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Yet another snowshoe question


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Home Forums General Forums Winter Hiking Yet another snowshoe question

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  • #3739138
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    I have a rather “svelte” physique, fully loaded weight is in the 230-240lb range.  Most of my snowshoeing is to support my photography hobby, where most of the time I am doing short (~2-3mi) explorations off trail, onto completely loose snow over mostly rolling terrain with the occasional climb over a river bank or a gravel bar.  The snow drifts often exceed 3-4 ft.  I am also frequently looking for running water and occasionally need to stand in the middle of a stream to get the shot I am after.  On rare occasions I am also in really cold temps in Alaska, where wearing Baffin polar shoes is the safe thing to do (wth photography you tend to stand around a lot).

    My snowshoes for the the last 10 years have been a pair of Atlas MTN 10/30 that have served me well, but tend to freeze when wet.  On a recent trip in the Canadian Rockies they froze to a point where I damaged the springs on the webbing straps and they no longer hold tension.

    Would appreciate feedback on the following

    1. Snowshoe size – seems that the prudent thing is to get a 30 inch, even that is a bit borderline given my weight, but I have never sunk past my calf even on the loosest stuff I have been on.  If I get MSR the 5 inch tails would be a bonus when I am in really loose crap
    2. Bindings – prefer things that would not freeze when wet.  This probably eliminates Boa, MSR Hyperlink, and Atlas classic webbing straps.  Things that would work is MSR Paragon and Atlas MTN series.
    3. Ability to occasionally accommodate bulky shoes.  My Baffin Snow Monsters are size 14 and they do NOT fit in the MSR Paragon.  Size 13-14 mountaneering boots would not fit either.  It is pretty amazing that MSR designed the Lightning Ascent as a mountaineering boot and then kneecapped it with the binding.

    Based on the above I am debating the following choices

    1. MSR Lighting Explore 30 + 5 inch tails.  Upside – if I buy the longer straps I can accommodate the Baffin shoes, the tails would be good, but the hyperlink bindings are likely to freeze
    2. Atlas Range BC shoes.  Very similar design to the Lightning, bindings will not freeze, but  no option for tails.  Atlas is annoying me at the moment by completely ignoring sales support inquiries over email.
    3. MSR Lightning Explore 25 + 5 inch tails.  Since my snowshoeing is often short and not too far off trail, with a 25 I will likely sink more but on more packed snow they will be lighter and more maneuverable, and I can always carry the 5 inch tails in case I need them.

    Thoughts?  Does anyone have experience with the Lighting Ascent with large bulky shoes?  That plastic mesh looks to be really constraining.  And the damn things are OOS everywhere so I can’t test them.  Plus I live in San Diego and the local REI does not stock any snowshoes.

    #3739144
    Bruce Tolley
    BPL Member

    @btolley

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    @ Boyan. I have no experience with Alaskan snow.  For the California Sierra Nevada snow which is coming each year in less and less quantity,  I only need tails for my MSRs when there is a 3 or 4 or 5 of feet of fresh power.  You say you never sink below your calves so sounds like you have enough flotation with your current snow shoe. Just look for equivalent flotation (surface area) in the replacement.

    I cannot speak to the MSR Lightnings with metal frames. Lot of folks swear by them. (Did you see the recent thread here at BPL about snow shoes?

    I do like my MSR Evo Ascents and have found the crampons work great for the situations you describe. In fact if you want to side step down into stream beds, I would argue you need a smaller shoes with good crampons. The Evo Ascents although plastic, take a lot of abuse.w

    MSR’s newer crampons have moved away from the three straps on the Evo Ascents for “ease of use.”  I have found the three straps work just fine for everything from plastic mountaineering boots, to Sorels Pac boots, to TNF Liftie boots, to soft mesh hiking boots. And then the straps or buckles break, MSR sells replacements.

    All the REIs in the San Francisco Bay are renting snow shoes.  March is right around the corner. I suggest you rent the Ascent Evos and Lightnings and decide what you like. Come March 15, Cascade Designs/MSR will have all their snow shoes on sale for 40% off and you can buy want you like. PS the ascent lifters MSR has on their snow shoes are AFAIK not for technical climbing with plastic boots. They are for when you are in the mood to walk straight upslope through deep powder.

    #3739168
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    Northern Lites Backcountry snow shoe? I have a pair.. Simple to put on and off, fits any boot size. Has never frozen up on me. Very lightweight. Only downside, they are not Overly extremely aggressive crampons. I just picked up a pair of MSR Lightning Ascents for when I need those aggressive crampons, but man they are heavy compared to my Northern Lites.

    #3739284
    Stephen Seeber
    BPL Member

    @crashedagain

    A little off topic–Dirtbag, where did you find MSR Lightning Ascents?  I have not been able to find any.

    #3739285
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    @Bruce – thank you for the detailed response.  Alas the Evo Ascents are only 22 inches, well outside my fully loaded weight envelope of 230-240 lbs.  Extrapolating from the Lightning specs, when I add tails to bring them to 28 inches I should be more or less OK, which may be good enough.  Would prefer to buy 25 inch shoes with 5 inch tails but there is nothing with the 3-strap bindings that MSR offers.  My local REI only has the Ascents for rent, so I can’t fully test whether the paragon binding will accommodate my Baffins.  Don’t think there will be any meaningful end of season sales this year, most MSR, Tubbs, and Atlas snowshoes are OOS everywhere.


    @Dirtbag
    , took a look at the Northern Lites.  No televator, minimal traction, and a webbing strap that looks to be prone to freezing when wet.  Will pass for the moment


    @Stephen
    , REI has the Lightning Ascent 22″ in stock.  OpticsPlanet has both the 22 and 25″ in stock.  Campsaver allows you to place a preorder, but when I have done this in the past they just cancel it after a month or so.

    #3739306
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    I searched multiple times a day every day.. again and again.. just kept obsessing over it.. Enwild.com. I checked every site i knew of. Every web search and just kept looking back every day.. I wanted Cobalt Blue Lightning Ascent 30. No one had them.. finally, Weird… after 8 or 9 days and many hours I checked back on Enwild.com and it said they had in Stock. So i ordered them. 3 days later I had them at my door. Someone else asked about them and for shits n giggles I checked back on the site and Sold out. I did see 1 or 2 sites that had 30 in black.. but who knows now? I think Campsaver.com had limited in stock last week..

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    #3739307
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    Fyi.. i just checked my REI site. They have limited inventory of 30 inch black lightning Ascent. …

    #3739308
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    #3739317
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    If possible, can someone who owns a Lightning Ascent with the new Paragon binding do a quick test whether a snowboard type boot (or anything else bulky like that) will fit i the front honeycomb mesh?  MSR sells long straps for the heel but I am worried that the toe box will not even fit in.

    Edit: MSR has 30″ cobalt blue in stock (men’s version), just ordered a pair so I can test the bindings with my boots.

    #3739333
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    Lucky you!! The 30 cobalt blue is what I just picked up 2 weeks ago. They are nice!!! I use a size 11 Salmon Tundra boot and there is plenty of room.. not sure about the boot you mentioned though.. but obviously, soon enough you will see. Good luck hopefully it works for you!

    #3739338
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    The Salomon Toundra is pretty compact in comparison to the Baffins. The Toundra used to be my main colder weather boot until the seams fell apart on me during a late fall backpacking trip in the Yukon.  After I filed my original report with pics numerous other people have highlighted this as a serious issue for these boots.  I have switched to the Oboz Bridger 10 inch as a result, but took out their original insoles and replaced them with felt ones to improve to bottom insulation

    https://www.salomon.com/en-us/shop/product/toundra-pro-climasalomon-waterproof-ld8639.html

     

    #3739346
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    I believe, like sleeping bags, you need more than one arrow in your quiver if you’re doing serious miles in snow shoes.

    In deep powder, you need surface area.  It will still suck and take lots of work to make progress, but you want as much floatation as you can get.  Getting weight off your body and on to a 2-pound Expedition sled 

    may help by shifting weight off your already over-loaded snowshoes.

    In denser snow, smaller snowshoes are much easier to use.  But also test it without any snowshoes.  There are definitely times that everyone else is in snowshoes, but only going in an inch, and I find it easier to just use my boots and sink in 3 inches in exchange for so much less weight and bulk on my feet.

    #3739348
    YoPrawn
    Spectator

    @johan-river

    Locale: Cascadia

    +1 on the sled, but I don’t think homeboy is carrying a 60+ lb Ansel Adams large format camera on his treks for photos. LOL

    I would personally look for one of the older pairs of Lightning Ascents with the non-webbing strap. I used mine with snowboarding boots and they seemed like they had plenty of boot space. The snowshoe tail extensions for them a little weird, but they work.

    Ultimately, in deep snow, usually nothing beats skis.  Maybe look into a pair of Black Diamond Glidelite 147 skis or larger dedicated backcountry skis. You get better float from larger surface area and they glide into each step a bit better, even in the deep stuff. They only suck to snowshoes when things get too steep or tight in the trees. The Glidelite skis I have been using all winter this year have MASSIVE straps that can take just about any boat-anchor of a boot.

    #3739366
    dirtbag
    BPL Member

    @dirtbaghiker

    The sled pulk idea is fantastic.. except you are NOT climbing mountains with that.. definitely not here in Northern New York..

    #3739371
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    Ansel Adams I am not, nor is it likely that I can make a living with photography :-)  The backpack is on the order of 25 lbs worst case, closer to 15 lbs most of the time.

     

    #3739764
    Boyan B
    BPL Member

    @groovygeek

    Locale: San Diego, CA

    The Lightning Ascents arrived today. The toe box of the Baffin Snow Monsters will fit in the red honeycomb mesh with room to spare but I need to swap out the heel straps for longer ones.

     

    Overall impressive but man does that red honeycomb mesh look flimsy, and the decking feels like it is ready to get punctured. Given how well regarded these are I assume it is not a problem. Now I have to decide whether to keep the 30s or replace them with 25s with 5 inch tails which feels like a more versatile kit.

    #3739794
    YoPrawn
    Spectator

    @johan-river

    Locale: Cascadia

    “Now I have to decide whether to keep the 30s or replace them with 25s with 5 inch tails which feels like a more versatile kit.”

    That’s a tough call. Probably depends on how often you are in deep snow vs. crusty or thin snow. I personally always regretted going smaller with snowshoes. I weigh a bit less than you and find even size 30 snowshoes to sink pretty far in deep soft snow. If the snow is super hard and crusty, then maybe just slap on some crampons instead? If I was your weight in the Olympic Mountains in WA where I live, I would be using 30 sized snowshoes WITH extensions in deeper snow, and then just crampons or microspikes if the snow is rock solid and iced over.

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