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10 Best Snowshoes for Winter Hiking
For winter snowshoeing on hiking trails and in the backcountry, you want a winter hiking snowshoe that is durable, with aggressive crampons for traction and a secure binding system that locks your boots to the snowshoes. If you’re interested in getting off the grid and snowshoeing through backcountry terrain, these are the 10 best snowshoes we recommend. For more information, see our buying advice below.
| Make / Model | Heel Bar | Binding | Weight (25") | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSR Lightning Ascent | Yes | Mesh Net | 4 lbs 3 oz | $320 |
| Atlas Helium MTN | Yes | Boa | 3 lbs 3 oz | $220 |
| Tubbs Flex ALP | Yes | Boa | 4 lbs 8 oz | $240 |
| TSL Symbioz Elite | Yes | Boa | 4 lbs 5 oz | $280 |
| MSR Evo Ascent | Yes | Strap | 4 lbs 1 oz | $200 |
| Tubbs Mountaineers | Yes | Rachet Strap | 4 lbs 14.4 oz | $270 |
| Northern Lites Backcountry | No | Plastic Straps | 2 lbs 11 oz | $235 |
| Crescent Moon Gold 10 | Yes | Rachet Strap | 4 lbs 10.1 oz | $219 |
| Louis Garneau Versant | Yes | Boa | 4 lbs 11 oz | $235 |
| MSR Revo Explore | Yes | Rachet Strap | 4 lbs 2 oz | $220 |
1. MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes
Check for the latest price at:
MSR | Backcountry | REI | Amazon
2. Atlas Helium Trail Snowshoes
Check for the latest price at:
REI
3. Tubbs Flex ALP Snowshoes
Check for the latest price at:
Backcountry| Amazon
4. TSL Symbioz Elite Snowshoes
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Backcountry | REI | Amazon
5. MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoes
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Backcountry | REI | Amazon
6. Tubbs Mountaineer Snowshoes
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Backcountry | REI | Amazon
7. Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes
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Amazon
8. Crescent Moon Gold 10
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Moosejaw
9. Louis Garneau Versant Snowshoes
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Amazon
10. MSR Revo Explore Snowshoes
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Backcountry | REI | Amazon
How to Buy Winter Snowshoes
Winter hiking snowshoes serve two key functions: they provide traction on icy trails and when climbing steep terrain, and they provide flotation over snow, so you don’t sink or posthole, which can be quite exhausting. While all of the winter hiking snowshoes listed above satisfy both of these requirements, some excel in the traction department, like the MSR Lightning Ascents, MSR Evo Ascents, Tubbs Flex VRTs, and TSL Symbioz Elites, while others emphasize flotation, like the Tubbs Mountaineers, Atlas Spindrifts, and the Crescent Moon Gold 10s. As a rule of thumb, tear-drop shaped snowshoes with synthetic riveted decks tend to emphasize flotation, while rectangular-shaped snowshoes are more traction-focused. If you’re going to be climbing ice-covered mountains predominantly, you’ll probably want a snowshoe that emphasizes traction, while snowshoes that focus on flotation, will be a better fit for areas where deep, powdery snow is the norm.
If you’re trying to choose between different snowshoes, there are four key properties that should guide your decision-making:
- Packability
- Weight
- Bindings
- Sizing
Packability
Most winter hikers carry multiple traction devices and switch between them during the day. If you’re hiking a packed trail, you might start out in bare boots, relying on your boot treads for traction because the less weight you have on your feet, the slower you’ll fatigue. If you encounter slick or icy terrain you might switch to microspikes, and then snowshoes, if you encounter fresh snow that hasn’t been packed down or is mixed up with slush.
In order to have these traction aids when you need them, you need to carry them. While microspikes are pretty easy to pack, snowshoes aren’t because they’re big and bulky. The bulk comes from their length, width, and thickness, which is primarily a function of the style of binding they use. Lay flat bindings like the simple straps on the MSR Lightning Ascent and the MSR Evo Ascent are the easiest snowshoes to attach or carry in a backpack, while snowshoes with Boa binding systems tend to be the bulkiest and most difficult to pack.
Weight
Weight is also a key factor when choosing which snowshoe to buy. Most snowshoes weigh four to five pounds, and they’re probably going to be the heaviest thing in your backpack, after water. That weight adds up during the course of a day, regardless of whether it’s in your backpack or on your feet.
Bindings
We’ve already considered the packability of snowshoe bindings, but there are other factors you should consider when making a selection, such as comfort, security, ease of use while wearing gloves, whether the binding can freeze and become inoperative, and how easy it is to repair if it does break. For example, some people worry that Boa closure systems can freeze up if they get wet and will cease to operate until they can be defrosted. It’s a valid concern. One of their advantages, however, is that they are easy to use while wearing gloves and provide a secure grip that’s unlikely to come undone once set. Contrast that to the flat straps used on MSR snowshoes. They’ll never freeze up, they’re easy to replace if torn or lost, but they can be hard to attach when wearing gloves, and they tend to pop open once or twice during a hike.
Sizing
Snowshoes come in a wide variety of sizes. These are determined by the total weight you want to carry (bodyweight + pack weight) and the amount of flotation you require. Men’s sizes are usually larger than women’s sizes, because men are taller and heavier, while women’s snowshoes tend to be narrower than men’s because their gait isn’t as wide.
If you’re buying a snowshoe that’s more traction oriented, you can sometimes drop a size below the manufacturer’s recommended sizing, especially if you’re hiking in an area that doesn’t get a lot of snow or you’re hiking on trails that have been broken out by other hikers. Sizing is directly correlated to gear weight and this is a tactic you can use to lighten your load. If flotation is a priority, you can sometimes buy tails, which are add-on snowshoe extensions that make them longer and increase their surface area. This is another way to cut down on the weight of a snowshoe because you can bring your tails when you need more flotation, but carry a lighter weight snowshoe in less challenging conditions.
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Philip, thanks as always for a great roundup!
It feels as if another column or two could be added to the table above – the flotation/traction focus, and perhaps adding a packs flat/bulky column on the bindings. That would take it to the next level.
I remember you commenting that snowshoes with smaller decks are especially good for denser forest situations.
Are there any issues/variability with balling on the traction (like there sometimes are with crampons)?
While deck size helps, the most important factor for off-trail snowshoeing is rigidity. The only snowshoe that I’d use (and do use) for that is the MSR Evo Ascent because it is solid plastic and indestructible.
The only bindings that pack flat are from MSR and only if they are just plastic like the paragon or their classic horizontal straps.
Balling is not usually an issue with snowshoes because the flex in them breaks up clumping. However, you need to avoid stepping in running water. If you do get a ball up, a good whack with a trekking pole usually clears it right up.
I’ve slipped a LONG way on a steep sidehill withAtlas aluminum tube framed ‘shoesQ That’s when I got a pair of the then-new MSR Lightning Ascent ‘shoes.
I bought a pair of Lightning Ascents a few years ago. Dang they’re awesome. If you’re the kind that trips over their own feet – as I sometimes do – you’ll catch the edges on themselves, but it taught me to be more cautious about where I put my feet.
I really love these snowshoes. They’re good in a variety of terrain & conditions.
There’s a women’s size which is a bit narrower than the men’s and easier to avoid tripping over. Not sure which you got. :-)
BTW, the rubbery-plastic bindings on those Atlas ‘shoes literally disintegrated within 8 years!
Have you ever tested or heard of Dion snowshoes? They seem to be oriented mainly towards racing, but I recently purchased a pair of their “164” frames with the deep cleats. I’m eager to put them to the test in the Whites soon. They seem like they’ll have plenty of flotation, being that they’re almost 24 inches and I’m fairly light, but I’m curious how well the traction will perform, especially compared to the MSRs that I’m accustomed to. I also wish they had a heel lifter, and I think that will be my main gripe with them. However, they seem very promising as a lightweight, durable snowshoe.
No. You need heel lifters and traction in the whites, but not a lot of flotation.
I’m plenty familiar with winter hiking in the Whites and necessary snowshoe features. I don’t think I absolutely need the heel lifters, but as I said I think that’s the main feature the Dion snowshoes are missing. I don’t always flip up the heel lifters on my MSR Evos, eg going up a milder slope or if I know I’m going back down shortly, but I’m aware how much of a difference they make with calf strain and better traction. I think these snowshoes have an application for milder hikes and mild conditions or more constant up and down when I don’t want to fuss with the heel lifters. They’re also quite light and so might be good as a “just in case” snowshoe when conditions appear to be packed down hard but might be softer higher up.
I don’t think the traction is as good as MSR snowshoes because they don’t have the aggressive traction rails, but they do have aggressive crampon teeth under the ball of the foot. For that reason I will likely stick with the MSRs for longer days or when I know I will need maximum traction, eg in the Presidentials or steep trails, but I’m very eager to see how the Dion snowshoes perform, and I think they’re worth a look if the lack of heel lifters isn’t a total deal breaker.
Well, you can’t always anticipate when you’ll need televators. I’ve found that when I’ve hiked in the whites without televators, I needed them and not having them meant the difference between summitting and not summitting. BTW, I believe we met last March.