MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoe - 2010 BCS

Great snowshoes! I love the modular flotation tails. It gives it a lot of flexibility. It's nice to have the shorter snowshoe for flat easier trails when I'm out with the dog. And the tails for backcountry and hiking up the white mountains. The snowshoe fits my regular hiking boots and also my mountaineering Koflach hard plastics.

Please note: Only the 6" tails Evo Tails fit. Denali tails do not.

Plus...American made!

I’ve tried a ton of different snowshoes out there, and these are by far the most versatile. They are nice and light, so you won’t mind attaching them to your backpack just in case your nemesis, the posthole come out. I also like the fact that you can add 4” or 6” fins to them for added floatation in the fluffiest powder. The fact that they are a flexible plastic and don’t have a ton of rivets makes them a little safer in the backcountry without bringing a ton of repair gear. I’m 6’ 1” tall and weigh 245lbs without gear, and close to 300lbs with my mountaineering pack. With the added 6” fins, I’m perfectly on top of the snow with a ton of weight. I keep them off when I’m strolling around with only a small daypack. These are awesome. You will not be sorry.

The traction on these snowshoes is so burly and it grips into everything. You have total and complete confidence in where you're putting your feet. The three-strap system over the top of the foot allows for customized fitting; however, be careful with how tight you buckle them as I've had circulation issues in my feet from the straps being too tight. The straps didn't FEEL tight, but there was definitely constriction going on. The heel risers on these snowshoes is crucial for uphill travel and definitely prevents fatigue.

I really like the bindings on these snowshoes. Easy on/Easy off and super adjustable. They climb really well. The heel lift works like a charm and minimizes the grade on steep ascents. Durability doesn't seem to be a concern, as I've used them on several trips and they are still awesome. I spend most of my time on steep, packed trail, and these excel, both to and from the summit. The only minor grip I have is that when wearing thicker boots, the front buckle sometimes get caught on the snowshoes body as I'm taking a step (when the snowshoe is falling away from the foot).But, minute adjustments can remedy that. Bomber snowshoe here!

I had great difficulty in fixing the strap into the steel retainers with cold fingers and hard rubber. I eventually had to go inside the lodge after 30 mins and try again. I nearly had to abort my snoeshoe hike as I could not walk in the shoes without it tied down. You'd think they'd test these shoes under real conditions? Unfortunately for this reason I had to return the shoes.

These snowshoes are legit but the straps suck. You have to take your gloves off to push the strap over the little metal stud. The main hook I easy to do with gloves on but if you don't put the little one on too then it comes undone.

I like these snowshoes a lot, they perform quite well in the mountains. I love the heel elevators but I wish the rubber tabs didn't slide to the sides and become annoyingly hard to grab sometimes. I love the bindings initial clip system but hate the secondary pin that is supposed to hold the excess strap. Trying to clip the excess strap down is difficult, and really hard when wearing mittens or gloves in the snow. Luckily I usually leave the secondary clip unsecured and haven't had any problems yet. These things feel great on the trail, they flex quite well and the traction bars bite into the snow and ice well on uneven terrain. The tails are a must have for any powder, you'll appreciate the extra 6" of shoe. I love how easy the tails attach to the shoes, it's really quick and unlike the binding system- easy with gloves.. Overall I want to love these, but there are a couple of really minor flaws preventing a 5 star rating. The binding issue is just silly, nobody noticed that while testing these? =)

Update: After completing a few decent solo treks this winter in the White Mtns I'm still sticking with 4 stars, 5 if the secondary clips worked better on the bindings. Garfield ridge trail had several feet of fresh powder which these did pretty well in. I didn't have problems sinking in as other reviewers have mentioned and was quite mobile. I have found that anything with a crust of 1-2" is annoying, but that's pretty typical with any shoes. I have used these shoes in 10 below zero temps and the bindings have remained flexible enough to attach, the problem is the excess strap clips. After a couple hundred miles this winter, 50,000+/- ft, they are holding up very well.

MSR has created a snowshoe that is tough to beat for overall versatility: easy to adjust bindings, a heel lifter, a bottom crampon that bites into anything, and option to add tails for more flotation.

The heel lifter can be difficult to disengage(but is easier with practice) and I often forget it is there. On steep, long uphill climbs it is a leg saver.

When walking across or up steep slopes with more crust than powder, these provide amazing purchase into the surface. This is in part to the aggressive side rails that run most of the length of the snowshoe. If icy trails is your stomping ground and you are looking for a pair of snowshoes, take a long look at these!

Need extra flotation on occasion? Don't get bogged down in deep powder. Add tails for $40 and keep on trekking with ease.

Great grip on deep new snow. if you going up or down the hills. use it in sweden after a week of snow storm! save my trip

The evos are a reliable, versatile snowshoe at a great price. I used to have the denali classics and moved up to these guys, not a huge difference in terms of the traction, flotation, or straps, but those ascent bars have been a life saver on some steeper treks. It turns it from a nasty climb into more like walking up a stair case. I also like the fact that they break down with flotation tails so you don't sacrifice lift for the ability to fit them nicely on the backpack.

Just got done a few days in the white mountains with these shoes, and they rock. They were light and the bindings held great. I had the tails for deep powder, and without tails, they were great on steep ascents. The crampons bit hard and held on hard packed snow and icy sections. Highly recommend these!

just unboxed my MSR Evo Accents and gave them a good test run. We have about 12 to 14 inches of hard pack snow and about 3 inches of powder here in Northwest Montana. Took them on a eight mile trek over some very uneven ground and had to cross a lot of logs and brush. The snowshoes were almost a joy to wear and were like not wearing any at all the crampons made for excellent traction both on icy spots and going down steep grades. I never had to turn sideways and crab walk while going down just headed straight down and the traction did the rest. Hiking out I headed up a steep hillside and used the Televator heels and they worked excellent! All in all a very good snowshoe, it made for a great day of hiking. The only complaint I have is on the design of the bindings. They are very awkward to attach and and impossible to do so with a gloved hand, not something you'll be doing in a hurry. The bindings were also uncomfortable with the light boots I was wearing, I may have had them to tight, but I am to stubborn to stop and readjust them. Altogether I was impressed with the product and would recommend them to anyone from Beginner to expert. i can't wait till I can find some deep powder and try the extension tails.

This classic MSR design has become a kind of industry standard. These shoes have a binding that can be attached and detached quickly and while wearing winter gloves (maybe even mittens). The crampon design facilitates purchase when doing a vertical climb on a variety of snow textures as well as a lateral job across a slope. The ascent bars are a must-have for anybody doing serious "up" with these. The first trip of each season, I forget that the little metal bar is even there until half way up the slope. Once i flip those suckers up, all the muscles in my legs thank me! Amazing. They can be pesky to put back down and you've got to really squeeze the sides, but that just means they're sturdy and won't collapse on you during a tough climb.

I highly recommend this design for cross-country, climbing, and aggressive climbing terrains! MSR is a reliable brand and these shoes do not disappoint!

I received these as a gift last year for Christmas. I was concerned about the amount of float they would provide, being 210lb + gear. My first trip out was on Mount Washington with about 8" of fresh snow. The heel lifters and Traction Rails were incredible. It was easier than hiking on dry ground. There was no slipping at all. The straps never needed retightening. The only minor complaint is that the heel lifters are difficult to disengage while wearing gloves. Other than that there was very little to think about because these just worked.

Although these are nice snowshoes for women, comparing the bodies of 4 year old EVO ascent they are THE SAME except for the posilock bindings. The bindings are a great design but they are DIFFICULT to use. The only thing I have found is the tag says to affix the middle binding FIRST. I will try that.

So the construction of the snowshoe is no different when I compared the crampon and size of a man's pair of evo ascents that were 4 years old.

Only the bindings are different.

This was my first pair of snowshoes, so I don't have a lot to compare them with, but I can say that they were awesome. They're very light, I'm about 165 lbs and even without the flotation tails I could break trail fairly easily. The crampons give more traction than I thought! The Televators are pretty easy to pull up while you're walking, you can pretty much do it while walking with enough practice. Putting them down is slightly harder, but I was fumbling around with a full pack and a snowboard on my back so...that was probably my own fault. For shoeing around it doesn't get much better than these!