Best Northern Lites Snowshoes: Reviews by OutdoorEquipment.com

The Bestselling Northern Lites Snowshoes: Reviews & Ratings

There are six different lines of snowshoes in the Northern Lites catalog:

• Backcountry
• Backcountry Rescue
• Elite
• Elite Racer
• Quicksilver
• Tundra

Each of them carries their own unique special features and advantages. Whether you’re a racer, hiker, runner, slow trekker, or backwoods explorer, you’ll find a super lightweight model to suit your needs.

These aren’t as tough as MSR snowshoes, as sleek as Crescent Moon snowshoes, or as innovative as Atlas snowshoes–except, of course, in the area of weight and size–but these are certainly some of the best snowshoes in the game today.

If you’re interested in buying a pair of Northern Lites snowshoes–or even if you’re simply curious–take a second to look over three of the bestselling models in the lineup. This will give you the chance to get a better idea of what it is we’re talking about and whether or not they might be right for you.

Northern Lites Quicksilver Snowshoes Review

No joke, these Northern Lites models are some of the best lightweight snowshoes ever made. As in: ever made in the history of the sport. As in: the entire history.

From coast to coast, continent to continent, these fantastic snowshoes have been hailed for their super secure TruTrak bindings, their unbeatably light design, their unbelievable durability, and their too-good-to-pass-up overall performance.

If you look at nothing else Northern Lites has created, at least take a peek at these snow walkers.

Here are a few of the Quicksilver’s detailed specs:

• Best Uses — Day-hiking, trail trekking, recreation
• Weight — 41 ounces (for both)
• Sizes Available — 8″ x 25″

Northern Lites Backcountry Snowshoes Review

If you like to explore a mountain’s outback, to trek across uncharted territory, and to simply find adventure in the winter landscape, then these Backcountry snowshoes are perfect for you.

These are the shoes of choice for backpackers, climbers, and mountaineers all over the world for their tough design and light construction.

Here are a few of the Backcountry’s detailed specs:

• Best Uses — Backpacking, mountaineering with heavy loads
• Weight — 45 ounces (for both)
• Sizes Available — 9″ x 30″

Northern Lites Elite Snowshoes Review

The Elite series is not only perfect for backpackers who make their way through the backcountry, but also racers. Whether you’re training, jogging for sport, or actually competing, the Elite series is certainly worth your time to investigate.

The featherweight shoes weigh in at just about half of the standard aluminum models. No wonder they’re called Elite.

Here are a few of the Elite’s detailed specs:

• Best Uses — Racing, cross-training, hiking, climbing
• Weight — 40 ounces (for both)
• Sizes Available — 8″ x 25″

Northern Lites Snowshoes: Summary

If you are looking for the most rugged, feature-filled snowshoes for sale today, then you may want to look elsewhere.

But if you’re searching for the lightest snowshoes in the biz, then this is where you want to be, no doubt about it.

Northern Lites snowshoes are some of the lightest, efficient, and most responsive products in the world, and they certainly deserve a few moments of your undivided consideration.

The Northern Lites Company was founded in 1992 after Russell Post, a former engineer in a Wisconsin paper company, spent several years trying to create an ultra lightweight pair of snowshoes.

The first pair he created he gave to his boss, a snowshoe beginner, who won a 26-mile race with them. At that moment, Post knew that he was on to something good.

His original prototype mold had to eventually be scrapped because they broke too easily, but he perfected his shoes in 1992, making 500 products by hand, and selling them under the banner of the brand new Northern Lites Company.

Since then, the manufacturer has expanded exponentially and begun crafting several different models for a variety of different snowshoeing styles. But each model still has at least one thing in common: they are some of the most lightweight snowshoes in the industry.