Tubbs Adventure Snowshoes, Wigwam Winter Sports socks : Lightweight Performance

My wife and I (and our two dogs) finally got the opportunity to get away from the desert lowlands of Arizona for a couple days and make our way to southern Colorado to enjoy the snow and the cool crisp air. We had the opportunity to stay with a business associate who had a couple of cabins on 60 acres close to a little town named Duntin, between Cortez and Telluride, CO.

I have used most of the major brands of snowshoes, but I took a pair of Tubbs Adventures snowshoes with me on this trip. I was looking forward to test-driving them on a long hike up the foothills near our cabin. The entry into the snowshoe was very easy, and simple and fast to adjust, a big plus when you're antsy to start your day. The foot clasp was oversized and easy to open even with winter gloves. The mid and rear foot strap adjustments were also easy to tighten while wearing gloves.

The next day, I strapped my snowshoes onto my pack and headed off to find some trails. Lightweight and easy to pack, my Tubbs snowshoes were simple to transport. Plus, they allowed me easy access to a great hike on some fluffy fresh tracks (on Telluride Mtn.).

The performance of the Tubbs snowshoes was fantastic. We covered a lot of ground, from side hills, to deep snow, to light snow over heavy ground cover. The foot clasp was quick and well placed under the foot so I was able to get a solid grip on a variety of terrain. The size of the snowshoe was perfect for my winter hiking. The frame covered enough surface area to keep me on top of the fresh powder, but was still agile enough to take on a few sprints with the dogs and not trip over myself.

The other product I tried for the first time was the Wigwam Comfort Sportsman Merino wool socks. Despite the fact that I know that my experience in the outdoors can depend a great deal on the quality of the products I use, there is still a cheap, thrifty part of me that used to believe that nothing beats a thick pair of white cotton athletic socks. After this trip, I decided that good socks are worth the money. I am now going to spend a little extra to keep my feet in the Cadillac of socks. Made out of 70% Merino Wool, 25% Stretch Nylon and 5% elastic, the Sportsman socks were a perfect mixture of comfort and warmth. I could not get over how comfortable these socks were. After the hike I just kept them on because they made that Baileys and coffee at the end of the day that much more perfect.

On our final day, I wore Wigwam's Comfort Ski sock. Again, I was impressed with the overall weather performance of the 75% Merino Wool and 25% Stretch Nylon sock. As a former ski racer, I noticed how well the sock fit in my boots. I tend to wear my boots tight, and I could not feel one wrinkle in the socks the whole day. The comfort features in the design of the sock definitely gave this sock a great fit, and most important, kept my feet warm, dry, and comfortable.

Bottom Line: My white cotton socks will have to wait until the snow thaws. The performance of these Wigwam socks is worth the cost. --D.N. (Jan '04)

Price: $169.00-209.00 (intermediate level models), $14.00 socks.

Manufacturer's Site: www.tubbssnowshoes.com

Buy Online: , Altrec.com