- Primary activity: Decide how you will use your snowshoe: Fitness, recreation, racing, and expedition or backcountry. Racing snowshoes are light weight and small (regulation length 8"x22") and are designed for running over groomed trails as a competitive sport or for fitness. Fitness and recreation snowshoes span the difference between racing snowshoes with a small deck and the larger backcountry snowshoes with larger flotation.
- Gender: Women specific snowshoes differing these areas: smaller bindings to accommodate women's smaller boots and shapes to match the stride pattern of women.
- Snow conditions: If you snowshoe in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, or Southeast the snow conditions tend to be wet/dense thus you may want to choose a smaller size shoe.
- Floatation: Floatation is linked to your weight (in your winter boots and all your layers and possibly a pack) and the snow conditions. Typically, larger snowshoes are used in powder, while smaller snowshoes are used heavy wet, packed snow. Racing snowshoes have very little flotation and are best for hard packed groomed snow courses.
- Terrain: Will you be snowshoeing on rolling terrain or steep ascents climbing 14ers or on a hut trip? Steep ascent and traverses suggest aggressive crampons and side teeth for stability.
- Binding types: There are two binding types: fixed and hinged with a pivot point. The advantage of the fixed (with a spring-loaded binding system) is increased maneuverability and the ability to easily backup. The racing snowshoes I own [Atlas Dual-Trac Super Lite] use this type of binding system. The down side of the spring-loaded system is during training on surfaces that are not completely groomed and packed you will have snow kicked up by the spring action on your back and legs (usually down the neck). Backcountry or most recreation use the hinged (single pivot point) that swing freely down to allow snow to fall off the back decking. You can mount your shoes to the decking through a number of methods which reduce the weight for racing. I have seen this technique used for backcountry snowshoes offered by a rental company.
Snowshoes I own and use:
- Racing snowshoes: Atlas Dual-Trac Super Lite. Used in winter adventure racing and training. Owned 3 years. Excellent snow shoes.
- Training snowshoes: MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes 25x8.
- Backcountry snowshoes: Older Tubbs Mountain Series. Owned 12 years. Used in backcountry in West Virginia, Virginia (Old Rag area) and Colorado. No complaints, but the newer binding systems are attractive...
Bottom Line: Carefully examine how you will use your snowshoes throughout the year and select recreational, backcountry or racing snowshoes that match your needs. I have provided both MooseJaw and Altrec snowshoes below. I purchased my racing snowshoes at Altrec--they offered the best price and were in stock.
 Atlas Snowshoes 1025 10 Series Snowshoe A versatile, award-winning all-terrain snowshoe for climbers, trekkers and recreational hikers. |  Atlas Snowshoes 1030 10 Series Snowshoe American Alpine Institute Guide's Choice award winner. Supports up to 250 lbs. |  Atlas Snowshoes Junior Snowshoe A comfortable design with a kid-oriented binding that fits a range of small shoes and winter boots. |
 Atlas Snowshoes Men's 1025 Plus 10 Series Snowshoe Design for more difficult mountain terrain with climbing heel lift and multi-traction aft cleat. |  Atlas Snowshoes Men's 925 9 Series Snowshoe Tapered aluminum V-frame with asymmetric binding and toe cleat provides natural stride and comfort. |  Atlas Snowshoes Men's 925 9 Series Snowshoe Package All-in-one set supports up to 200 lbs. with reinforced tote, durable frame and adjustable poles. |
 Atlas Snowshoes Men's 930 9 Series Snowshoe Package All-in-one set supports up to 250 lbs. with reinforced tote, durable frame and adjustable poles. |  Atlas Snowshoes Race Snowshoe Hit a new personal best this winter with precision lightweight titanium toe and heel crampons. |  Atlas Snowshoes Run Snowshoe Extend your trail run training throughout the winter months with this affordable design. |
 Atlas Snowshoes Women's 1023 Elektra 10 Series Snowshoe All-terrain versatility with a narrower shape to match a woman's stride. For loads up to 160 lbs. |  Atlas Snowshoes Women's 1027 Elektra 10 Series Snowshoe 27-inch length and an award-winning design create exceptional stability in varied snow conditions. |  Atlas Snowshoes Women's 1227 Elektra 12 Series Snowshoe Exceptional all-mountain potential for women who take the steepest trails. Supports up to 250 lbs. |
 Atlas Snowshoes Women's 923 Elektra 9 Series Snowshoe Biomechanical women's design with narrower frame female specific binding with toe heel cleats. |  Atlas Snowshoes Women's 923 Elektra 9 Series Snowshoe Package All-in-one set supports up to 160 lbs. with reinforced tote, durable frame and adjustable poles. |  Atlas Snowshoes Women's 927 Elektra 9 Series Snowshoe Biomechanical women's design with narrower frame female specific binding with toe heel cleats. |
 Atlas Snowshoes Women's 927 Elektra 9 Series Snowshoe Package All-in-one set supports up to 200 lbs. with reinforced tote, durable frame and adjustable poles. |  Crescent Moon Carrying Case Heavy duty cordura carrying bag to fit your snowshoes and poles. |  Crescent Moon Gold 10 Snowshoe The Gold 10 Snowshoe is recommended for backcountry snowshoers up to 225 lbs who wander off-trail into the backcountry, or hikers carrying backpacks or snowboards to find those off piste sites that ... more info. |
 Crescent Moon Gold 12 Snowshoe Designed for optimum performance with the smallest, lightest frame Crescent Moon has ever made. The Crescent Moon Gold 12 features a lightweight 'race' binding with secure tension lock buckles, ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Gold 17 Snowshoe Recommended for deep snow or those carrying big loads up to 300 lbs, the Crescent Moon Gold 17 has a large surface area for outstanding float and still the lightest 'big' shoe on the market. Extra ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Gold 9 Snowshoe Recommended for enthusiastic snowshoers who explore the outdoors and expect their gear to get them where they want to be. The Gold 9 Snowshoe is the most popular shoe in the Crescent Moon series. ... more info. |
 Crescent Moon Kid's Snowshoe The Youth Snowshoe is designed for short legs and short strides that allow kids to walk normally to make snowshoeing as natural and easy as possible. If children aren't having fun because of the ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Silver 10 Snowshoe With Crescent Moon's signature teardrop shape, the Silver 10 Snowshoes are remarkably easy to navigate in backwoods conditions. They also provide excellent flotation and are recommended for ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Silver 17 Snowshoe The Silver 17 Snowshoes are recommended for recreational snowshoers carrying up to 300 lbs or breaking trail in deep snow conditions. Crescent Moon's Silver SPL binding is lightweight and durable ... more info. |
 Crescent Moon Silver 9 Snowshoe The Silver 9 Snowshoe is recommended for snowshoers up to 195 lbs. Recreational snowshoeing at its best and most affordable. Crescent Moon's Silver SPL binding is lightweight and durable with tension ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Women's Gold 13 Snowshoe Recommended for women up to 165 lbs in all conditions. The Crescent Moon Gold 13 is a responsive, performance oriented snowshoe. You'll find the Women's Gold 13 Snowshoe to be incredibly maneuverable ... more info. |  Crescent Moon Women's Gold 15 Snowshoe Recommended for women up to 200 lbs, including your gear in the backcountry. With a larger platform than the Women's Gold 13, the Crescent Moon Women's Gold 15 Snowshoe provides great flotation ... more info. |
 Crescent Moon Women's Silver 13 Snowshoe Recommended for recreational snowshoeing, women up to 165 lbs will find the Crescent Moon Women's Silver 13 Snow shoe a great introduction to winter's version of hiking, particularly because of the ... more info. |  MSR Classic and Ascent 8 Snowshoe Tails Adds durable flotation to the Denali and Denali Ascent with quick and easy lock link. |  MSR Denali Ascent Snowshoe Classic full traction design with grip blades, heel lift, braking bars accepts flotation extenders. |
 MSR Denali Classic Combo Showshoe Classic full traction design with grip blades, adjustable pole that accepts flotation extenders. |  MSR Denali Classic Snowshoe Classic full traction design with steel grip blades and braking bars accepts flotation extenders. |  MSR Denali Evo Ascent Snowshoe Classic full traction design with grip blades, heel lift, braking bars accepts flotation extender. |
 MSR Denali Tyker Snowshoe Durable and light with kid-friendly binding that features traction cleat and molded break bar. |  MSR Evo 6 in. Snowshoe Tails Adds durable flotation to the Denali Evo and Denali Evo Ascent with quick and easy lock link. |  MSR Lightning 22 Snowshoes Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, two-strap binding for 225 lbs or less. |
 MSR Lightning 25 Snowshoe Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, two-strap binding for 225 lbs or more. |  MSR Lightning Ascent 30 Snowshoe MSR won Outdoor Magazine Editors' Choice Award (2007) for the new Lightning Ascent Snowshoes. Presenting a revolution in snowshoe design and available in men's and women's models, they feature a ... more info. |  MSR Women's Lightning 22 Snowshoe Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, two-strap binding for 125 lbs or less. |
 MSR Women's Lightning 25 Snowshoe Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, two-strap binding for up to 175 lbs. |  MSR Women's Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, and heel lift, for 125 lbs. or less. |  MSR Women's Lightning Ascent 25 Snowshoes Light aluminum frame with 360-degree traction, toe crampon, and heel lift, carries up to 175 lbs. |
Other gear for adventure racing, snowshoeing and backcountry travel: