TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Light, Flexible and Easy to Use
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Light, Flexible and Easy to Use
Abbey Gottinger
Snowshoeing became my primary winter activity a few years ago. I like the silence of the woods, getting away from the crowds, and, of course, it’s free. When I was first started getting into snowshoeing, I ordered a $50 pair of snowshoes from Amazon. Snowshoes are snowshoes after all. Right?
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
Not exactly. I struggled getting my snowshoes on and off and would often feel my foot slipping out of the sides during my hike. Snow would get clumped under my snowshoes and it sometimes looked like I was building a mini snowman under my snowshoe.
Anyways, not a great situation.
I was really excited to try the TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct snowshoes and see if having the right snowshoes could make something I love even more enjoyable.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes review
The BOA Fit System
The first thing I noticed was how easy they are to put on. The Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct uses the BOA Fit system. You don’t have to struggle with any clips or straps. You simply insert your foot into the binding, twist, and it quickly tightens to fit your shoe. I am typically a size 9-9.5 and a medium fit me perfectly. It’s also easy to adjust while hiking if you realize you need to tighten or loosen your snowshoes. The BOA Fit system also remembers your shoe size, which makes putting them on even easier the second time.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
Lightweight at only 1.75 pound
Another thing I love about the Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct is how light they are. Weighing only 1.75 pounds they didn’t weigh my feet down at all. We ascended a steep trail with hard packed snow. The flexible frame of the snowshoe moved with me allowing me to be in control of my footing. My ankles used to get stiff when snowshoeing because my former snowshoes did not have much flexibility or bend. The hyper-flexibility of the Symbioz Hyperflex allowed my feet to adapt to the terrain and my ankles did much better. In addition, I was able to do pistol squat in these snowshoes – an ultimate test of flexibility!
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
Crampons add incredible traction
The traction of the vertical blades and crampons under the snowshoe made my ascent on the icier parts of the trail worry free. When we left the more-traveled path and continued in soft powder, the crampons kept my footing secure, and the light-weight frame made it easy to lift my feet out of the powder. I’m still working on going as fast as my husband, but with these snowshoes I may just have a chance.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
An easy-to-use heel lift.
On my uphill climb I was able to use the heel lift which gave me the ability to climb at a better angle. The simplicity of popping those up and down on the trail made it so easy to use as I switched between steep and flat terrain. I am happy to say I stopped due to heart rate, rather than to adjust my snowshoes. Normally, I would need to stop periodically to tighten them or clean off the snowman clinging to my foot.
In fact, if I was getting chased by a bear I could probably run in these snowshoes (really the only reason I would run in snowshoes). On our descent, the crampons allowed me to descend quickly in places that were more packed down and icy. I was able to chase our German Shepherd down the trail without being afraid to slip and slide (okay I guess that’s another reason to run in snowshoes). He greatly appreciated not having to wait as long for me to catch up.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct Snowshoes – Abbey Gottinger of Engearment
At the end of the day comfort is everything. The more time you can be out doing what you love the better. The more comfortable you are, the longer you will be outside. For someone looking for light, flexible, adaptable snowshoes for the backcountry, I highly recommend the Symbioz Hyperflex Instinct from TSL Outdoor. They’ve been a game-changer for me.
Abbey Gottinger
Abbey Gottinger
Abbey Gottinger
Health and strength motivate Abbey in all areas of her life. When not exploring, Abbey is probably in her backyard swinging kettlebells or teaching others how to.
Abbey Gottinger
She wears many hats, working in the field of instructional design as a certified StrongFirst Level II Kettlebell Instructor and as the editor of StrongFirst’s online journal.
The more Abbey adventures, the more she recognizes the importance of quality gear. Gear can make the difference between blisters and a sore back and the memory of an epic adventure.
Abbey Gottinger
