The best snowshoes you can buy

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The Insider Pick:

• Different types of snowshoes are best for various kinds of snow and tasks. But if you want to invest in a single pair of versatile snowshoes, the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes deliver an amazing level of performance in all kinds of conditions.

Each kind of shoe is best for a different task, though some are more versatile than others. Imelda Marcos’ closet notwithstanding, having multiple shoes on hand helps us have more success with specialty jobs.

Football players wear football cleats. Construction workers wear steel-toed work boots. Dancers wear ballet shoes. Clowns even have a special kind of shoe, even if it is overly floppy … and creepy. But snowshoes are the original specialty shoe. According to the United States Snowshoe Association, the use of snowshoes dates back to Asia 6,000 years ago. Native Americans used them, too.

Today’s snowshoes operate more efficiently than the wooden units with rawhide lacing used centuries ago, but they still perform the same basic function: Allowing people to walk on top of deep snow without sinking.

Snowshoes work by spreading your weight over a larger surface area than the sole of a shoe or boot does, according to REI. This allows you to walk or even run without sinking too deeply into the surface of the snow.

We've rounded up the best snowshoes you can buy for various types of snow and tasks. 

Read on in the slides below to learn why the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes are our top pick and why you might prefer the Chinook Trekker Snowshoes, the Tubbs Flex Ridge Snowshoes, the TSL Symbioz Elite Snowshoes, or the Crescent Moon Gold 10 Backcountry Snowshoes.

The best snowshoes overall

MSR

Why you'll love them: When you want a versatile set of snowshoes that can handle almost any conditions, the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes deliver amazing performance.

If you’re someone who feels like you need to own more than one type of snowshoe to deal with different conditions, the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes might make you rethink that plan.

The Lightning Ascent Snowshoes are lightweight and tough, offering traction across the frame of the snowshoe. These snowshoes are available in two colors and three different sizes.

In its review, Backpacker calls the MSR Lighting a great all-around snowshoe option, as it works to eliminate slipping while hiking in snowy or icy conditions. One Amazon buyer agrees, saying these snowshoes work equally well for providing traction for ascending and traversing on a trail.

Those hiking in really tough conditions will appreciate the ability to have a full range of motion with these MSR snowshoes. Reviewers from the Outdoor Gear Lab like how versatile these snowshoes are for different types of snow.

The Lightning Ascent Snowshoes work well for both deep, powdery snow and difficult hiking conditions, so you should be able to hike anywhere with these shoes on.

However, a few Amazon reviewers did not like the quality of the bindings used with the MSR snowshoes.

Pros: Versatile snowshoes for many snowpack conditions, available in multiple colors and sizes, offers excellent traction across the frame of the snowshoes, offers full range of motion for moving in all directions

Cons: Quality of the bindings could be better, price is a little higher than average

Buy the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoe on Amazon for $299.95

The best snowshoes for kids and beginners

Chinook

Why you'll love them: When you need an affordable pair of snowshoes for children, the Chinook Trekker Snowshoes are the ones to buy.

When you want to introduce your children to snowshoeing, you may not want to spend too much, understanding they’ll outgrow the shoes relatively quickly. However, you’ll still want to give them a good pair of snowshoes. The Chinook Trekker Snowshoes have a quality and price that’s just right for giving children and beginners what they need to start snowshoeing.

These Chinook snowshoes are available in five different sizes, including a very small 19-inch model with a weight capacity of 90 pounds that’s perfect for young kids looking to start hiking in snowshoes. Beginner adults will like the larger sizes of up to 36 inches.

The Outside Pursuits review says the Chinook shoes carry a low price point that’s perfect for kids and beginners. An Amazon reviewer agrees about the great price of the Chinook model, but says moving side to side on a slope (or traversing) is difficult because of the lack of traction on the edges of the shoe.

The aluminum crampons on these shoes aren’t the most durable, says the Expert World Travel review, so it’s not recommended that you use them on rocky trails. However, they should be just right for most snowy trails.

These snowshoes are probably best for short treks, says Switchback Travel, but the bindings may be uncomfortable for long hikes. If you're getting these snowshoes for your kids, that's probably okay.

One Amazon buyer says these Chinook snowshoes are easy to put on, which is a benefit for impatient kids.

Pros: Five sizes of shoes available, 19-inch snowshoes work very well for kids, low price point is perfect for beginners and kids, easy to put on for children, works best on flat terrain for short hikes

Cons: Aluminum crampons won’t stand up to rough treatment, not comfortable for long hikes

Buy the Chinook Trekker Snowshoes (19-Inch) on Amazon for $52.74 and up

The best women’s snowshoes

Tubbs

Why you'll love them: The Tubbs Flex Ridge Snowshoes have great ergonomics for women who love to snowshoe in all conditions.

Although the Tubbs Flex Ridge Snowshoes will work for both men and women, the ergonomics of these shoes are perfect for helping women hike more comfortably and efficiently in their snowshoes.

The design of the Tubbs snowshoes is able to accommodate the different stride or gait of a woman of average height versus the gait of a man of average height, which results in better comfort and usability for women. In its review, the Outdoor Gear Lab points out how great these snowshoes are for women.

These snowshoes are available in either 22- or 24-inch sizes and they can handle up to 190 pounds of weight. If you're not planning on carrying a heavy pack, these snowshoes will be just right.

One of the best things about these snowshoes is the design of their straps. Snowshoe Magazine says the Tubbs snowshoe straps are among the best in the industry because they are easy to adjust and tighten.

The Skateboarder says the Tubbs bindings have been borrowed from the world of snowboards, making them a trusted option. However, a few Amazon reviewers say the clips will pop loose too easily when hiking in tough conditions.

One Amazon buyer says these Flex Ridge Snowshoes won’t work well for deep snow, but they are great for average hiking conditions on trails.

Pros: Excellent design for the gait of women, works especially well for trail hiking, smart technology that’s borrowed from snowboards in the easy-to-use bindings, reasonable price point for snowshoes

Cons: Limited to a weight of 190 pounds, doesn’t work as well in deep snow, clips may pop loose under stress

Buy the Tubbs Flex Ridge Snowshoes on Amazon for $179.99 to $189.95 

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