tubbs flex alp

[kaseri]

This is the 2nd winter with my Flex Alp shoes. They have been excellent performers thus far. I really do like the "flex" of the heel. When walking your heel strike is much more natural and makes for a comfortable descent.

 

[kerry13]

My second year on Flex Alp also. So far very pleased. Traction is superb. Handles hard ice very well in all directions, much better than my Atlases. Took a few times to get the toe tightened correctly for my soft boots, North Face Baltaro, but have not had any problems since. Harness is very quick, easy and reliable. At 6'1" and 190 lb I have broken trail in all conditions and find the flotation isn't what my 33" shoes are, but I expected that. They do weigh about a one pound more per pair than comparable MSR Lightning Ascent. Overall I am very pleased, highly recommend 'em.

 

[CINDERSMOM]

Got my Tubbs Flex ALPS in November and have done "lots " of miles this winter. I really like them. I do think that on the downhills they don't ski as much as other shoes I have used but you can still get them to slide if you really want to. I would highly recommend them.

 

[PETCH]

Well, just after saying great things about the Tubbs FLex Alps in my last trip report.....Saturday morning I went to put on my snowshoes, and discovered a broken rivet on the rear strap buckle of right shoe. The head of the rivot has worn off and popped off the binding.
This is my second Winter with these snowshoes.

Broken rear strap buckle rivet

Within 5 minutes I was back in business by using a ty-wrap to secure the strap to the binding. I hiked 13+ miles that day and the ty-wrap shows no sign of wear.

Ty-wrap to the rescue

I plan on contacting Tubbs at the end of the season to see what they will do for me. I'm hoping I can just send them the bindings and get a new set in return.

fyi
Petch

 

[Jay H]

hard to see what's the rivet holding but my usual approach to broken rivets is to replace it with bolts and nylok nuts (and/or regular nuts with locktight). Its more servicable in the field and also at home unless one has access to an industrial quality rivet gun/machine. I replaced all three rivets on my Northern Lites with bolts and nylok nuts. Like you, you can use zipties in the field in most cases.

Jay

 

[kaseri]

I carry a small plastic container in which I have nylock nuts, small screws as well as a tool for making repairs while on the trail. I'll have to give my shoes a good once over to be sure I don't have any rivets which need replacing.

 

[LivesToHike]

Had a rather unusual binding failure with my Tubbs Flex Alps Snowshoes today. I've had these snowshoes for about 2 seasons now, with medium use during winter hikes in the Whites and elsewhere. I had already used them 4 times this season on some local hikes before a good friend and I set out to hike Sandwich Dome this morning. When we arrived at the Sandwich Dome trailhead parking area, I plopped down my snowshoes on the ground crampon side down, and immediately noticed a small bit of black plastic on the ground next to one of the snowshoes. It turned out to be park of the snowshoe binding. The binding's black plastic shattered. I wasn't able to come up with an obvious immediate fix using cable ties and duct tape, so we decided to hike elsewhere today.



Thankfully, (1) this failure occurred in the parking lot and not on top of a mountain.
(2) EMS Concord so graciously offered to return them to Tubbs for a free repair, and also offered to loan me a pair of snowshoes for the day. (Thank you, EMS Concord! ) I decided to not take up their loaner offer, as our plan B was hike in a forest in the Concord, NH area, and snowshoes weren't needed. Also will return them to Tubbs through the Nashua EMS store, as that's located closer to home/work.

Has anyone encountered this failure? It almost seemed as if the plastic binding was brittle, even though the air temperature wasn't all that cold - probably in the mid to high 20's. And aside from some minor operational issues with the heel strap lifting off on occasion, I've loved these snowshoes and not had any durability problems until now, not even any rivet failures.

Thanks!

LivesToHike

 

[LivesToHike]

It occurred to me early this morning there is one (probably of many) trailside solution to the snowshoe binding failure I encountered. One could remove the rivets either side of the shattered binding strap, and place multiple cable ties between them, and perhaps even reinforce the cable ties with a few wraps of duct tape.

In my specific case, I didn't have a good rivet removing tool in my own Mcgyver kit, but I'm vowing now to include one, along with nuts/bolts to fix rivets in other locations on a snowshoe. Thanks to the others who have posted suggestions on this thread for snowshoe repair!

In any event, my Tubbs Flex Alps snowshoes are going back to the mothership either today or tomorrow for a repair. I have an older pair of Atlas Mountaineering snowshoes that I'll use in the meantime. I've decided that I like my Flex Alps too much to give up on them for White Mountain trips.

LivesToHike (Mike)

 

[Maddy]

I love mine. Now we could use some deep snow in this area.

 

[LivesToHike]

Thanks, Maddy, glad that you do.

Well, EMS came through. When I brought in my snowshoes this morning, this time with the original receipt to the EMS Nashua Store (instead without the receipt to the Concord store), their initial question was: "did you want to exchange them for another pair?" I didn't have to think very hard or long about my answer. Thanks guys!

So I have a new replacement pair of Flex Alps, and I already went out into a local town conservation land area this afternoon to give them a quick 90 minute test, including an uphill bushwack. They passed with flying colors. So I'm back in heaven again...

Mike

PS I assume EMS will have my old pair repaired and then use them for rentals at one of their stores.

 

[John in NH]

Figured I'd pass along this nugget of wisdom from a good hiking buddy to anyone who might like Petch or LivesToHike need repair on the Tubbs Flex Alps:

"My Tubbs Flex ALPS busted last winter and instead of sending them back to Tubbs for the rest of the winter season I took them to the GEARDOC in North Conway and he fixed them within 30 minutes better than new. He saved my winter. He is an authorized Tubbs repair store. Here is the info: 2991 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH (603) 662-4690 email: thegeardoc at rocketmail dot com"

They have had no problem in many hikes since for him.

 

[Maddy]

Thanks John...good info just in case!

 

[alistair]

For those that have had Tubbs Flex problems .... How has the Tubbs Warranty Service been?
I know that MSR service is great.

 

[LivesToHike]

Figured I'd pass along this nugget of wisdom from a good hiking buddy to anyone who might like Petch or LivesToHike need repair on the Tubbs Flex Alps:

"My Tubbs Flex ALPS busted last winter and instead of sending them back to Tubbs for the rest of the winter season I took them to the GEARDOC in North Conway and he fixed them within 30 minutes better than new. He saved my winter. He is an authorized Tubbs repair store. Here is the info: 2991 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH (603) 662-4690 email: thegeardoc at rocketmail dot com"

They have had no problem in many hikes since for him.

Thanks, John. I'll keep that address around for the next time I have a Flex Alps failure!

Mike

 

[erugs]

I didn't like to color selection in the Tubbs Flex (teal, kinda BRIGHT). I decided on the MSR Evo Ascent in Black. I can see the benefit to a flexible tail if snow doesn't show you are stepping with your heel and to on obstacles with nothing in between. Years ago I broke a Tubb shoe that way, but used Tubbs and Atlas for many years before my brand new MSRs, used just once last Sunday. They did seem a little noisy, but I'm hard of hearing so I can't usually hear conversation as I go along anyway.