I love these snowshoes, despite their price. 2011 marks the fifth winter I've used them. Look for these snowshoes on clearance when the winter season is ending.

These snowshoes come in two sizes, 22 and 25 inch. Everything is a compromise and snowshoe size is no exception. In many parts of the country the snow can be wet and heavy and these snowshoes excel in those conditions. If you travel in deep powder often then you would probably want the longer model. I've used several brands of snowshoes, including rawhide snowshoes, which have an aesthetic appeal.

I've made my own snowshoes out of PVC pipe and inner tubes for the do-it-yourself appeal. I have the 25" model and the actual weight is 3# 4.5 oz. In contrast, I have a 30" pair of Yakima snowshoes that weigh 5# 3 oz. I look for snowshoes to be rugged and reliable. Pay close attention to snowshoe bindings.

If any one part of the binding breaks or fails, can you still make the binding serviceable? Are there enough straps so that if one breaks can you still walk back out to the trailhead? Can you get them on and off while wearing thick gloves? Do the bindings look like they may rub against another part of the snowshoe and squeak during use?

Think of strapping a can of green beans to your feet and walking around all day. Now think about two cans of green beans on each foot. That can be the difference between brands of snowshoes. Lighter is supremely better. When you strap your feet in, they stay where you put them and don't slip sideways in the bindings. The binding pivot is limited enough so you can step backwards, but you do have to pick your feet up a lot. The snowshoes are sturdy enough you can jump off across ditches without warping the snowshoes. These bindings also allow you to side-hill without your foot twisting or the snowshoe trying to match the angle of the slope. The teeth all around the snowshoe hold fast in all but loose snow on steep hills.

The aluminum and synthetic decking material combine to provide a fairly quiet backcountry experience. Compare these to snowshoes with plastic decking on icy snow for noise level. As with any snowshoe, care should be taken when walking over rocks because that will dull the points. The points on these snowshoes can be easily sharpened with some filing.

The MSR snowshoes are well constructed and thought out. The binding is the best I've seen on the market. With winter gloves on, you can get in and out of the bindings and make adjustments. You can also undo the two bootstraps and step out of them then later step back into them without having to readjust the heel strap, though this is best done between short trips in camp. The bindings are sturdy and wet snow doesn't stick to the bindings and decking. These snowshoes offer great traction on almost any surface. You'll appreciate the small amount of snow the tails kick up as you walk. Weight is an important factor if you intend to walk more than a couple of miles a day and I believe these are the best combination of weight savings, durability, and functionality on the market.

The only wear I can see on these snowshoes is the exterior paint finish is chipping off in places. This doesn't decrease the functionality of this snowshoe since the frame is of an aluminum alloy and doesn't rust.

MSR now makes a tail extension for the Ligntning Snowshoe but it doesn't work on the older models. If the top of the metal rim is smooth then the tail extensions won't work.

My snowshoes are finally showing some wear. The decking is splitting at the back heel rest and I'll be sending the snowshoes for repair.

Switchback Steve