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MSR Lightning Ascent Snow Shoes
By Editor | January 5, 2009
With unmatched traction and a slim build, the MSR Lightning Ascent snow shoes excel on vertical terrain and crusty snow.
These lightweights provide the best bite on steep slopes, which let us go places we hadn’t gone before on snowshoes. Credit the serrated aluminum frame, the toothy toe crampon, and two lateral blades (one each under the forefoot and heel).
The many sharp points of contact gave the shoes excellent grip in every direction, not just forward and backward, even on the ice of mountain snowfields. These details, plus a three-strap binding system that kept our feet locked in place as we traversed angled slopes, make the MSR Lightning Ascents snow shoes superior for icy climbs. On powdery flats, the blades tended to catch snow and create a bit of drag. Our two female testers were initially excited about the women’s model, which is 3/4-inch narrower at its widest point and
4 ounces lighter per pair, but after testing both versions, they deemed the difference negligible.
Price: $259 USD Sizes: men’s 22″, 25″, women’s 22″ Weight: 3 Ibs. 10 oz. (22″ m)
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Topics: Outdoor Gear Reviews, Winter Outdoor Equipment | 234 Comments »
