In life some of our most rewarding journey’s are also the most difficult. Far away from the neatly groomed ski runs rests snow covered regions that few will ever have the privilege of experiencing. For those journeys into the unknown winter landscapes, the Summit Trekker from L.L. Bean offers an ideal all around snowshoe as proficient on long flat terrain as it is traversing deep untouched powder in the tranquil winter back country.
Featured in Outside Magazine’s 2012 Winter Buyer’s Guide and Backpacker Magazine’s 2011 Fall/Winter Gear Guide, the Summit Trekker is L.L Bean’s most advanced snowshoe to date. When one considers that this year marks the 100th birthday of L.L. Bean’s founding, that’s a rather impressive statement.
L.L. Bean was generous enough to send a pair of their Summit Trekker snowshoes for us to review. With all of the hype surrounding the Summit Trekker, our crew anxiously awaited California’s delayed winter to attack the snow and discover if the snowshoe lived up to it’s billing. We weren’t disappointed.
On Performance …
Snowshoes are designed with different features and performance characteristics depending, in part, on their intended use and the type of terrain they’ll be used on. Whether your plans include a simple day hike over flat and gently rolling terrain, or a more aggressive outing that will have you blazing your own trail through deep powder, all the performance features in the world matter little if the fit and feel of the binding system isn’t comfortable or secure, then little else matters.
Enter Summit Trekker’s ReAct™ binding system. The asymmetric and easy to use ReAct™ binding combines a gender-specific, stable base construction with a dual-sided pull strap so you can cinch in and hit the trail without delay. Add to that Tubbs’ patented Control Wing™ technology, and your feet will be properly centered on the shoeshoe while providing a comfortable and secure fit.
Not all snowshoes offer the same generous float that carries you and your pack gracefully over deep powder. A fully pivoting binding allows the nose of the Summit Trekker snowshoes to float forward over the snow while the deck and tail remain low to the ground. This pivoting aids a natural walking motion and provides nearly effortless glide across open areas of deep powder that stand between you and your goal.
Unfortunately not every winter day is a walk in the powder. So, L.L. Bean constructed the Summit Trekker using a lightweight and durable 6,000-series aluminum frame and coupled it with resilient Softec Decking for those days you seem to hit every rock and log on the trail. While the winter landscape may change dramatically, the Summit Trekker snowshoes will help you take it all in stride.
Carbon-steel Cobra crampons ensure that crust and wind-packed ice won’t stop you from tackling the extra mile. And on those mornings you feel like conquering your mountain the ActiveLift heel lift boosts your ascents by lifting your heel to reduce calf fatigue and Achilles strain.
Room for Improvement…
The ReAct binding system provides a fit that virtually every snowshoe enthusiast will appreciate. That being said, the system’s one limitation is the ability to fit overly wide boots. This won’t affect the vast majority of snowshoers however, if you’re a back country snowboarder looking for a snowshoe to carry you and your board to summit, the Summit Trekker probably won’t let you make the trip in your snowboard boots.
Additionally, more technical snowshoe enthusiasts might find the short 1.5-inch crampons fail to provide the deep penetration desired for most icy conditions. Our review team, however felt that under most conditions the crampons provided dependable traction and were as durable as the summer solstice day is long.
Bottom Line…
From neatly groomed ski resort powder to the silent solitude of the deep back country, the Summit Trekker snowshoes from L.L. Bean are an incredibly versatile all around performer. Stacked with enough features to help put miles of snow behind you and see winter from an entirely new perspective, the Summit Trekker is one snowshoe to rule them all.
MSRP: $199
Manufacturer: L.L. Bean
Availability: www.LLBEAN.com
Specs: 25″ size Carries 120 to 200 lb.; 30″ Carries 170 to 250 lb.