With all this talk of snowshoeing lately, it seemed appropriate to me that this month’s spotlight on a piece of gear should shine on a pair of snowshoes. Unlike backpacks, sleeping bags, or hiking boots, snowshoes aren’t a piece of gear commonly used by all outdoorsmen. Because of this, the average outdoor enthusiast won’t have a solid preexisting knowledge that will help them choose a quality pair. No worries; that’s why we offer gear reviews. If you’ve been out in the snow a few times and decided that it’s time to buy a pair of snowshoes of your own, then you might want to Gear Up with the Quicksilver snowshoe, made by Northern Lites.
The Quicksilver is a streamlined, lightweight snowshoe designed for the recreational snowshoer who doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles and wants to trim a little weight during their winter treks. In fact, the Quicksilver is half the weight of the majority of snowshoes on the market today (just over two pounds).
Not only is the Quicksilver light, but it’s functional, as well, serving as an exceptional shoe in rolling terrain. It also offers excellent grip in late winter months, when a rise in temperatures may cause unstable conditions. The performance of the Quicksilver does leave a little something to be desired on steeper, more demanding terrain, though, so it wouldn’t be ideal for the more serious, adventurous outdoorsman.
The Quicksilver offers an easy-to-use, lightweight binding system consisting of three rubber straps across the forefoot and a nylon webbing heel strap. Along with the standard forefoot and heel crampons, the clips that attach the decking to the frames have teeth on the bottom, which helps when sidehilling.
Northern Lites’ Quicksilver is available in 25-inch and 30-inch styles, which cost $189 and $199, respectively.
Not everyone is ready to drop a few hundred dollars on a pair of snowshoes, but those who have given it a try and want to make it a regular part of their outdoor experiences in the winter will find the Quicksilvers to be a quality, lightweight option for average terrain.
