GEAR REVIEW: Crescent Moon Eva All-Foam Snowshoes

By Will Rietveld

This is a new snowshoe with no metal in it; it’s made of EVA foam, the same stuff used for cushioning in the midsole of athletic footwear. It’s received numerous awards for innovation, which is well deserved. It’s fairly light weight at 3.5 pounds per pair, which is true compared to many conventional snowshoes that weigh over 4 pounds per pair.

The new Crescent Moon Eva All-Foam Snowshoe is made of dual-density EVA foam; there is no metal in them. The bottomside has a tread molded in that makes a track in the snow like a snow tire. A hard plastic plate with spikes in inlaid into the bottom of the shoe for climbing traction.

And they certainly attract attention, as was the case when I tested the Eva All-Foam Snowshoes with experienced snowshoeing friends. They all asked how well they perform – traction on uphills, downhills and sidehills – and how do they feel without a binding hinge. That’s what I wanted to know too, which was my reason for testing this unusual snowshoe.

First a little background: I have been testing snowshoes for 14 years, and have published numerous reviews and articles on snowshoes in Backpacking Light Magazine during my 10 year tenure there. I snowshoe with a bunch of hardcore seniors who love to make their own trail through rough, steep, and very scenic terrain. So we know snowshoes, and that’s why my companions were so inquisitive.

So, how did these Eva All-Foam Snowshoes perform in different types of terrain and snow conditons? Read on.

Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Crescent Moon (www.crescentmoonsnowshoes.com)
Model	Eva All-Foam Snowshoe
Deck	EVA foam and hardened plastic.
Binding	Embedded adjustable hypalon over the foot and heel straps with hook and loop closure
Dimensions	8 in x 24 in
Weight/Pair	Measured weight 3.5 pounds, mfr specification 3.5 pounds
MSRP	$160

Description

The topside of the snowshoe is a softer EVA with the binding embedded. The bottomside is a molded harder EVA with a traction tread molded in plus an inlaid hard plastic plate with sharp spikes.

These snowshoes are definitely a new concept; some details: 

• They are made of dual density molded EVA foam that is flexible.
• The upper layer of the foam (white) is softer and has the binding anchored into it, so it’s not removable or replaceable.
• The bottom layer of EVA is harder and has a traction tread molded into it, like a snow tire.
• A hard plastic traction panel sporting 10 clusters of three-pronged spikes is inlaid beneath the binding, which serves the function of crampons in a traditional snowshoe.
• The snowshoe does not have a binding hinge; instead it has lots of rocker (curvature) and flexibility to facilitate walking.
• Since there is no binding hinge, the tail of the snowshoe does not drop when you lift your foot; rather the snowshoe stays flatly attached to the bottom of your boot.
• The foam construction makes the snowshoes somewhat lightweight at 3.5 pounds, but they are not as light as they look, and certainly not the lightest ones to be found.

The simple binding is made of Hypalon rubber. Two adjustable top straps and one heel strap fit boots from a women's 7 to a men's 14. The underheel strap at the back is my gaiter strap.

There is no doubt that these snowshoes are unconventional, but how do they compare to conventional snowshoes? And are they any better?

Testing and Performance

I obtained a pair of the snowshoes for a few weeks to test them out, and had the opportunity to try them out in shallower snow, wet snow, and deep snow.

My first impression, in shallow (12 inches deep) and wet snow, is they feel the same as conventional snowshoes, which is remarkable since I was expecting some sort of adjustment to them. They walked, climbed, descended, tracked, and gripped as well as conventional snowshoes. They broke trail just fine. I did not have any icing up problems when I went from wet (open sun) snow to cold (shade) snow.  The peripheral lugs in the bottom tread gave the snowshoes good lateral stability. I had a hard time finding any fault with them.

Then I tested them on deeper softer snow (30 to 36 inches deep), and discovered their limitations. When following a few snowshoers who created an 8 to 10 inch trench, I sank in much deeper – these snowshoes lack adequate flotation for softer snow. Exacerbating that problem, the flat attachment of the snowshoes makes then act like scoops – snow  piles up on top of the snowshoes, which I have to lift when I pull them up out of the holes. They are laborious to use in soft snow, and forget about breaking trail with them in deeper soft snow.

I noticed after using the snowshoes on three all-day hikes (there were used some before I got them)  that the hard plastic spikes on the bottom are already rounded off, making one wonder about the longevity of these snowshoes. There is no noticeable wear in the molded EVA tread. Note: I did not walk on rock or pavement with the snowshoes, although I did walk on hard ice and hit an occasional rock buried in the snow.

Assessment

I found from my testing that the Crescent Moon Eva All-Foam Snowshoes are best described as an entry level or beginner snowshoe best suited for packed trails. If you are making your own trail with a group of people, you want to be near the end of the line.

In soft deeper snow, because of their teardrop shape, they lack the flotation of other snowshoes the same length. Added to that, their flat position loads them with snow, making them laborious to lift. Overall, they are very unsuitable for breaking trail, or following a few others on a newly broken trail.

The hard plastic spikes on the bottom allow these snowshoes to climb quite well in firm snow, and I did not find the lack of a pivot point to be a limitation. When I am steeply climbing I concentrate my weight on the toe crampons of conventional snowshoes, but I found the spikes on the foam snowshoes seemed to function as well. However, the spikes are getting rounded off after only a few trips with normal wear and tear, which makes me wonder what the longevity of these snowshoes will be. Conventional snowshoes, with metal crampons, will last a long time.

Version 2 of the Eva All-Foam Snowshoe is coming in fall 2018 (right). It will add aluminum crampons to make them climb better, with no weight gain. Also note that the molded tread is revised too. Looks like they won't be all-foam anymore. The aluminum crampons should help with both traction and longevity. The current version is shown in the left photo.

The Eva Foam snowshoes cost less than most conventional snowshoes, and weigh a bit less, but I believe the old adage applies “you get what you pay for”. For example, the MSR Lightning Trail snowshoe in a 25-inch length weighs 3 pounds 6 ounces (2 ounces less), has a metal frame and crampons, provides serious traction in all directions, and costs $220 ($60 more). That’s where I would put my money, but I'm more of a hardcore snowshoer.

It's important to evaluate these snowshoes for what they are -- less expensive snowshoes for beginner and intermittent snowshoers who mainly travel on packed snow. They are simpler to put on and use, with no learning curve; simply walk on them. And for that niche they are a good choice. They are unique, simple and easy to use, function very well, and attract a lot of attention.