The 7 Best Snowshoes for Women

Best Overall Snowshoe for Women

MSR Lightning Ascent - Women's

Measured Weight: 3.94 lbs | Weight Load: 210 lbs (270 lbs with tails)

The MSR Lightning Ascent is a versatile snowshoe built for all-terrain adventures. With ultra-grippy 360° traction, sleek ergonomics for a natural stride, and excellent bindings — not to mention the option for added flotation tails — this product is our favorite overall snowshoe. Whether you are ascending steep obstacle-ridden terrain down an icy hill or across a flat and well-traveled path, slippage is minimal, and the fit is comfy. The binding rotates almost 90 degrees from the deck, allowing for a natural stride when walking forward. We especially love the binding net, which offers the right amount of stretch for a very snug fit without any uncomfortable pinching or poking.

We have a minor issue with the initial setup of the front bindings, which can be difficult to fasten with thick gloves. That said, if you wear the same boots, you won't need to readjust the straps. We think this is an exceptional snowshoe suitable for all forms of snowshoeing, but it's pricier than other high-performing options we tested. If funds are a limiting factor, consider the Tubbs Xplore. The Xplores have great beginner-friendly performance at a wallet-happy price. Despite the challenging initial setup and the high price, we are confident in our decision to award the Lightning Ascent top honors. It's perfect for casual day-trippers and week-long expeditions in the backcountry or peak bagging winter 14ers.

Read more: MSR Lightning Ascent review

Best Bang for Your Buck

MSR Evo Trail Snowshoes

Measured Weight: 3.69 lbs | Weight Load: 180 lbs (250 lbs with tails)

The simplistic design of the MSR Evo Trail proved in our tests to be reliable and highly versatile. The Paraglide bindings fit a wide range of shoes and boots, so they're a good fit for almost any activity, from a family hike to packing up your snowboard for the next run. It has aggressive and stabilizing traction suitable for every terrain but technical mountaineering — for that, check out the Tubbs Mountaineer. MSR made the enduringly popular Evo Trail with an ultra-durable single-piece plastic decking. According to our testers, even the prototypes of this MSR version from the 90s are still in excellent condition. The Evo Trail has the option to add flotation tails, which are easy to install when you want to float in deep powder. With the addition of these tails, the float improves significantly. This lightweight snowshoe is a reliable and comfortable choice to get you from point A to point B without any issues.

The Evo Trail is a unisex option that most of our testers found very comfortable and easy to walk in. That said, those with a narrow gait may need to widen their stride. We like the binding system, but it can take a moment to find the right fit in the large footpads when you first put them on. Pay attention to foot placement on the deck before tightening the straps to optimize performance and comfort. During field testing, we noticed the decking material can produce loud noise, especially on packed and crusty snow. Downsides aside, if you want a simple, versatile, and long-lasting shoe, finding this quality at a better price will take a lot of effort. If you're looking for a quick shoe to throw on for the groomed trails, check out the Crescent Moon Eva Foam. These ultralight foam snowshoes aren't great in the deep powder but are handy if you plan on running in the snow.

Read more: MSR Evo Trail review

Most User-Friendly Design at a Moderate Price

Tubbs Wilderness - Women's

Measured Weight: 4.12 lbs | Weight Load: 250 lbs

Are you looking for a snowshoe that offers excellent balance, comfort, and user-friendly features for day hiking? The Tubbs Wilderness snowshoe is perfect for casual hikers, offering decent flotation, beginner-friendly bindings, and functional accessories like heel lifters. At a bargain price, its bindings have everything you need in a user-friendly snowshoe: they are ultra-comfortable, non-slip, and easy to put on and take off, even with bulky gloves or mittens. The Quick-Fit binding provides easy entry and exit and evenly tensioned support for all-hike-long comfort. The hollow aluminum Fit-Step 2.0 Frame is lightweight, durable, and tractioned enough for most terrains.

The traction of the Tubbs Wilderness is suitable for gentle terrain or powder, but for more technical mountaineering, the Tubbs Mountaineer is a better choice. The tubular frame and mid-range-traction crampons are slippery on steep slopes. Many models feature jagged teeth that run the length of the shoe, and when wearing the Wilderness in steep terrain during testing, we miss the side-stepping and descent security perimeter teeth afford. Nevertheless, the Wilderness is one of the only budget and beginner models with heel lifters, reducing calf fatigue when hiking uphill. It is a well-rounded and featured option for those looking for comfort and easy use on a budget.

Read more: Tubbs Wilderness review

Best for All-Terrain and Peak Bagging Adventures

Atlas Range-MTN - Women's

Measured Weight: 3.75 lbs | Weight Load: 200 lbs

The Atlas Range-MTN is a lightweight and precise snowshoe, excellent for women with smaller hips who love to play in all-terrain or enjoy winter peak bagging. It features an easy-to-use BOA binding system and a smooth Nytex Infinity Decking that sheds snow with every step. The snowshoe's design is optimized for energy conservation and step precision, making it ideal for challenging alpine environments. The flexible decking and tapered aluminum frame provide decent flotation, but the Range-MTN performs best in step precision on crusty, slick snow at steep angles. The snowshoe's tapered shape promotes an organic stride, making it an excellent option for people with narrow hips. The pivot limiter, maneuverable frame, and top-of-the-market traction make it suitable for all-terrain, but it is popular among our testers for exploring wild and steep mountains.

The Range-MTN is a premium option with an equally premium price. If you are not willing or able to invest, we suggest checking out some of our more budget-friendly award winners like the MSR Evo Trail. A disadvantage of the frame's mobility is that it sacrifices floatation. We found in our testing that it provides mediocre float, particularly in deep powder. Without flotation tail add-ons, there are better options for carrying heavy loads or winter backcountry trips in more bottomless powder, like the Tubbs Wayfinder. This snowshoe is a fantastic choice if you want a 'catch-all' snowshoe that can take you from heavily trafficked trails to steep mountainsides, especially if you plan on technical winter climbs.

Read more: Atlas Range-MTN review

Best for Easy Walking

Crescent Moon Leadville 29 - Women's

Measured Weight: 4.62 lbs | Weight Load: 200 lbs

Between its aggressive teardrop shape and unique three-crampon traction system, the Crescent Moon Leadville 29 makes walking easy on most terrain. The tapering of this model helps keep you from stepping on your feet. Although it is one of the heavier options we tested, it has one of the most significant surface areas, making it one of the best balances of flotation and walkability in different snow conditions. This snowshoe is a great pick if you want a casual commuter for walking as close to your normal gait as possible through packed terrain or deep snow, but for adventurous peak baggers, the Atlas Range-MTN is better. For those who value local production, Crescent Moon is a garage-grown, three-generation family company from snowy Colorado. The website says this model is “Designed by a woman, for women, who hike like women.” Our testers agreed that our hips loved the easy stride of the Leadville 29.

Many snowshoes offer sizes or clip-on tails to support the extra weight you often have to carry in the winter, but the Leadville 29 recommended capacity caps out at 200 pounds, so be sure to factor in clothing and gear. Though the weight capacity isn't a strict cap, the float will suffer if exceeded. Another disadvantage we encountered during testing was its heel lift. Most snowshoes have a small bar that is simple and easy to deploy, but this shoe has a bulky, removable plastic lift that is easy to lose. If you want to get moving a bit quicker, the TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Racing are ultralight and allow for quick movements. But if you value excellent walkability in all snow conditions, the Leadville 29 is a great choice.

Read more: Crescent Moon Leadville 29 review

Best for Backcountry Powder

Tubbs Mountaineer - Women's

Measured Weight: 4.56 lbs | Weight Load: 250 lbs

Deep powder? One of our top snowshoes for flotation, the Tubbs Mountaineer, is a hardy snowshoe ready to pioneer trails in virgin backcountry powder. Capable of hefting more weight than most snowshoes, it is ideal for carrying a loaded winter pack ranging from 80 to 250 pounds. The Soft-Tec decking covers a wide surface area in its aluminum Pro-Step frame, forming a small dome with each step that ensures excellent flotation in varied snow conditions. The aggressive toe and heel crampons provide suitable traction on deep, although they could use more lateral traction for technical terrain. The Mountaineer's design allows for a natural stride, with decking and hinges that efficiently shed snow as you walk. The Mountaineer is an excellent choice if you're planning a winter wonderland camping trip and want a snowshoe that can get you off the beaten path.

Our tests proved the Mountaineer excels in flotation, but the traditional tubular frame is slippier than we prefer on technical terrain and descents. Even though it is our top pick for backcountry travel, we suggest a more techy shoe if you plan on alpine mountaineering. It is also heavy, which can contribute to fatigue or cost you some grams if you are a hyperlight fast packer. For quick trekkers, the lightweight, spring-loaded Atlas Race is better. Despite these critiques, few snowshoes will give you durability, well-rounded performance, and above-average float you can trust in the wilderness.

Read more: Tubbs Mountaineer review

Excellent Balance of Traction and Stride

TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite - Women's

Measured Weight: 4.31 lbs | Weight Load: 300 lbs

If you love hiking on packed trails during winter, know that not all snowshoes are designed for backcountry trekking through deep snow. The TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite is an ideal shoe for packed or groomed trails where deep, powdery snow is no issue. Thanks to the Elite's highly textured underside, which features eight curved stainless steel teeth and a large metal toe crampon, it provides premium traction. Its unique binding system is also adjustable and comfortable for various styles of winter footwear. The highly flexible decking gives an ergonomic spring to your footfall, and the frame's curves match those of your feet, making it unmatched stride ergonomics. In the snowshoe world, this shoe redefines a comfortable walking stride.

The Symbioz Elite is an excellent choice for icy or packed terrain. However, their unmatched walkability suffers in flotation. These snowshoes lack the decking to provide adequate floatation in deep powder, and they are heavy for their smaller profile. Their mid-range flotation performance shouldn't stop you from trying one of the most walker-friendly snowshoes on the market if you mainly plan to use them on recreational trails, such as the Atlas Range-MTN. Overall, the Symbioz Elite is a terrific choice for the adventurer who'd rather stay on the path than off it.

Read more: TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite review

Compare Products

Compare select up to 5 products to compare

	Score	Product	Price
	85	MSR Lightning Ascent - Women's Best Overall Snowshoe for Women	$390
	79	Tubbs Mountaineer - Women's Best for Backcountry Powder	$280
	79	Atlas Range-MTN - Women's Best for All-Terrain and Peak Bagging Adventures	$320
	75	MSR Evo Trail Snowshoes Best Bang for Your Buck	$170
	73	TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite - Women's Excellent Balance of Traction and Stride	$300
	72	Crescent Moon Leadville 29 - Women's Best for Easy Walking	$220
	69	Tubbs Wilderness - Women's Most User-Friendly Design at a Moderate Price	$220
	65	Tubbs Wayfinder - Women's	$200
	64	MSR Revo Explore - Women's	$270
	63	Tubbs Xplore - Womens	$150
	63	Atlas Montane - Women's	$250
	57	Atlas Race - Women's	$320
	52	TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Racing - Women's	$210
	31	Crescent Moon Eva Foam	$170

How We Test Snowshoes

We've been testing snowshoes for a decade, with 14 top contenders in this review. We strive to test all our snowshoes objectively by pushing each to their limits. To begin our process, we research the best contenders on the market and select only the creme-de-la-creme. After the research period, we hike through varied snow terrains, from icy and groomed to steep or fluffy and deep, evaluating key metrics along the way. After thoroughly investigating the bindings and traction systems, we strapped the snowshoes on for in-field tests. We hiked over hardpack, powder, steep slopes, and rolling hills. Through this, we measured how deep we sunk in and noted how each stride felt. We compile our findings from objective observations, measurements, and personal experiences to provide a comprehensive and in-depth review. Our unbiased approach means purchasing every piece of gear at full retail before testing it to the max in real-world scenarios. We hope that our recommendations will assist you in finding the perfect fit.

We divide our snowshoe testing into four rating metrics:

• Flotation (30% of overall score weighting)

• Traction (30% weighting)

• Walkability (20% weighting)

• Bindings (20% weighting)

Why Trust GearLab

This review is brought to you by Outdoor Gear Lab Review Author Kate Pitts. For a decade, Kate worked as an educator, search and rescue professional, and backcountry ranger for the National Park Service. She first fell in love with snowshoeing on a ranger-led snowshoe program in Rocky Mountain National Park, which inspired her to gear up for the winter ascents of multiple Colorado 14ers. In her former role as a Park Ranger naturalist for Bryce Canyon National Park, Kate led guided snowshoe hikes to people visiting from all over the world. She loved helping beginners feel comfortable and sharing winter ecology. Her biggest pro tip is to check for guided Park Ranger snowshoe programs whenever you visit the National Park's winter wonderlands. Joining Kate is Senior Review Editor Hayley Thomas. Hayley has been living in Colorado for almost 15 years, and in that time, her love of the outdoors has grown exponentially. Her favorite sport is climbing, but it doesn't stop there. You can find her on the slopes in the winter and on her bike in the summer. When she's not spending time in the mountains, she is probably taking acro yoga photos in the city or skating around the park with her dogs. Hayley brings a wealth of experience to this review, providing comparisons and identifying key features along the way.

Analysis and Test Results

We know that many outdoorsy folks trade their hiking boots in for ski boots during the winter. If you want to continue venturing out on foot during the snowy months, you've come to the right place to learn about snowshoes. Are you curious about snowshoeing but don't know where to start? Are you wondering about the best options for women? Well, we're here to help. The right pair of snowshoes can give you access to a whole new world of snowy adventures that would otherwise be inaccessible during winter.

What's the Best Value?

The models we tested range in price from not-too-bad to wallet-emptying, making it hard to tell the sweet spot of performance and cost. Comparing the overall score from our tests to the retail price is a great place to start.

For excellent performance without breaking the bank, check out the MSR Evo, which offers a unibody deck and frame made of a single plastic piece and has stellar traction for all terrains except the most technical slopes. The Tubbs Wilderness is also a reasonably priced model with excellent all-around performance and outstanding binding. It is a budget model with a heel lifter that can save your calves during uphill hiking. If you have more money to spend or a more serious objective, the MSR Lightning Ascentand Atlas Range-MTN outperform other options in our test suite in almost all our testing criteria. They are well-rounded snowshoes that can take you from icy rolling hills to steep technical terrain — a worthy purchase at a fair price for what you get.

Flotation

The term flotation conjures up images of hovering above the snow like walking on water. While hover-shoes might be the snow tech of the future, flotation is the most critical metric for today's snowshoes because it measures their ability to keep you lifted above the snow table. The better the float, the less you posthole. To appreciate how snowshoes open up new terrain, you can experimentally remove your snowshoe and see how far your leg sinks. You could easily find yourself sinking to your knees, thighs, or even farther in loose powder. Flotation is an ancient snowshoe technology that mimics a snowshoe hare's oversized feet ambling across winter's shifting ocean of frozen water. The superpower of float allows you to hike into terrain that would otherwise be impassable, which is why we weigh this metric more heavily than any other testing point.

Various factors affect efficient flotation, including snowshoes' surface area, shape, design, and weight. Different types of snow require different flotation capabilities. Light, fluffy, unpacked snow will make you sink deeper than dense, wet, or packed snow. The longer and broader the shoe, the more it will help you float. However, snowshoes with a larger surface area can also be heavier or more difficult to walk in. If you hike in varied terrain and need to float through deep snowdrifts while being agile on a packed trail, you should look for snowshoes with optional add-on flotation tails.

When selecting a snowshoe, it is crucial to consider the different sizes available. To ensure you choose the correct size, you should calculate your weight and any gear you carry. Calculating “weight carried” will make a significant difference in achieving optimal flotation, especially if you are pioneering trails for overnights in the snow. Luckily, the Tubbs Mountaineer has one of the highest load capacities and offers some of the best flotation in our lineup, making it our top pick for hauling a heavy pack into the backcountry.

With its long frame, the Leadville 29 has the most expansive surface area in our lineup and one of the easiest strides through powder fluff.

The Tubbs Xplore and Tubbs Wayfinder are also high performers for flotation. The SoftTec decking mounted on the tubular frames is durable and lightweight.

We love the innovative Rotating Toe Cord on the Tubbs Wilderness, which allows the tail of the snowshoe to drop when you take a step, shedding snow with ease. The hinged binding improves flotation but also will enable you to conserve energy.

The MSR Revo Explore and MSR Evo are decent on their own, but with the addition of tails, you can add 5 inches of length to optimize performance if powder or add weight to your pack. MSR sells flotation tails for all of our MSR models separately, but it's an efficient float booster if you want to navigate all different types of snow.

Both the Lightning Ascent and the Evo Trail offer the mobility of a trim frame and the versatility of on-demand-float with flotation tails you can easily attach during your hike.

The Lightning Ascent is one of our favorites for flotation in deep snow, and what we appreciate most is how comfortable and confident we felt in both deep and packed snow. Sometimes, a snowshoe will have excellent float or traction, but the tradeoff is that their crampons can feel overly sticky in groomed areas. Despite the narrow decking on the Lightning (which allows for an organic stride), it retains its ability to stay high on fresh snow.

Traction

It is essential to have reliable traction regardless of the terrain you are on; you need to know that you can trust your feet. To test the traction, we assess each snowshoe's ability to climb and descend steep slopes, go over long rolling hills, and cross icy flatlands.

Determining the stick of a snowshoe depends on various factors, such as the presence of side rails or traction bars, the general tread on the underside of the shoe, and the crampons. It can be challenging to decide which model is the best fit just by looking at it because there is a lot of variation among the available options. Shoes designed for steeper climbing usually have more aggressive crampons, particularly at the toe, and also have lateral traction bars. Heel lifts are common for any model intended for steep hills. Although most shoes in our test suite offer excellent traction, some stand out from the rest.

The Range-MTN has serrated aluminum traction rails around the perimeter and an aggressive X-Trac Toe Crampon, which grips packed snow and ice and is one of your most secure options for technical mountaineering.

The Hyperflex Elite looks like a gladiator weapon due to the eight fang-shaped stainless steel crampons and massive toe crampons, which provide a high level of confidence regardless of how slick and icy the terrain is. Additionally, the decking is very flexible, allowing it to have more contact with the ground and nail in its spikes with the pressure of your step. The composite decking reinforces the initial bite of the spikes with cleats, teeth, and tiny grooves around the perimeter, ensuring maximum traction on any terrain.

The patented 360 degree traction frame of the Lightning Ascent provides an edge-to-edge grip that noticeably improves your ability to traverse slopes and hills while the sharp teeth dig into packed snow and ice with ease. With this technology, you can easily navigate terrain with fallen trees, exposed rock, or black ice without any issues. Additionally, the massive crampon allows for an easy, slip-free descent.

Our tests revealed the Mountaineer offers incredible traction, especially in deep snow or when using the carbon steel Cobra Toe Crampon to kick steps. The Cobra features jagged teeth under the toes that point forward and backward, ensuring constant contact with the ground. It also has two rails with teeth angled backward that run parallel to the foot. Like most tubular frames, though, it might slip on descents or side-hilling because of its slick nature and lack of lateral traction. We suggest putting weight into your forefoot to take advantage of the toe crampon for better downhill traction.

A few more honorable mentions here are the Atlas Montane, Revo Explore, and Evo Trail. We love the perimeter teeth on the Revo's ExoTract Deck, which are effective on angled traverses or steep ascents. The Montane's All-Trac toe crampon and serrated traction rails help you stomp through snow, ice, and other slippery obstacles.

Generally, the models with the best overall scores in our review have no slippage traction and impressive float. For example, the EvoTrail is known as a beginner-friendly and beginner model, yet it has burly side rails and traction bars. Even though it is not a mountaineering shoe, many testers found it suitable for steeper terrain.

Walkability

It's typical for traditional snowshoes to force the user to walk with a waddle similar to a duck's, pronate, or suffer shoes clicking together. This is because the focus is on creating a large surface area to improve floatation. Though floatation is essential, using your natural stride for comfort and efficiency makes you feel less sore at the end of a long day of snow play. While modern designs prioritize ease of walking, some women or petite individuals may still need to widen their gait to avoid tripping on their own feet. Certain companies have intentionally designed frames for a better balance of float and walkability, so we took careful note of our stride while testing.

We see a wide range of performances in this category, but our top scorers end up there because they are easy and pleasant to walk in. The Symbioz Elite snowshoes are designed to offer exceptional walkability and set new standards for premium stride ergonomics in snowy terrains. The composite frame's curves match those of your foot and, combined with its smaller profile, make it one of the easiest to walk in on a packed trail. What we love most is how the flexible decking adapts to the terrain; it is reinforced with carbon fiber inserts that provide a spring-like bounce to your step, propelling you forward with each stride.

The Atlas Race is incredibly fun to run in and out of our two racing models and offers more traction and comfortable binding straps. The Range-MTN offers a spring-loaded suspension to help propel you forward and keep up your speed, and its thin tapered frame is ideal for steep and icy terrain.

Speed demons should consider the TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Racing, which, at 1 lb 8 oz measured for the pair, is by far the lightest in our review and felt so ultralight, so you hardly feel them on your feet. It is good to see hyperlight technology coming into the snowshoe world, and our market research found they are a favorite of winter runners and triathletes.

The Leadville 29 is a specialized shoe designed to cater to a narrower female stride. The unique teardrop shape of the shoe is specially crafted to mimic the curves of your foot, enabling you to walk without worrying about stepping on your toes. The shoe is well-balanced with ample float, making it an excellent choice for maintaining happy hips on groomed trails and deep snow.

The Tubbs Wilderness and Mountaineer are also worth mentioning here. The Fit-Step 2.0 Frame has an upturned tail and some nice curves to help encourage you to walk normally. Our market research found that the Wilderness is popular among heavier users and supports one of the broadest weight ranges. The Rotating Toe Cord with Rotation Limiter lets the shoe fall from the ball of your foot, dumping snow, providing shock absorption, and helping you save energy when you are miles away from coffee or hot cocoa.

The Evo Trail is a unisex snowshoe but its smaller frame is highly mobile. Petite women may have to widen their gait slightly. The biggest impact on walking experience is snowshoes with a plastic decking can be louder on the trail.

The Lightning Ascent is lightweight and has narrow decking, allowing for a normal stride for even the most petite users. Its smaller frame allows for precise steps in technical terrain. Keep in mind that a narrower deck means less surface area, which can affect flotation — we found this to be an issue with the Symbioz Elite, but not with the impressive Lightning Ascent.

Bindings

Flotation and traction are essential for snowshoes, but it's equally important to feel secure and comfortable while wearing them. Snowshoe bindings come in various designs, ranging from malleable, stretchy rubber to stiff snowboard binding-style straps. A good binding system should inspire confidence, be durable, and feel comfortable. Doubts about the security and comfort of binding systems can ruin an enjoyable outing and even require repairs in remote areas.

The BOA Fit System has been in existence since 2001. However, it appears that the snowshoe industry has only recently embraced it, which is a fantastic development. This system allows for even tightening of the binding across the front of the foot using a simple twist of a knob. To loosen the binding, all you have to do is pop the knob out and pull your binding up. The Atlas Range-MTN offers one of our test suite's most comfortable, easy-to-use, and easy-to-adjust snowshoes.

The Tubbs Mountaineer snowshoe features a unique and comfortable binding system called Active 2.0. Tightening it requires two hands, while loosening it requires just one. The system has two tabs that distribute tension evenly across the front of the foot and a locking heel strap that provides excellent security.

The Tubbs Wilderness features one of the most accessible bindings for beginners to take on and off efficiently. The straps are easy to adjust, even with gloves, and the control wings and padded forefoot straps offer great support and comfort. The Symbioz Elite is the most customized and “true-to-fit” binding setup, and it's all about dialing in your “pre-set” perfect fit. The initial setup can take time, so we recommend doing it at home with the instruction manual before your first hike. The toe and ankle ratchet straps quickly tightened and loosened, but the sole of the binding is also adjustable, like many ski fittings, for the precise length of your boot. The secure binding works with the flexibility of the decking and crampons to provide a unique sense of feeling the terrain underfoot. The unique feature is that the heel lifter comes down from your heel instead of being flipped up from the decking, winning the gold medal for the easiest heel lifter to engage with a trekking pole. Honestly, we had so much fun in this futuristic fit.

The Lightning bindings take on a slightly more retro approach, but the mesh web gives all-day comfort when appropriately tightened. The front toe bucket is still a little challenging to adjust with thick mittens, but we didn't need to adjust the toe box after the initial fitting. This leaves just the back strap to fasten each time you slip on Lightnings, which is manageable with gloves. The straps are stretchy and do not stiffen in the cold winter air, which allows the user to get their boots strapped in tightly without any pinching or poking. The front toe bucket is form-fitting and keeps the foot from sliding around while both ascending and descending. We felt secure trekking around in the Lightning, even on steep descents.

The Tubbs Wayfinder is an excellent beginner snowshoe that rocks the easy-to-use BOA binding. You step in, make adjustments to the heel if necessary, and twist the knob to adjust the whole fitting. The only downside is they are too tight to accommodate oversized boots.

We love how the Atlas Montane is very comfortable and fits the boot snugly from all sides, although the straps can feel a little sloppy. This model also has a ratcheting back heel strap that is easy to tension perfectly.

The Evo Trail binding system is both versatile and secure, but it is important to ensure it is fastened correctly. Its long straps make it easy to pair with a wide range of footwear. The Paraglide binding system may require more effort to tighten compared to other modern fastening systems like the BOA. However, it distributes tension evenly across the forefoot, ensuring security and comfort regardless of the type of footwear used. The rubber toe net commonly used on modern MSR models is one of the most comfortable systems for covering long distances and enduring tough conditions.

The Leadville 29 offers an easy single-loop pull system for the forefoot and mitten-friendly ratchet heel strap. It is one of the most accommodating for oversized boots, making it an excellent choice for snowboarders hiking up to a run.

The Crescent Moon Eva Foam is one of the most unintimidating strap systems because of its Velcro bindings. However, we question the material's durability and stick in wintery conditions as we noticed the Velcro can get clogged in the snow.

The Lightning and the Leadville 29 bindings are not bulky and allow you to pack and carry the snowshoes easily while you shred the slope or hike on patches of dry trail.

How to Pick the Best Snowshoes

Before you make a decision on a pair of snowshoes, you'll want first to take in a few key considerations. Location, location, location. Where your outdoor dreams take you will need to match what your shoes can do. Read on to find out how to choose the best snowshoes for your plans.

Consider Where You'll Be Snowshoeing

Ultimately, when it comes to buying snowshoes, you'll want to consider where you plan on trekking. While some options are great for the entire mountain, others will be best suited for specific snow conditions. For groomed trails, you can get away with a less-technical option with non-aggressive crampons. These lightweight options will be your best bet if you plan on picking up the pace, though they won't float in deep powder. For fluffy snow that you'd otherwise sink into, choose a snowshoe that scores high in our floatation tests. These often have wider decks that can handle more weight.

Anytime ice is involved, say crossing a frozen lake, you'll want to be equipped with sharp crampons that keep you from sliding. Otherwise, you'll need to doff and don microspikes, which isn't ideal with chilly hands. If your path is leading you towards icy trails, keep the crampons in mind. Those with larger and more jagged edges will help keep you from sliding around.

If hiking on steep slopes is in your itinerary, consider a shoe with a heel lift. This small piece of metal or plastic raises up to keep your feet adjacent to the slope, reducing strain on your calves. This can greatly impact your day out, but not all snowshoes have them. If any sort of steep slope is involved, you'll be thanking yourself that you chose an option with a heel lift.

Why Are Bindings Important?

Bindings keep your feet securely fastened to the snowshoes. You want your feet to be as secure as possible, too. It is important to consider what type of winter shoe you wear. Is it a particularly large boot or one with a wide toe box? You'll want an option that can accommodate that, and the same goes for smaller boots. Not all bindings are created equal, and you never want to be caught with a broken strap. While different systems, like BOA, exist, the most important thing to ask yourself is, “Is my foot secure?” Swimming inside of your binding can cause a widened gait and strain on your body. Beyond this, some bindings are easy to get into and don't require you to remove your gloves to get strapped on, saving your hands from being exposed.

How Are Women's Snowshoes Different?

While many snowshoes are unisex, plenty of female models exist. So, how are they so different? The bindings are designed to fit a smaller foot, while the frame is less wide and more tapered. This is done to accommodate a narrower gait. Is this all that important? Really, it comes down to your body and preferences. Different shoes have different weight limits, and the unisex options are often more generous. Keep in mind these weight capacities include your backpack too. If you don't have a narrow gait, you might opt for a non-woman-specific model. Though, if you have narrow hips or small feet, you might want to stick to one of these.

Conclusion

The appropriate pair of snowshoes can grant hiking enthusiasts access to the most stunning locations throughout winter. There's nothing like breaking a trail across a field of fresh snow or through a serene forest. Finding a good pair of snowshoes can enhance your winter hiking adventures, whether you're looking to explore your backyard trails or venture deeper into the mountains for winter backpacking or alpine climbing missions. Our insights can help you consider the right size and shape for your individual trekking goals, and we hope that a pair from this lineup gives a satisfactory float to your winter season.