MSR Denali Evo Strap Keeps Breaking!

[adktyler]

No, this is not another generic snowshoe thread, I hope. I have a problem that has become very frustrating. The front two straps on my MSR Evos keep breaking after only a few trips! I took them into EMS, and they were stumped. So they called MSR and had them ship me new straps.

In the meantime, they gave me rentals. Well guess what, the exact same problem happened with those too! It has happened to both front straps on both pair of snowshoes.

I have tried loosening the front straps, but then they just come undone. I tried tightening them, but that doesn't help a bit. I have also tried moving my boot to different places, but again, to no avail. I don't put any more or any less strain on the shoe than anyone else does, so this is kind of weird. My only thought is that it is the boot I have, though nothing seems too special about it either.

So my question is this: Can anyone help? Have you had the same problem? Do you know of any solutions, or can you offer any good suggestions? I would really appreciate it, thanks!

Here are some pictures of my boot, the snowshoe, and my boot in the snowshoe:

 

[Jazzbo]

Need more info

I have never heard of this problem now. Judging from the photos of your boot. Your boot appears kinda large. How much do you weigh? You might be on the heavy side for these snowshoes. I'd bet you're busting them on steep downhills where one tends to repeatedly jam the boot into the binding. Not much consolation, but MSR sells replacement strap kits. Kits come with one strap + those neat black clips used to stop straps flapping around. They run $15 each. Don't know if EMS carries them, but I recently came across them shopping on line for the little black clips. Not bad items to carry when out there in the puckerbrush.

 

[Paradox]

It looks like the strap breaks right where it bends around the metal buckle. Try rounding the metal edge with a chainsaw file or fine sand paper. It won't take much.

 

[Barbarossa]

Your boot appears kinda large. How much do you weigh? You might be on the heavy side for these snowshoes.

You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly not comment

I have an older model of Evos. They have stood up to abuse, including occasionally accommodating a pair of Sorels. I am pushing 250 lbs with a full winter load, and have never had a problem with the front straps.

My suspicion is the materials for the straps on the newer models is weaker or too stiff.

 

[onestep]

I think it's the melamine used in the Chinese rubber that weakens the strap but passes QC.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I think it's the melamine used in the Chinese rubber that weakens the strap but passes QC.

That would s@ck. I've had a few different problems with MSRs over the years, and I am tough on them, but I've never had a problem with the straps breaking. Tyler, I could probably send you a replacement strap, from my MSR leftover stash!

 

[MichaelJ]

That's a very odd place to break. I would have expected the other end, where the strap "folds" around, to be the problem. The buckle you show is for me always just flat and uniform.

This means that somehow that spot is being stressed. In particular, it's bending back and forth right at that point. I would suggest that with the snowshoes on, you have a friend observe you walking, flat, uphill, and downhill, and try to see what's causing that buckle to flex in a manner that bends that strap at that buckle.

It's also possible that those metal buckles themselves are flawed, bent or manufactured incorrectly, and are going to break any straps put through them.

 

[adktyler]

I have never heard of this problem now. Judging from the photos of your boot. Your boot appears kinda large. How much do you weigh? You might be on the heavy side for these snowshoes. I'd bet you're busting them on steep downhills where one tends to repeatedly jam the boot into the binding. Not much consolation, but MSR sells replacement strap kits. Kits come with one strap + those neat black clips used to stop straps flapping around. They run $15 each. Don't know if EMS carries them, but I recently came across them shopping on line for the little black clips. Not bad items to carry when out there in the puckerbrush.

Yea, I forgot to mention that I'm only 145 lbs and am pretty short at 5' 8''. so I don't think that weight is the problem.

That would s@ck. I've had a few different problems with MSRs over the years, and I am tough on them, but I've never had a problem with the straps breaking. Tyler, I could probably send you a replacement strap, from my MSR leftover stash!

Thanks very much for the offer! MSR was nice enough to send me three replacement straps and buckles so I'm good for now.

Thanks everyone else for the suggestions. I'll try as many of them as possible and see what happens!

 

[Jay H]

Thanks very much for the offer! MSR was nice enough to send me three replacement straps and buckles so I'm god for now.

Cool, remind me to hike with you someday... Can you break a herdpath to Seward on friday?

Jay

 

[adktyler]

Cool, remind me to hike with you someday... Can you break a herdpath to Seward on friday?

Jay

HAHAHA, sorry about that...I'll change it. But sure, I'll send some angels to break trail for you, no prob!

 

[sardog1]

The strap is threaded the wrong way on the end where it's breaking. Insert the free end under the metal slider, then up through the first (inner) gap, over the bar, and back down through the second (outer) gap. I'll have a picture here in a couple of minutes.

Here's the photo. (Don't let Darren or Metsky see this poorly focused shot. )

 

[J.Dub]

My guess (completely off-the-cuff, based solely on the photos in this thread):

Your Sorel boots, with their rubber uppers, are finding a way to push up on the bottom of the buckle, forcing the strap to rub against the edge of the inner buckle opening. On boots with stiffer uppers (like plastics) the upper would contact the edges of the buckles, leaving a "gap" underneath the center of the buckle, so no wear would occur here. A change in rubber formulation might also have something to do with it, as noted above.

In either case, it snot a great design, IMO. Thin rubber straps and stamped metal buckles? Axing for trouble... I'll stick with my nylon-strap-and-plastic-buckle Tubbs, thank you. (Especially for what MSR charges for the Evos.)

 

[sardog1]

BTW, it's a great design in practice, a conclusion supported here by six years of pounding the "snot" out of them (i.e., Denali Ascents) and reinforced recently on a day when working the straps with thick gloves was much preferred over "bare-handing" it.

 

[The Hikers]

I notice the buckle is not the same design as the ones on my Denali Ascents. Also the straps on mine are black. Could it be the change in design or material has led to this breakage?
I haven't had any problem except keeping my snoeshoes aligned, but this is probably because the cold weather leads to careless tightening.

 

[Oldmanwinter]

Common

Both my forward straps are broken in the same way. It is caused by the strap hitting the shoe when they pivot beyond a certain point. Hold the binding in your hand and pivot the shoe to the max and you'll see that the shoe can hit the forward strap and cause it to rip right where it comes out of the buckle. I don't find this a problem. After it breaks off I just leave that forward strap where it is and it never hits the shoe again and it has never fallen off. If you are worried the starp is too short and might fall out of the buckle you could cut the strap just a little longer such that it still sticks out of the buckle a little but doen't reach the shoe when pivoting.

 

[sardog1]

I notice the buckle is not the same design as the ones on my Denali Ascents. Also the straps on mine are black. Could it be the change in design or material has led to this breakage?
I haven't had any problem except keeping my snoeshoes aligned, but this is probably because the cold weather leads to careless tightening.

Well, dope slap me enough times and eventually I'll come around. Close examination of my own Denali Ascents shows that the slider in question is black plastic, not the shiny metal on ADK88's Denali Evo. J.Dub is probably on to something with his diagnosis. I still think the strap threading "might" be a solution?

 

[Oldmanwinter]

I just took a closer look at the pics and see that yours are ripping right at the hole. Cut the strap between two holes and then use the last hole and test it to make sure the strap doesn't hit the shoe during extreme pivotting. Mine didn't break at the hole, I had a little meat left over. I was very concerned when this first happened but then I figured out what was happening and did some testing and now they have been like that for almost two full seasons without any problems.

 

[ferrisjrf]

Both my forward straps are broken in the same way. It is caused by the strap hitting the shoe when they pivot beyond a certain point...cut the strap just a little longer such that it still sticks out of the buckle a little but doen't reach the shoe when pivoting.

This (the part in bold above) is exactly what I've done to both mine Evo Ascents. I know others that have done the same thing. Fixes the problem forever.

New straps will just keep breaking, if you leave them overhanging.

Jason

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

The Lightning Ascents suffer from the same strap breaking problem. I broke both front straps this past weekend climbing the Hancocks. A Cascade Designs rep. confirmed that the common problem is from the strap rubbing on the deck of the snowshoe when the binding pivots forward.

 

[The Hikers]

So the logical question arises: Do they test these things when they go for a new design?