Tubbs Wilderness Series

Summary

Good all-around snowshoe that's worked well for me on both gentle terrain and in the backcountry. The bindings are easy to use and the crampons provide adequate traction on hard packed snow.

I bought these snowshoes around Christmas and used them through the 3-month winter hiking season. I found that they performed well in a variety of environments, from powder snow on level trails to steeper, icy uphills.

Although they don't have the traction as some of the "alpine" models, they worked well for me in the backcountry on steep slopes. The heel-lifters are fairly easy to snap up and really help with long climbs. The bindings are easy to adjust, but did seem to loosen a bit (and need readjusting) after lengthy up and downhill hiking. 

If you're planning to use these in the backcountry, one drawback is the fairly flimsy deck material. Something more ridgid would work better for rough terrain with a lot of elevation changes. Mine are still holding up fine after a season of use (including four backcountry trips), but I'm not sure how they'll hold up over multiple seasons.

Overall though, these snowshoes do a lot for the price.

I have been using snowshoes for over 30 years. I have used traditional wood and gut, military, and more recently the modern metal and plastic (by Tubbs). My last pair of Tubbs lasted about 5 years. The frame and decking held out but the pivot and binding eventually broke.

I requested the manufactures send me a pivot and a couple of new bindings. However, the old Tubbs which were made in the USA are now manufatured in China. Instead they took my old pair and sent a new pair of Wilderness Tubbs — what a dissapointment.

The frame is of thinner tubbing, and has a join hidden under a section of the decking — a weak spot. The decking, although not as noisy on crusty snow — is so thin you can cut it with scissors — or have it punctured by a beaver stick. The binding has hinge rachets, and small plastic snaps that are weak and could easily fail in cold weather or stiff hands.

In short, Tubbs are not what they used to be. The new models function well, but are not robust enough for serious use. I wouldn't expect their design and material to last more than two winters.

I won these snowshoes in a raffle. I had done a few snowshoeing hikes, mostly on flat terrain up to that point. With the first time out I noticed a huge difference in older and cheaper models. They are lightweight and after a few minutes of getting used to them they are extremely easy to use. The grip and stability is incredible. I like these so much that I bought my wife the women's Wilderness snowshoe. She wasn't very keen on snowshoeing but with these she has grown almost a greater interest in the sport than I have. These are a definitely a must-have. Tubbs has won themselves a customer for life.