Used for work and play, all types of terrain and snow. These bright shoes have never failed me. Great bindings for a wide size of boots. For extreme side hills or ice condition, could use more crampons. Decking is very tough and resistant to snow sticking. Super light, great to have on late season hikes.

Customer Service

have had no need for service

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redfeather, crescent moon

I've owned a pair of the Mountain Lites Backcountry shoes (identical to the Rescue except for color) for over ten years. Despite the fact that some online reviewers have expressed reservations about these shoes on steep slopes, I regularly climb steep pitches, negotiate ledges, glissade through deep snow (and occasionally plunge head over heels when being a little careless)! With a little technique (and many snowshoers are not strong in this regard), if it can be climbed in snowshoes you can climb it in Mountain Lites. At this point, my shoes are starting to show some frame scoring, but I'd say they are still good for a few more seasons. The design of the shoe has changed a little over the years. Mine have a fairly long tail (based, I think, on the Michigan style), which makes controlled descents in deep powder chutes very easy. The newer shoes still have a tail, but it is a little wider. I'm sure it performs well although my preference is for the older style.

Customer Service

Extremely good. At various times Northern Lites have (quickly) fixed a broken tail pin, a snapped crampon and an area of the binding that was showing some stitching problems. Given the level of use, all of these problems were reasonable. My one caveat is that I have offered to pay to have the shoes completely refurbished annually on a preemptive basis and they aren't set up to do this.

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36" Havlick Adorondack II shoe (for deep powder) Grivel Violino for intermittent crampon/snowshoe ascents (stretches of alternate ice and snow)

These are one revolutionary set of snowshoes that work. They are light, they're balanced, they're durable, and they have the right kind of hardware to go along with, making these the most perfect set of all around snowshoes I've seen so far.
The binding system is very simple, quick and easy to use while keeping your gloves on and performs exactly as it should.
The materials and construction methods used are different however better than I've seen used in other shoes. Norhtern Lites breaks with tradition using a coolthane decking instead of the standard hypalon, a smaller diameter but suposedly stiffer aluminum frame and hard plastic atachments. I was on my way to destoying a nice set of Tubs the year before when I got these and so far these are holding up much better. There is a lifetime warrenty if you still have questions about durabilitty.
Balence, crampon size and placement are also two important features. When using these shoes there is a gradual increase in friction as you lift up your heel giving more control of the shoe relative to the angle of the toe crampon. Most other shoes are hinged. Crampons are nothing revoltionary but are a universally good size placed where you need them most.

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Tubs, Atlas

What an awesome pair of snow shoes. I purchased these as a Christmas present for my boyfriend and they are great. The bindings were a little odd at first but once we tried them out they were fantastic. We were able to switch from his size 10 hiking boots, to Sorels to my size 4 hiking boots and Sorels with no problem at all. They didn't snap up and flip snow at you like my Crescent Moons. Kevin is keeping his and I am trading mine in for Northern Lites.

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Tubbs, Crescent Moon