Whether you’re looking to explore local snowy trails or hike into the powder-filled backcountry, snowshoes are the answer. As technology continues to evolve, winter exploration opportunities continue to expand. And while we’re excited to see so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose a pair of good snowshoes, especially when you can’t strap them on and take them for a test drive.

Since 2021, our team of intrepid powderhounds has been seeking out and testing the best snowshoes on the market for this comprehensive guide. We’ve narrowed down the field and found the best snowshoes on the market. While testing, we looked for durability, ease of use, packability, and comfort. We also paid attention to the overall value and extra features available.

And while there isn’t a single pair of snowshoes that’s best for everyone, we’ve broken the list into helpful categories to help you find the best fit. If you need more help deciding, be sure to check out the comparison table, buyer’s guide, and FAQ at the end of this article.

Editor’s note: For our November 9, 2023 update, we’ve added some enlightening info concerning how and where we test these useful tools for winter access and highlighted a few models in our buyer’s guide for their best applications. Whether you’re looking to put a lot of miles behind you or just get around your property in the snow, you’ll find something that works here.

The Best Snowshoes of 2023-2024

Snowshoes Comparison Chart

How We Tested Snowshoes

Snowshoes are a convenient and accessible way to travel across snow, whether you’re breaking trail to the fishing hut or just to the mailbox. While the excitement and efficiency of skiing will always be our favorite way to recreate in the snow, there’s something to be said for the ease of lacing up some comfy boots, strapping on some snowshoes, and enjoying the quiet of a winter wonderland.

This guide is for the recreational snowshoer (most of us) who needs a reliable pair that will last season after season. With that in mind, we considered comfort, how easy and accommodating the bindings are to different boot sizes, float, and durability. Additionally, you’ll find a few sporty selections in our list for folks looking to move a bit faster on their snowshoes and enjoy some winter cardio.

With a team dispersed across Colorado and Minnesota, we have a lot of winter-loving testers who use snow shoes on a regular basis. Each year, our team converges in the mountain town of Crested Butte, Colo., for a late winter/early spring week of gear testing. During this time we’re able to compare notes and swap snowshoes for side-by-side comparisons.

Coloradans Mary Murphy and Sean McCoy, along with Austin Beck-Doss from snowy Wyoming, have hiked in these snow shoes over flat and steep terrain, noting the effectiveness of the heel risers and the comfort of the bindings of each pair to ensure this guide has solid recommendations. Since the winter of 2020-2021, the team has been testing snowshoes, keeping an eye on new emerging designs, and making sure to reevaluate our old favorites when they receive design updates. Check out our guides about Winter Boots and Winter Hiking Boots for the perfect footwear to pair with your snowshoes.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Snowshoes

When trying to decide what snowshoes will fit your lifestyle best, there are plenty of things to keep in mind. This buyer’s guide includes all the information you will need to identify the right pair.

Sizing

For proper snowshoe sizing, you need to consider both the maximum load on your snowshoes (your body weight plus the gear you’re carrying) and the type of terrain you’ll be navigating.

Check the specs of the snowshoes. They will list a “maximum recommended load” and the recommended type of terrain. If you’re only taking day trips, the max load should be around 20 pounds above your body weight. For overnight trips or mountaineering, it would be 30-60 pounds more than your body weight to accommodate your pack.

For the length, a longer snowshoe makes it easier to travel through powder because there’s a larger surface area. However, a longer snowshoe is more challenging to take up and down steep terrain. If you expect to travel on hardpacked snow in mostly flat terrain, a shorter snowshoe will do just fine.

Bindings

When snowshoe bindings are challenging to get in and out of, or they don’t stay tightened in place, a peaceful adventure can quickly turn into a frustrating experience. Most snowshoe binding systems are a rotating or floating model, meaning they move separately from the frame of your snowshoe. Running snowshoes tend to have a single flank to reduce the shoe’s flapping and increase cushioning and quietness.

The three main strap materials are made of either nylon, rubber, or cable lace. They’re formatted in a system of either straight straps, ratchet straps, pull webbing, or a BOA system.

The pull webbing and the BOA cable lace bindings both provide a snug and secure fit, as well as a quick and easy in and out of your snowshoes. (Snowshoes themselves are also made of different materials, but the most common are made of some sort of hardened plastic with carbon, steel, or aluminum.)

Traction & Heel Risers

Under the snowshoes, you’ll see the traction, which ranges from similar to a winter hiking shoe to the sharp teeth of a crampon for mountaineering. Running snowshoes are mostly foam and rubber with a few metal studs for traction. Others will have steel crampons underfoot (toe and heel), some with the addition of side traction along the frame. The Crescent Moon EVA Snowshoes are an exception here, employing 6 ice spikes for additional traction. While these can’t compete with crampons in terms of bite, they’ll keep you on your feet during jaunts on flat terrain, and their simplicity can’t be beat.

This traction is crucial for any icy conditions or inclines. I’ve managed fine with just the toe and heel crampons, but the side traction is especially vital for traversing.

Heel risers are a key feature if you plan to do any ascents up steep terrain. Trying to snowshoe uphill without heel risers will result in immediate calf fatigue. You may think that hiking sideways up an incline to create switchbacks is a solution, but trust me, this is awkward unless there’s an established flat trail of switchbacks. Technical snowshoes like the MSR Lightning Ascent and the Atlas Montane are equipped with heel risers and lighter, less expensive models like the Crescent Moon EVA Snowshoes do without. If you’re only planning to be walking on flat terrain with your snowshoes, risers aren’t necessary.

Poles

Snowshoeing without poles is possible but awkward, especially when traveling through deep powder or on a steep incline. The most important feature of snowshoe poles is the basket — the circular piece about 2 inches above the spike that stabs into the ground. Many trekking poles used for hiking come with baskets, but they’re often not made for light, fluffy, thick snow.

Ski poles will have a large enough basket, but the poles you use to ski may not be the correct height for you to snowshoe. The best option is to purchase trekking poles for use while hiking or backpacking. You can also purchase the additional snow basket to swap onto the pole during the winter.

Frequently Asked Questions