Review of Tubbs Mountaineer Snowshoes

Rating: Very Good

List Price: $270

Purchase: Purchase at Tubbs Web Site - Also available at most hiking stores

Durability: Excellent
Bindings: Fair
Grip going uphill: Excellent
Grip going downhill: Very Good

Mens Weight 4.7 / 5.3 / 5.8 lbs
Mens Sizes 8" x 25" / 9" x 30" / 10" x 36"
Mens Colors: Green
Mens Max Weight: 200 / 250 / 300 lbs

Womens Weight 4.3 / 4.8 lbs
Womens Sizes 21" / 25"
Womens Colors: White
Womens Max Weight: 150 / 200 lbs

Summary:
Most hikers really like these snowshoes. They are very functional and durable. They are the most durable snowshoe on the market. They are designed for snowshoeing in the roughest terrain. With the new polyurethane canvas tops, these snowshoes just became more durable then previous models. The crampon on the toes are as good as you can get. They can go up just about anything. The MSR Lightning snowshoes seem to have a slight edge on going downhill over the Tubbs Mountaineer. The binding could use some improvement. But, all the manufactures have poor bindings. These snowshoes also have a heel lift that makes it easier to walk uphill without stretching your ACL to the breaking point. One of our male staffers has tested these snowshoes for over six years, and he likes them a lot.

Things we DIDN'T like:
Bindings - Are a disappointment for just about all hikers. It is difficult to get your toe into the front of the bindings. Then it is even harder to tighten down the front of the binding. And, the rear strap is just horrible. Everyone struggles with them. Form some odd reason everyone has a difficult time adjusting the rear strap. Not sure how to get it adjusted to the hole in the strap. But, to be fair, every manufacture of snowshoes has poor bindings. Not sure what it is going to take to get someone to engineer some good bindings.

Size of snowshoes for Women - For women, the longest snowshoe is 25". For deep snow women need 30" shoes. Unfortunately, Tubbs does not make a 30" snowshoe for women. In that case, women would have to buy the men's version. The problem with women buying the men's version is the binding may be too big.

Things we DID like:
Durability - The Tubbs Mountaineer snowshoes are probably the most durable snowshoe on the market. The frames are strong and will last a long time. They will last longer then the Tubbs Flex snowshoes. Previous models of this snowshoe had plastic covering on top. Those plastic covering had a problem with splitting and breakage. The latest model of the Mountaineer have a polyurethane canvas tops. These tops will most likely outlast the frames and binding. The Polyurethane canvas was used on snowshoes many decades ago, and they outlasted the snowshoes. The polyurethane canvas tops are a proven solution.

Crampon - The crampon on the Mountaineer are beefy and can grip into just about anything in the Catskill Mountains. No problem going up the steepest slopes. The MSR Lightning snowshoes seem to be better at going downhill then the Tubbs Mountaineer. But, they only have a slight advantage.

Heel lift bar - The lift bar on the heel worked well. But, we do wish they had it spring loaded to snap up with a push of your hiking poles. And, push it again to push it back down permanently. But, now other manufacture is doing that either.

Size of snowshoes for Men - We like the three sizes for men. 25" snowshoes are great for when the trail is packed down. Most hikers use the 25" snowshoes 80% of the time. The 30" snowshoes are good for when the snow is less then 12" deep. And, the 36" snowshoes are great for any fresh snow above 12". In 2010 when we received 7 feet of snow, the 36" snowshoes were the golden ticket. The 36" snowshoes are not used much, but when you need them, they are awesome. But, 25" snowshoes should be everyone's first set of snowshoes.

Men's Mountaineer Model

Bottom View & Crampon

Women's Mountaineer Model

Links and References:

Tubbs Snowshoes

S E C T I O N S

W E A T H E R

O T H E R