inflatable snowshoes

SRXSRULE · Dec 9, 2012

Anyone that has ever had to walk out knows how a pair of snowshoes can be a lifesaver. I curerently have a small, standard pair of snowshoes and would love to replace them with something compact but usable. I came across these and Im thinking about buying them.

Anyone have these, used them or seen them? Good, bad, OK? Thanks Eric

http://www.airlitesnowshoe.com/

makaio · Dec 9, 2012

Haven't tried them yet but I've been thinking about replacing my standard MSR's with them. I too carry snow shoes when it's really deep just as a precaution.

Coldfinger · Dec 9, 2012

Looks interesting. I'm only wondering what keeps them from buckling in the middle when walking thru deep snow. Maybe I didn't read far enough.

SRXSRULE · Dec 9, 2012

Coldfinger said:
Looks interesting. I'm only wondering what keeps them from buckling in the middle when walking thru deep snow. Maybe I didn't read far enough.

After you blow them up by mouth, you use a hand pump or the co2 option to get the pressure up high enough to hold there shape.
Cant find much info out there on them. Says they were designed by sledders. Eric

jdubu · Dec 9, 2012

I had to walk out last year. After that experience I went on a mission to find some sort of collapsible snowshoe. What I found was the airlite inflatable snowshoe. Between my riding buddies and myself, we bought 4 pairs.

They really are a great invention. They inflate very, very firm so buckling is not a problem. Plus the surface area on the snow is huge...floats you on powder. I have some snowshoes that work ok on hardpack or trails, but venture into virgin powder and you are post-holing.

I hope to never use them, but I think they are a great addition to my emergency/survival tools.

SRXSRULE · Dec 9, 2012

jdubu said:
I had to walk out last year. After that experience I went on a mission to find some sort of collapsible snowshoe. What I found was the airlite inflatable snowshoe. Between my riding buddies and myself, we bought 4 pairs.

They really are a great invention. They inflate very, very firm so buckling is not a problem. Plus the surface area on the snow is huge...floats you on powder. I have some snowshoes that work ok on hardpack or trails, but venture into virgin powder and you are post-holing.

I hope to never use them, but I think they are a great addition to my emergency/survival tools.

Good to hear. Did you buy the option crampons also? Eric

Scott · Dec 10, 2012

That's a good idea.

On the flip side, the only people that have to walk out are the ones who ride alone. Never ride alone. LOL

SRXSRULE · Dec 10, 2012

Scott said:
That's a good idea.

On the flip side, the only people that have to walk out are the ones who ride alone. Never ride alone. LOL

Not sure how you came up with that idea? The time I walked out there was 4 of us, Didnt have anything to do with riding alone. Eric

Scott · Dec 10, 2012

SRXSRULE said:
Not sure how you came up with that idea? The time I walked out there was 4 of us, Didnt have anything to do with riding alone. Eric

Help me understand...they couldn't give you a ride?
Were all 4 of you stuck?

SRXSRULE · Dec 11, 2012

Scott said:
Help me understand...they couldn't give you a ride?
Were all 4 of you stuck?

We werent stuck, but we werent able to ride out of the drainage that we dropped into due to conditions. 4 guys with ~100yrs combinded riding exp doing what when have done many times before. This time we failed. Live, learn, and prepare better for the next time. Eric

Scott · Dec 11, 2012

Gotcha.

Yeah, if I was trapped or stuck down in a drainage and had nobody to give a ride out, I'd want shoes too.

oldnslow · Dec 12, 2012

Two of us one on a rev 151 one on an M7 got low, snow got warm, and turned to absolute mush walked out.
Rode back in double on a Panther next morning when it cooled down and rode the sleds and the Panther right out!

I've been riding in the mountains since 1967.

Bill

Jeff C · Dec 12, 2012

Inflatable snowshoes are much like inflatable blow up dolls. Sure, both work in a pinch, but they both leave you feeling like you missed out on something..

inflatable snowshoes

SRXSRULE

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