Each of these snowshoes offers outstanding traction, aggressive bindings, ergonomic deck shapes, Modular Flotation and excellent durability. However, when it’s all said and done, the plastic-deck Evo and Revo snowshoes are a bit more durable while the all-aluminum Lightning snowshoes offer our absolute greatest level of traction. You’ll find that because the Lightning’s 360° Traction™ Frame features a vertical wall of teeth all along the perimeter plus two crossmembers underneath, it offers slightly better traction on traverses. The decks of our Evo and Revo shoes are built from an incredibly tough, injection-molded plastic, giving them a slight advantage in durability in the course of normal use. These plastic decks also allow for greater flex underfoot while hiking. In contrast, the Lightning snowshoes offer a stiffer feel, and are quieter as you hike through harder-packed snow.
Learn more about their differences here!
Inadequate traction is horribly inefficient, with every misstep wasting precious energy. That’s why we provide the industry’s best traction, regardless of what shoe you purchase—from kid’s snowshoes, to our most aggressive shoes. The result is a far more enjoyable experience with the increased efficiency of solid, no-slip footing and the confidence to go anywhere.
First and foremost, you should seek out bindings that suit your needs. Do you prioritize comfort or security? The best bindings do both. It’s also important to understand that regardless of what a tag says a binding does, it can’t do it if it’s frozen. Be leery of excessive use of nylon webbing and cordage–both absorb water and can leave your bindings rendered useless when frozen. Look for simplicity (fewer parts and potential for things to break) and light weight, and try them on in the store with the same footwear you’ll use in the field. Unless you have an exceptionally small or large foot, a good binding will be able to adapt to a range of footwear to keep your options open.
Tips for Choosing Your Snowshoe Binding & Perfecting Its FitThe employees of MSR proudly build every snowshoe we make. Snowshoes sold in North America and Japan are built in our factory in the US, while those sold in Europe have some final assembly done in our Cork, Ireland facility.