The Best Snowshoes of 2024-2025

When choosing the best snowshoes, the first step is deciding where and how you’ll use them. Snowshoes come in various types, which range from aggressive small shoes for steep terrain, large models for flotation on deep, soft snow, to racing snowshoes for running.

If you’re going to hit the trails hard, the MSR Lightning Ascent is the best choice for most people, while the Retrospec Drifter Snowshoes offer a much more affordable way to get out in the snow and outfit your whole family.

We hiked miles in each pair in fresh powder, firmly packed snow, and lingering spring layers from the Eastern Sierra of California to the Tetons to the fourteeners of Colorado and even peaks in Alaska to understand how each snowshoe performs in various conditions and terrain. We measured each pair in categories such as sizing, bindings, traction, poles, and flotation performance.

Editor’s Note: On December 13, 2024, we updated this buyer’s guide by adding the Atlas Access to our line-up and retesting the MSR Lightning Ascents and the MSR Evo Trail snowshoes (also our new pick for beginners) so we could add more information to the reviews.

The Best Snowshoes of 2024-2025

• Best Overall Snowshoes: MSR Lightning Ascent
• Best Budget Snowshoes: Retrospec Drifter Snowshoes
• Most Versatile Snowshoes: Atlas Range Trail
• Best Snowshoes for Trail Walking: Tubbs Wayfinder
• Best Snowshoes for Beginners: MSR Evo Trail 

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Snowshoes Comparison Chart

Snowshoe	Price	Lengths	Weight	Heel Risers	Max Weight
MSR Lightning Ascent	$390	22″/25″/30″	4 lbs., 2 oz./4 lbs., 5 oz./4 lbs., 14 oz.	Yes	280 lbs.
Retrospec Drifter	$90	25″/30″	5.5 lbs	Yes	210 lbs.
Atlas Range Trail	$230	26″/30″	3 lbs., 13.4 oz.	Yes	200 lbs. (26″)
Tubbs Wayfinder	$200	25″/30″/36″	3 lbs. 6 oz.	No	250 lbs.
MSR Evo Trail	$170	22″	3 lbs., 10 oz.	No	180 lbs., 250 lbs. with add-on tails
Atlas Access	$180	25″/30”/35”	4 lbs. 8 oz.	Yes	300 lbs.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite	$290	20.5″/ 23.5″/ 27″	4 lbs., 1.6 oz./ 4 lbs., 4.8 oz./ 4 lbs., 12.8 oz.	Yes	300 lbs.
Atlas Race	$320	22″	2 lbs., 4 oz./ 2 lbs., 9 oz.	No	190 lbs.
Crescent Moon EVA	$169	24″	3 lbs., 8 oz.	No	240 lbs.

How We Tested the Best Snowshoes

Our Testing Grounds & Process

Snowshoes are a convenient and accessible way to travel across snow, whether you’re breaking trail to the fishing hut or just to the mailbox. They can also be essential tools for winter ascents in the mountains, and serious mountaineers will want the lightest and the best for their pursuits.

From recreational snowshoers who want to be able to go out for a snowy jaunt, to those adventure-seekers who want to break trail up steep slopes covered in thick powder, there is a pair for everyone. With that in mind, we considered sizing and comfort, binding systems, flotation, and traction to best assess the important qualities of each model.

We get to spend an entire winter tromping around in powder and hardpack in these snowshoes. During this time we’re able to compare notes and swap snowshoes for side-by-side comparisons. In addition, we tested each of these products in the terrain of our hometowns, making sure to evaluate their performance on fresh, deep powder, to more moderate coverage, up steep hills, and on snowy trails to come up with our best assessments. 

Our Expert Testers

Coloradan Sean McCoy, along with Chris Kassar and Ryan Kempfer from snowy Wyoming and Miya Tsudome from the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, have hiked miles in these snow shoes over flat and steep terrain, noting the pros and cons of each and which models stood out in our testing metrics.

Our team has been testing snowshoes since 2018, keeping an eye on new emerging designs, and making sure to reevaluate our old favorites when they receive design updates. Be sure to check out our guides about Winter Boots and Winter Hiking Boots for the perfect footwear to pair with your snowshoes. To make sure you’re properly outfitted up top, check out our Guide to the Best Winter Jackets.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Snowshoes

When trying to decide what snowshoes will fit your lifestyle best, there are plenty of things to keep in mind. This buyer’s guide includes all the information you will need to identify the right pair.

Sizing

For proper snowshoe sizing, you need to consider both the maximum load on your snowshoes (your body weight plus the gear you’re carrying) and the type of terrain you’ll be navigating.

Check the specs of the snowshoes. They will list a “maximum recommended load” and the recommended type of terrain. If you’re only taking day trips, the max load should be around 20 pounds above your body weight. For overnight trips or mountaineering, it would be 30-60 pounds more than your body weight to accommodate your pack.

For the length, a longer snowshoe makes it easier to travel through powder because there’s a larger surface area. However, a longer snowshoe is more challenging to take up and down steep terrain. If you expect to travel on hardpacked snow in mostly flat terrain, a shorter snowshoe will do just fine.

Bindings

Snowshoe bindings come in several different shapes and sizes. Finding the right snowshoe is just as much about the binding as it is about the frame. Most snowshoe binding systems are a rotating or pivoting model, meaning they move separately from the frame of your snowshoe, allowing you to shed snow, making climbing easier.

Running snowshoes tend to be of a fixed design, where the shoe is affixed completely underfoot, which reduces any flapping and mimics a natural stride.

Fixed snowshoes are also a good choice if you’re primarily walking on flat ground where you don’t require a heel lift. The type of terrain you plan on walking in, and the type of snowshoeing (or running) you intend on doing will dictate which type of binding is the right choice for you.  

Snowshoe bindings also feature a variety of strap systems. From ratchet straps as found on the Retrospec Drifter, mesh baskets with rubber pull straps found on the Atlas Access Snowshoes, or the fancy Boa closure system found on the Tubbs Wayfinder.

The Boa closure system and mesh strap design create a more even distribution of pressure across your boot, creating a more comfortable fit. Ratchet straps are easy to fasten but could cause some pressure points where they sit across your boot.

The pull webbing and the BOA cable lace bindings both provide a snug and secure fit and a quick and easy in and out of your snowshoes. (Snowshoes are also made of different materials, but the most common are made of hardened plastic with carbon, steel, or aluminum.)

Figuring out how to best attach your snowshoes can sometimes be tricky, and it’s recommended to try it inside with warm hands first, as things quickly get harder to do in inches of snow with cold fingers, or while wearing mittens.

Flotation

Snow flotation refers to the ability of the snowshoe to support and distribute the weight of the wearer. There are several factors that influence flotation such as size, shape, and material of the snowshoe, as well as the type of snow itself and of course, the weight of the user. 

Snowshoes with smaller, more narrow decks, like the MSR Lightning Ascent or the Atlas Range Trail, have less surface area with which to distribute weight, causing them to be more suitable for moderate snowpack. Though they will perform perfectly fine in deep powder, you will sink more than if you were wearing a bigger shoe. 

You’ll notice that snowshoes such as the Tubbs Wayfinder have a more traditional, tennis-racket shape. The wide, round, forefoot of these snowshoes, combined with the rounded aluminum frame and nylon deck offer better flotation and weight distribution, especially over a thick layer of fresh powder.

The downside to these types of snowshoes is that they can be more cumbersome to maneuver, and aren’t as suitable to more technical terrain. Deciding which snowshoes will work best for you will come down to determining what you will be using them for most.

Traction

Underneath the snowshoes, you’ll see the traction, which ranges from lugs similar to a winter hiking shoe to the sharp teeth of a crampon for mountaineering. Running snowshoes are mostly foam and rubber with a few metal studs for traction. Others will have steel crampons underfoot (toe and heel), which will help provide stability, though are not as secure as mountaineering crampons.

The Crescent Moon EVA Snowshoes are an exception here, employing 6 ice spikes for additional traction. While these can’t compete with crampons in terms of bite, they’ll keep you on your feet during jaunts on flat terrain, and their simplicity can’t be beat. 

The MSR Lightning Ascent and the Atlas Range Trail snowshoes both feature serrated edges on the side railings of their lightweight aluminum frames, in addition to steel crampons. The Lightning Ascent also has two steel serrated bars that span the width of the shoe from edge to edge, providing the best traction of any shoe in our lineup.

This makes them a great choice for varying conditions, from powder to ice patches and firmer snow, and will provide more stability and support than the buoyant frames of shoes like the Tubbs Wayfinder or Retrospec Drifter. 

Having traction on the side railings also allows for more security and bite when traversing on slopes, which can also be a safety concern. You’ll want to opt for models with serrated frames if you are looking to get into more technical terrain. 

Heel Risers

Heel risers are a key feature if you plan to do any ascents up steep terrain. Trying to snowshoe uphill without heel risers will result in immediate calf fatigue. You may think that hiking sideways up an incline to create switchbacks is a solution, but trust me, this is awkward unless there’s an established flat trail of switchbacks.

Technical snowshoes like the MSR Lightning Ascent are equipped with heel risers and lighter, less expensive models like the Crescent Moon EVA Snowshoes do without. The exception is our budget pick, the Retrospec Drifters which do come with heel risers, part of the reason why they are such a great deal.

If you’re only planning to be walking on flat or lightly rolling terrain with your snowshoes, such as meadows, golf courses, trails or roads, risers aren’t totally necessary, and you’ll be fine with snowshoes that prioritize flotation like the MSR Evo Trail or Tubbs Wayfinders.

Poles

Snowshoeing without poles is possible but awkward, especially when traveling through deep powder or on a steep incline. The most important feature of snowshoe poles is the basket — the circular piece about 2 inches above the spike that stabs into the ground. Many trekking poles used for hiking come with baskets, but they’re often not made for light, fluffy, thick snow.

Ski poles will have a large enough basket, but the poles you use to ski may not be the correct height for you to snowshoe. The best option is to purchase trekking poles for use while hiking or backpacking. You can also purchase the additional snow basket to swap onto the pole during the winter.

Price & Value

Although you could spend $30 on a pair at a large discount store that might perform just fine if you’re only going out once or twice a year for short distances, there are some noticeable differences in quality when you are willing to shell out a bit more cash. 

Budget

While there are a lot of sub-$100 snowshoes on the market, the Retrospec Drifters ($90) are an exceptionally good choice, as they’re fully featured with crampon spikes and heel raisers to help you over rolling hills and they come with trekking poles for stability.

They’re constructed with less expensive, heavier materials, so they’ll slow you down if you’re in it for the long haul, but for short snow jaunts, they’ll keep you floating on top of the snow. They utilize ratchet straps which don’t distribute pressure quite as well as the mesh of the MSR Lightning Ascent or a Boa system, but they’re durable and functional, so they won’t be a safety issue if you’re out a few miles from shelter and the snow really starts coming down.

Mid-tier

A frequent snowshoer will want to spend at least $200 for a good pair. In this price range, most frames are made of aluminum, and most bindings are more comfortable and well-designed than the plastic ratchet straps you’ll see on cheaper models. A couple of options from our lineup include the Tubbs Wayfinder ($200) and the Atlas Range Trail ($230).

The Atlas Range Trail is a fantastic choice that has many of the features of more expensive, technical snowshoes at a much lower cost. And the Tubbs Wayfinders are great choices for the recreational snowshoer who plans on many winter jaunts over powdery trails. 

Premium

If you are looking for more specialized snowshoes, you can expect to spend upwards of $250. Our top pick, the MSR Lightning Ascent clocks in at a whopping $390. These snowshoes are the best performing, ultralight, technical, all-terrain snowshoes you can buy, with advanced bindings and an unrivaled grip.

Typically, the more specialized the shoe, the higher the cost. Another example is the Atlas Race shoes ($300) which are made for running in snow with their adjustable spring-loaded suspension. 

If you’re reading this review at all, it probably means you want to spend a little money on a good pair of snowshoes to last many winters, and in our opinion, the improvement in bindings and quality of materials that comes with shelling out a few hundred bucks is well worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions