MSR Shift

A great little shoe in firm snow, not just for kids.

These shoes are sold as youth snowshoes, but they perform very nicely for adults looking for light shoes in firm snow conditions (think spring in the Rockies).

MSR lists these shoes as fitting youth up to 125 lbs and up to a Men's size 7. I took a bit of a gamble and ordered up pair as I was looking for a lightweight shoe (but still wanted good traction) for spring trips where you often carry your snowshoes more than wear them, but when you need them you really need them. The price is also very nice :)

My pair weighs 38 oz and are 20" in length. They have a nice binding setup (two straps vs three of the Lightnings) and fit my size 10 feet w/ no problem, I think size 11 and maybe even 12 would be doable.  I weigh 180 lbs (more with my pack) and they offer good flotation in firm snow. They would be useless in powder (unless of course you weighed under their recommended 125 lbs).  

The grip on these shoes is very good, the binding is attached to a nice crampon and the decking has aggressive traction (not as much as their Lightnings, but still good).

I'm very happy with these shoes, with the understanding that for other than youth, these are pretty much a niche shoe. If you like to hike in the spring where you know you're going to run into snow, these are a nice light option to consider.