By Shoe-foot Shelly
from Showdown, Montana on 11/19/2009
Pros:
Attach Securely, Compact Design, Easy Entry & Exit, Good Traction, Lightweight, Stable
Best Uses:
Deep Snow, Off Trail, Rolling Terrain
Describe Yourself:
Casual/ Recreational
Sizing:
Feels true to size
Width:
Feels true to width
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
These are great all-around shoes. Narrow enough for a very natural stride, yet still provide enough float to keep you from sinking in. The heel lift is a calf-saver on the steep uphill pitches, and the ratchet binding holds your foot securely, and it really is something you can operate one-handed wearing mittens (lots of shoes say they have that feature, but this is the only one I've tried that really does). Plus, the stiff plastic heel cup keeps your foot centered firmly over the heel plate, even on steep side-hills--which, in turn, helps you to keep the shoe level, to provide the most flotation and traction. Other shoes with limper bindings will allow the heel of your foot to slide from side to side, putting more weight on one edge or the other, tilting the shoe and ruining the float, not to mention twisting knees, ankles, and hips, but there are no such worries with TSLs. I do advise not adjusting the heel and toe cups for the first time out in the field. Do it at home, sitting on the couch, with the shoe in your lap along with the boot you plan to wear it with. Once you get the heel and toe cups adjusted that first time, you never have to touch them again unless you lend them to someone with bigger feet. You just step in, tighten the ratchet strap, and go.
These shoes work great over flat and rolling terrain, and up hill, although they can be a little tricky when going down very steep pitches. They are, however, incredibly fun on gentle to moderate down hill pitches, especially in soft snow.
Their one down side is that they aren't super-agile shoes. Going backwards and through tight spaces with lots of down logs and little trees is very tricky--it can be done, but you have to pay close attention and take your time. They just weren't designed for that sort of use, any more than they were designed for running. You can use them that way, but you have to be careful. I usually end up flat on my face when I run in them. But for really striding out and covering a lot of ground in reasonably open terrain, these shoes are tough to beat.
I put roughly 150 to 200 miles on my snow shoes in a winter, because I work at a ski area and can go every day if I choose (and I usually do). My old pair of TSLs (Take the High Road, Mens) have taken me all over the mountain, up and down blue, green, and black runs. I've used them on trails and old logging roads, in dry Montana powder, on hardpack and ice, and in melty spring conditions, and I have been 100% satisfied with their performance and durability. I've only used my Over the Top shoes once or twice so far (I bought them as a spare to loan to friends), but so far they seem every bit as good as my old shoes.
