Crescent Moon EVA Foam Review
Cons: Does not float or shed snow well, awkward to walk in, minimal traction on steep terrain
Manufacturer: Crescent Moon
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Crescent Moon EVA Foam | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $159 List | $320 List | $200 List | $205 List | $139.95 at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Lightweight, springy, easy to use bindings, appropriate for running | Stellar traction, heel lifts for steep terrain, easy to use, add-on flotation tail compatible | Good traction and flotation, excellent binding system, heel lift | Great traction, Boa binding system, comfortable binding, easy walking, quiet | Affordable, stellar traction, easy to use, versatile bindings |
| Cons | Does not float or shed snow well, awkward to walk in, minimal traction on steep terrain | Expensive, front of binding difficult to navigate with thick gloves on, side and back stepping are laborious | A bit heavy, tail flips up a lot of snow, toe shape feels a little wide | Boa system is more finicky and less repairable than a strap system, on the heavier side | Loud on packed snow, duck waddle for those with a narrower gait, straps do not stay in place |
| Bottom Line | What this unique foam snowshoe lacks in float and traction it sure made up for in the fun department! | If superior traction and versatility out in the steep and variable backcountry terrain is what you're looking for, the Lightning Ascent delivers in spades | The Montane is an easy to use snowshoe that offers great features for mountainous and technical terrain | The Blizzard III with its impressive crampons and good flotation will make for happy snowshoeing no matter what the terrain | Great traction and versatile bindings mean you will have no problem heading into a wide spectrum of snow types and terrain levels with the Evo |
| Rating Categories | Crescent Moon EVA Foam | Lightning Ascent | Atlas Elektra Montane | Louis Blizzard III | MSR Evo Trail Snowshoes |
| Flotation (30%) | |||||
| Traction (25%) | |||||
| Stride Ergonomics (15%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (15%) | |||||
| Bindings (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Crescent Moon EVA... | Lightning Ascent | Atlas Elektra... | Louis Blizzard III | MSR Evo Trail... |
| Uses | Flat terrain and trail running | All terrain | All terrain | Flat, rolling and mountain terrain | Flat and variable rolling terrain |
| Optimum Weight Load (per size) | Up to 200 lbs | 22": up to 180 lbs 25": 120-210 lbs |
23": 80-160 lbs 27": 120-200+ lbs |
22": 60-160 lbs 25": 100-200 lbs |
180 lbs |
| Weight (per pair) | 3.2 lbs | 3.8 lbs | 4.4 lbs | 4.4 lbs | 3.5 lbs without tails 4.4 lbs with tails |
| Binding Mount | Static | Full | Fixed | Full | Full |
| Binding System | Velcro hook and loop binding | Paragon Binding | Wrapp Swift binding | Boa binding | DuoFit |
| Crampon | Ice spikes | DTX Crampon | All-trac toe crampon | Traxion HCS front crampon & V-rail crampon | Steel traction rails and brake bars |
| Frame Material | Dual Density EVA Foam | Aluminum | Aluminum V-frame | 6061-T6 Aluminum ErgoStream | Martensitic steel |
| Deck Material | Dual Density EVA foam | Nylon | Nytex decking | EDGE molded polymer | Polypropylene |
| Surface Area (for tested size) | 160 in² | 180 in² | 176 in² | 189 in² | 174 in² without tails, 220 in² with |
| Dimensions | 24" x 8" x 2" | 7.25 x 25" | 8.5 x 27" | 8 x 25" | 8 x 22" |
| Flotation Tails Available? | No | Yes, 5" | No | No | Yes, 6" |
| Load with Tails (per size) | n/a | 22": up to 240 lbs 25": up to 270 lbs |
n/a | n/a | Up to 250 lbs |
| Men's and Women's Versions? | Unisex | Yes | No, women's specific | Yes | Unisex |
| Sizes Available | 24" | 22", 25" | 23", 27" | 22", 25" | 22" |
| Size Tested | 24" | 25" | 27" | 25" | 22" plus 6" add-on tails |
Our Analysis and Test Results
If walking, jogging, or skipping down packed trails sounds like the perfect snowshoeing experience, look no further than the Eva Foam. This quirky model feels like one massive tennis shoe. The thick foam rocker-shaped platform propels each foot forward as you walk. It felt like we were bouncing around on the moon, with a smidge more gravity, of course. The feeling even inspired us to run! While this shoe isn't the best for flotation or durability, it is a fun, easy-to-use design that may appeal to many users.
Performance Comparison
Flotation
If you are looking to float high on deep snowdrifts, then you may want to continue your search. The thick foam decking of the Eva is one solid piece devoid of the spaces and holes you see on most snowshoes. Those holes are designed to allow snow to clear the top of the shoe, keeping them light and easy to move in. The Eva itself is actually quite light, but the snow that gathers on top weighs them down.
While you will avoid post-holing the way you would without snowshoes, this isn't the model to consider for deep snow excursions. The Eva is best used on packed trails, so be sure to take your snowshoe goals and locations into consideration during your search for the perfect fit.
Traction
The unique design of the Eva does not stop at its rocker shape or simplistic foam material. Instead of toothy crampons like most modern snowshoes, the underside is highly ridged and textured. It almost resembles the bottom of a soccer cleat. The shoe has optional ice spikes for added traction, which provide solid stick on flat or lightly rolling hills of packed or icy snow. While the spikes don't provide the same level of traction as a shoe with large crampons and teethed side rails, they get the job done on the right terrain. The spikes will wear down over time, so additional replacement spikes are available for purchase.
Stride Ergonomics
The toe side of the Eva is quite wide, which forced most of our users, petite or not, to widen their gait while walking. This is a unisex shoe with thick foam decking, which, at first, just feels straight-up awkward. That being said, once you find your footing, the shoes are actually pretty fun. Taking longer steps or even upping the pace to a light jog improves the stride ergonomics immensely. Each step feels as though it is propelling the foot forward, so moving quickly in feels more natural than leisurely strolling along at a slower pace. If having a bounce in your step down groomed winter trails sounds like your jam, this is a great option.
Ease of Use
It doesn't get much easier than velcro, right? Well, that thought is probably what inspired the simple Velcro binding system on the Eva Foam. Slide your foot in and then cinch down the sandal-like straps. Done and done. There is no fancy binding attachment — instead of the foot pivoting separately from the shoe, as on most models, the entirety of the footbed stays connected to the foam platform. This means the decking collects more snow and in turn, contributes to lack of float, but as we already mentioned, these shoes are meant more for packed trails than fresh powder adventures. The sneaker-like nature of the Eva makes stepping over logs or other obstacles a breeze, so feel free to parkour off whatever you please while sporting these puppies!
Bindings
While we felt mostly secure in the Eva, some of our testers reported discomfort. Because the shoe does not hinge, it may pull on the heel of your boot a bit. A few of our testers ended their hikes with small blisters on their heels, so make sure you strap your feet down tightly and wear appropriate socks, or you may suffer the same fate. Additionally, while we did not have any issues with the velcro on our outings, we are all aware of the fact that most velcro lacks durability and longevity. If you choose to purchase this snowshoe, be mindful to take care of the Velcro and keep it clean, or you may find that these shoes do not last you as long as you may want.
Value
The cost of these snowshoes is on the lower end of our tested models. They still cost more than other shoes in our review, but not by much. If you need a technical setup for floating out in deep snow and traversing steep icy hills, then they aren't worth it. But if you plan to stay on trails and possibly run? Then yes, we find them worth the price.
If the prospect of snowshoe running is exciting to you, Crescent Moon has a model, the Luna, made for just that.
Conclusion
We couldn't help but add the Eva Foam to our test suite because of its sheer uniqueness. The shoe did not score particularly high when compared to the others we tested mainly because of its lack of traction and float. That being said, we had a total blast wearing them. If you are looking for a simplistic shoe to up your frollic game on packed beginner trails, then this just might be the shoe for you!
— Hayley Thomas