Long Term Report: MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes
Date: June 17th 2005 Manufacturer Information Name: Mountain Safety Research (MSR) Website: http://www.msrcorp.com	Product Information Manufacturer: Mountain Safety Research (MSR) Model: Lightning Ascent Snowshoes Year of Manufacture: 2004 Color: Orange & Black Size: Men's 8 x 25 in. (20 x 64 cm) MSRP: $249.95 (US) Listed Weight: 3 lbs. 10 oz. (1645 g) per pair Measured Weight: 3 lbs. 9.9 oz (1641 g)

Long Term Report

As I mentioned in my previous field report, snow conditions in the northwest have been crummy this winter.  Local snow conditions around central Idaho were at 40% of normal snow pack until some late spring snow brought it up to 50%.  This has severely limited the opportunity to test the snowshoes for durability and varying snow conditions.  Aside from long term durability testing, the snowshoes have proven to be great for spring camping.  The most noticeable attribute is the binding's ability to fold completely flat and be strapped onto a backpack without excessive bulk.  Complement this with their light weight of  3 lbs. 10 oz (1650 g), and they provide a good alternative to bulkier/heavier snowshoes.  Although the snowshoes may be too short for heavy winter snow camping, they proved to be more than adequate for spring's firm snow.

I have no complaints on how the shoes handle spring snow.  They handle the crusts well, as  the vertical frame/cross members bite firmly into the snow.  I had some concern about the binding's light construction/components for snow camping and hauling a pack, but they have held up fine.  Their use has been limited due to lack of snow, but when required they were a pleasure to use.  Again I mention how little bulk they add when strapped onto the back of my backpack compared to the more traditional tube frame with molded/formed binding and ratchets.

Simplicity of the binding and ability to easily fold it flat when strapping them on my backpack is great.  The stainless hook as seen in the picture above eliminates threading the strap through some ratchet or webbing buckle.  Ease of strapping the snowshoe to my spring hiking boots is a welcomed alternative to my previous snowshoes.

I did find one annoyance of the binding that didn't become apparent until recently, and that is how the binding is fastened to the frame.  As per the photo of the MSR Ascent snowshoe on the left, it is fastened directly to the frame like a traditional steel hinge.  The binding design is light, simple, and strong, but forces the shoe binding/platform to be perpendicular to the snowshoe and thus the slope of the hill.  The photo of a competitor's snowshoe on the right has the shoe platform/binding fastened to the frame via  bands.  Although this is heavier and more problematic to wear/tears, it does not force the binding/platform to be perpendicular to the snowshoe and slope of the hill.  It wasn't until my last hike where the snow was rather firm and a lot of side hilling that I noticed how I would torque my ankles to compensate for my hiking shoe being held perpendicular to the slope of the hill. The band attached platform (as per the right photo) tends to allow a few degrees of lateral rotation, thus relaxing the torque on my ankles.  This wasn't apparent earlier in the year, because the softer snow conditions allowed the up hill facing side of the snowshoe to settle into the snow, thus not forcing the snowshoe and platform to be perpendicular to the hill.

Spring hiking has afforded me the opportunity to put the heel riser (MSR named Televator™) into play and with great success.  There were several passes where the Televator was a nice addition.  It was envied by my co-hiker when I reached down and flipped it into place.  It reduced the need for me to hike over passes without having to rely on my front claw/toes to do all the work.  I was able to impart some of my weight to my heels and still not slip on the steep slops.

In conclusion, the MSR Lighting Ascents have been great snowshoes.  They are strong and lighter than any comparable snowshoe that I'm aware of.  Since the largest size offered is 8 x 25 in. (20 x 64 cm), I consider them recreational snowshoes and built plenty strong for that classification.  They exhibit good traction and I found them easy to walk in.  The ability to flatten the binding and stack them tightly on top of each other is a big advantage for spring hiking, where they are being carried on a backpack.  Although short for winter backcountry camping, their light weight and compact stacking design made them opportunistic for around camp while on backcountry ski trips and as a backup in the case of a failed ski.

Tester Information & Background

Name: Andy Rad

Gender: Male

Age: 47

Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)

Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)

Email: aisrad at cableone.net

I started backpacking 21 years ago, most were short three-day trips, but are now generally five-day.  By backpacking, I’m referring to summer, winter camping, and fall hunting.  About half my trips are light weight solo and the other half with my family.  I use to own a llama, thus allowing me to continue backpacking with my small children.  In recent years I’ve substituted a collie for the llama. When I’m not with the family I tend to take less-traveled trails or bushwhack the hard mountainous terrain in and around Idaho.  The majority of my trips are in central Idaho, with a few into northern Idaho, eastern Idaho, and eastern Oregon.