty, look brand new. I wouldn't expect them to last very long at all walking on rocks. Which I don't find myself doing anyway. Not hard to find snow around here. :)

The overboots arrived well before the snowshoes so I grabbed a pair of Tubbs to test them out. I didn't even put them on when I realized how spiky the foot plate was on them. Had never even thought about it when I was wearing regular boots.

Here's the Lightning Ascent plate:

The Tubbs have a lot of pointy spikes on the plate. I wouldn't use the overboots with these:

Anyone try 40 belows with micro spikes?

Also just slightly considering going with a waterproof boot (Merrill Moab gtx) under the 40 belows….bad idea? Anyone tried that?

I love my winter system. Allows 1 pair of shoes for all seasons.

Vapor Barrier Socks
Ecomerino socks
Montrail ridge rock trail runners
40 Below light energy over boots
Northern lites or microspikes both work wonders

Agree that this is a deep winter system, ie. Cold not wet, that works unbelievably well.

You won't regret the overboots. If the soles wear a bit, throw some shoo-in on them.

"Also just slightly considering going with a waterproof boot (Merrill Moab gtx) under the 40 belows"

My Light Energy overboots are sized with enough room to take a trail runner with a Simple Slipper over it. This means that there's enough room in there that I could also use a light boot – such as the Moab Mid. I haven't tried it yet, but I guess this would be a better configuration if you will be traveling part of the time on hard packed snow or dry trail, so that when you take off the overboots you have something more protective on your feet than just bare trail runners.

Many thanks to all for their input. This was exactly the sort of info I was hoping for.

Hi everyone. This is my first post; I've been lurking for a while. I did a couple of snowshoe excursions in trail runners this winter, no overboot. Warmth was an issue, but not the *primary* issue I had with this combo. The real problem was how I could feel the snowshoes' (MSR Lightning Ascents) straps through the relatively thin fabric of my trail runners. I didn't get any blisters, but I came very close. Would 40 below or similar overboots ameliorate this problem? Or do I need to find snowshoes with a different binding system? Or get some real boots with a thicker upper and forget about trail runners? Thanks!

Welcome Matthew! I haven't tried just trail runners with the Lightning Ascents but I don't notice the straps through the overboots. They don't need to be super tight. Just snug.

after several episodes of cold feet last winter, I bit the bullet and ordered some 40 Below Light Energy overshoes and can say they work as advertised :)

I also have Lightnings and as the above poster pointed out, you don’t want them tight- lightly snug will be more than adequate

I use mine w/ trail runners and it’s very comfy shoeing w/ them