![]() The only pair I could find were cheap, mostly plastic, and not the best choice for big hills. ![]() I bought my first pair about five years ago, after arriving in Aviemore after a heavy dump of snow and realising that I wouldn’t get very far without them. I have a love/hate relationship with snowshoes. It may be less optimal in some ways/situations - but that risk/tradeoff might be worth it for fitting into your kit for the way down.Alex Roddie reviews capable snowshoes for the Scottish mountains. I'd say you are right on the line in a variety of ways. It sort of depends on the type of footwear - a size 44 tennis shoe will fit differently than a size 44 winter boot. Or the straps may not tighten down properly. Maxing that out may put you in an awkward spot. 75 kg would be near the limit - again depends on the depth of fresh snow. Stated weight limit for both men/women models are 80kg for the 22in model. I guess that depends on how often you are on deep fresh snow. The amount of float is the main difference for the smaller snowshoe model. I'll let you know how well they fit when/if I bought them! PPS: Regarding the MSR women's model with paragon bindings: I plan to buy a pair next week, couldn't yet try them so far. PS: With regards to traversing / side-hilling, I found that pointing the snowshoes uphill and walking sideways / slightly upwards can make it much easier because you can make use of the full traction and don't have to bend the ankles. The snow shoes are meant to be a supplement to mountaineering practices, not a replacement :) However, I do want snowshoes that can deal with a lot of situations. ![]() However, I have since bought both crampons and an ice axe, and plan to do a multi-day mountaineering course next summer, precisely to properly learn and practice techniques like self-arrest. I would not have wanted to walk down again the same path with snowshoes. Second, there's another way up that's much less steep, that I could have taken down if the weather would not have allowed me to take off. First, because I had my paraglider with me for the descent. In my case, I only walked up that steep hill. Trekking poles help as well if the terrain isn't too steep. An ice axe for self arrest can be carried along even on the ascent when wearing snowshoes. In that case, it's probably best to take off the snowshoes and switch to crampons. Hi, thanks for the link to that very insightful post! Yes, I agree that traversing or walking down steep hills with snowshoes is not pleasant and can be dangerous. As long as I fit into the binding, that shouldn't be an issue, right? Or does it also affect ergonomics? I should be fine with that, right?įurthermore, the shoe size for both the 22"W and 25"W models is specified as 36-43, I'm a 44. The load of the 22" W model is specified for up to 80 kg. From what I understand, the width and length of the snowshoe just affects the floatation effect, so it makes it easier to walk in deep, powdery snow. With my paragliding gear, I weigh about 75 kg. The main question would be what the tradeoff is when picking a model that's a bit small, versus a larger and wider model. Additionally, the 22" model was small enough that I could pack it into my paragliding harness at launch. I'm male, but I don't think the gender has any relevance for the model choice :) I'm quite skinny though, so I might profit from a model that doesn't require very wide steps. I liked that the women's models are less wide, so it was easier to walk than with the "non-women's" model. ![]() I think I tested the women's 22" version. So now my main question would be which Lightning Ascent variant to buy. On the other hand, the Lightning Ascent model was great, you could just walk up a steep side of the mountain on icy terrain with a few rocks and would still get great traction. I found the Evo to be nice in flat terrain, but a bit lacking in steep terrain. Last year I tested both the MSR Evo Trail and the MSR Lightning Ascent models. Requirements would be good suitability even for steep, icy terrain (e.g. Since I can't ski, in order to extend my hiking season into winter, I'd like to buy a pair of good snow shoes. I'm a paraglider pilot and also do a lot of hike&fly (hiking up the mountain, flying down). I live in Switzerland and love to go on alpine tours.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |