Lightweight Snowshoe Easy To Put On, Take Off

Product: Atlas 8 x 22 Snowshoe.

Description: A 3-pound-per-pair, aluminum frame, Hypalon decked snowshoe measuring 8 inches wide and 22 inches long.

Pro: The snowshoes are very lightweight, easy to put on and take off - even with mittens or gloves on. The compact nature of the shoe allows for easy strap-on storage to the back of a daypack or larger pack - perfect for snowboarders, backcountry skiers or for those times when only part of your hike will be across deep snow. The binding system holds a variety of shoe and boot styles securely. Comes standard with a claw traction device which offers excellent traction when hiking up or downslope. Traversing traction is good too.

Con: The somewhat oval shape of the shoe created a situation that some of my testers found painful. When running or bounding up or down a slope in any shoe other than boots, the back of the snowshoe at the inside edge would periodically smack against the ankle of the opposite foot. Several other snowshoes we tested did not have the same problem. Perhaps the taper at the rear of the shoe needs to be modified so more clearance is offered during a normal gait. In very deep and powdery snow, the shoes are too small to provide adequate flotation.

Comments: The age of lashing trash-can lids or some reasonable facsimile to your feet as you schlep across snow has gone. Today’s snowshoes are lightweight, maneuverable and fun and the Atlas sits near the top of the heap in terms of performance and quality. Backcountry skiers and snowboarders are using snowshoes to access remote snowy bowls, others use them to run in, while many more are simply seeking solitude and ease of travel in the winter wonderland.

Suggested Retail: $199.00.

Company: Atlas Snowshoe Company, 2269 Chestnut St., #868, San Francisco, CA 94123; (800) 645-7463.