The Best Snowshoes of 2024

Built to conquer all terrain with a lightweight design, the Lightning Ascent ($390) is at the top of its class, with 360-degree Traction frames that provide a lot of grip, especially on traverses. Steel DTX crampons offer even more traction for steep and icy conditions, and Ergo Televator heel lifts are engaged to bring you up steep grades with ease.

The Lightning Ascents come with 22-, 25-, or 30-inch-length frames. And the optional tail additions ($75) allow for even more flotation in the deepest powder.

The Paragon binding is one of our favorite features. This freeze-resistant strap allows for a comfortable, secure fit without any pressure points. And the solid toe stop helps align your foot properly.

These aren’t the cheapest snowshoes available, but great functionality and quality build make them a worthy investment.

Read our in-depth full review of the MSR Lightning Ascent.

The MSR Evo Trail ($170) is one of the most versatile and affordable options out there. And it’s no surprise they’re a go-to for beginners. The steel traction bars are strong enough to withstand heavy use and provide dependable traction.

The bindings aren’t the highest-tech option, but they work well. The straps stayed pliable even in frigid conditions, and we were able to adjust without removing gloves.

The Evo comes in a 22-inch length and has a max weight of 180 pounds. You can add on modular 6-inch tails ($55) for increased flotation and a max weight of 250 pounds. The plastic decking can be loud on hardpack trails. And while this isn’t a deal-breaker, it can disrupt your winter wonderland enjoyment.

All things considered, these are a quality set of snowshoes that can handle a variety of conditions. If you plan to snowshoe heavily throughout winter or take on big-mile excursions, it may be worth paying more for something with a more comfortable binding or lighter weight. But for general use, these are an excellent choice.

The Atlas Range Trail Snowshoes ($230) slip on easily and float well over rolling hills, allowing you to enjoy many wintery excursions. Designed for performance on mellower-packed or powdery terrain, these lightweight shoes have stretch bindings that tighten over a variety of boot types and sizes.

In fact, while testing alongside the Tubbs Wayfinders which sport the “easy-to-use” BOA closures, our testers were able to put on the Atlas Range’s in half the time with its simple stretch and fasten system.

Carbon steel crampons and a 19º heel lift allow you to walk more easily up hills, and the traction of the serrated aluminum frame provides extra stability. Most traditional snowshoes have wide, tubular frames, allowing for flotation on fresh snowy trails.

The Atlas Range Trail has more of the features found on technical snowshoes, such as the serrated frame and narrower, light profile. Therefore, these shoes strike a balance between pure fun flotation while still being able to maneuver up and down hills or side-stepping on firmer packed snow. 

While a superb, all-around trail snowshoe, the Atlas Range Trail has a narrower and smaller deck than some of the other snowshoes in our review, which docks a few points from the overall flotation category. Although it does come in both a 22” and 26” size, allowing you to choose a model that will work best for your height and weight, it still lacks the width of other models.

If light and nimble is your speed, and you’d like a slightly more technical snowshoe than the average snow floater, the Atlas Range Trail is a great choice.

An all-inclusive kit is a great way to start out. And Tubbs provides an excellent option with the Xplore Kit ($200). Each kit includes a pair of Xplore snowshoes, trekking poles, and gaiters. Available for both men and women, this kit will have you trekking through snow in no time.

The Xplore snowshoes are perfect for easier trekking on trails. The Quickpull bindings are easy to adjust, and we appreciate that they release with a single press of a button. Our testers found the upturned tails made for easier trekking and were more intuitive for beginners.

The adjustable poles worked well, and we found the gaiters compatible with a variety of boots. All in all, this is a great all-inclusive, beginner-to-intermediate option.

Looking for a pair of snowshoes that support your natural gait? Meet the TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Elite ($280). Many people experience hip and knee pain while learning to walk with snowshoes. The sleek ergonomics of the Hyperflex Elites do away with that.

Eight large stainless steel crampons provide strong traction. And the heel lift allows for comfortable uphill travel. We also found the heel lift kept our feet in a comfortable position.

The binding is among our favorites and provides excellent support. We like that you can set the toepiece to your boot size and then use the cam-lock release to enter and exit. This added security and made it easier to get going each time. And you can adjust both the width and length to accommodate almost any boot.

The Atlas Race snowshoes ($320) are designed to allow anyone to, well, race. These are a must-have for sprinting in snow. The Z-speed race binding easily stays snug against any running shoe for long distances.

The zig-zag design means you can quickly tighten the bindings with one hand. Or you can remove the bindings completely and direct-mount running shoes for additional weight savings.

The adjustable spring-loaded suspension can be fine-tuned to find your desired level of rebound. And the titanium heel and toe crampons give plenty of grip without adding weight. They’re light, they’re fast, and they’ll make you as nimble as possible in the snow.

The only downside of the Atlas Race snowshoes is that they’re solely for racing and running. The sleeker shape means they don’t perform well in powder or for general use. But if you’re looking for a running snowshoe, the Atlas Race will have you sprinting on snow.

These all-foam snowshoes ($179) are unlike anything else out there. Boulder, Colorado-based Crescent Moon made quite the splash when it introduced these unusual snowshoes in 2017. The upper layer of foam is softer for better rebound and cushioning. And the lower foam is sturdier and more durable.

As one reviewer noted, “Unlike rigid aluminum or carbon snowshoes, the soft, upturned foam deck comfortably cruises over hardpacked snow and encourages agility. Below deck, hard plastic cleats bite into icy terrain, providing plenty of grip, especially on hillsides.”

They don’t do as well on technical terrain as other options. And without a heel lift, they aren’t as suitable for uphill climbs.

These unisex snowshoes offer an excellent balance of performance and affordability. The Helium Trail ($150) uses a composite deck that sheds snow efficiently without adding weight. They aren’t made for intense, steep, or icy terrain, but they excel on the trail.

They also prove light at only 3 pounds, 5 ounces, which is impressive considering the robust crampons and steel traction rails. The Wrap bindings are simple and easy to use, and they’re a generally great choice for beginners.

Another solid and affordable choice for beginners is Flashtek’s snowshoes ($75). This kit comes with a carrying bag and trekking poles, but unlike the Xplore Kit, there are no gaiters included. The Flashtek snowshoes sport an aluminum frame as well as aluminum crampons for added stability.

for such an inexpensive pair of snowshoes, they do perform relatively well. They don’t have great traction, and the bindings are reported to often come undone. That being said, if this is just for a beginner, especially in their youth sizes, it could be an affordable option.