We’ve tested plenty of snowshoes with serious bite, and others that are extraordinarily comfy, but what makes the Mountaineer so impressive is how well it performed in both those categories. Thanks in part to two independent toe straps, the binding perfectly cradled every boot we jammed in it, from bulky Sorels to winterized trail runners. Strap pressure, a common annoyance with less sophisticated bindings, was practically nonexistent. Fine-tuning the fit on the fly was a cinch. And they release with one quick tug. Flip the shoe over and it’s like peering into the jaws of a great white shark, with eight incisors up front and two more rows of teeth in back, for extra traction when your heel hits the deck. “I pushed these snowshoes in seriously technical terrain,” said a tester who climbed two fourteeners in them (Mount Elbert and Quandary Peak), “and they never wavered.” 4.8 lbs;
GRIP: 4.5 (out of 5)
COMFORT: 4.5
EASE OF USE: 4