REASONS TO BUY
Decent traction
Excellent binding system
Heel lift
Suitable for lightly packed terrain
REASONS TO AVOID
Tail flips up a lot of snow
Toe shape feels a little wide
Flotation in deep snow is not great
Atlas Montane - Women's Review
A well-rounded traditional snowshoe suitable for all-terrain that boasts better traction than most tubular snowshoes
The Atlas Montane features reasonably solid traction most occasions, although the tubular, long frame is slippery on descents.
Credit: Kate Pitts
By Kate Pitts ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ April 5, 2024
Contributions From: Hayley Thomas
RELATED: The Best Snowshoes for Women
Our Verdict
The Atlas Montane is a well-performing snowshoe with supremely easy-to-use and comfortable bindings. The spring-loaded, fixed suspension aids in maneuverability while walking, though it flips a lot of snow behind the user. A decently sized footprint offers average flotation, but this snowshoe is best for packed snow. The aggressive crampons and long track rails inspire confidence you don't normally find on tubular snowshoes. Heel lifts help quickly get you up steep hills and round out the solid design. If you're looking to explore semi-packed trails and don't want a little ice to stop you, then the Montane is a great choice.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Fun, functional, and easy to use — that's the Montane. This is an all-around great snowshoe with a fantastic binding system (one of our favorites), sticky traction, and enough flotation for more casual terrain and packed snow.
We tested our snowshoes in the snows of different ranges in the Rocky Mountains.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Flotation
We tested the Montane in the 23" length, the smallest of three sizes available. The curves of this teardrop-shaped snowshoe make the footprint thinly taper towards the back of the shoe. This is great for stride ergonomics but hinders the ability to float in bottomless snow, rendering the Montane a better option for well-packed trails and less ideal for the backcountry.
The Montane doesn't provide the best float in deep unpacked snow.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Traction
Feeling secure on technical terrain is no problem in the Montane. The toe crampon is multi-directional with wide teeth, and two traction rails run parallel down the footbed to help provide solid footing on steep slopes and icy patches. A few options in our review feel grippier and are better suited to advanced terrain, but the Montane is more than adequate for most situations.
The Montane's traction is great for ice, packed snow and even slippery fallen trees or rocks
Credit: Kate Pitts
Walkability
The Montane snowshoes have a slightly wider ball of the foot than most snowshoes, which can be felt while walking. Occasionally, testers hit one foot into the other if they were not paying attention. Consider this when deciding on your purchase, as everyone has a different body frame and may not need to adjust their gait. Our adjustments were minor but noticeable compared to other models in the review.
The spring loaded suspension is fun on packed snow.
Credit: Matthew Blake
The Montane also has a fixed binding system, which means the shoe's tail closely follows the foot's natural movement when walking. This can cause the snowshoe to feel marginally heavier for some users due to the back flipping up. It also tends to throw a lot of snow onto the back of the legs.
Walking in the Montane is generally pleasant, though the spring loaded binding system kicks up a lot of snow.
Credit: Matthew Blake
Bindings
The binding on the Montane feels very comfortable and fits our boot snugly from all sides, although the bindings may be small for oversized boots. They do leave more tails than we would like and feel a little clumsy to put on and off. The comfortable straps didn't give us pressure points on longer hikes, but our feet did shift within them on steep descents.
Roller buckles on the heel and ankle straps provide easy entry into the bindings, although the straps don't stay as neatly tucked as we would like.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Should You Buy the Atlas Montane?
The Montane rings up at a very fair price. It has a comfortable binding system, impressive traction, okay float, and heel lifts for steep climbing. Fit for technical hiking and variable mountainous terrain, the Montane is a solid choice if you want to get technical without completely breaking the bank.
What Other Snowshoes Should You Consider?
If you want solid float, the MSR Lightning Ascent or the Tubbs Wilderness will keep you from sinking in deep powder. Another good option for all-terrain that earns top marks for being easy to walk in, is theCrescent Moon Leadville 29 which is excellent for women with narrow hips and walking naturally in all snow conditions.
The Atlas Montane features reasonably solid traction most occasions, although the tubular, long frame is slippery on descents.
Credit: Kate Pitts
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Atlas Montane - Women's versus top competing products:
—Kate Pitts and Hayley Thomas
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