Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby north-north-west » Thu 28 Jul, 2011 7:26 pm

alliecat wrote:Haven't tried them in deep powder (pretty unlikely in Tas...) but on mixed snow and ice, the Yowies were fantastic.

In my experience Yowies aren't the best in powder. Not that they don't keep you up out of it, but the cleats clog up very, VERY quickly, and the stuff tends to spill onto the top and settle there. They get heavy and awkward in a very short distance.
It's the only drawback to the things though, if your joints don't mind the width of the stride necessary to walk in them.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby TerraMer » Tue 19 Jun, 2012 7:33 pm

Crescent Moon are my preference. The weight balance, binding position and binding system feels great, even with a loaded pack for multi day trips. I find the binding system to be the easiest and most reliable of all the snowshoes I have tried. The shape is good for most Australian snow conditions, not too wide so gait isn't too awkward over long distances and prevents pain in the hips at the end of a big day.
Anyone else use Crescent Moon?
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby andrewbish » Sat 13 Oct, 2012 10:51 pm

I bought my Yowies second hand last year and have now used them for winter hikes last year at Mt Bogong (5 days - firm snow), Mt St Gwinear (2 days - firm to soft snow) and Mt Stirling (2 days - firm snow), and this year at Mt Clear (3 days - deep, soft snow), and Mt Feathertop (4 days - deep, soft snow).

My general view of them is that they are better than having no snow shoes at all (less post-holing in soft snow, better traction in hard snow), but have definite weaknesses:

- the cleats (ball of foot location) clog up with snow quickly and can be fiddly to clear
- snow tends to gather on the toe area
- they are wide, requiring a change in gait ie. circular motion
- the fixed rear heel tends to cause blistering
- they are only adequate at flotation on soft snow (My feet frequently sank 6-12" during the last 2 hikes)
- they have limited traction on harder snow when the slope is steeper (I had trouble getting the Yowies to grip as I summited Mt Bogong)
- the velcro binds do not cope well with shear forces on steeper slopes ie. the feet slide in the direction of the slope, straining the bindings - I had a lot of trouble on my last two hikes with the Yowies coming off
- snow gets into the velcro bindings, weakening them and exacerbating the above problems.

I am keen to hear from anyone who can recommend a snow shoe that
- performs well in soft and firm snow
- can handle steep inclines, declines and traverses

-
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Craig D » Sun 14 Oct, 2012 6:05 am

Andrew, your experience with Yowies mirrors my observations of Yowie users over the years. Sure, some people love them, but the majority (60%+) are unimpressed. IMO they are best suited for getting around a ski resort whilst staying at a lodge and short jaunts around Lake Mountain rather than backcountry travel.

If I were to buy another pair of snowshoes it would be a toss up between two models:-

1) MSR Lightning Ascent
2) Atlas 12

The MSR Lightning Ascent has the best performance and provides the most traction of any snowshoe on the market. The Atlas shoes are the most comfortable, especially when traversing, due to the unique rubber-band type of binding pivot.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Nuts » Sun 14 Oct, 2012 6:12 am

You do need to get the bindings Very tight. Do you have plastic covers over the cleats Andrew?
MSR are preferred by S&R/ Parks etc down here. They are easier to use, heavier and more awkward to carry.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby andrewbish » Sun 14 Oct, 2012 6:42 am

Nuts wrote: .. Do you have plastic covers over the cleats Andrew?


Hi Nuts. No I don't.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Moondog55 » Sun 14 Oct, 2012 8:23 am

I noticed that this year my own snowshoes tended to pick-up a load of snow on the crampons, I had forgotten to spray them with cooking oil this year. A little vegetable oil works wonders on most polymer membranes and aluminium crampons
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Nuts » Sun 14 Oct, 2012 7:17 pm

andrewbish wrote:
Nuts wrote: .. Do you have plastic covers over the cleats Andrew?


Hi Nuts. No I don't.


My first set didn't have either. They do help ....some:
IMG_0491.jpg


If you can't get them tight enough try adding instep side strap. They aren't brilliant cross slope and are limited uphill but much better if you can stop them slipping around.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby ninjapuppet » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 6:22 am

Looks like this bloke used yowies for some amazing effect

https://sftimes.co/?id=132&src=share_fb_new_132


Image
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby DarrenM » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 8:16 am

Finally a good use for yowies! Amazing art.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Nuts » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 12:17 pm

His art Is pretty amazing. I'd imagine he needs to pick the weather for snow storms. (ps. the lion vid from that link is worth a look too, people never cease to amaze me)
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby nq111 » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 1:29 pm

ninjapuppet wrote:Looks like this bloke used yowies for some amazing effect]


Looks more like the work of extra terrestrials to me? There is only so far an artistic alien can go in cornfields.

:D
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Moondog55 » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 4:12 pm

For anybody who uses snowshoes packing a pair of figles is often worthwhile for the trip back down the slope, you just have to pick a ski binding that works with your ordinary boots
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby icefest » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 5:20 pm

Moondog55 wrote:For anybody who uses snowshoes packing a pair of figles is often worthwhile for the trip back down the slope, you just have to pick a ski binding that works with your ordinary boots

I don't know what a figle is. :s

Not even the internet was able to help me: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figle
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Giddy_up » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 5:41 pm

I just did a search for pictures of a figle and the results where interesting to say the least !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Bluegum Mic » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 7:19 pm

Moondog have you ever ridden a figl. How do they handle. I've ridden snowblades many years ago and they were crazy. Fast, tight turns with scarily lack of a good egde. Mind you I was riging them around the whole resort vs using them to get down a slope. Would you carry both them and a snowshoe?
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Giddy_up » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 7:25 pm

For those who didn't know, here are some Figl.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... odelle.JPG
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Moondog55 » Sun 09 Mar, 2014 9:22 pm

Yep and tight fast turns about describes it, I prefer snowblades as they are easier on the knees. In mountainous areas I'd carry both but probable not needed here, they are simply great fun. Just get an old set of kids racing skis and cut them off behind the binding also note the work best on hard old snow NOT POWDER
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby icefest » Mon 10 Mar, 2014 12:01 pm

I read the wiki http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firngleiter (Google translate if you don't understand German).

The technique sounds very similar to the technique used for stand-up glissading. They just look like they have a lot more control. I'm not sure if I would use them though :S
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby Moondog55 » Mon 10 Mar, 2014 12:18 pm

You should try it, can be great fun. The bigger. taller and stiffer the boot the better control you have of course
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby FootTrack » Fri 23 May, 2014 7:04 pm

Hi folks. Looking at buying myself a pair of snowshoes soon...I notice a few people on different threads have said that a smaller shoe is generally better for Australian snow. Has anyone owned the Tubbs Flex ALP snowshoe? http://tubbssnowshoes.com/snowshoes/fle ... o-top-link I saw a few comments in the review section of this site that said these shoes were not recommended for deep powder. Would that rule these out for where we live? Or is deep powder a lot fluffier overseas? Also, it says the upper weight range for the XL version is 100 kg...I presume once I put a winter pack on I might be coming very close to this given my 75 kg weight?
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby LuxLuthor05 » Fri 26 May, 2017 11:55 am

[quote="sthughes] In open terrain I reckon traditional shoes would be better, but on most tracks I walk on they would be a pain in the butt with not being able to easily go backwards and sideways etc.
I do find the fixed heel on Yowies can lead to heel blisters, so I'd recommend taping up.[/quote]

Time to revive this thread!

I have spoken to Pete from Yowie, however the website has not been modified at all since 2012.... Has anybody bought yowies recently and can vouch for the company? I have bought from small companies before and been screwed over despite doing all the checks...
Also, are your blister issues related to the current model? I am buying for both my partner and I, with Overland in mind, and don't want to risk blisters unnecessarily.
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Re: Snow Shoes for Australian conditions

Postby ChrisJHC » Fri 26 May, 2017 1:54 pm

I tried the ALP snowshoe but found they always wanted to go left!


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