Jan 31 2009
Walking On Wide Feet—
Evaluating Redfeather® Eagle V-Tail Snowshoes
For several winters, snow conditions here in the northern Adirondacks were so appalling that snowshoeing and cross country skiing were unappealing or impossible. Hiking wasn’t much better. Intermittent warm-ups after snowy Arctic cold snaps resulted in a landscape sheathed in ice. Trails were hazardous without mountaineers’ crampons and an ice axe. Bicycling to town, on the other hand, was possible on several days of most weeks, so for exercise as well as for utility, I rode my bike as often as possible. And when I couldn’t, I fought the tendency toward ultimate spherical form by sweating on a nowhere bike or used a rowing machine.
This winter began to shape up differently, beginning in late October. While each snowstorm was followed by a warm spell that melted back the snow, that extensive expanse of slick ice of previous years never formed. I’m not complaining about the lack of ice! Back around the end of November, the long range weather prediction maps indicated conditions would be ripe for snow, snow, and more snow. Time to take out the snowshoes!
There was a problem. I’d sold the snowshoes a couple years ago because I was convinced there’d be no more use for them. Ah well, off to Campmor to see what was on offer. They had a reasonably priced pair of tubular-framed decked ’shoes for about USD110, so I placed my order. Inside the week I was inspecting my new pair of Redfeather® Eagle V-Tail 30 snowshoes. Here they are:
With their reasonable weight of about three and a half pounds, I figured they’d be light on the feet. The Eagle’s 30 inches of length and nine inches of width should provide ample flotation even when hauling a very heavy rucksack, yet they’re short enough to wade through thickets without a constant struggle. The binding looked as if it would be useable with my wide, boxy NEOS Explorer® overboots, too. Take a look at how wide an adjustment the binding offer:
The sturdy crampons should give me a grip on any slope or ice I’d be willing to traverse, also. The proof, though, would be in…
The Trial I chose for a shake-down hike a sunny morning after an overnight storm dumped a foot of fluffy snow. I can walk from my door to the trailhead in a few minutes, but wearing the ’shoes on plowed roads wasn’t appealing, even if the roads weren’t clear of snow. So I had to carry the snowshoes, and that posed a small problem. When shipped, the crampons had been covered with a thick cardboard shroud to prevent the Eagle’s talons from punching holes in everything surrounding them. But how would I safely carry the snowshoes on or in my pack? Until I can find or devise covers for them—none seem on offer from retailers and Redfeather didn’t answer my email inquiry—I’ll have no choice but to pack the ’shoes bottom-to-bottom, mating the teeth as best I can and lashing the ’shoes firmly together. It’s not an unweildy load, but I’d prefer to be able to shroud the crampons. I tucked them under my pack flap as shown here:
The day was cold enough that I didn’t want to expose my fingers to fuss with binding adjustments, and the Eagles proved easy to get into even with my hands sheathed in thick gloves. It must be said, however, that I had to remove my gloves momentarily to tuck the binding’s “tails” into the O-rings which keep them from flapping about. It would have been convenient to have adjustable buckles which could be adjusted and then unfastened to maintain the adjustment, but these threaded buckles aren’t so great a nuisance to be a put-off. The bindings accommodated my big boots without complaint:
The snowshoes are balanced so that the tails don’t kick up in normal snowshoeing. This is a very good thing. If the rear of the snowshoes lifted with each step, they’d throw snow up on the back of my legs and onto my rump with each step—this makes for chilly, and often wet, walking. There’s ample room for the boot in the cut-out of the forward decking, so the boot’s toe doesn’t bind. And the ridged heel strike plate riveted to the rear decking helps keep the boot and ’shoe aligned when they’re in contact.
Experienced snowshoers learn to straddle as they walk, but with these ’shoes you can walk almost normally. See how narrow they are:
This is a plus when you’re in thickets and also when striding forth on a wide trail, because it makes for less tiring snowshoeing, and reduces the incidence of mal de racquette. So, let’s see how the Eagles were in…
Traveling Overland The hills were blanketed in deep snow, yet the snowshoes cope very well, I’m happy to report. The bindings didn’t loosen, the footing was secure even on the steepest slopes (going up and down), and flotation was more than sufficient. I spent the morning on a photo shoot, traversing hills, streams, and tangles. No complaints! I’m happy with the Redfeather Eagle V-Tail snowshoes, and look forward to many pleasant hours in future. Almost makes me wish for another snowstorm.
