1. Atlas’s signature Spring-Loaded Suspension helps underfoot crampons bite into hard snow and ice for maximum traction. Offset rows of aggressive teeth have exceptional lateral stability and grip to keep you from sliding sideways while traversing. During a heinous descent of Vermont’s exposed Sunset Ridge Trail—a mix of rock, ice, and snow—these snowshoes always felt secure.
2. Say goodbye to annoying shin bang. The suspension encourages forward momentum for a natural, smooth stride and allows you to back up without burying your tails. It also reduces both shoe drag and snow kick-up. The binding’s auto-locking straps tighten or release with one finger: In Canada’s Selkirks, we were able to adjust binding tension without taking our gloves off.
3. It’s built to last. The Duratek decking (read: lightweight and bulletproof plastic) was unfazed by rocky stretches of trail. The aluminum frame is elliptical, shaped for maximum stiffness at the lightest possible weight. Components and deck rigging are indestructible. And the sturdy quick-flip heel lift locks securely up for climbing and flips down easily—it never jammed.
4.1 lbs; 25″, 30″, 35″; atlassnowshoes.com