Hiker Snowshoe

Neither a traditional bardice (moose gut) nor technical snow show it is in a class all by itself.



Much better in deep snow or any type than any of the high tech snowshoes I have used. They are lighter than some high tech ones and all traditional ones. They do tend to clog up in wet snow like all plate style snow-shoes but not as bad as some high tech ones I have used.



The built in bar and spikes are good on hard snow and grip well when climbing steep slopes but not as well as the claws on other high tech shoes. The one draw back is that they will eventually wear out and cannot be replaced.



They will most likely last allot longer than any AL tube type as it is not subject any metal fatigue and the wooden frame is much more resilient the any metal frame.



One neat thing I find is that they do not suck heat out of your feet like some metal snowshoes I have worn in the past.



They are very easy to walk in as they are just a little wider than the high tech ones but they are not foolproof like most of the little metal ones. One still needs to learn some technique to avoid the occasional trip especially when heading up steep hills or traversing them.



The bindings that come with it I would scrap if I were going to use them in the mountains as they are hard to get out of quickly but this is a personal thing. In general they are good stout bindings that remain attached and do not cut the circulation to your feet.



One nice feature the designers never though of is that you can customize them without compromising the frame. I have modified my ones by removing the front bar and adding a set of instep crampons using the same holes in the frame. They really work quite well on moderate ice slopes just as well as more expensive high tech ones.



All in all a very good snow shoe that much cheaper than the high tech types, just as good more versatile and will last longer. I only drop it one star because of the integrated spikes on the decking will wear out eventually.