I’ve owned a pair of MSR Denali snowshoes for many years now, and I’ve been nothing but happy with them. They have amazing bindings with rubber straps that are easy to get on and off any boot, and most importantly they never loosen or slip off. The platforms are made of rigid plastic, so there’s no danger of a sharp rock or stick damaging them.
One downside to this design is that it does tend to amplify the crunch of hardpacked snow underfoot. But noise is an issue of all snowshoes on hardpack, it's just a matter of degree. And of course in soft snow or powder, they are silent.
Owning snowshoes might seem like an unnecessary, extravagant purchase, but it’s not much different than owning skis or a snowboard. You are more likely to go snowshoeing if you don’t have to deal with the hassle of rentals. And after not more than ten uses, you’ve made up the cost of the rentals.
If you do end up getting snowshoes, I highly recommend you get poles too. Snow has a wide variety of properties, and can be very fluid and unpredictable. Without the help of poles for balance, you will get very tired very quickly, especially with a 40+ lb pack on your back. The first time I did a serious snowshoe backpacking trip without poles, I remember falling into a post hole on the downhill side of a traverse less than ½ mile from the camp. I just sat there, exhausted and unable to move for several minutes before dragging my self on to finish the hike. That was probably the most tired I’ve ever been on a hiking trip. Never again without poles.
Get MSR Denali snowshoes from Amazon
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