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Reviews > Snow Gear > Snowshoes > Tubbs Mountain 30 Snowshoes > Owner Review by Patrick CyrOwner Review: Tubbs Mountain 30 Snowshoes  Date: 26/Feb/06 Tester Information: Name: Pat Cyr Age: 46 Gender: Male Height: 5’ 11” (1.80 m) Weight: 190 lb (86 kg) Email address: cyr@tdstelme.net City, State, and Country: Farmington, Maine, U.S. Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking for 35 years, from when I started with the Boy Scouts. I primarily backpack alone and especially enjoy the solitude of fall and winter trips. My focus in the last 10 years or so has been on reducing gear weight and I have tried numerous products and techniques. I have hiked all over the United States and consider the Appalachian mountains of Maine and New Hampshire my home. Most of my trips are one week or less, and consist of hiking both below and above tree line. Product information: Manufacturer: Tubbs URL: http://www.tubbssnowshoes.com Year purchased: 1998 MSRP: US$289 Listed weight: 5.8 lb (2.6 kg) Actual weight: 6.2 lb (2.8 kg) The Mountain 30 snowshoe is 8 in (20 cm) wide by 30 in (76 cm) long. The frame is made of Easton 7075-T7-aluminum tubing with an ArcTec decking. This deck material feels like hard plastic. Tubbs claims it is 30% stronger than Hypalon and is puncture and abrasion resistant to –40 F (-40 C). The decking is attached at 16 points to the frame using ArcTec straps wrapped over and secured with rivets and grommets. The RCS (rigid 
control system) plastic binding is attached to the snowshoe with a
single metal double eye bolt that is also strapped to the frame. By
loosening 2 bolts on the base of the binding under the toe, the width
can be adjusted to accommodate the proper fit of the boot. The boots
are secured to the bindings with three 1 in (25 mm) wide straps which
pull securely through one-way spring loaded cams. Pushing on the
cams releases tension for backing out the straps for removal or
adjustment. The straps are located over the toes, behind the
heel, and over the middle front of the boot. The middle strap has
a ratchet buckle that makes adjustment fast and secure.  On
the bottom of the binding and decking are the Viper crampons, which are
75% longer than traditional recreational snowshoe crampons. Under
the toes, the crampon has 6 diamond shaped points formed out of a
single piece of aluminum, shaped in an oval, with 4 of the points in
the front half and the remaining 2 points located at the back. The
points protrude approximately 1 in (25 mm) off the bottom of the
binding. The heel crampon is attached directly to the decking. There
are 2 pairs of tiered saw tooth points, which protrude approximately
.75 in (19 mm). The Mountain 30 is rated between 140 lb (64 kg) –
220 lb (100 kg) total user weight. The manufacturer also offers the
Mountain 25 and Mountain 36.Field Experience: Test conditions: Primary testing was done in New Hampshire and Maine during the months of December, January, February, and March. Backpacking was both on and off established trails. Snow depths ranged from 1 ft (.3 m) to more than 6 feet (1.8 m). Snow conditions included both packed and unpacked powder, thin cover with or without a crust, hard-pack, corn and icy surfaces. Moisture content of the snow varied greatly depending on the air temperatures, exposure to sun, wind, etc. Elevations range from 600 ft (180 m) to 5,500 ft. (1700 m). Over 4,000 ft (1200 m) I was often above tree line and was often walking on a mix of hard packed snow with ice and exposed rock, most often granite here in New England. Temperatures ranged from -30 F (-34 C) to 40 F (4 C). Koflach Vertical plastic mountaineering boots and Sorel pac boots are the footwear I have used with the Tubbs Mountain 30 snowshoes. The fit in the binding is very good with both the soft or rigid boots. I prefer the stiffness of the mountaineering boots when using the Mountain 30s. The first thing I noticed was how easy the Tubbs RCS binding was to put on. First, I push the heel and toe strap flush with the deck, then, the boot is then aligned 
under the mid strap, the toe and heal straps are flipped up and
tightened and finally the middle strap is clamped down into position.
The plastic straps do not stretch and give, providing a secure fit with
little “tweaking” required. The cams can be loosened
or tightened with gloves on, which is advantageous in sub-zero
temperatures. Walking in soft snow, the Mountain 30s feel comfortable with out worrying about stepping on or hitting the shoes together. I make sure the ratchet buckle on each snowshoe is facing out, so they are easier to put on and take off. There are no loose strap ends that get in the way or affect walking. In powder conditions the floatation is barely adequate. On one winter trip in the Kennebago divide in northwestern Maine, 3 friends and myself were bushwhacking through unpacked, deep snow. My friends had to lead and pack ahead of me because I just could not stop post holing given the snow conditions. Total supported weight was close to 210 lb (95 kg), which is at the high end of Tubbs’ listed specifications for the Mountain 30s. On hard-pack snow, ice or rock, walking with the extra large front crampons (fangs) takes some getting used to. When the going gets steep and slippery the fangs are outstanding. The grip on vertical ascent is surprising good. Many times I have left my Mountain 30s on and continued up where normally I might have donned my crampons. Kicking steps and toeing is actually possible while wearing the Mountain 30s, because of the front 4 points. The lateral hold on ascent is not as good because of heel slip, which is typical of any snowshoe. On descent the vertical hold is also very good. The heel crampon adds additional bite in hard pack. When it does get too steep on descent, I often turn around and toe down. In the steeper powder descents, I can’t ride the snowshoes down like I can with snowshoes with less aggressive crampon bindings. The Mountain 30s just do not slip as easily and I end up burying my steps rather than sliding on top of the powder. The biggest downside of the deeper fangs is their ability to hold wet snow. If the conditions are warm and the snow contains a lot of moisture, a rather large clod of snow can form in the bindings under the balls of my feet. Continually walking with a rather odd gait, or stopping every so often and tapping the snow out of the fangs, are the only options at that point. On the positive side snow does not stick and easily slides off the ArcTec deck material. Packing the Mountain 30s to fit on my pack when not in use, is awkward. Because the bindings are rigid, they do not lie flat and allow the snowshoes to nest together. I usually have to strap one snowshoe on each side of my pack to provide the most efficient load. Long Term Use: The ArcTec deck has withstood a lot of use and abuse and has never torn or punctured. It still maintains its original form with no deformities. I feel confident when stepping onto ice, rocks, and roots that the deck will not puncture or tear. The aluminum frame has sustained considerable wear with just surface scratches to show. The attachment points are still tight and secure. The bindings have held up with absolutely no problems. The pivot rotation is still firm and tight with little lateral play. Thing I like: 1) Fangs crampons 2) Bindings 3) Durability Things I do not like: 1) Floatation is mediocre 2) Clumping of snow under toe crampon 3) Pack ability Summary: As an all-purpose snowshoe, which would serve many conditions, the Tubbs Mountain 30 would not be my first choice. The Tubbs Mountain 30 snowshoe is designed for mountaineering and alpine use and performs very well when I use them in those conditions. Well designed and well built, the Mountain 30s have given me years of satisfied use, and I would expect many more to come. Read more reviews of Tubbs gear Read more gear reviews by Patrick Cyr Reviews > Snow Gear > Snowshoes > Tubbs Mountain 30 Snowshoes > Owner Review by Patrick Cyr | |||