Pinned footplate connection puts slightly more stress on ankles during sidehill traverses compared to a flexible connection.Flat-stock frame is probably not as strong and durable as a tube-stock frame.Flexible textile decking is nearly silent compared to hard plastic decking.Mesh binding is easily replaced in field (newer models only).Mesh wrap-around binding appears more comfortable than simple straps (newer models only).Voile-type binding straps are easily replaced in field (older models only).Three-strap binding provides good redundancy (older models only).

Fairly lightweight compared to many other full-featured snowshoes.Climbing wires reduce calf strain on steep ascents.Top quality decking and binding materials and construction.Flat-stock frame provides unsurpassed traction compared to other frame types, especially on traverses and descents.

> Gear Review Summaries MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoe Pros & Cons For all items, I discuss the cons as well as the pros. Be assured, though, that my reviews are unbiased and involve only gear that I (or a mountain partner) have used extensively. Snowshoeing along Dungeon Ridge toward Dungeon PeakĪffiliate Disclosure: My gear reviews may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something that I’ve linked to, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Norse Peak Snowshoe Climb (Chinook Mountains, WA).

Surveyors Hill Snowshoe Hike (Iron Horse Mountains, WA).

Dungeon Point Snowshoe Ascent (Keechelus Moutains, WA).

Bedal Peak Snowshoe Climb (East Sauk Mountains, WA).

Arrowhead Mountain Snowshoe Climb (Upper Icicle Mountains, WA).

To further illustrate what this particular activity involves, here are several report postings for good examples of mountain snowshoeing trips: These are serious conditions flimsy trail snowshoes need not apply. On any given trip, I might be faced with a low-angle valley followed by a moderately steep forest slope followed by a steep alpine slope, and the snow could range from patchy corn to tracked hardpan to deep powder to breakable crust to bottomless mush to wind-scoured ice. The vast majority of my snowshoeing trips have been in the Washington Cascades, where snow and terrain conditions often put snowshoes to a severe test. Furthermore, some of my mountain partners don’t ski, so snowshoeing is my only opportunity for a wintertime meet-up with them.

For example, forest slopes with tightly spaced trees narrow and convoluted ridge crests very steep alpine slopes and pretty much anyplace with breakable crust. There are many mountain conditions that are simply better suited to snowshoes than skis. The ultimate application of a mountain snowshoe would be reaching the summit of a peak.Īlthough I spend most of my winter outings on skis, I regard snowshoes to be a valuable tool in my backcountry arsenal. In this way, they differ from trail snowshoes, which are primarily intended for gentle to moderate terrain on either groomed or ungroomed snow. In the context of this gear review, mountain snowshoes are intended for backcountry snow travel over a wide variety of mountainous terrain, ranging from gentle to moderate to steep. Comparison of MSR Lightning Ascent & Atlas 1225 Snowshoes.Atlas 1225 Mountain Snowshoe Pros & Cons.MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoe Pros & Cons.

Msr revo ascent snowhsoees