Snowshoe gait with MSR Lightning

[adkayaker]

First day trip with MSR Lightning Ascents. Nice, but . . .when coming down the mountain, snowshoes stepped on one another half-dozen times, fell down 3 times!

At 5-6 and 158 pounds, the MSR chart suggested the 25 for most conditions (men's). If perhaps I have a narrow walking gait, wondering if I should ignore any manhood issues and purchase the narrower women's instead? (I can take the teasing). I would be concerned with inadequate flotation since my winter day pack weighs 30 pounds.

Should I consider the woman's version or learn to walk as required with the men's Lightning? Other than that, superb traction. One snowshoe came off once.

 

[Sasquatch]

I hear ya, I just started with the LA's and when you cross em up they lock together and your goin down. I'm going to try to adjust but I like to move fast and I'm not sure if these will be appropriate. They just stick to everything they come in contact with. Too much traction?

 

[rhihn]

First day trip with MSR Lightning Ascents. Nice, but . . .when coming down the mountain, snowshoes stepped on one another half-dozen times, fell down 3 times!

At 5-6 and 158 pounds, the MSR chart suggested the 25 for most conditions (men's). If perhaps I have a narrow walking gait, wondering if I should ignore any manhood issues and purchase the narrower women's instead? (I can take the teasing). I would be concerned with inadequate flotation since my winter day pack weighs 30 pounds.

Should I consider the woman's version or learn to walk as required with the men's Lightning? Other than that, superb traction. One snowshoe came off once.

I bought these last year and experienced the same problem. I did not have the problem with the MSR Classics. I'm going to give them another try this winter see if I can get used to them. I'm sorry you're having the problem, but glad to hear it's not just my own clumsiness (well, not entirely...)

 

[RickB.]

I encountered the same problem when I first used them a couple of years ago so I filed down the perimeter teeth on the inside of each snowshoe. This has helped a lot and there is still plenty of metal around the shoe for traction.