(Previously published in Trail Runner magazine, November/December 2000 issue)
By Adam W. Chase
For purposes of objectivity and to get a diversity of views, 9 testers of various backgrounds and experience on snowshoes tested the shoes included in this review. The test group included men and women, racers who are presently or had raced for teams sponsored by many of the shoes represented, and people of different sizes and weights. All the testers are trail runners when there is no snow on the ground.
Alchemy
(www.alchemysnowshoes.com; toll free: (877) 748-4808)
Espresso: This shoe received the highest rating from the testers for overall design, floatation, traction, and performance. Although the blended carbon fiber and Kevlar molded frame of the Espresso is one of the largest in the snowshoe running category, the teardrop shape allowed for easy clearance and the show was very lightweight. The Espresso is a "techy" shoe that is fitted out with a titanium "Twin-Claw" system of toe and ball-of-foot cleats and lateral frame teeth that collaborate to offer stability and traction aplenty. The snowshoes feature lightweight Hypalon decking and binding straps with quick-release buckles. The Espresso shoes are much more than your "fitness" snowshoes that are merely suitable for aerobic activity, and lead the category of true "racing" snowshoes with speed written all over their innovative design. While the Espresso shoes held their own in powder, their carbon fiber frames also served to dampen the impact for noticeable cushioning on hard packed or icy surfaces. The Espresso is superb for larger snowshoe runners who want top-end snowshoes. SRP: $329. 47 oz. (1342g)
Ti-Rent: Performance athletes tend to gravitate towards performance materials, which explains the allure of titanium, known for its tremendous strength-to-weight ratio. The Ti-Rent is built out of titanium and features the same Twin Claw of the Espresso on Alchemy’s 8" X 24" frame which functioned well and accommodates a narrow gait and runs well on packed snow. The Ti-Rent scored very well amongst the testers in all categories except floatation. Several testers commented that they felt like the shoe was light and balanced enough that they didn’t even notice it was on, once they managed to get the binding attached and secured. The Ti-Rent features a "Live Band" suspension system, which has very little return action, one-click bindings that can be tightened enough to secure smaller-sized footwear, and teardrop vented Hypalon decking. SRP: $379. 40 oz. (1136g)
Atlas Snow-Shoe Company
(www.atlassnowshoe.com (888) 48-ATLAS)
Dual Trac SL: The Dual Trac SL’s frame is the identical size and shape as that of the Atlas Dual Trac, but is made of a super light metal matrix alloy with a titanium base-plate and claw. Given the strength of titanium, Atlas was able to use a thin enough cut to allow for some resilience in the base plate. This softens the impact on hard pack or icy surfaces. One tester captured the essence of the SL as "simple in design and snappy in performance." The SL’s binding system scored very well and the shoe received top marks for lightness. The spring-loaded binding, however, was given mixed reviews by the testers who either loved the liveliness of the return action or found it awkward for their running style. SRP: $299. 34 oz. (976g)
Dual Trac: This lightweight aluminum-framed shoe was worn on the winners of the 2000 North American Snowshoe Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado and the "Fiona Apple" Green shoes with racing-striped Hypalon decking fared well amongst the testers for their overall performance. The Dual Trac features Atlas’ spring-loaded binding and an asymmetrical Switchback Harness with padding for comfort and a controlled fit. SRP: $ 229. 42 oz. (1196g)
Crescent Moon
(www.crescentmoonsnowshoes.com toll free: (800) 587-7655)
PG 12: No, this is not a movie rating. "PG" stands for "Perma Grin", which comes from Crescent Moon’s founder’s proclivity for smiling, especially when it comes to snowboarding on a run in Beaver Creek, Colorado, called "Peregrine." You are likely to get a grin out of both the PG’s flashy red sparkled frame and the ease with which you can mount the shoes. Although many of the testers’ first impressions were that the PG 12 was heavy, several observed that the shoes felt lighter when in use. Crescent Moon decks the PG 12’s exaggerated teardrop frame with very taut, tear-resistant Hypalon. The PG 12’s pivot action allowed for a full swing of the shoe and the ratchet binding system was one of the more secure of the shoes tested. Crescent Moon’s cleat system combines three sets of aluminum teeth — one on the toe, one under the ball of the foot, and another under the heel — received mixed reviews from the testers, as did the PG 12’s performance on loose snow and sloped terrain. SRP: $269. 57 oz. (1628g)
Northern Lites
(www.northernlites.com toll free: (800) 360-LITE)
Elite: The testers were very pleased with the performance of Northern Lites’ much-improved racing shoe. The 8" by 25" Elite remains one of the lightest shoes on the market with its aluminum alloy frame that has been modified for greater durability, especially in the rounded tail. The Elite is decked with Coolthane, a tough, polyurethane-coated nylon mesh that is fastened to the frame with improved rivets and burley "perimeter cleats" that give more traction along the entire edge of the frame. The Elite also comes with Northern Lites’ TruTrak bindings, de-icing pads, and toe and heel crampons. Finally, at the suggested retail price of $199, it can be said that the Elite offers the greatest floatation per ounce per dollar! The only negative comments about these shoes were that they looked "dull", "cheap", "un-cool", and generally lacked visual appeal, but those critiques were followed by a resounding "who cares?" 38 oz. (1066g).
Quicksilver 25: If the Elite is great value, the Quicksilver is an even better bargain, depending on your intended use. As a price point shoe, the Quicksilver is essentially the same as the Elite, except it is built with a less-expensive grade of aluminum alloy ("aircraft" instead of "spacecraft") and a polyurethane-coated nylon mesh decking instead of Coolthane. If you are not sure about snowshoe running or racing, the Quicksilver 25 is the easiest way to give it a try without risking a substantial investment. SRP: $149. 41 oz. (1166g)
Redfeather
(www.readfeather.com; toll free: (800) 525-0081)
Falcon "Frank Shorter Special" 25": To bring this shoe up to the level of its Olympic Gold endorser, Redfeather improved its 8" by 25" running snowshoe for this winter by adding stability through titanium heel traction and front talons. The Falcon 25" received moderate marks from the testers, with no real highs or lows. One tester remarked that the shoes seemed as "big as the legend [Frank Shorter] himself." Redfeather has turned up the tail of the shoe to increase stride efficiency. The snowshoe binding system was very easy to use and the Hypalon decking was custom-made for Redfeather, complete with graphics and signature. Redfeather’s running snowshoes come from a heritage of snowshoe racing and the "Frank Shorter Special" is essentially the same shoe that helped turn the sport into the highly aerobic activity that it is today. SRP: $219. 44 oz. (1245g)
Falcon 21": Also knows as the "Shorter than the Shorter" this is the little sibling to the Falcon 25". The testers appreciated the simplicity and lack of weight of this shoe, but didn’t like the lack of stability or return in the binding. SRP $199. 30 oz. (870g)
Tubbs
(www.tubbssnowshoes.com toll free: (800) 882-2748)
Piranha: This shoe managed to pique the interest of the testers who made sure to get out and try them at first opportunity. The Piranha is, indeed, an aesthetic statement if not a work of technical sophistication that amounts to a work of art. The shoe’s uniquely shaped carbon fiber frame has "tri-lobial" traction and its titanium cleat system includes an extended toe crampon for the kind of bite you expect from a shoe with the name Piranha. Unfortunately, the shoes received less than stellar ratings in overall function, due largely to their very low marks for floatation and performance on powder or unpacked snow. The Piranha’s excellent side traction and increased forward thrust gained from the toe claw almost compensated for the lack of decking in the front of the shoe, which tended to nosedive on softer surfaces. Testers found the rear plastic extenders both unnecessary — except to give the shoe a 25" length — and cumbersome in that the testers tended to clip themselves with them and found the plastic added weight in the worst place possible. SRP: $399. 45 oz. (1274g)
Criterium: This shoe is the latest iteration from the ever popular asymmetric 10-K. The Criterium is a scaled-down and less expensive version of its predecessor, without the titanium hardware and no toe claw system, which was the best innovation of the 10-K. The testers appreciated many of the Criterium’s qualities and gave it better-than-average marks across the board. The aluminum frame and Hypalon decking with aluminum claws performed well on packed surfaces and allowed for a relatively natural stride, due to the asymmetric shape. SRP: $199. 51 oz. (1434g)
YubaShoes
|(www.yubashoes.com toll free: (800) 598-9822)
Sscape: YubaShoes’ has made some great innovations with their "X-ON" binding system, which was both easy to use and very secure, without putting excess pressure on the instep. The testers found the 8"X25" framed shoe to be overly heavy, clunky, and long and several testers commented on the cheap appearance of the Sscape. Unique for a running snowshoe, the Sscape uses a pivot system instead of a hinge-type action and the pivot caused testers to catch the toe of the Sscape and feel awkward while running. The testers did, however, recommend the Sscape as a hiking snowshoe. SRP: $220. 46 oz. (1304g).