Atlas 825 Electra snowshoes

[Jay H]

On a related but different note, REI-Outlet has the Women's electra snowshoes on sale too 8" x25" which is the size of my Sherpa Climbers which are falling apart now.

Steel crampons, toe stop (with the binding).

Supposedly made for a woman's stride, whatever the hell that is. I don't care that it's pink, it'll be bare aluminum shortly

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/48068132.htm?vcat=OUTLET_HP_DOTD

Anybody have any pros and cons with these?

Jay

 

[cbcbd]

Supposedly made for a woman's stride, whatever the hell that is.

You know that thing that they do with their hips? Ooh yeah...

cons with these?

Yeah, they're pink

 

[Kevin Rooney]

They're good shoes, Jay. Notice the crampon - just like Tubbs. Or should I say just like Atlas. Before they (Tubbs) were sold to and moved to China, Tubbs purchased Atlas, mainly because they thought Atlas had a superior binding/crampon arrangement and they (Tubbs) didn't want to appear to infringe on Atlas (or so it was told to me by a Tubbs manager).

I wouldn't worry too much about the color. You know what they say - any guy who can wear pink doesn't have to worry about his masculinity.

 

[Jay H]

Well, my Sherpas are now silver. They used to be black. I figure it'll be one season before that Pink becomes silver/grey too.

It might actually match my red Dakine Guide pack which is a bright red...

Jay

 

[gaiagirl]

I have the Atlas 1025 women's snowshoes and I LOVE them. Easy to get in and out of, very durable, and the crampon is very agressive. They showed up as a return at LLBean last year and I bought them at a great price with my discount, having decided on buying the Atlas shoes specifically because of how highly they are regarded. The stride is different because of our hips --- think about it . I was borrowing a pair of men's snowshoes 2 seasons ago and found it difficult going on narrow trails for just this reason. Not sure if you might have trouble with the stride due to the reversal if you bought em'. I guess you'll find out .

 

[cbcbd]

They're good shoes, Jay. Notice the crampon - just like Tubbs. Or should I say just like Atlas. Before they (Tubbs) were sold to and moved to China, Tubbs purchased Atlas, mainly because they thought Atlas had a superior binding/crampon arrangement and they (Tubbs) didn't want to appear to infringe on Atlas (or so it was told to me by a Tubbs manager).

I wouldn't worry too much about the color. You know what they say - any guy who can wear pink doesn't have to worry about his masculinity.

And oddly enough this year Tubbs changed their entire line and the snowshoes (Atlas v Tubbs) couldn't be more different than each other. I have used the 925 Atlas a couple times and they were great. But I still prefer my binding on a hinge than on a strap - and now none of the new Tubbs (except for the Catalyst) are on straps and all of the Atlas use straps - it's all preference and they're both great snowshoes.

edit: Jay H, I know that usually women's snowshoes tend to have a narrower tail, which I don't think will really make a difference for a man's stride. And if I remember correctly it has something to do with how a woman's stride is not as wide and with regular sized tails they'd be hitting each other.

 

[Jay H]

Oh... thanks for pointing that out cbcbd, didn't notice that..

Thanks gaiagirl too for the beta on the snowshoes. I do notice that the crampon pattern is similar to my Sherpas, they're just not as deep. The Sherpas are awesome!

My Sherpas are on a hinge... Anybody break a strap out there?

The main grievance I have with the hinge on the sherpas is that the hinge itself is lashed to the frame via straps with rivets on the outside of the frame. So just because anything on the outside of the snowshoe gets beat up to hell, my rivets have all either broken (and fixed by me somewhat) or are about to fall off. I do notice that the strap on the Atlass seems to be riveted not on the outside of the frame.

Jay

 

[carole]

I tried out a previous version of the Electra (green I think) and returned them. They are a bit narrower but that hasn’t made any difference to me. I didn’t like the binding at all and being light made the snow kick up all the way to my back. I went for the Atlas 12 series (I now have two sizes) and love them. They also kick up snow but not nearly as much.

 

[UNFROZENCAVEMAN]

......Anybody break a strap out there?....Jay

Nope, started with a pair of 825's a few years ago and managed to pull the rivets out of the frames several times but never broke a strap. I eventually got Atlas to upgrade me to the 1225's for a small fee - while I was able to break those as well it involved climbing trees on steep inclines and jumping out from 15-20 feet up - think "redneck fear factor" and it was only the plastic tailpiece that connects the frame together. Atlas was almost "excited" saying that I was the first to break them, (it was a new design for them, the old (and I'm sure more expensive to manufacture) design involved welding the frame together at the rear) and sent me a brand new pair out right away so that their engineers could analyze the ones that I broke - I never mentioned "how" I broke them, just that I did. I haven't had any problems with them since (admittedly I've given up climbing trees in them..... hey I'm getting older!) - the rivet is on the inside of the frame and the straps wrap around the frame so pulling rivets has never been an issue. I'm kinda tuff on stuff so they've gotten a good workout too.

 

[bubba]

I'm kinda tuff on stuff so they've gotten a good workout too.

I think that includes you, too!!

I'm not buying into the "women fit" issue myself -- at least not enough that I think it would be a deterrent to use. Jay, they'd probably do well for your size and speed.

 

[iceNsnow]

I ain't buying it either

For years I have used "men's/unisex" snowshoes and I walk the same as I ever did.
Seems like another marketing scam to me.

I "ski like a girl", but I don't run like one!

Inge

 

[giggy]

For years I have used "men's/unisex" snowshoes and I walk the same as I ever did.
Seems like another marketing scam to me.

I "ski like a girl", but I don't run like one!

Inge

yea - i was thinking the same thing - marketing BS!

 

[gram]

I had trouble with the way the decking is attached to the frame on my Atlases. The pieces of decking that wrap under the frame wore out. I sent them back to Atlas, and they replaced the worn pieces, but they started to wear again. The pair you're interested in have the same arrangement.

I gave up and bought some MSR Lightnings, but I'm sure Atlas would have repaired them again if I had returned them again.

 

[DougPaul]

For years I have used "men's/unisex" snowshoes and I walk the same as I ever did. Seems like another marketing scam to me.

I was in REI a few days ago and overheard one of the salesmen (an experienced and knowledgable guy) explain to a customer that women tend to walk more duck footed (toes out) than men and therefore the tails of women's snowshoes are more tapered (cut away on the inside edge).

Doug

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have a set of women's 1025's and love them. I didn't know they were women's until I did a search on them, but I don't really care since they came off the dump anyway (they only needed a few straps replaced). They have worked fine for me for the last few years and are my favorites, so long as the powder isn't too deep.