Last year, the Yeti Snowshoe from Louis Garneau received our 2013 Winter Outdoor Retailer Best in Show award. This winter we finally had the opportunity to strap them on and put them through the paces. What we discovered was the next evolutionary step in the design of snowshoes that will help get you out into the unknown winter landscapes faster and with greater ease.
On Performance and Design…
The Yeti as a high-performance snowshoe designed to float through pow and dig into steeps. It’s a lightweight all-terrain beast ready to keep you on top of winter alpine conditions.
While Louis Garneau designed this snowshoe for serious backcountry adventures, with a frame built for performance and abuse, the truly evolutionary design feature of the Yeti is the Boa Closure which is part of the Contact Pro Harness binding. It offers a customized fit, with lightweight, comfortable, on-the-fly adjustment that pushes traditional performance and fit paradigms to new limits.
The true beauty of using the BOA Closure is two fold. First, it delivers a more precise and secure fit for the snowshoe enthusiast while at the same time allowing maximum adjustability in order to accommodate most footwear types–from running shoes to snowboard boots.
Second, the system is faster than the standard strap and lash system. Anyone who’s strapped on a pair of snowshoes in frigid winter conditions knows that cold fingers are the arch nemesis of traditional binding systems. Taking time to bend down and fumble with straps while attempting to get the right fit is not only time consuming, but difficult. The Contact harness with BOA Closure offers an easy to adjust custom fit for 360-degree retention at the literal touch of a dial.
And because serious outdoor enthusiasts often have added gear in the way of backpacks, hydration, skis/snowboards it means lightweight is essential. The dial retention system alone weighs up to 80% less than traditional strapping systems. Constructed of stainless steel, this system does not absorb water which reduces the overall weight in use.
Underfoot, stainless steel crampons ensure multidirectional traction on any terrain and condition, and the free foot rotation on axle provides shock absorption and ensures an efficient stride, while the heel raiser reduces calf fatigue while climbing.
Notes from the Field…
The BOA system is as close to bullet proof as you can get, and never presented any problems in the field. However, during one summit effort we did encounter slippage while sidehilling across a steep incline. While the system offered a secure and stable fit with no slippage on descents or ascents, this incident raised concerns regarding the lightweight EVA padding on the interior of the binding system. Time will tell if the EVA padding is durable enough to withstand the abuse that comes with a lifetime of more aggressive mountain assaults.
Bottom Line…
Your winter wonderland of adventure awaits… Strap on the Yeti 825, dial in the perfect fit, and get ready to conquer some snow capped summits.
*Gumption Gear Review received a product sample of the item featured in this review from Louis Garneau at no cost, and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.