"The shoes I've been waiting for," wrote a tester after climbing Colorado's 14,092-foot Snowmass Mountain. That's because these snowshoes dash across icy hardpack, through fluffy fresh, and over everything in between. They walk easy thanks to Atlas' spring-loaded suspension, which gently propels you into your next step. Here it's paired with a glove-friendly heel lift, saving calves on steeps and providing confidence-inspiring bite. Testers appreciated the shoes' elliptical tubing, which provides stability in chop by flexing less, and its talonlike grip, especially on sidehills (check the jagged teeth on the frame and the multidirectional crampon). And the simple binding—three Voile-style straps—meant that not only could we get the Aspects on quickly, but we were also able to use them with every shoe we tried, from Sorels to mountaineering boots. 4.9 lbs
Grip: 5 (out of 5)
Comfort: 4
Ease of Use: 4.5
