REASONS TO BUY
Easy on/off
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Can fall off when paired with bigger boots and feet
A bit pricey
Tubbs Panoramic Review
A well-rounded snowshoe for most winter hikers as long as your feet aren't too big
Credit: Ian McEleney
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Our Verdict
The Tubbs Panoramic is a very versatile snowshoe. The deck-to-binding attachment combines straps and hinges, giving it a slightly more comfortable walk without sacrificing a ton of agility. It's not our favorite for mountaineering, but its decent traction and heel lifter allow it to venture into moderate alpine terrain. It's also one of the quickest models in our test to put on and take off. That said, some users found the BOA adjustment knob to be poorly placed when used with certain boots. While this could be a deal-breaker for certain foot sizes and boot types, this model still deserves consideration for most types of snowy travel.
Editor's Note: This review was updated on April 24, 2024, after retesting the newest version.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Tubbs Panoramic | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  High Performance Affordability |  Best for Fresh Deep Snow | Best for Trails | Best on A Tight Budget | |
| Price | $269.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $169.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $220 List $219.95 at Amazon | $289.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $96 List $85.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Winter hikers will find this model works well most of the time | This reliable and well-priced snowshoe is versatile and easy to use | A good choice for off trail travel and softer snow | A good choice for firm, hard packed snow when you don't need a ton of float | Most cheap snowshoes have poor bindings, but we found the G2 to be comfy and secure |
| Rating Categories | Tubbs Panoramic | MSR Evo Trail | Crescent Moon Big S... | TSL Symbioz Hyperfl... | G2 Ratchet Binding |
| Flotation (30%) | |||||
| Traction (30%) | |||||
| Walkability (20%) | |||||
| Bindings (20%) | |||||
| Specs | Tubbs Panoramic | MSR Evo Trail | Crescent Moon Big S... | TSL Symbioz Hyperfl... | G2 Ratchet Binding |
| Measured Weight (per pair) | 4.5 lbs | 3.7 lbs | 5.1 lbs | 4.6 lbs | 4.5 lbs |
| Sizes Available | 25", 30", 36" | 22" (one size) | 32" (one size) | 20.5" (S), 23.5" (M), 27" (L) | 22", 25", 30", 36" |
| Binding System | BOA and rubber strap | Rubber net and straps with pin-in-hole | Rubber straps with plastic buckles | Combination of rigid plastic, nylon straps, cam locks, and ratchet style straps | Ratchet straps with plastic buckles, EVA padding, rubber tension straps |
| Frame Material | Aluminum | Plastic and steel | Aluminum | Composite | Aluminum |
| Measured Surface Area | 200 sq in | 183 sq in | 256 sq in | 162 sq in | 225 sq in |
| Measured Dimensions | 25"L x 8"W | 24"L x 8"W | 32"L x 10"W | 22"L x 8"W | 31"L x 9"W |
| Binding/Deck Connection | Hybrid hinged and strapped | Hinged | Strapped | Hinged | Hinged |
| Crampon/Traction Aids | Steel crampons and rails | Steel crampons and rails | Steel crampons | Steel crampons and teeth | Aluminum crampons and teeth |
| Deck Material | Soft-Tec PVC-coated polyester | Polypropylene | Polyurethane fabric | Composite | Polyethylene fabric |
| Heel Lift | Yes | No | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Flotation Tails Sold Separately? | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Men's and Women's Versions? | Yes | Unisex | Yes | Unisex | Unisex |
| Optimum Weight Load (per manufacturer) | 120-200 lbs (size 25") 170-250 lbs (size 30") 220-300 lbs (size 36") |
up to 180 lbs | up to 225 lbs | 65-180 lbs (size S) 110-260 lbs (size M) 150-300 lbs (size L) |
up to 150 lbs (size 21") up to 200 lbs (size 25") up to 250 lbs (size 30") up to 300 lbs (size 36") |
| Tested Size | 25" | 22" | 32" | M | 30" |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
Tubbs markets the Panoramic as a snowshoe for day hiking. Our team thinks it excels at that, with its easy on/off and its hybrid hinged and strapped deck/binding attachment.
Performance Comparison
These are a good choice for mellow exploring in the woods.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Flotation
Along with traction, flotation is one of the main reasons hikers wear snowshoes. The Panoramic puts a respectable amount of square inches underfoot, and its gentle taper is a good compromise between walking comfort and flotation. The traditional tubular frame adds rigidity to the snowshoe, enhancing its above-average number of square inches.
They do okay as things get steeper. Just keep an eye on that BOA, as it can catch on the snowshoe and click open.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Traction
Enhanced traction is the other major benefit winter travelers get from strapping on snowshoes. The Panoramic has good traction and is surpassed in this metric only by snowshoes intended more for mountaineering. A generous amount of steel teeth under the forefoot bite into the snow, and these are supplemented by two lateral traction rails under the heel.
The crampons on the Panoramic are large and sharp but don't provide much traction.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Walkability
Several factors contribute to stride ergonomics, but none so much as how the binding is connected to the deck. Some snowshoes have a rigid connection made of metal hardware, and some use strong, flexible straps. The Panoramic is unique in that it uses a combination of the two, giving some advantages from each.
The hybrid hinged/strapped connection is perfect for this model.
Credit: Ian McEleney
The hybrid design isn't quite as rigid as the connection found on models designed for mountaineering, but it is still quite a bit more stable than just straps. While it doesn't provide the same cush as a strapped connection, it still provides some shock absorption. Our testers found this middle-of-the-road design to be decent all of the time while not excelling at anything in particular.
Bindings
Though we don't time our testers while putting on and taking off snowshoes, our team unanimously felt that the Panoramic provided a quick and easy experience. It was basically a one-handed process. To put them on, we just stepped in, pulled the strap tight around our heels, and turned the BOA knob to the desired tension.
This model has an easy to use heel strap and buckle.
Credit: Ian McEleney
The forefoot is secured by a BOA lacing system mounted on a plate. The BOA knob allows hikers to really dial in and adjust lace tension with precision. The plate distributes the force of the BOA and has a bit of foam on it for extra cushion. This worked well with most of our testers' boots, but some boots (noticeably mountaineering boots) with prominent metal hardware did produce a few pressure points. This wasn't painful, but it was noticeable.
The red foam provides a bit of comfort when the Boa is cinched tight.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Security was a different matter. The binding is composed of the aforementioned BOA for the forefoot and a rubber pin-in-hole strap for the heel. Many winter hikers will be familiar with this type of heel strap, and it's quite reliable. The BOA system, however, gives us some issues.
While most of our testers found the BOA to be secure, our lead tester (who wears a men's size 10 boot) found a unique design flaw when using this snowshoe with a bulky winter mountaineering boot. In this specific situation, when the front of the binding passes through its cutout in the front of the snowshoe, the BOA knob catches on the deck and is pulled into the “open” position, which lets the snowshoe fall off. This happened over a dozen times on a hike of 90 minutes. While this won't happen with all hikers and all boots, we think this snowshoe should be tried on with the boots you plan to wear before committing to a purchase.
The BOA knob gets hung up on the deck with size 10 boots.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Should You Buy the Tubbs Panoramic?
The Panoramic is a decent all-around model. It doesn't excel at anything but is well-rounded enough to be of good service in any situation you would want a snowshoe. However, it is pretty expensive. Hikers considering this snowshoe should also be aware that larger or bulkier boots can conflict with the binding.
What Other Snowshoes Should You Consider?
Hikers looking for a good general-purpose snowshoe should check out the MSR Evo Trail. Its binding is more durable and plays well with all boots. Our testers have found its feature set useful for all sorts of winter travel, including moderate mountaineering, and you can add supplemental tails to increase the flotation. Also worth considering is our overall favorite, The MSR Lightning Ascent. It can handle anything the Panoramic can and then some.
These heel lifters were impossible to engage with a trekking pole, and very difficult with gloves on.
Credit: Ian McEleney
—Ian McEleney
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