Heavy guy needs snowshoes

[sijesi]

I've winter camped, hiked in the Adirondack High Peaks on and off for years. Snowshoes are a necessity. Here's my problem: I'm 6' 3" and weigh about 210 -- without pack. I want to purchse an agressive set of snowshoes, but the specs for most of them say I'll be too heavy with my pack to use them. What I really want is a pair of Denali Ascents. My hiking buddies -- all much lighter than I -- wear them and they hop up those peaks like mountain goats. I'm tempted to buy a pair, with the floatation tails, and take my chances. But, really, am I just going to break these things? What other options do I have? I used to rent a huge pair of Tubbs, but they were garbage on steep pitches and ice. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DSettahr]

I've winter camped, hiked in the Adirondack High Peaks on and off for years. Snowshoes are a necessity. Here's my problem: I'm 6' 3" and weigh about 210 -- without pack. I want to purchse an agressive set of snowshoes, but the specs for most of them say I'll be too heavy with my pack to use them. What I really want is a pair of Denali Ascents. My hiking buddies -- all much lighter than I -- wear them and they hop up those peaks like mountain goats. I'm tempted to buy a pair, with the floatation tails, and take my chances. But, really, am I just going to break these things? What other options do I have? I used to rent a huge pair of Tubbs, but they were garbage on steep pitches and ice. Any help would be appreciated.

I think the issue isn't so much whether or not you'll break them, but whether or not they'll provide enough flotation for you in deep powder. I'd think you'd be ok on packed trails and in powder that isn't too terribly deep.

 

[sardog1]

I'm 6' and 215, before winter pack. I've used Denali Ascents for the last several years. They're fabulous for their traction and ease of putting on and off. My 8" tails stay on continuously. You'll like them so much, and use them for so many years, that you'll forgive them their slight lack of flotation compared to the very longest snowshoes available. Just realize that they are easily the noisiest snowshoes on the planet.

You won't break them unless you bridge them across two sharp rock edges and jump up and down a bit, or . . . you carelessly load a sixty pound gear bag in your vehicle, and it falls on one of them exactly the wrong way in a sudden stop.

EDIT: If you weighed more than 250, my advice would be different.

 

[WinterWarlock]

I'm about 210, plus I usually carry about a 20 pound pack in winter - I've been using the MSR Lightning Ascent 25's with no problems. They're fine except in very deep powder, but I've still been off trail with about 2-3' of new stuff and been OK.

 

[Tobit]

6' 3" 210 and you are calling yourself a heavy guy?? I envy you! That sounds like a pretty average weight to me. I'm 280+ before winter pack and 6' 2". For me, I'm going with a pair of Northern Lites Tundra. For you though, listen to sardog.. the Denalis will likely be great.

 

[HikingBryan]

I'm 6'1 and between 210 and 225 depending on the season (too much turkey...). I use the MSR Denali evo ascents with great success. On anything packed out, they work wonderfully. Good grip, easy to put on and take off, and televators... In the deeper stuff I opt for the tails which for me don't throw off my balance or gait. I love them.

That said, in DEEP POW (where I would rather be on my skis anyway) they may give you a little difficulty with floatation. I'm thinking about buying another pair at some point to aid in the deep, but for a first all-around pair, you can't go wrong.

Just my $0.02

Bryan

 

[WinterWarlock]

If I may digress a bit, I'm pretty happy to see I'm not the only 6'1" 210 pounder out there! I'd still like to knock off a few, but at least not everyone is 5'8" and 140 lbs.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

6'3", 200 pounds. MSR Denalis are fine for 90% of the time. See this recent thread for a lot more information:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25267

Plus, any one of a dozen from the past several years.

Tim

 

[Little Rickie]

Denali Ascents! I love them!

I'm bigger than all of you but the longer shoes are too cumbersome on a mountain. If the snow is too deep or the mtn too steep I can't do that or go there. It hasn't been a problem yet but I have not been in real deep new powder either. Know your and your equipment's limits.

If your a big guy you may not be able to do everything a small lighter person can, so what.

 

[sijesi]

Thanks, all

Just ordered my Denali Ascents and hope to put them to the test in the Bushnell Falls area of the High Peaks in early January. I'll let you know how they (I? we?) perform.

Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to steer me in the right direction.

Happy trails.

 

[roadtripper]

get the new 30 inch MSR Lightning Ascents!

http://www.joessports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3117143

However, I am 225lbs and the 25-inchers have worked perfect for me every time...except for when I tried to climb Waumbek in 3 feet of fresh powder.

 

[pks4000]

Denalis will do it best

Buy the Denalis with the smaller (I think they are 6 inch) extension tails . You wont break them and they will get you everywhre you want to go.
If the snow is so deep they dont float you dont want to go since your party will be turning around after beaking part of the trail for others to climb the next day..thank you VFT!)

I still have the original Denalis (with the 2 spikes on either side of the binding) and they are still fine after 5-6 years and hundreds of winter miles.
AND there s a lot more to this shoe than meets the eye.

Ie: If you do your research prior to your hike you may not have to carry crampons on certain routes as Denalis are so agressive and reliable,, particularly superior on sidehill traverses .

Oh Im 6'6" and 245 lbs .

Be well and climb on!

 

[DougPaul]

Buy the Denalis with the smaller (I think they are 6 inch) extension tails.

The older (non-Evo) Denalis have a choice of 4 or 8 inch tails. The Denali Evos only take a 6 inch tail.

I'm happy with my Denali Evo Ascents. My bigger wooden flat Bearpaws haven't seen any snow since I got them.

Doug

 

[Little Rickie]

Oh Im 6'6" and 245 lbs .

Where do you get your sleeping bags?

I just got a Slumberjack Ultimate 20 long at Gander Mt that I'll be trying this weekend. I find most sleeping bags too tight on my shoulder girth and the outside of my upper arms press against the bag and get cool.

 

[The-Green-Man]

I'm 6'3" and I weigh about 265. I use 36" Tubbs Mountaineers. I have the 2006 model and the bindings are flimsy... The newer ones have much better bindings.

When it comes to un-broken trails that are deeper than 3 feet it's rough going (lots of sinking). I am fine if I am second from the front. On broken trails I am fine.