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Take your workouts beyond the treadmill this winter. A new generation of ultralight snowshoes is helping runners tackle mountain trails and hold their footing on sheer ice. These strap-on cross-trainers bind securely to standard running shoes or specialized footwear from Nike and Solomon.
SPLURGE
Atlas Dual-Trac SL
At less than a pound apiece, the Dual-Tracs are sure to increase your speed. To make them strong as well as fast, Atlas built the frames from Easton 7000 series aluminum, a designer material used in expedition tent poles. The decks are made from durable urethane, and the toe and heel cleats are razor-sharp titanium. The result is a springy ride over light powder or packed snow.
$289, www.atlassnowshoe.com.
BEST BUY
TSL Rando 205
French equipment-maker TSL uses a radical binding: Your foot straps to a hard plastic plate that swings freely around a steel pin in the toe. This means you don't have to lift your foot as much while striding - a good thing because they weigh a hefty 1.7 pounds each. The extruded plastic frame and deck look a little alien, but as with snowshoeing in general, it's often best to step off the beaten path.
$140, www.tslsportequipment.com.
OVERRATED
Tubbs Piranha
Tubbs packs its best tech into the Piranhas - dual independent titanium toe crampons, Hypalon decking, carbon fiber on the outer frames, and a flexible toe cord in the bindings. But the relatively light shoes (1.4 pounds each) lacked the float of the Atlas and TSL models when tested in 10 inches of wet Vermont snow.
$399, www.tubbssnowshoes.com.
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