Snow shoes?

[rlown]

Bumping this thread only to see if there are new ideas on how to best choose snow shoes. Seems like a good year to do so.

Think about 225 lbs with a 15lb day pack on spring snow conditions (freeze/thaw) for sizing. Saw the MSR site but others may have more tidbits to share. Experience with shoe choice would be helpful.

[markskor]

Also looking...not a clue which ones to get.
Spring Sierra cement intended terrain...I weigh about 230...fishing season is coming.
Looking at MSR, Atlas...not so much Tubbs. Any others?
Thinking 30" but unsure if long enough...or too long?
Steel or aluminum 'pons? Binding? Tail width? Tails?
Unfortunately, cannot return after using if choice not right...sigh.
Help!

[ERIC]

If you're a big guy and will be doing a lot of off-trail then I suggest one of the backcountry options like MSR Lightning Assent or one of the Tubbs models that tend to float better and have options like heel lift bars/lift features. If you're going to be on groomed/packed/ice then obviously you do not want big flippers. Agree with what HighSierraNevada and others have said. In general MSR makes good shoes (even still, two years later!). For what Mark's talking about the MSR Evo/Evo 22 is a good starter shoe; light, fast, well designed and simple to use bindings. You can buy extender "tails" to clip on for deeper powder.

[SirBC]

MSR is having a 25% off sale. I received an email from BackCountry Gear but it looks like Amazon has the same prices so they are probably on sale everywhere.

[markskor]

For what its worth - from Backcountry.com - $162 shipped.

Bought the MSR Evo's (22 inch), also got the 6" tails too. Says with the tails on, good to 250 lbs (gives me a 25 lb comfort zone,) when used in deeper snow...No tails really needed if on consolidated snow pack/ice/ snow-covered roads and trails...typical stuff I regularly do in Mammoth.
Everybody I talked to up here says, as the EVO's come with longer/ steel crampons...better than Atlas for hard-packed Sierra Cement. With Mammoth just having passed 500 seasonal inches, shall see. BTW, seen a few cracked plastic TUBBS around here too.

Was hard to decide between the Atlas (longer) and the MSR's (lighter).
Thanks all!

[oldranger]

Says with the tails on, good to 250 lbs (gives me a 25 lb comfort zone,)

[SSSdave]

One thing those without snowshoe experience quickly find out is that use is not intended for deeper depths of fresh light snow unless one has truly huge light material models. Yes one can walk around in fresh light snow with typical metal snowshoes that are vastly superior to post holing about in boots, however one will expend strenuous effort doing so much like breaking trail on skis in fresh snow. I regularly take my old Tubbs TD91's out for near roadside work in fresh snow but without intending to go very far. After snow has a firmer surface layer so one does not sink in much, the snowshoes are in their element and I can hike long distances.

David

[rlown]

personally, I'd go with skis and skins.

[ERIC]

The difference in weight between most modern day models is only about a pound. That's not a determining factor when it comes to flotation compared to the weight of the snowshoer.

[overheadx2]

I took my 25" tubbs to the Glacier point hut for the weekend. We skied in, but took the shoes to hike up to Sentinel Dome. with 3 feet of powder i was still post holing with the 25"ers. They have always worked well, but the deep powder was to much for them. As soon as I got back I ordered the 25" MSR Ascents with the tails for deep powder. By the way Im 6'5" 215lbs.