MSR Denali Ascent SS w/Tails - $110!

[RagingHampster]

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=35331828&prmenbr=226

Last year's model of the MSR Denali Ascent Snowshoes with the 8" tails for break trail are on sale at Campmor.com for only $110+S!!!

Needless to say, I just upgraded my million pound Atlas 10 series snowshoes for the lighter and much more adaptable MSR's.

Use the flotation tails when breaking trail, and remove for hiking hardpack. Can't get much more easier than that!!!

EDIT:

By the way, the campmor 650fill Down jacket is on the sidebar for $70 as well! I ordered the vest version earlier this week. Great quality for a great price!

[NJPacker]

RH,
Thanks for the info. I was @ REI in Philly on Saturday and the Ascents were still priced @ $159. After having tried various SS, I had decided these were the ones I wanted. I have an old pair of Tubbs, which aren't worth the space they occupy. I'll be ordering a new pair of Ascents from Campmor tonight. Thanks again for the info.
NJpacker

[Blue Jay]

Keep the Atlas as a backup, my gear head friend. As I remember you do not have a small frame. Two little pieces of plastic that are fine on the golf course might not do the trick for your SLIGHTLY more aggressive use.

[RagingHampster]

Yeah I'm still keeping my Atlas snowshoes. They are built like a tank, and I'd certainly trust them more than any other snowshoe I've seen on the market.

This durability is often unnecessary though. Sometimes you can use a jeep where a tank would be overkill :)

Last year I did do some extensive testing with my Atlas shoes, about 200 miles or so, breaking trail for about 1/4 of that distance. The atlas shoes allow your heel to move side to side (which I did NOT like), and the deck had alot of flex to it after you wore-them-in (75 miles or so).

I'm hoping the plastic MSR units will be much more rigid, and less sloppy.

[DebW]

Last year I did do some extensive testing with my Atlas shoes, about 200 miles or so, breaking trail for about 1/4 of that distance. The atlas shoes allow your heel to move side to side (which I did NOT like), and the deck had alot of flex to it after you wore-them-in (75 miles or so).

I'm hoping the plastic MSR units will be much more rigid, and less sloppy.

They are. I think you'll like them. They're great for climbing and sidehilling. But I've heard that using rigid boots with them decreases their lifespan. And they are noisy on crusty snow.

[RagingHampster]

Cool Deb, I just got them in last night.

They seem like they're going to be much more rigid. I think I'm going to really like using those televators too ;)

Although my winter boots have a stiff Vibram sole, they still flex alot, and they're no where close to being like a ski/ice climbing/mountaineering boot. The only thing about them I'm not to crazy about is that the straps are made of rubber, and not a vinyl or nylon strap. But I walked around with them in the grass (come on snow!), and I think they'll work out real nice.

[RagingHampster]

Well I tried them out today! (12-6-03)

The test consisted of 8 miles of 7" powder, breaking trail over moderate terrain. Roughly 4000ft of major elevation gain/loss. Small stream crossings and ice covered rocks thrown in for good measure.

I can immediately come out and say that these snow-shoes are fantastic! The deck has almost zero flex, and they're extremely easy to put on/remove (which is nice when your feet are coated in ice, and your fingers are cold!). They are also very lightweight when compared to the mainstream tubular frames with fabric decking.

I do have a few gripes and words of wisdom though. While I love how the rigid pivot-plate prevents your foot from sliding sideways while traversing, you have to really make sure the heel strap is on tight, or it will slip and your foot will lose it's parallel alignment with the deck. Quickly learned this in the first mile of travel and remedied it. I think I will also file the cramp-on points, as they have trouble fully biting into ice. They grip fine, but nothing like the cramp-ons on my old atlas shoes.

I was really excited about the televator idea, an inverted steel "U" that you can pop up and stand your heel on, relieving calf-stress. But after about 1/2mile of using these I found that they created a pressure point in my heel that became intolerable quite quickly. In otherwords I think I would have been just as happy with the cheaper priced MSR Denali rather than the Denali Ascent.

I'll have to wait a few more storms to test their effectiveness in deep powder, but I even got a little flotation on the 7" versus tromping just with my boots. That was without the 8" flotation tails. I think they will work great, and I'm happy I picked them up, especially for $110!

[RagingHampster]

Last week I did about 18miles of snowshoeing in Warwick State Forest and have a review update.

This was after the big storm was over, and we had about 18" of Powder on Mt. Grace. Temps were in the 20's & teens most of the time.

Some of the trails in the forest allow snomobiles, and they make a dense hardpack after breaking the trail. No flotation tails are needed, and I find the narrower profile of the MSR shoes easier on the hips, so you don't have to waddle as much. They bite in great, and are a pleasure to hike in.

As you get about halfway up the mountain, the snomobilers abandon the trail because it gets rocky. I broke trail here, and found it necessary to use the flotation tails. They clip on easily, even while wearing them, and are tapered for easy walking. I sunk about 8" in the 18" of powder, but I'm also about 230lbs, so thats expected. People weighing in around 175 or so should expect about 5" of sinkage. The following day I returned to the trail without the tails, and found that when using the path I broke, I only sank about an inch.

That night we had some rain, and temps warmed to around 35*F. I found myself sliding in the slush snow, and once again sinking a few inches (without tails). This can be expected though as the snow takes on a more liquid state rather than it's solid form.

By the end of the week I was just using boots and instep crampons again as the unbroken snow was only about 6" deep, and the trail was pretty much down to the leaves.

But we are expecting another snow-storm tonight here in Massachusetts!!!