Crescent Moon Gold 17 Snowshoe

The first thing you notice about the Crescent Moon Gold 17 Expedition Snowshoes is how light they are for such a big shoe. Recommended for deep snow conditions, the decking surface of the Gold 17 is a veritable flotation device for the tundra. Like the Gold 10, the 17 features the larger version of the SPL binding which fits military style boots, hunting boots or snowboard boots, which makes them a valuable piece of work equipment, as well as just out and out, good fun. Add to the equation, an extra set of traversing claws and you've got the best of both worlds, float and grip. The frame is bent into a modified tear drop shape to maximize both the surface area but with a shape that also makes them easier to walk in than traditionally shaped shoes, resulting in a very light and large shoe for trekking the planet. Make your outdoor experience the best it can be with a pair of Crescent Moons.What makes each of Crescent Moon's Gold series of shoes unique and worth considering is the SPL adjustable binding, recognized in Backpacker's Winter Gear Guide (09/10) as the best binding on the market. The single-pull-loop (SPL) is designed to capture your foot with equal tension in all directions, not just top down like all other bindings, but the anatomically shaped SPL harness also form-fits around, and supports, your foot from side to side and most uniquely, from front to back. Because of this unique capture system, the binding translates the motion of your foot in every direction and makes the snowshoes by Crescent Moon highly responsive. With each step you take you will notice the tail of the shoe follows your heel, immediately lifting off the ground …this is the opposite of the motion, and feel, of a free-rotation system found on other brands, commonly known as “tail draggers". The benefit of the Crescent Moon design is that they are much more maneuverable (and fun) than a tail dragger, but you should also know that natural hinge snowshoes will pick up snow when you're in deep powder; some people don't like that because they get it on the back of their legs, so be sure to wear the appropriate clothing to stay warm and dry. So, remember 'tail draggers" have less snow pick-up, but they don't have nearly the responsiveness and mobility that Crescent Moon snowshoes have. If you want to stay on the trail and follow everyone else, perhaps the tail draggers are good enough, but if you want to kick up your heels and go where you want to go, there's only one choice to make…….