I went for a hike/climb today in the Oregon Coast Range. It was a nice trail with a little scrambling and a pretty nice summit view. I wish I was there yesterday when it was sunny. Oh well, "shoulda been here yesterday syndrome" is one that I just have to live with.

My buddy and I were talking about snow shoes and I decided that I should post my question here. I have the Lowa GTX Sheephunters and really dig them. What are some good snow shoes to consider that go great with these boots?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

I am quite fond of my RedFeather Performance 30s. The harness is a pull-tighten design that fits both my Lowas and my Sorels . A great snowshoe for me + 30# pack in steeper terrain

Any idea who sells the Red Feater shoes?

Got mine a sportsman's whorehouse. Also IIRC doesn't Cabelas have them ??

These are my favorite and what we use a lot of the snow in Western Oregon gets frozen and they have the best teeth I have used. Also you can buy tails that screw on for carrying a pack or in real fluffy snow. They are plastic so they are noiser than the other kind but I have used my alot for 6 years and they work well. The coast range snow is great for snow showing no cross country skiers and hardley any body much better than hood..grin!! The shoes act like crampon in that hard crusty snow. You can also buy a different MRS shoe that has a bar for raising your heels that makes it easier for climbing. You can also rent from REI and Gi Joes and try them out first.

Marlin you guys weren't up on the elk creek trail by chance were you??






MSR Denali Classic Snowshoes -
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MSR Denali Classic Snowshoes

$139.95 REI

I would also say the MSR shoes as well. They are pretty much the standard for Search and Rescue in the Northwest. They have a great mix of traction and flotation for our type of snow. And if you plan on doing much uphill climbs, I'd go with the Denali Ascent model. I've been using mine for years and have even climbed a few times with them.

Thanks guys. I will check them out.

Mark

I'm on MSR Denalis a lot of the time I'm ever on a shoe. Look at the binding system. You don't want something it takes Houdini to get in and out of.

Just an aside, sometimes you want snowshoes that you can "ski", like when running dogs you can trot behind the sled and hold a "suicide line" and sorta waterski on the old-fashioned shoes without crampons and a good upturn. Can't do that on the Denalis.

Different tools for different situations...

The best snowshoes I have found since I started using them in 1958 are Crescent Moon Expedition Gold models from the USA and Faber shoes from Quebec, Canada. The MSRs used by companions work OK in coast and spring snow, but, are too noisy and also won't support me as I like in deeper interior snow.

Overall, I like CMEGs better than anything and I have used most of what's available. One tip, unless you KNOW your conditions well, always go with a size slightly larger than suggested as you weigh more than you realize with a pack and winter clothing. Sinking knee-deep due to smaller shoes will wear you out PDQ and can be dangerous if solo, just a suggestion.

I use the biggest snow shoes I can buy and still sink out of sight even without my pack. With clothing and gear I wear out way too fast.

Kutenay is right in his suggestion.

Myself, I find them too much work as I am not far from 300 lbs with boots and clothes on. Put some gear or a pack on and things really get tiring.

I've used atlas snowshoes for over 10 years now, and IMHO they are the best snow shoes out there. Spendy but worth it.

As mentioned, some snow conditions and weight loading require a much bigger shoe, deep fine powder is very difficult to float in.

We've had as many as four pairs of Atlas shoes around the house... definitely among the best IMO.

we used to get snow..........sigh

much prefer it to skiing for a workout, guys that use them to cover a lot of country on a regular basis are best not to be messed with. Just a word to the wise.


btw I ain't one of 'em.

I have the MSR Denali's and think they work pretty well. + 1 on Brad's recommendation for the Atlas'. I've used both and think I liked the Atlas' better.

I think the snow shoe needs to fit the area your in if your in a wet icy snow shoe the MSR is hard to be beat because of the crampons. If your in a fluffy dry stuff the atlas works very well. I tried some last year in Central Oregon and they are nice but it is a different snow than western oregon.

I have the tubbs and the atlas' I prefer the atlas too. my tubbs are heavier and the binding is full floating on my atlas, not so on the tubbs. I don't climb anything steep enough to negate the atlas crampons.....and I go everywhere I ever wanted too.

I have both original Sherpas, and Northern Lights. Prefer the Northern Lights. They're much lighter. And still tough.

The one pair I should have tried, and didn't, are the Sherpa Bigfoots. I'm not sure why all current makers of tube framed snowshoes think that no one needs more flotation than that afforded by 36" shoes. It all depends on the nature of the snow. I'd like to have a pair of Northern Lights about 42" long .... but, alas....I don't think anyone currently makes any.

Endgame, not sure if these will work for you, but I sure like them.

http://www.fabersnowshoes.com/pls/p..._cie=000019950000&P_type_acce=PUBLIC

11x40's at the bottom, probably not the best for icy and steep, but nice for mixed snow types.

Sorry, link didn't go exactly where I wanted it to. Go to Hybrid shoes and look at the Winter guide elongated bearpaws.

Ozark

This is the maker I mentioned earlier, I have put many miles on their shoes and always felt that they were the best of the Canadian makes we used. Their modern high-tech models are easily as good as Atlas and equal to Cresent Moon, but, I like CMs a bit better for no reason I can enunciate.

Faber makes DAM good showhoes AND they make the long, narrow Ojibwa style that I think Huskyrunner meant in his earlier post. These are the best for rapid travel, but, don't do as well in steep country with no trails as modded bearpaws will.

ehunter,

Sorry for the missed ?? We climbed Elk Mt. that day.

Mark

Are the Atlas 833's any good for uphill?

Mark

+1 on the Ojibs, I have a set that is very old and still functional. Only thing wrong is one of them is slightly twisted but very durable.
We hunt a lot with snowmobiles and when you go into heavy brush you get stuck with the machines. Go one pass with the shoes and you can drive your machine easily on the snow shoe pass and pack out that meat on your sled.

I go 230, and the atlas 10 35" have done good by me. If I put a 30 lb. pack on and the snow's fluffy and deep it can get a little tiring, but that's why there's good country just out the back door...you don't have to go too far.

I use the 1025 Altas. Yes, they are at their best when going up hill. Yes, I could use the 1033's when the snow is really new and soft.
BTW, I don't use my regular hunting boots when I snowshoe. I use some very flexible, high top, Gore-Tex lined walking or trail shoes. That's because you need to able to point your toe down when going downhill to allow the crampons to bite. That, and they cut down on the weight on my feet. E

I put a couple hundred miles each winter on shoes from mid Nov into Jan picking up AK/Yuk moose sheds and scouting new areas. Used a pair of Yuba Wasatch's for a couple years until they broke. Then purchased MSR Denali's, I like them a lot. They are light, I can traverse a slope and get a good bite. Many shoes will sluff off and roll your foot putting pressure on the sides of you feet. They also climb well and have the floatation fins if i need extra float in crotch deep snow. Cant go wrong there in my opinion.