User Review: MSR Men's Lightning Ascent

Summary

MSR Lightning Ascent 30” snowshoes, a very good snowshoe with some unique features.

MSR Lightning Ascent 30" snowshoes

Period of use: 1½ winters.

For a 30" snowshoe it seems to have typical 30" snowshoe floatation.  :-)

It is about average in weight and has a narrow shape which makes for a nice walking stride with minimal metal to metal hits. I do prefer a snowshoe with a higher “round-up” in the nose of the snowshoe.

The pair I have is quiet, with minimal creeks and squeaks. Durability seems great, a slight loss of black paint here and there and one of the plastic strap clips broke. I have just ordered a MSR snowshoe repair kit ($15) that includes a bunch of pins, nuts, washers and a few replacement plastic strap clips.

The 5" tail extenders have been somewhat disappointing, I did not feel like it improved the floatation to that of a 36" snowshoe. But they do attach easily and never came loose.

The Lightning Ascents have very good maneuverability and excellent “side-hilling” control.

The MSR snowshoe binding has four straps, with three across the front and one around the heel.  It’s easy enough to strap into and it makes a very secure hold to the boot that goes all day without loosening.  Though the binding strap ends do tend to come loose and flop around a bit (not a deal breaker).

The traction is at the top of all the snowshoes I have used. Sometimes the extreme grip around the circumference of the snowshoe creates a little more drag than I like.  In wet packy snow I will sometimes pickup snow clods in the bottom of the shoe.
I don’t use it a lot, but the ascent heel bail works like a charm and is a useful feature on the very steep trails.

Great engineering and American made!

The MSR Lightning Ascents are my choice when the snow has settled some, there is going to be a bunch of icy going, or the terrain has some very steep stretches.