These gave me a great day of backcountry snowboarding. Really comfy straps and easy climbing, and with the light weight I hardly noticed them on the way down.

Recently switched from Altas and I'm extremely happy. With flotation tails you can trek though powder extremely well. these stick to the ground much better, allowing me to ascend and descend much faster and safer.
Highly recommended

Hello,

I used to rave the Denali Ascent snowshoes as they are light and easy to use in various weather conditions.

Before puchasing then I rented a set and gave it my hard performance test. I broke a few rivets ont each shoe but still passed the light weight test (No backpack).

Last year I went on a 3 days hike with full gear backpack up Mount Washington. Past the point of no-return I had to deal with different equipement failure.

In -70f I had to run up steep slopes until the front part of both shoes broke. My 3 day trek in the parc became a 6 days push out of the hill on equipement making me trip every 100 yards, pulled down 3 feet of snow with my 60 pounds pack.

Apparently they are the best. I am still looking for a way to safely reinforce the shoes so that my purchase off a new set of shoes become reliable instead of life treatning in extreme conditions.

Would appreciate any recommandations suggestions at sylvainrobillard@hotmail.com.

Regards

Sylvain

this is a great shoe. clean, simple, lightweight design. I've shoed on the fluffy stuff, the crunchy stuff, and everything in between. this shoe is easily to position correctly on the foot and has never come close to falling off. the rubber hook & eye straps make mittened hands a non-issue. no more knotty laces!
the ascent heel lever is useful on steep inclines, but i haven't found it necessary on moderate hills. i do, however, like the fact that it is there, just in case. would i recommend this feature? absolutely.
the added bonus: attachable flotation tails for fresh powder. you just don't get that option on models by other companies.
to me, this shoe is all about options and flexibility. it is completely practical and i've yet to be disappointed by it.

I put a whole bunch of miles on these snowshoes in the WA Cascades this year both with and without a huge winter camping pack. The televators are awesome. Until I had a very long, very steep, serious ascent I wasn't a believer but after a few steps I flipped them up and was AMAZED at how awesome they work! Others in my group were smoked at the top but I was feeling groovy. The decks are indestructible but get scratched up. Battle scars. The grip is great on uneven snow/ice. They twist a bit in late-season corn but what wouldn't? These shoes are very easy to strap down to your pack. The only part I see failing is where the binding hinges on the shoe. An extra pin and split ring might be worth carrying and for this kind of scratch should be included. Buy these, go out, be happy!

seriously it is...if you're debating between these or the reg. Denali's spend the extra couple bucks here...the Televator greatly reduces calve strain and fatigue...puts the effort onto your quads...traction is great both on the siderails and toe points...MSR has implemented a very rugged design...also the floatation tails are a plus in deep powder

these shoes are perfect. I have better traction than my friend with some tubbs up and down. and the heel elevators are a must have when your going strait up with over 50 pounds of winter camping gear on your back. I get to the top feeling good and everyone else is wiped

Nice design, except for the cheap aluminum split ring that attaches the plastic upper deck to the crampon bottom. One of mine broke after just 5 miles of use. For just a few cents more, MSR could have used a stronger metal split ring, just like the one I bought at the hardware store for $1.00. Had MSR installed metal ones, I would not have needed to walk 5 miles through 4 feet of snow, without snowshoes and with a 45 pound pack, to get to my car to drive to the hardware store to buy the part for $1.00. That makes for a very long day in the backcountry. Thank you MSR for the great workout.

Great snowshoes that offer everything in a minimalist way and out perform anything else i have tried. I love the expandable tails that allow for a bigger snowshoe when you hit the steep and deep, as well as the heel bar for steeper sections. The on trail maintainability of these shoes hearkens to MSR's stoves. The straps can be cut to size if you rip one apart (somehow, because i haven't ever seen that!). Great snowshoe for backcountry snowboarders who don't want a splitboard (these pack extremely small!).

I have a pair of these and bought a pair for my husband- We both have used them in the winter for hiking in the NY Adirondacks on ice and in deep snow and they worked AMAZINGLY!! The traction and durability are 2nd to none!! These are HIGHLY recommended from light snowshoeing to deep backcountry hiking!

If you only snowshoe on the flats in deep powder, wider longer shoes designed for float may be all you need.
But if you are looking for the most versitile, hill climbing bombproof snowshoe on the market, get these. All the local rental shops rent Denalis because they take extreme punishment and are perfect when you go from powder to crust to ice on the same trip. These guys traverse the ice covered slopes like you have crampons on.
Plastic MSR's are the only snowshoe that can change their length by adding tails, giving them unmatched versatility. Because they have solid plastic decks, they don't self clean as easily as flexible fabric decks, which under centain conditions makes them heavy with clumped snow. Keep them sprayed with silicone or vegetable spray. As far as being a little noisier, I could care less. I'm looking for performance.The telelever is a must for steep climbs.
These are serious, heavy duty backcountry snowshoes. I use them for personal use and will use them for Search and Rescue.

These snowshoes are simply awesome for steep slopes but because of their compact size they also do much better in heavily wooded areas. The areas I frequent require treks though forests that have alot of downed branches and trees. The minimalist design makes it easy to step over and avoid those obstacles.

The heel lifters are easy to snap up or let down, it takes only seconds. They really do make a difference, however, they can be somewhat unsteady if traversing so I only use them on more direct ascents.

I've put a heavy season of use with these and I have no complaints only praise.

I generally go everywhere in the snow with my AT set up but I use these whenever I get a chance. The bindings are fantastic! I have never had them ice up or break (and if a strap ever broke you cannot beat a lifetime warranty). I decided to buy these over the lightning ascents simply because of the flotation tales. You don't have to have big bulky snowshoes on all the time and once you step into some deep powder it takes like 2 seconds to put the tales on and next thing you know you are walking on water! I think heel lift is necessary if you are going to be hiking uphill. That little feature will conserve soo much energy that it is ridiculous not to mention it will relieve a lot of stress on your ankles and calves, making your journey that much more enjoyable.

Great for mountain climbing its your snowshoes and cramp-ons all in one. I have small feet and they fit well

The most noticeable advantage of these shoes is on the side hill. The crampon style limits the heel from slipping out. Which is a big problem with Tubbs and other tube style frames. The heel elevators are a must on steep terrain. It makes a steep slope more like stairs than a ski run, enabling you to hike farther into the backcountry. Had mine two seasons and love them!

A serious snowshoe great for the ever change landscape of Alaska. The televator is a must for anyone wish to go off the betting path; don't know how I lived without these MSR. So lite, and just the right size for some of those tight spots.

I am rereading the reviews to remind myself why I bought these, I was extremely dismayed by how noisy they are. It's not a non-issue for me.
I'm choosing to keep them because the other qualities will hopefully overshadow the loud crunching.

Ultimate all around snowshoe? I think so! I have the regular Denali shoes and got these for my wife, she likes it when her gear tops mine, works for me! After 3 days on Pine Valley Mountain I may trade mine in for these. The uphills are so much easier on the legs and ankles. This is one item you dont want to cheap out on. Well worth the cost!

Whatever you want to do, these shoes can handle it! The deck is bomb-proof, and the straps allow you to get out of the bindings faster than your buddies using other brands. Be careful that you keep the toe straps tight on your descents, so you don't slide forward.

I tried some of these out and they were a huge disappointment. I'm not saying I expected to feel like I was walking on water, but they really didn't help with my footing at all. I was on snow a couple feet deep and they would punch through the top crust and then sit in the snow awkwardly. These things just kind of twist around in the snow. My parents' have a set of Atlas snowshoes with metal frames. They offer better footing than the MSR ones.