Best Costco Snowshoes – Full Guide

Alptrek snowshoe kit HD Costco snowshoes

When you have to worry about the white blanket of snow that covers the ground and could prevent you from doing your outdoor activities, Costco snowshoes got you covered.

In case you don’t know about Costco, Costco is a large retailer that deals in many items at low prices. According to Wikipedia, it is the third largest retailer in the world. The store was ranked 10th on the Fortune 500 rankings of the largest United States Corporations by total revenue.

infographics of world largest retail stores Source: statista.com

They offer various products, including groceries, household essentials, pets, and different types of shoes, which also include snowshoes

About Costco shoes

Costco sells snowshoes from different brands such as Yukon Charlie and ALPTREK at discount prices. These snowshoes come with other packages such as a pair of 3-piece aluminum poles with a Fast Lock feature, snow and trekking baskets, and a mesh bag for as low as $89.99 on their website.

Read also: Before You Buy a Hiking Boot — 5 Things to NoteT

The prices vary depending on the weight and size of the shoes. Costco snowshoes feature a newly designed Tech Weave decking and a molded traction fastener attached to it to ensure maximum stability and support. It also features an integrated heel lift and rear heel plate to keep your heel centered in the shoe.

Although Costco shoes have some great features, they are not used for hiking or on an elevated platform but for skiing. The reason is that Costco snowshoes are tube-style, which is too slippery when ascending or descending a slope.

ALPTREK - Costco snowshoes

Unlike Costco, MSR snowshoes have long metal teeth and provide maximum grip on the ground.

MSR lightning ascent - Costco snowshoes

In addition, Costco poles bend after a few times of use, and the binding loosens over time as you ski, so you have to stop to tighten and readjust it.

To learn more about the Costco snowshoes review, watch the YouTube video below.

Best Costco snowshoes

1. Yukon Charlie's Sherpa snowshoe

The snowshoe kit comes with a pair of snowshoes, a pair of aluminum poles, and a mesh bag. It was purposely built for beginners to master the use of snowshoes. The snowshoe features an ultra-strong 6000 aluminum frame with an HDPE (high-density polyethylene) deck attached to it.

Yukon charlie sherpa - Costco snowshoes

Yukon charlie sherpa - Costco snowshoes

Flotation

The deck material enhances flotation when walking on deep snow.

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Easy slip-on and slip-proof

The Rapid Lite Flex heel strap and Quick Click II ratcheting binding featured in the shoe help for easy slipping on and off. The integrated heel lift system makes it slip-proof when walking on snow.

Traction

The snowshoe also features coated forged steel crampons for better traction while moving on the snow.

  • It is lightweight, which makes it perfect to walk on heavy snow
  • It comes in different sizes to match your exact weight
  • The binding on the snowshoe makes it easy to slip on and off
  • It is unisex
  • The boot binding straps tend to be stiff in cold temperature
Mike Eardley
Mike Eardley
Verified purchase
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I purchased these snowshoes to hike through woodland terrain covered in deep snow, which is common in upstate NY. As an avid hunter and fisherman, I found out that these were useful to me, not only to my 260-pound body but also to 50 pounds of gear, clothing, ammunition, etc. I would recommend these shoes to anyone that is serious about getting out into the deep snow. Whether you are a casual day hiker or a seasoned woodsman, these shoes work great!

2. Yukon Charlie pro snowshoe

Yukon charlie pro snowshoe kit Costco snowshoes

For people who weigh 150 to 200 pounds, this is the right snowshoe that helps to evenly spread your weight on the snow surface. It features a 6000 aluminum frame to firmly hold the deck using a molded traction deck attachment.

Noise insulation

The Tech Weave decking features a light durable nylon fabric and polyurethane coating to maintain softness in cold weather and insulate sound while walking on snow.

Easy slip-on

The Fast Fit II “Easy-Pull” binding system helps you to slip in your feet without much effort.

Yukon charlie pro snowshoe kit - Costco snowshoes

Yukon charlie pro snowshoe kit - Costco snowshoes

Flexibility

You can grip and glide on any snow texture with the Free Flex axle system featured on the snowshoe.

Traction

The snowshoe also ensures traction as it features coated forged steel crampons.

  • It is lightweight and durable.
  • You can walk on deep snow and an inclined surface.
  • It is unisex.
  • It ensures maximum flexibility and traction
  • The heel strap is thin and does not hold your feet as much as it should.
Lukas Walker
Lukas Walker
Verified purchase
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Easy to walk in deep snow, quality seems well-made. Happy with this purchase!

3. Yukon Charlie's run ultra-lite snowshoe

Running on snow is more fun when you wear the right pair of snowshoes like the Yukon Charlie run Ultra-Lite. Unlike other snowshoes mentioned here, this one features an ultra-strong 7075-T6 aluminum frame to strongly hold the deck.

Traction

It also features a sprint-forged steel crampon to enhance your traction on snow. If you weigh 225 pounds, then this snowshoe is right for you.

Noise insulation

The Tech Weave decking with nylon fabric and polyurethane coating maintains the softness of the deck and absorbs noise while walking on snow.

Yukon charlie run ultra-lite snowshoe - Costco snowshoes

Yukon charlie run ultra-lite snowshoe - Costco snowshoes

Easy slip-on

The snowshoe features a Swift Strap heel strap and Fast Fit binding system to make slipping on your feet fast and easy.

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Flexibility

It also features an Energy Flex axle system that moves with your stride so you can be more comfortable while running.

  • It is lightweight and durable
  • It has a good binding system
  • it is flexible and ensures maximum comfort while running.
  • The heel strap is a hard plastic that may eventually snap on a cold day.
  • You may trip forward while running with it.
  • It kicks up some snow and makes the back of your leg and butt wet.
Daniel Remington
Daniel Remington
Verified purchase
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This is a great inexpensive way to see if you like snowshoe running. The weight limit was misleading. Perhaps, I missed it. I weigh 165lbs, and the shoe has a 150lb weight limit. I only use it on packed trails, so they work for me. The binding is super easy to use.

3 ways to choose the right pair of Costco shoes

Your choice of snowshoes depends on what you need them for. If you want to go hiking on a mountain, you need a lightweight snowshoe with sharp metal teeth to give you enough grip on the ground.

Snowshoes help to spread your weight evenly on a flat surface area, but if you make the wrong choice, you might lose your balance. And so you need this guide to pick the perfect pairs.

1. Terrain texture and elevation

The terrain is important to look out for when choosing snowshoes. These snowshoes may look similar. However, they are made for specific ground surfaces.

Flat terrain

If you want to walk on a flat surface filled with snow, then you don’t need a specialized snowshoe. What you need is a general-purpose snowshoe with moderate traction that works best on flat terrain. Costco snowshoes are the best for flat terrain.

Icy or mountain terrain

Going for a hike, exploring off-trail in the backcountry, and walking on a steep slope or through icy terrain would require mountain snowshoes. The ones with spiky crampons under the toe and deep-toothed traction under the heel work best for mountains. MSR snowshoes are the best choice.

Read also: How to Waterproof Snow Boots — Effective Ways

2. Total weight load

Another factor to consider when choosing your snowshoes is weight. The heavier you and your gear are, the larger your snowshoes.

If you want to choose a snowshoe, you should take note of your weight and the weight of everything the snowshoe will carry, which includes your backpack loaded up with gear, your boots, and winter clothes.

Here are the Costco snowshoes brands and their size charts:

Yukon Charlie snowshoes size guide

Yuko Charlie's snowshoes' size guide - Costco snowshoes

ALPTREK snowshoes size guide

ALPTREK snowshoesDimensionweight per pairoptimal load
82122 inches x 8.6 inches5.11 lbsup to 150 lbs
82526.5 inches x 8.6 inches5.35 lbsup to 200 lbs
93030.9 inches x 9.25 inches5.94 lbsup to 250lbs

Optimal load refers to the user plus the gear in the backpack.

3. Snow condition

It is paramount to check for the snow condition of a particular area before you decide on the type of snowshoe you want. If you need better flotation on freshly fallen snow, you should go for snowshoes with a large surface area.

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But if you want to snowshoe on wet, heavy snow or hard-packed trails, you should get a smaller snowshoe for your weight.

FAQ

What brand of snowshoes does Costco sell?

Costco sells Yukon Charlie and ALPTREK snowshoes at a discount price.

Unfortunately, as of the time this article was published, ALPTREK snowshoes were out of stock in Costco.

What snowshoes are the best?

MSR Lightning Ascent is the overall best snowshoe. However, it doesn’t make others less important. 

It all depends on what you need the snowshoes for and the type of terrain to walk on. Snowshoes may look similar, but they have specific functions. Here are some snowshoes and what they do best:

Overall best snowshoe: MSR lightning ascent

MSR lightning ascent - Costco snowshoes

Specification

  • Frame: Heavily-built aluminum frame ringed with teeth
  • Binding system: Adjustable rubber mesh
  • Closure type: buckle
  • Traction: steel toe crampon
  • Maximum weight load: 220 pounds

Best for beginners: Yukon Charlie Sherpa snowshoes

Yukon charlie sherpa - Costco snowshoes

Specification

  • Frame: ultra-strong Aluminum rocker frame 6000
  • Binding system: Quick Click II ratcheting
  • Closure type: buckle
  • Traction: coated forged steel crampon
  • Maximum weight load: 300 pounds

Best for beginner runner-up: MSR EVO

MSR EVO - Costco snowshoes

Specifications

  • Frame: alloy steel
  • Binding system: two adjustable straps
  • Closure type: buckle
  • Traction: carbon steel crampon
  • Maximum weight load: 180 pounds

Best for running: Atlas race

Atlas race - Costco snowshoes

Specifications

  • Frame: 7075 aluminum Speed V-Frame
  • Binding system: Z-shaped configuration
  • Closure type: hook and loop
  • Traction: 6061 aluminum Z-Trac crampon
  • Maximum weight load: 160 pounds

Best for running runner-up: Yukon Charlie run ultra-lite snowshoe

Yukon charlie run ultra-lite snowshoe - Costco snowshoes

Specifications

  • Frame: 7075-T6 aluminum frame
  • Binding system: Fast Fit easy-pull binding system
  • Closure type: hook and loop
  • Traction: sprint forged steel front crampon
  • Maximum weight load: 225 pounds

Are snowshoes worth it?

Yes, they are worth it. One of the benefits of wearing snowshoes is flotation. Snowshoes keep you on top of the snow instead of sinking. You won’t realize how important it is until you finally sink in the snow while walking.

The enlarged surface area of a snowshoe’s deck helps to distribute your weight and that of your gear across the snow surface so you don’t sink. It requires less energy and effort to do that.

Are mountain profile snowshoes any good?

Yes, they are. The Yukon Charlie’s mountain profile snowshoes perform great in deep snow. They offer maximum flotation, and the bindings are easy to adjust.

They are versatile for any style of boot. The poles included in the package are comfortable and sturdy.

Conclusion

Costco snowshoes are great for deep snow and flat terrains but not on mountains or steep slopes. They do not have strong crampons to offer a firm grip on an inclined surface.

So, to be on the safer side, you should use Costco snowshoes for skiing instead of hiking.

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