Best Crescent Moon Snowshoes

Crescent Moon is the Cadillac of all snowshoes and you will agree with us after you’re done reading this post. Based in Colorado, USA, this snowshoe maker has an interesting approach to snowshoe manufacturing, claiming to be the only “green” snowshoe company.

The materials used to manufacture these snowshoes are of premium grade and the frames are all but welded and powder-coated. Moreover, all of the manufacturing, from producing parts to assembling, is done in the USA. The decking in particular is constructed of TGS, a special compound that’s free of PVC and claimed to have better resistance against cold and abrasion. While it’s going to take some time to prove its durability, we do like that it flexes more than common plastic decking. As you walk on packed snow, you’ll notice little to no noise at all. In the following section, we’ll walk you through three of the best Crescent Moon snowshoes and why we love them.

Best Crescent Moon Snowshoes

Aside from running snowshoes and kids snowshoes, Crescent Moon has two primary snowshoe lineups: The Gold Series and The Silver Series. Despite being nearly identical, the Silver Series are sold at much lower price. As the saying goes “the devil is in the details”, you’re going to need to observe them closely to figure out the difference.

Firstly, the aluminum frames on the Silver Series are neither powder coated nor TIG welded. So in terms of sturdiness, they’re much inferior. The same applies with the crampons. The Silver Series snowshoes incorporate aluminum claws, instead of stainless steel. While they may offer similar performance, you’re not going to like to learn what happen when you accidentally step on rock or other hard objects hidden under the snow.

For those reasons, we exclude all the Silver Series snowshoes from the list, even when they are sold for much cheaper. Besides, Crescent Moon only gives the lifetime warranty on their Gold Series snowshoes. They’re worth every penny you throw in.

Crescent Moon Gold 10

Coming with 32-inch teardrop-shaped aluminum frames, Crescent Moon Gold 10 is optimized to promote natural stride. As you probably know, it can be quite awkward to walk in snowshoes especially if they have that conventional large oval shapes. You have to spread your leg while walking to prevent overlapping, but not with these snowshoes. The binding systems utilize a U-shaped nylon webbing strap. All you need is a single pull on this strap and your forefoot and arch will be secured safely on the snowshoes. The next thing to do is adjusting the heel strap which is made easy thanks to the ratchet style buckle.

Of all the Gold Series snowshoes, Crescent Moon Gold 10 has the best value. They’re not as expensive as the Gold 17 but can still be used for long distance hiking through different technical terrains. They’re also not too bulky to be worn on trails for fun casual snowshoeing with family. So if you want one of those nice hybrid snowshoes ideal for all-terrain and all-snow exploration, Crescent Moon Gold 10 is an excellent solution.

Crescent Moon Gold 9

Crescent Moon Gold 9 has a length of 27-inches, as opposed to the Gold 10 that’s 32-inch long. With such smaller footprint, these snowshoes are more geared for recreational use on groomed trails as well as day hiking. You can always force your way to some fair inclines but take heart: as soon as the going gets pretty steep, you’ll very likely find yourself tripping from time to time. The traction systems on these snowshoes are simply insufficient for climbing. They’re not equipped with the traversing claws or perimeter crampons. Furthermore, the toe crampons won’t bite into hardpack unless you put some real pressure on it.

Crescent Moon Gold 9 are by no means bad snowshoes. They have everything you need to make recreational snowshoeing with friends and family a fun experience. The straps-in features are easy to adjust. The frames are lightweight and slim, allowing for optimum speed. The bindings use fixed rotation pivot for better maneuverability. They’re good snowshoes but just not made for hiking in the backcountry.

Crescent Moon Gold 17

Crescent Moon Gold 17 is the bulkiest of all Gold Series. With a 37-inch long footprint, these snowshoes offer superb flotation in deep snow. Engineered for full-blown exploration, they’re equipped with many technical features. Their traction systems are not the most aggressive in this category but their underfoot crampons supported with traversing claws provide a nice grip on steep slopes. You may need a pair of poles to help with the overall stability as you ascend.

The bindings are identical to Gold 9 and Gold 10, but they have larger fittings. You should be able to easily snuggle Pac-style winter boots or even snowboarding boots into the loop. Tightening them is as simple as pulling the webbing strap and securing it with the buckle. No worry about readjusting them along the way because the strap is made of polymer gel nylon that won’t budge even under extreme cold. Additionally, the recommended weight load for Crescent Moon Gold 17 is 125-300 pounds, perfect if you often go out with fully-loaded backpack.