Snowshoes - teach me please

[jerseydave]

Thinking about getting a pair.

I'm 185 lbs, and will likely be carrying 30 to 40 lbs in the winter.

If I were to get em, I'b be trying NOT to break the bank.

Never even held a pair.

??????

[Feral Bill]

Costco, if they still have any

[4eyedbuzzard]

Sierra Trading Post often has entry level Redfeather Hikes for just under $50 with their deals / coupons.

[jerseydave]

Sierra Trading Post often has entry level Redfeather Hikes for just under $50 with their deals / coupons.

Saw those there.
Around $70 shipped after coupons and such.

30" up to 220
36" 220 +

Same price.

I'm thinking I'll be right arout 220 with gear....... what would you do?

Thanks for the input,
Dave

[jerseydave]

Costco, if they still have any

Thanks, but I'm a Sam's Club kinda guy.......don't know anyone with Costco papers.

[Two Tents]

What type trail makes a difference for the type of shoe you will want. For what you list for your weight and gear weight I'd go with the 36" If you are going to be not breaking trail or on a well packed trail then the 30" will do. There should be somewhere you can rent some and then you'll know more.

[Mags]

Wrote this doc...maybe it will help?

http://www.pmags.com/intoduction-to-snowshoeing-basics

[jerseydave]

Wrote this doc...maybe it will help?

http://www.pmags.com/intoduction-to-snowshoeing-basics

Learned a bit about snowshoes and some insight into other winter gear options as well.

Thanks, good article.

Dave

[10-K]

I bought a pair on Steep and Cheap...

Took them out this week and hiked a few miles in them.

I was either glad I had them on or wished I had them off. Very little in between.... The trail I was on was somewhat rocky and there was only a foot of snow so I was bobbling over rocks a lot.

Tricky was a creek crossing with bowling ball sized rocks. I almost fell in tripping over myself.

They would be awesome for walking over a bald with 2' of snow.

And they were a lot easier to walk in than they looked like they would be.

[canoehead]

You'll need the 30". I'd get the tubbs if you want to keep them for a while plus the Traction/Crampons is better. I'd also use poles.
The ones you buy cheaper at the discount stores are just that. Cheap.
If you spend anytime in them they tend to break apart plastic foot moldings break, the aluminum tubing is generally thinner and weaker, the vinyl decking rips.

[bullseye]

Sorry JD, I caught this too late or I woulda offered to take you last Friday in the Water Gap. I have an extra pair.....

[Zeno Marx]

The plastic models seem to be very, very loud. They work better than the frame & hypalon decking models, but they ruin the experience for many because of how much noise they make. That would bother me a lot. I like my Atlas 1033s, but I bet they're just a tad on the heavy side. I've wondered about the MSR Lightening Axis.

The tough part is knowing if you'll enjoy snowshoeing. If you find you do, you won't be a bit sorry to have spent the extra cash. If not, you'll feel the fool. Life.

[jerseydave]

Sorry JD, I caught this too late or I woulda offered to take you last Friday in the Water Gap. I have an extra pair.....

It's cool, and I appreciate the thought.
Maybe we can hook up in the future....... we don't need no stinkin snow!

[jerseydave]

The plastic models seem to be very, very loud. They work better than the frame & hypalon decking models, but they ruin the experience for many because of how much noise they make. That would bother me a lot. I like my Atlas 1033s, but I bet they're just a tad on the heavy side. I've wondered about the MSR Lightening Axis.

The tough part is knowing if you'll enjoy snowshoeing. If you find you do, you won't be a bit sorry to have spent the extra cash. If not, you'll feel the fool. Life.

I have a bad habit of buying "top of the line" or close to it, since I hate paying good money for BAD gear. I've felt like the fool many times because of it, but I'd rather have the right equipment without the complaints. Does get expensive though.
I still haven't bought any SShoes....... by the time I was ready to pull the trigger, Sierra TP sold out of their clearance shoes and I don't have the extra cash right now to drop $150 or more on a pair.

I should probably rent a pair and try em out before making the purchase.

We'll see. Thanks for the input.
Dave

[Zeno Marx]

but I'd rather have the right equipment without the complaints.

Absolutely agreed. I don't feel nearly as bad for going overboard as I do for replacing poor gear and feeling like I threw away money on something that inhibited my potential enjoyment of an activity. I'm not a gear junkie, but maybe in this way, I am. I appreciate quality, design, etc. Even if I don't find I enjoy the activity, at least I'm left with objects in which I can find some other form of appreciation. And most of the time, reselling something of extraordinary quality is much less of a pain in the azz than selling rubbish.

[dabjrnl]

Dave,

I'm just trying out snowshoes for the first time this year being we are buried in snow here. You can rent them at REI and also at EMS. I've rented 2 pair out of EMS so far, 25" Atlas and 30" Catamount. Liked the bindings on the Atlas much better than the Catamounts. Better traction also. I was clueless before but have a better understanding now of what it's all about and what I'm looking for. If you are close to an EMS or the REI's in East Hanover or Marlton pop in and rent a pair for the weekend. It was $25 with tax.

[Tinker]

Saw those there.
Around $70 shipped after coupons and such.

30" up to 220
36" 220 +

Same price.

I'm thinking I'll be right arout 220 with gear....... what would you do?

Thanks for the input,
Dave

When you're in between size-wise, go with the smaller size for tight woods and mountainous terrain, upsize for gentler terrain. Larger shoes float you better but are heavier and more cumbersome (I know-I have Atlas 1036 [10"x36"]. In deep snow on steep terrain they still sink in enough that they often get stuck in the holes they create, and, being bigger, are tougher to get out - also, snow gets on top of the decking and makes them heavier - again, bigger shoes, heavy to begin with, become that much heavier than smaller shoes with the snow load included.
A good crampon is a must for icy terrain.

[Zeno Marx]

Atlas have great bindings. I've backcountried all day and never had to re-tighten my 1033s.

[mweinstone]

since the moment msr came out with snowshes, they have been at the cutting edge of the development of breakthru designs and materials. their line of snowshoes is unrivaled. nothing comes close and no other product in hikerdom has such a disparidy between the top and all the rest. .i estimate the energy saved and quality of the exsperience between the cheapest msr modle and the top competeters top model to be worth the choosing of msr in all cases regaurdless of use or budget.

[peakbagger]

You may want to check out viewsfromthtop.com and search for snowshoe threads. Many of the posters are hard core winter hikers and tend to do a lot of after the sale R&D work for manufacturers (I.E. if the shes have weak point, they will find them). MSR's have a good reputation as the best technology, but you will see many reports of how good their warantees are as they tend to break when used in the conditions we have in the east More rock and ice mixed in with the snow. Older Tubbs and Sherpas are availlable used and are good quality. I am biased, I have a pair of 20 year old Tubbs Katahdins and they are used every winter in the whites.