Do you need expensive snowshoes? (Go2gether snowshoe review)

[@kaiki8318]

I'm glad that you took the time to review a more budget friendly entry snowshoe. Your honesty in the practical usage in comparison to MSRs was refreshing because as a novice I would heavily weigh your thoughts. I could not think of anything worse than utilizing a piece of gear that was not properly paired for the task because of my lack of experience.

[@HeatherHalavais]

I love the falls and the table games and the bourbon! 😃

[@WindCat64]

Sounds like a pretty good deal for someome that would not go snowshoeing very often. You having a lot more experience with it may notice the difference, but speaking about money the difference is also significant and could mean a good saving for tourists. Thanks for showing it to us!

[@michaelsmith7193]

Really interesting review! While I’m “too long in the tooth” to consider taking up snowshoeing, I greatly enjoyed the winter outing you shared with us … and, oh, that waterfall! Many thanks!

[@eamonsrockymountainadventu2296]

Man, I used to hate snowshoeing with a passion. I was impatient so I would trip a lot and I thought of them as a necessary evil for winter mountain hiking. This year though, I went back in a mountain pass at around 1750m, with 5 feet of snow pack, and 6inches of powder on top, and untouched by any other hikers and it was the most wonderful snowshoeing experience ever. I did some mods to the binding on the fly which helped too but that trip was snowshoeing' redemption arc for me. I've gone out 2 other times since then and I'm planning a short day hike to summit a local hill this week just so I can snowshoe a bit more before the snow starts getting really wet. Love your videos keep em coming. I'm a bit jealous of that beautiful terrain.

[@GoNorthJapan]

Snowshoeing can definitely be a lot of fun... or also a slog depending on a number of factors I guess! Sounds like a great day!

[@jimdoner3443]

I just bought a set at costco today Alptrek... pro 930 , came with lots of awesome features, and only 74.99 here in Michigan. Seemed fine to this begginer, and I wore a small backpack

[@3tacoman]

Wow great hike and awesome water fall 🤌🏼😎🔥

[@VerhoevenSimon]

Thank you for your insights, to me as a casual walker this is a lot more interesting than all the +200 EUR reviews.

[@christyph3382]

California had some great winter storms, leaving a lot of snow on our local mountains surrounding Los Angeles County. I need some snowshoes. Hiking through deep, powered snow with my mountaineering boots, crampons/microspikes was a bit challenging. Thanks for sharing. I am still deciding on MSR. I am heading to Mammoth, CA, for snowshoeing and skiing in March. I love winter hiking.

[@anniinthewoods8287]

I work as a snowshoe guide. We got around 45 pairs of TSL and Tubbs. TSL last the longest, Tubbs break after a couple of years but we need their larger models for taller, heavier people. Tubb journey 30 or 36 are nice and stable, like a platform. I tried one MSR model but that snowshoe had the skin hung so flexibly that there was no platform effect so I returned them. I am sure it is a great model for a different purpose like climbing up rocky, snowy slopes in the alps. I don't like it for deep powder. Personally, I use Tubbs journey and use gorilla tape to protect the places where the skin is hung plus the outer brim. The tape sheds after 1-2 winters from ice contact but I rather renew the tape instead of buying new shnowshoes. Binding: TSL is fiddlier but never fails. Tubvs is for lazy people but gets loose after around 8-10 yrs in my experience

[@anniinthewoods8287]

Forgot to mention that all of of our 8-10yr old Tubbs models have at least one broken crampon. One pair broke exactly under my boot in deep snow. I could tie it with rope to get back home. The TSLs show very little sign of use. I had to sew a strap with the sewing machine but otherwise nothing. Pricewise, TSL used to be around 1600 SEK, Tubbs journey ca 2500-2900 SEK. So for small, light weight people I recommend TSL

[@jayphillips4942]

After hiking through the AZ mountains I could have used a pair of those!!! Thanks for the review! As always a great video!

[@caviesrule4445]

Those snowy trails look so gorgeous! Makes me want to go hike. I can't at the moment, but watching this from my spinning bike. Thanks for another great video Quinlan.

[@Shiraanri]

Loved the cool super hero pose at the end 😄💪

[@Epscillion]

Thanks!

[@GoNorthJapan]

Thank you!!

[@SkinnyTrails]

My go to snowshoes are also Ascent Snowshoes (various sizes for different snow conditions and to accommodate the weight of my backpack), but I find great deals at Costco, end of the season sales, and used rental end of season sales. I have 7 pair so I can invite people to come along. If you love nature and solitude, snowshoeing is the best.

[@GoNorthJapan]

Definitely! Agreed!

[@James-ke5sx]

I got MSR Evo accent, bag and poles were extra. Your set was all included. Nice.

[@GoNorthJapan]

But MSR Evo ascent are objectively waaay better!

[@LovelyPariah]

Never done snowshoeing before, but this looks so much fun!

[@manfredmarschik]

Danke!

[@GoNorthJapan]

Thank you so much!

[@Slewenski]

well the snow snowed you in quite well in the end a bit longer and you could've posed on top of one of those signs as snowman, too XD nice video, the thing with the batteries in the cold really is a bummer

[@s.porter8646]

We're going to Hokkaido in Feb, live in YOKOSUKA, we run a lot, looking at the cheaper 100 dollar pair

[@sethusk]

Nice review. I'm usually happy with products that I can't find any complaints with.

[@etherdog]

Good, honest review, Quinlan! Do you know what the resale value of these two snowshoes might be and how easy it might be to find them used?

[@GoNorthJapan]

In Japan you can buy them on mercari and other apps like that where people sell used things. Prices vary, but you can generally get a good deal!

[@AJShiningThreads]

Oooh! I like product reviews!

[@s0l0poly71]

It will be cool if you showed traditional Japanese kanjiki snow shoes and other Japanese mountain gear. I’ve seen some displayed at hotels in ski resorts.

[@GoNorthJapan]

Yeah, I've been kind of curious about those, but never used them before...

[@flavorhostage]

I think this is why we always rented snowshoes in Oregon (not that I've done it in 40 years). Let someone else maintain them and store them during the summer.

[@jayj.manalo2271]

I was hoping you would mention wakan in the video haha

[@ouagadougou62]

I have a pair that cost about $150, even without a hill riser, they are fine going on flat terrain or uphill. The trouble is going downhill. They slip easily, unlike skis or snowboard, you can't control them and you never know if they will slip or not. There doesn't seem to be many options between $150 and $400-$500 which is steep (pun intended) for snowshoes.

[@JarodColdbreak]

Got really excited when you said you heard something. But dude branches and trees moving together can make such strange noises. Heard it a lot around Goishi Kaigan. I also heard they can cause fires in the summer. Anyway, nice snow shoes. Now I can bug you to let me go with you ;)

[@Nynke_K]

I got excited too! But then when I heard it and recognised the sound, I wasn't :)

[@Epscillion]

I've never used snowshoes but this looks like fun! I wanted to ask you what were those leafy green plants on the ground around the trail? I'm surprised you still have green vegetation like that in winter! Also, do you have to watch out for bears much in winter? I figured they'd be hibernating but I'm curious if they do come out. Thanks so much and looking forward to your next video!

[@GoNorthJapan]

It is fun! I think you're talking about the bamboo grass then? It doesn't thrive in the winter, but doesn't get completely covered in snow until January usually. Bears should be hibernating, but once in a while there seems to be one that doesn't follow the rules. Generally speaking you don't have to worry about them at all by late December though. Thanks!!

[@Epscillion]

@@GoNorthJapan Thank you for answering my questions! I love plants and Japan has so many unique kinds. Maybe in the spring you could show us some plants and flowers that bloom in your area. Stay warm out there!

[@rockytopwrangler2069]

...Don't know of Japan's pricing,, but I've never seen a $400 pair of snowshoes ..... I have snowshoed for about 45-50 years and the best snowshoes are the early models of shaped wood with gut webbing give much better floatation over deep snow .... since the '70's , high tech materials have taken the place of many products and snowshoes are just one .... My last purchase and current snow snowshoes are Atlas bought in late '70's ,, and other than a little maintenance still work fine .... since then the bindings designs have many different features , some easier to use than others ... but plastics have a pro and con ... .. Lots of 2nd hand snowshoes on sale sights , many have never seen snow ... and most under $100.00 ,, with many pairs around $50-$60 ,, like new ......... I bought a short pair for trail hiking from a sporting goods store as a spring close-out for $20.00 new .... .... Proper snow baskets on your trekking poles would be a huge plus on support .. most pole brands have threaded options ...

[@Nynke_K]

This was very educational! But can you explain why you think the snowshoes with rounded tips will get stuck on inclines more easily? Is it just because the tips are a little narrower and so they'll behave like the bow of a boat or a snowplough?

[@GoNorthJapan]

It's not that they get stuck, but rather that you're more likely to slip down a slope if you're walking sideways across it. With the MSR the edges are flat and sharp, so you bite into the snow whether you're walking up the slope, or sideways along it. Not so with the round ones.

[@richardkandalec8442]

Wondering why you are not using the snow baskets on your poles? Also, most lower priced snowshoes will not have heel risers. I have used multiple brands that do not have them.

[@GoNorthJapan]

I know right??! Yeah- they somehow spaced including them... so I just was miming having them on, LOL

[@bickayer]

These snow shoes failed me on my 1st hike in the white mountains. The rear crampon broke off

[@larsthorwald3338]

There's a bit of a contradiction between the two opening statements: 1. "I've received a pair of snowshoes for this review" 2. "I've not been paid for this review." ...btw, I'm sure they're great for groomed trail, but gimme a week of back country side-hilling and off-trail thrashing to break those cheapos.

[@GoNorthJapan]

I hear what you're saying. I didn't see it as a contradiction as I received the snowshoes for review, but with no obligation or incentive to make it a positive review. And as you said, they're cheap ones... so hardly a payment... right?? But sure- I guess one could argue that if you gave a very negative review you'd be less likely to receive products for review in the future? Or at least one might be afraid of that and thus be more likely to positive review something. In any case, I was being sincere, though as you say, after a week of hard trails perhaps these would fall apart, I use my MSR Lightning Ascent for all my real winter mountain hikes. Thanks for watching!

[@martinjcamp]

His 'free review' could easily have been bad - for a no-good product, right??.

[@abrahamhernandez7782]

👍👍