Tubbs FLEX VRT Snowshoe

Tubbs is perhaps the most highly respected brand in snowshoes, and their Women’s FLEX VRT Snowshoe is part of the reason they’ll stay there.

The FLEX VRT is aimed at backcountry snowshoeing, though they can certainly be used in less extreme situations, too. They’re outfitted with a pretty intense Vipe 2.0 carbon steel-toe crampon for incredible traction on packed snow, slopes and slick ice without any effort from the user — in fact, the snowshoes provide such great traction you can probably do without poles.

Another great feature is the binding system, a new DynamicFit binding with the Boa Closure System. The straightforward closure system involves a dial that can easily be tightened to fit your boot. It takes a little practice to get the fit just right, though, and the binding isn’t easily adjusted if it needs to be loosened. To do so, you have to pull up on the dial and wiggle your foot, which loosens the bindings. That makes it a bit tough to arrive at the perfect tightness, but with a few tries you’ll probably perfect the tightness off the bat. The best way to work around this initially is to err on the looser side, because the bindings are easy to tighten, even with gloves on.

The FLEX VRT also includes a FLEX Tail design that effectively limits the stress on your joints. Cheaper, low-end snowshoes are made of tough plastic that smacks hard against your feet; the longer you hike, the more it hurts. But these snowshoes mercifully buck that trend, with just enough give that they’re sturdy and stable but also comfortable. They’re also narrow enough that you won’t find them rubbing together often — and you won’t trip over yourself — but still wide enough to distribute your weight so you float above the snow.

Learn more at tubsssnowshoes.com.