REI.com
  • Online: www.REI.com
  • URL for this product:
  • From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
  • International — Call 1-253-891-2500
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.
MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes
greenzoomZoom image

MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes

Item # 759866

$259.95

Item qualifies for annual
REI Member Refund (typically 10%)

1.

2. Qty

3.

Product Rating
Share It
Email this to a friend Email this to a friend
Bookmark and share Bookmark and share

Travel the backcountry with machinelike precision—MSR Lightning Ascents provide superb traction in most terrains and weather conditions.

  • Total-Traction™ frame is made with one vertical blade of aerospace-grade aluminum, supported by two cross-members of high-strength steel
  • Proprietary urethane deckings are waterproof and durable
  • Step-on bindings fit a variety of boots, open wide for easy access and feature three straps for a secure fit
  • True-Hinge™ steel crampons not only grip well, they provide stability and reduce heel drift for an efficient gait
  • MSR Televator™ heel lifts ease the strain on your calves during steep ascents
  • All materials are waterproof, so they don't soak up water, freeze and get heavy; straps remain adjustable and easy to use in all conditions
  • Recommended load specification includes weight of hiker with gear in soft snow conditions; flotation will vary with snow conditions

Please note: MSR products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Made in USA.

Item 759866

MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes Specs

Specification

Description

Suggested useBackcountry
Dimensions22 x 8 inches
Weight (pair)3 lbs.10 oz.
Recommended load90 - 125 pounds
Frame materialAerospace-grade aluminum
Deck materialUrethane-impregnated nylon
Crampon materialPowdercoated steel
Instep cramponYes
Heel cramponYes
Lateral cramponYes
Heel liftYes
GenderUnisex

MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes
 
4.8

(based on 5 reviews)

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Attach securely (5)
  • Good traction (5)
  • Easy entry & exit (4)
  • Lightweight (4)
  • Stable (4)

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Icy conditions (5)
    • Off trail (5)
    • Steep pitches (5)
    • All terrain (3)
    • Rolling terrain (3)
    • Reviewer Profile:
    • Advanced (3)

    Reviewed by 5 customers

    Sort by

    Displaying reviews 1-5

    Back to top

    Mar

    27

    2008

    (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

     
    4.0

    Lightning Ascent perform well

    By docross

    from Central New Hampshire

    About Me Advanced

    Site Member

    Pros

    • Attach Securely
    • Compact Design
    • Easy Entry & Exit
    • Good Traction
    • Lightweight
    • Stable

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Bushwhacking
      • Icy Conditions
      • Off Trail
      • Steep Pitches

      Comments about MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes:

      Excellent traction and snow doesn't ball up under your foot after fording a stream. The Televators are great for steep stuff, and the 360 degree rim allows you to "edge" on side slopes. I weigh 160 lbs. and the 22" shoes work as well as my friends' Denali EVO Pro shoes with 6" extensions, here in New England.

      • Sizing:
      • Feels true to size
      • Width:
      • Feels true to width

      Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

      (5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

       - You may also flag this review

      Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

      Apr

      5

      2009

      (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      MSR Lightning 22 snowshoes

      By Billyhol

      from Boulder, CO

      About Me Advanced

      Site Member

      Pros

      • Attach Securely
      • Compact Design
      • Easy Entry & Exit
      • Good Traction
      • Lightweight
      • Stable

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • All Terrain
        • Icy Conditions
        • Off Trail
        • Rolling Terrain
        • Steep Pitches

        Comments about MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes:

        I have been snowshoeing for more than four decades, beginning with wood and leather snowshoes, then aluminum tubular-frame snowshoes with a variety of deck materials and bindings. I recently bought some MSR Lightning 22” shoes (two-strap model without the Ascent heel support) and would like to report that they are by far the best snowshoes I have ever used.
        I weigh 165 lbs., and by the time I’m outfitted with my day pack and gear the total weight is probably about 185 lbs. I live in Colorado and regularly hike a steep trail, usually untracked, and the snow can vary from a few inches deep to a few feet deep over the ~1500 foot climb. The Lightning snowshoes were extremely stable on flat areas, steep slopes (up, down and sideways), crusty snow, powder, packed, powder over crust, rocks, uneven slopes, tree roots, ice, you name it. With the vertical outer rim the Lightning shoes are so much less prone to slipping and sliding than the tubular-frame shoes, the difference is like night and day. They even were decent in deep snow, although the 25” model would have been better under those conditions, and 30” would be better yet for a large person with pack.
        If a person were cruising in relatively flat terrain (5% grade or less) with deep snow and a heavy pack, a more conventional snowshoe would probably be as good a choice. Once the terrain and snow becomes more steep and varied, though, these snowshoes really shine.
        I would recommend these snowshoes highly. The bindings are simple to use and secure. The 22” shoes are very light weight so they are barely noticeable when strapped to my pack. If I were in deep snow more frequently I would prefer the 25” model, but everything is a compromise and what would be gained in flotation with the longer shoes would be offset by less maneuverability and more weight (on your feet or on your pack). Plus, the short shoes also have the advantage that my dogs are less likely to step on the tails!

        • Gift:
        • No

        Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

        (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

        Was this review helpful? Yes / No

         - You may also flag this review

        Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

        Aug

        12

        2008

        (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

         
        5.0

        So you like to shoe, aye?

        By GOB Bluth

        from Anchorage, Alaska

        About Me Advanced

        Site Member

        Pros

        • Attach Securely
        • Compact Design
        • Easy Entry & Exit
        • Good Traction
        • Lightweight

        Cons

          Best Uses

          • Deep Snow
          • Icy Conditions
          • Off Trail
          • Steep Pitches

          Comments about MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes:

          These have performed outstanding in every outing I have been on. They are great for trekking through thick woods because of their small size, yet they keep me right on top of the snow. I have used them on everything from fresh powder to thick crust and they perform outstanding. The televators and frame traction make them stick to the side of the mountain real well. Couldn't be happier.

          • Sizing:
          • Feels true to size
          • Width:
          • Feels true to width

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

          Was this review helpful? Yes / No

           - You may also flag this review

          Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

          May

          9

          2009

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Amazing ascent performance.

          By Humancarpentry

          from Mountain View, CA

          About Me Casual/ Recreational

          Pros

          • Attach Securely
          • Good Traction
          • Stable

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • All Terrain
            • Icy Conditions
            • Off Trail
            • Rolling Terrain
            • Steep Pitches

            Comments about MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes:

            These are amazing snowshoes for any terrain with an incline. Due to their design, they are not the best for soft deep snow on a flat trail, however they still perform very well in those conditions. Buy the 25" model if you are going to be doing mostly powdery flat snowshoeing.

            As the name implies, these are designed for ascending snowy/icy inclines and they are god-like in that regard. I got these when I had no snowshoeing experience at all and they are so easy to climb in with the ascent bar (best invention since fire and possibly the wheel) that I was literally laughing while jogging up a 40 degree slope past my struggling climbing partners who had more experience than I did, but no ascent bar on their snowshoes.

            If you are going to be hiking up icy terrain, hard pack, anything steep, or uneven, buy these snowshoes. Their impressive 360 degrees of crampon traction combined with the ascent bar makes them totally unstoppable on any hill. I swear, it's like riding an escalator up the mountain.

            Just pack them securely when not wearing them. They will chew you up if they swing off your pack and hit your body.

            The strap mechanism takes a few minutes to learn but is made of a very nice plastic that stays flexible at low temperature. It loosened on me once while I was actually running in them, but after re-tightening, it was pretty bombproof.

            • Gift:
            • No
            • Sizing:
            • Feels true to size
            • Width:
            • Feels true to width

            Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

            Images shared by Humancarpentry

            Girlfriend using the MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoe

            Image Thumbnail

            Tags: Using Product

            (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

            Was this review helpful? Yes / No

             - You may also flag this review

            Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

            Jan

            26

            2009

            (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

             
            5.0

            Impressive So Far

            By MisterTwister

            from Visalia, CA

            About Me Casual/ Recreational

            Pros

            • Attach Securely
            • Easy Entry & Exit
            • Good Traction
            • Lightweight
            • Stable

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • All Terrain
              • Flat Terrain
              • Icy Conditions
              • Off Trail
              • Rolling Terrain
              • Steep Pitches

              Comments about MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes:

              I'll start by saying I am relatively new to snowshoeing. I picked these up because I was tired of getting turned around hiking in the winter and I have mountaineering aspirations. I've used them twice so far...about 14 miles. One was an easy trip...one was moderate to semi-strenuous in that I used the tele-vator heal to ascend a fairly steep area. I must say...these shoes work like a charm. You will not slip easily with these on...even in semi-icy conditions. Of course, if it is really icy, you will need crampons, not these. I ran into a group of cross-country skiers my first time out and they commented on the time I was making. I've read quite a bit about snowshoes before purchasing these, and for the type of activities I do, they are a good fit. If you just want to stomp around the flat loop trails in 3" powder, you will not need these. If you like climbing steep terrain in snow that is icy but not crampon icy....these are for you. I like the bindings and find them easy to get on and off and my boots are not slipping in them even going down a steep grade. I am wearing LaSportiva Makalu's with these MSR's and the [$] on my feet seems to be a good investment. The MSR's are holding up very well so far. The weather has been a bit odd here lately, so I have not really encountered deep powder...I am curious to see how they perform in fresh snow. I am guessing they will do well because I found a few shady spots I know I would have post-holed in if I weren't wearing these. I am looking forward to breaking fresh powder with them. As always...REI is great and I am a happy buyer. It's really nice to have good gear. It makes the trip more pleasant and you can enjoy your surroundings more without worrying about falling or struggling needlessly.

              • Gift:
              • No
              • Sizing:
              • Feels true to size
              • Width:
              • Feels true to width

              Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

              Was this review helpful? Yes / No

               - You may also flag this review

              Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

              Displaying reviews 1-5

              Back to top

              MSR Lightning Ascent 22 Snowshoes Related Items

              Things that work well with this item:

              Other items like this:

              You might also like:

              Join REI and Enjoy the Benefits

              Members are eligible for an annual refund on qualifying purchases. Plus, they enjoy many more benefits. Get a lifetime membership for $20.

              Add an REI membership to my order.

              How are we doing? Give us feedback on this page.

              • Shopping Cart 
              • |
              •  
              • Buy REI Gift Cards
              • REI Gift Cards
              • Fast, easy and one size fits all.
              • Buy now!
              • Join REI today!
              • REI Membership
              • REI member benefits include an annual refund (typically 10% on eligible purchases).
              • Join REI today!
              • Sign up for REI Gearmail®
              • and get 15% off selected items!
              • Store Locator
              • Locate an REI store near you.