Reviews > Snow Gear > Snowshoes > Tubbs Pinnacle Series Snowshoes > Dennis Shubitowski > Field Report

Field Report - Tubbs Pinnacle 30 Snowshoes

Report Outline

Tester Information <back to top>

I was born, raised, and currently live in Michigan. I have been camping with family since I was a young tot. I have been backpacking for the last 11 years along with other outdoor activities like hunting, geocaching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding and canoeing. I backpack in every season - rain, snow, or shine. My hiking philosophy has moved toward lightweight backpacking (or lighter) from my heavyweight days, but I have an eclectic mix of equipment that I carry that mainly depends on what I am testing for BackpackGearTest! Shelters range from hammocks to tarps to four-season tents and stoves are homemade alcohol, Esbit, white gas or canister with a titanium pot. My packs, however, are always the lightest I can go without sacrificing comfort. My average three season load for a multi-day trip, including food and water, is usually less than 25 lbs (11.3 kg).

Product Information <back to top>

Field Use <back to top>

The winter this year started out impressively - there was a lot of cold weather along with the most snow we have seen in years. Unfortunately, Michigan experienced some freak spring weather and record warm temperatures that started in February and the snow never really came back after that. Temperatures during the test period (when the snowshoes could be used) ranged from below freezing to around 45 F (7 C). Actual temperatures this spring were up into the 80s F (~28 C) with a record day at 93F (34 C)! The snow this year was also a little unusual in that it was very powdery. There could be several feet (around a meter) of snow that would be mostly powder and would sometimes have a slight crust on top. All testing took place in the lower peninsula of Michigan from the northern-most areas down to my local stomping grounds in mid-Michigan. Most testing took place in local state parks and on local trail systems as well as some off-trail usage. The shoes were on two overnight trips and multiple dayhikes and were out an estimated dozen times during the field test period. There are not a lot of significant hills in Michigan so I did not have much opportunity to test the shoes on any kind of serious incline. I did go through ditches, mounds, and hills (and attempted glissading as well) in an effort to test flotation and traction in as many ways as I was able. For the majority of use, I used the Baffin Vanguard boots that I am testing; I also used the shoes with my Montrail Moraine AT hiking boots. I had opted for the 30 in (76.2 cm) snowshoes based on the weight information from Tubbs, and I was glad I did. Because the snow was especially powdery, I needed all the flotation I could get for most of the conditions where the shoes were used. I will comment on each of the snowshoe components below.

Components <back to top>

Binding

The biggest factor for me in snowshoe evaluation is the binding. It is absolutely critical that the binding latch on firmly to my boot/shoe and stay that way. I cannot stand having to stop and fiddle with or even have to reattach a binding that has come undone when I am hiking. The "Bear Hug" binding is a unique design among snowshoes, and the idea is a pretty good one. Instead of having the main attachment setup over the toes and having a heel strap, the binding wraps around the heel to the sides of each boot and then connects over the top where boot laces are located. The heel can be adjusted for sizing in and out to fine-tune shoe placement over the crampon, and the binding can accomodate varying boot sizes via the ratcheting strap and catch that connects and binds over the top of the boot. The binding is well padded so it does not pinch or rub in any annoying way - it is very comfortable to wear. The binding is also pretty darn fast to get in and out of. If I am using the same pair of boots, the heel strap does not need adjustment from use to use. I pull the top strap out all the way by pressing the release button and connect the red plastic pronged end into its receiver. The top strap is then clicked down until fairly tight by pushing it back into the binding. Finally, the plastic end is then folded over and snapped into place. It takes longer to type than it does to do - pretty simple. To get out of the binding, the plastic catch is released via the yellow release button and removed from the reciever. The binding is then open and the snowshoe can be shaken off my foot.

One of the problems I had with the binding was that the main ratcheting straps that tighten the binding over the top of the boot were not quite long enough. In addition, the test did not start out well when I went to loosen the strap to the end and it pulled completely out of the binding on the right shoe. There are two stops on the end of each plastic strap that are supposed to keep the strap in the binding, but the stops on the right binding were nicked and worn and will not hold the strap in the binding. As I stated in the initial report, the shoes were somewhat banged up upon receipt and may have been previously used. I used the snowshoes with the Baffin boots for a good portion of the field test period, and the Baffin is a pretty serious winter boot that is on the end of the specrum for fitting into the Bear Hug binding. I was actually surprised that the boot fit into the binding (which is a testament to the vast size range these shoes accomodate) as this boot does not fit in many other snowshoes from other manufacturers. Because it is on the large end of the fit spectrum, I was near the end of the top ratcheting strap but not all the way to the plastic-eared stops. Nearly every trip out in these boots, the binding on the right shoe would give way and pop open - it was very frustrating. The straps were probably around two or three "clicks" into the binding and not near the end where the stops were worn. For some reason, the left shoe never gave me a problem. When I wore the snowshoes with my Montrail hiking boots, there was much more strap inside the binding and I never had trouble with the binding. This was fine for most dayhikes where I did not need a "winter" boot, but on the overnights where I did need a more substantial boot, I was usually fussing or swearing at the binding.

Crampon

The "Viper" crampon is one serious set of teeth on these snowshoes. It is a large, sharp and aggressive crampon that has not given me any trouble so far during the test period. The snow was quite powdery this year so I never had any packing of snow or slush into the crampon that would not come out. The teeth provided a lot of traction on snow and icy surfaces and did what they are advertised to do. I appreciated the heel crampon which gave traction on the downhills. It took a little getting used to from my general lack of snowshow experience, but on downwhills I could lean back into the frame and the heel crampons would dig down and hold tight. I did not have much success glissading (sliding down hills using the shoes like sleds) - the crampons were just too good! Climbing was much more intuitive with crampons directly under the ball of the foot - dig 'em in and climb.

The crampon is attached to the binding via a rotating toe cord. I had mixed feelings about this attachment mechanism and generally did not like it. The full rotation was fantastic for climbing; the snowshoe frame never got in the way and the crampon always had full access to the snow surface. However, with every step on a flat surface, the snowshoes drag on the snow which does do a few things that are important - the dragging helps steer the shoes by providing a rudder and the downward angle and dragging motion help shed snow off the decking. The problem with this is that it felt like a drain while walking as the snowshoes drag along behind me - it was a real energy sucker on me. The snowshoes do not provide any return energy when walking like other attachment style do. In addition, I fell over a number of times when having to make a sudden movement on the snowshoes. Because the toe cord freely rotates, the shoes do not pick up when you need to step backwards and instead will dig into the snow due to the downward and backward angle when I pick my foot up. I can walk backward in the binding with a really exagerrated motion suitable for the Ministry of Silly Walks, but you do what you have to do if you need to back up in a spot. I most often would just turn around if I had the room so I could go in the forward direction.

Frames

The frames have remained solid throughout the test period, and at no time did I feel like the frames were going to bend or break. The black anodized finish has not faired very well as expected as they were received pretty banged up at the start of the test. This does not impair the function of the snowshoes in the slightest and is only cosmetic in appearance. The anodized frame scratches pretty easily and the shoes look very well used. There are large scratches caused both from brush on the trail and storage in the back of my pickup and house as well as from banging into each other. I could cover the scratches up with some flat black paint, but it really does not bother me that much - the shoes simply look like they have seen use on a regular basis. The snowshoes are provided with a large rubberband to hold them together. This works pretty well, but it would be nice if an inexpensive mesh or fabric bag were included with the snowshoes. My wife recently purchased snowshoes that came stock with a nifty carrying bag with shoulder strap, and I found myself looking covetously at how easily she transported the shoes to and from the trailhead.

The shape of the shoes also worked well if not seeming a little bulky. The shape is a standard rounded western shape with a turned up toe. I felt like I have to slightly duck walk to keep the shoes from hitting each other. If I walked a number of miles/kilometers in the shoes, my hips would be slightly sore from the slightly exagerrated walking motion. Overall, it was not anything out of the ordinary when wearing snowshoes in general and not really much to complain about. I really like the turn up at the toe end of the shoes - the shoe would just float back to the top of the snow while walking because of this tip. The dragging motion of the rotating toe cord allowed the tail of the shoes to drag in the snow which creates a rudder-like effect. Overall, the frame shape is quite effective.

Decking

The "ArcTec" decking material has also held up very well during the test period. The biggest fear with deck material is that it will get punctured or cut. Although the snowshoes have been over a branch or two and the crampons sometimes poke at the decking while in storage, the decking has still held up fantastically and looks great. The ArcTec really reminds me a thick plastic milkjug in feel and texture. The coldest I used the shoes was probably around -10 F (-23 C) and the decking still remained the same is it did at warmer temperatures - it did not freeze or become firm or brittle. There are some gashes and scratches on the surface that were both already on the shoes and done by me on trail. All of the rivets are in place and holding fine and there are no tears or rips - I will continue to monitor these important areas.

The shoes I am testing are 30 in (76 cm) long and rated from 170 - 250 lb (77 - 113 kg). Proper snowshoe sizing can be somewhat arbitrary because different sizes will work differently depending on my weight, pack weight, and, most importantly, snow conditions. Carrying the same load and weighing the same weight does not always mean I will need the same size snowshoe. The 30 in (76 cm) shoe is a good compromise for me based on my size and pack weight, if not a little on the large size. In some spots, strapping surf boards to my feet might not have even given sufficient flotation. This size has been a good all-around size for me - too small and I probably would not have had enough flotation in the powdery conditions; too big is just extra weight that may make little difference in performance. The sizing charts from Tubbs, based on my experience, seem very close to actual conditions.

Continued Testing Plan <back to top>

Winter is done for the season here in Michigan. Although I have gotten out a fair amount of time, I will have to wait for next winter to complete the long term phase of testing. When the snow returns I will continue to use the shoes for overnight trips and dayhikes. For now, the shoes will get hung up for the summer and come back out around Thanksgiving. Thank you to Tubbs and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test these snowshoes and provide my opinion.

Reviews > Snow Gear > Snowshoes > Tubbs Pinnacle Series Snowshoes > Dennis Shubitowski > Field Report