So I’m not going on a conventional snowboarding holiday this year, but am thinking about disappearing up to Cairngorm in late January instead. As I’m experienced and enthusiastic about winter hillwalking AND snowboarding, so I’ve been thinking about combining the two!

Seeing as snowboarding boots are quite useless compared with winter mountaineering boots, I’m going to need some decent snowshoes that can take the snowboarding boots very securely, and have a full Harchisen for grip on compact snow and ice slopes.

Anyone done this who could advise (about the whole enterprise)?

I used some MSR ones in japan last year, really good.

Split board!

Have you walked any reasonable distance in snow shoes before? I find them slow and not very efficient. The walk ins in Scotland can be looooooonnnng compared to the plodding our north american cousins often enjoy. My first few outings on snow shoes were in Canada and I rarely seemed to be in them for more than a couple of hours (although, in saying that, we never strayed to far from resort). In the Cairngorms in particular, so much of the walk in can be skiied/split boarded.

In the past i’ve strapped snowboard boots to my pack and walked in with regular mountaineering kit (Nepal Extremes + crampons + axes). More weight obviously, but as you’ve pointed out, moving up a slope in snowboard boots is a nightmare.

Split boarding is definitely the way to go, but it’s pretty expensive kit, worth seeing if you can hire some?

Haha yes that’s the other option isn’t it. I’m told that split boards work just as well downhill too. But it looks like an expensive option for an experiment. And then there is the grips and technique to learn too.

I’ve never used snowshoes, just 10pt strapped “crapons” with a long ice-axe, and a fair amount of floundering in the deeper snow pockets when up in the highlands. I generally find strap-on crampons rather dangerous, being uncomfortable, inclined to come off on mixed ground, balling up and a constant trip-hazard!

I figured if snowshoes could fit both snowboard boots and my winter hill-boots, and cost ~£100 that’s quite versatile a not too bad an investment. I’m just a bit worried that they wont fit snowboard boots.

balling up and a constant trip-hazard!

Try anti-ball plates.

The trip hazard is just user error, you have to learn to walk with a swing outwards to ensure you never catch yourself.

Yeah you’re right about user error, usually when tired on a long descent in the dark.

The trip hazard is just user error, you have to learn to walk with a swing outwards to ensure you never catch yourself.

I watched a guy literally run flat out down the Great Stone Chute from Sgurr Alasdair last April when I was heading up on to the ridge on lovely neve

It looked almost surreal, I’ve always been so used to seeing slow, careful descents when on really steep slopes.

Looked as if he knew what he was doing mind you!

Can’t imagine arresting a slip here if he’d lost his footing….

I can imagine snowboarding down it 😉

Another vote for a split board set-up. Definitely the way to go if you’re planning on a lot of hiking/riding. There are loads of models around this season. I ride a Burton Freebird / Spark R&D Burner bindings when I go hiking. Great set-up, I don’t have to carry the board on the way up or the snowshoes on the way down.

Snow shoes tend to be pretty universal fitting. Get the ones with the most flotation you can find. I find though that there is a pretty limited sweet spot for snow shoes to be effective though. Too little snow and you might as well just be in boots; too much snow and it takes a lot of effort to move forward as they don’t rise to the surface like skis / split boards.

MSR denali evo ascent.

been all over the world snowboarding with mine.

rock solid on traverses with the sabre tooth design..

MSR for me, as I could never get a split board big enough for me when i was snowboarding.Things may have changed in the last ten years though.

MSR denali evo ascent. Yes they look like they will take a snowboard boot OK.

Thanks

I have had no problem using Snowboard boots with various makes of snowshoes.
I have also had no problem hiking in my snowboard boots.
I would of thought if you the route your taking needs winter mountain boots and crampons, then you won’t be wanting snowshoes or split boards?

they take any snowboard boot fine…
you can buy floatation tails for deeper snow.

they also pack very small. I have a thin sleeve to pack them in. then just slide inside my pack.

“I would of thought if you the route your taking needs winter mountain boots and crampons, then you won’t be wanting snowshoes or split boards?”

Yeah a fair point and route choice with snowshoes/board will probably be somewhat different. At the moment I don’t tend to use the 10p crampons unless it get proper hard and I can’t comfortably kick steps with my mountain boots (and also I hate them). Snowboard boots are so soft and rounded you cant kick steps at all; not to mention they way they fix your ankle makes them unsuitable for any non-trivial slope.

Since snowboards with harchisens exist I assume they help with walking over a range of snow conditions and slopes. I’ll have to experiment. Should be fun!

Sounds like cross country skis could be needed

I have a pair of Yowies, light weight deck great for quick ascents, now gone to splitboard but they are heavy for all day riding if your only board.
the Yowies are for sale if you wish £50 plus postage
phwill77atgmaildotcom

Another vote for MSR Denali Evo Ascents. The snowboarder’s snowshoe of choice.

But also another vote for a splitboard. Selling my old one!

I used tsl 325 explore easy snowshoes in the cairngorms last year, I’d rather have a splitboard or the MSR’s but they are good, and closer to your budget. And they fit my snowboard boots but if I was size 13 i’d want to try them first.
Decathlon do them and cheaper ones, I got the Mrs a pair of quechuas which seem good, but I dont know if they will be as robust.

Hey buzz, how about this for a cheaper way of doing things, buy a 2nd hand board and a Voile DIY Split Kit (about a hundred quid)…… I’m gonna have a go at doing it, as I managed to snag a K2 with bindings off the bay for silly money!!!! Ok it was a couple of months ago and its not in showroom condition etc etc, but ideal for this kind of conversion and a bit of winter fun, should the snow finally get here. There’s bits on youtube of a guy doing the conversion, it don’t look to difficult??? Cheers Macs

xerramax – I’m selling a 2nd-hand split that would be cheaper than buying an old board, split-kit and skins! A lot better too (steel edges on both sides).

€400, NeverSummer Titan 169 with Voilé skins.

Sounds like cross country skis could be needed

Aye right. Touring skis maybe but not for a boarder!

Are snow board boots really that bad for walking? If your 10pt crampons are the flexible bar type then they should work on snowboard boots provided they will fit in any side posts. Not perfect but fine for traversing the odd icy patch.

I’ve heard folks saying that snowshoes are a waste of time most of the time in Scotland especially if you plan your route carefully.

Agree with Spin, most backcountry stuff I ever did in Scotland, I did by boot-packing my way up in my snowboard boots. Crampons on for going up gullies.

DIY spilt board +1

It’s done me proud over several 5 day tours in the Alps. £75 eBay voile split kit, £50 eBay snowboard, £90 voile skins. Job done, and it’ll be worth more than that if I ever sell it. Works brilliantly, although it would probably be worth investing in some ski crampons for steep off camber traverses.

See splitboard.com for inspiration.

Ah I ordered the shoes they have not arrived yet. It remains to be seen how useful they are tramping over cairngorm with a board on my back!

djtom – sorry dude, but it will be worth approximately ****-all if you ever sell it…