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These shoes work very well in most conditions. You will need the flotation tails in deep powder, but otherwise they perform remarkable well for their size. One thing, if you are going to use them for Backcountry Snowboarding get the EVO Accents instead, the space for the front of your snowboarding boots are too small on these, they will rub a hole in the tops of your snowboard boot toes.
I use my denali ascents primarily for backcountry boarding. I have no problems with the bindings. If you have really big feet you can just cinch down the binding a little further aft and you will have enough room for your toes in the hole.
I've also used them for winter ascents of fourteeners - they are one of the few that I would trust on technical/icy/steep terrain.
I've used many others, these are by far the best for true backcountry use.
Just returned from 4-day hike in the Adirondack High Peaks -- Wright, Colden, Algonquin & Iroquois. Denali Ascents proved perfect for 90% of activities on this trip. Worked remarkably well above the timberline traction-wise, but less so floatation-wise in powder in the saddle between Iroquois and Algonquin. Purchased the tails but haven't used them yet. Managed to lose a strap when it slipped out of binding buckle, but believe that can be corrected by leaving closer to a 2" tail outside the buckle. Otherwise, very happy w/ ease of binding system and quality of shoe. Don't look to hold conversation on the trail w/ these -- they are noisy in anything but powder.
I have been using MSR snowshoes for about 10 seasons and find them to be the answer for serious backcountry boarding. My original Denali Classic's were retired last season and replaced with the ascents; I love the heel lift! The Yukon Alaska conditions are variable through out the ascent and I find theses shoes to handle all conditions well; steep side hilling on bulletproof wind affected surfaces to waist deep post holing powder. I do over 70,000 vertical each season and find their durability tremendous. I think a ratchet binding system would be the only serious improvement that could be made to this great design.
Brilliant.
Incredibly sturdy, great on crusted snow, easy buckle mechanism, love the heel lift for ascent (though tricky to lower with a 50lb pack on). Pack nice and flat against the sides of my pack.
Got the 8in flotation tails which keeps me afloat all the way up to my body weight plus 50lb pack (220lb). In all I am extremely pleased. Oh - and good job on the delivery and I got them at a great price.
These are my first pair of snowshoes, but I love them! The buckling system is very simple and easy to use even with big bulky gloves. They work well in all conditions, although you need the tails if hiking in deep powder. The traction is supurb and have gotten me up anything I've tried. The heel lift is wonderful, although you don't need the unless attempting very steep terrain. They are also great for hiking up from a warm, snow free area into the snow. They are exceptionally light and pack well. The shoes are a bit wide and it is easy to take one narrow stride and gouge the front of the other shoe with the metal traction teeth on the bottem of them. Besides that, they are perfect!
If you are hiking deep pow these are not the best! These are good for going up hard pack, icy conditions. There is a good cramponish metal base that really gets a good grip on that hard pack snow. You can get the extra flotations tail add-on to give you a bit more flotation on powder, but when i have my powder snow shoes, my friends struggle to keep up in these, but on hard pack stuff my friends soar past me. The binding system is a bit tricky at first to get adjusted. The bindings are not meant to be going under deep snow and pulling up, the will pop off sometimes. But other than deep powder conditions these are good, decent weight snow shoes.
Mine broke recently.
I've had a pair of these for about 5 years. I use them for maybe 2 or 3 trips a season. I'm about 185lb and sometimes carry about a 50 lb pack. Recently on a backcountry trip the binding completely broke (the metal part) near one of the swivel points. It appears the metal fatigued and failed that way. I was miles away from the trailhead out in the middle of fresh powder with a heavy pack. All I had with me to repair these was nylon chord. Yeah that was a good time.
MSR lived up to their reputation with these. I've used these for several years in the White Mountains, and have never had an issue. Snowshoes take a beating, especially in mixed conditions in NH. I always fear treading over the few exposed rocks in snowshoes, but not with these. THe construction is especially well. The plastic frame is very solid and durable, and the stubby size makes them ideal for alpine environments. The shortness of these isn't an issue at all-- if anything it's one of its greatest features, gives you enough float and doesn't have that awkward pull longer traditional snowshoes have. The binding is great-- Fits plastic boats or other large mountaineering boats, and the crampon tip on the toe is awesome. Most snowshoes don't have as much bite as these do, these are incredibly aggressive. THe straps are easy to put on and off, and they never come undone. Lastly the heal raiser is AWESOME. It makes going up a steep hill feel like flat ground for your feet. Great Job MSR, these things are beasts. I love em.
The Denali Ascents are amazing. I used them for backcountry snowboarding in the Oregon Cascades on 3k meter peaks. I have size 12 snowboard boots and your toes will NOT rub the shoe. Just cinch the shoes down so that your boot has clearance. Heel lifters are a godsend, i want some for my hiking boots. You can motor up most anything with these on.
these are solid snowshoes. i use them for backcountry snowboarding,,,,which means i have a lot of gear on my backpack the whole time. i weight 175lb, plus all the gear, i will weight around 230lb when i send. with floatation tails attached, i can still handle 40cm of pow in kootenay backcountry. heal lifter works so well, cant imagine life without it. little pricy up here in canada but overall a good buy.
I loved my husband's denali ascent snowshoes so much that I had to get a pair of them for myself. The straps are very easy to use, even with big gloves on. The crampons on the underside allow for climbing some seriously steep terrain. They have a compact fit that works well on the outside of a ski backpack. I like having the option of using the tails or not. But I would recommend buying the tails if you are to shoe in deep snow.
1. they are light weight when you are carrying them to higher elevations.
2. They climb well when you get up high above the tree line.
3. They are simple in design and work well in all conditions, but I especially find then useful in winter alpine climbing. The buckling system is excellent.
4. Sometimes, rarely, they don't provide adequate flotation, but I don't have the extenders for the tails,(I'm unwilling to carry the weight and besides everyone I climb with is in the same boat) and I suppose that would solve that problem. I am 180 lbs (200 dressed with pack) And they work for me.
I have climbed some very steep slopes in both powder and spring slush with these and they hold very well. The side traction claws hold well while traversing. The climbing bars work well to ease the strain on the calves. Overall, these are great shoes I'd recommend.
I took my new Denali Ascents to the golf course for a test run last night in preparation for my Denali trip this Spring. Conditions were near blizzard and I was dressed for the occasion. I was wearing my heavy parka so by the time I was done strapping the snowshoes to my boots I was sweating like a stuffed pig and had sacrificed my last twenty minutes of daylight. Remember I was in blizzard like conditions, so I had my gloves on (exactly like you would have to do on Denali or risk flash freezing your hands at times). As I walked along pulling my sled my boot would occasionally slide forward just enough to catch my toes on the edge of the toe hole. The resulting effect was like a crow bar delivering a tremendous amount of force to the binding pins and plastic toe of the snowshoe as my weight plus the weight of the pack on my back came down.
Tonight I took my wife out for a test run and gave up after thirty minutes and one hundred yards of progress. The Denali’s kept falling off her feet. The metal prong that goes through the strap seems too short. I haven’t made up my mind yet on which shoe I’ll take to Alaska. The Denali’s have great grip but when it comes to severe conditions where time, keeping your fingers safe from frost bite and ease of use is a factor I think a quick and easy binding system may be the way I go.
