Reviews You Can Rely On

Fimbulvetr Hikr Review

An innovative snowshoe design that has yet to mature into a product we can recommend to all but a small subset of the market
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Fimbulvetr Hikr Review
Credit: Fimbulvetr
Price:  $249 List
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Manufacturer:   Fimbulvetr
By Jediah Porter ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Sep 25, 2019
55
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Flotation - 25% 8.0
  • Traction - 25% 6.0
  • Stride Ergonomics - 20% 5.0
  • Binding Comfort - 10% 3.0
  • Ease of Use - 10% 4.0
  • Binding Security - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

Some product in our test has to come out on the bottom. That product may exceed the function and quality of most of the market, but it is not as recommendable as any of the others in our test fleet. Enter the Fimbulvetr Hikr. These are great low maintenance, innovative-looking, and conversation-starting snowshoes for the occasional trail user. For short hikes, the binding is comfortable and easy to use. Provided it stays secure on your feet and doesn't ice up, the binding is serviceable. Small users or those sticking mainly to traveled trails will do fine with the moderate flotation provided by the Hikr.
REASONS TO BUY
Innovative
Unique looking
REASONS TO AVOID
Binding is insecure and ices up
Product Updates

Fimbulvetr updated their binding since our testing was carried out. See below for the details.

September 2019

Our Analysis and Test Results

Binding Updates


Since we tested the Hikr, Fimbulvetr has revised their binding. We're excited about this, since our findings with this snowshoe was that the bindings were problematic. The new binding, called the Hugin, is designed to be more secure than the previous binding and easier to mount. If you own Fimbulvetr snowshoes already, you can even purchase the bindings separately to mount onto your existing Hikrs.

See a new colorway for the Hikrs and compare the bindings in the images below. The dark blue is the new snowshoe; the white is the version we tested.


We're looking forward to testing the updated shoes, but for now, the review to follow still tells our account of the previous snowshoe with the old bindings.

Hands-On Review of the Hikr


An innovative product whose attributes very well may suit a niche of users, with otherwise minimal appeal to a broad audience.

fimbulvetr hikr - the fimbulvetr hikr is the most unique looking snowshoe in our test...
The Fimbulvetr Hikr is the most unique looking snowshoe in our test. The binding and crampon are attached to a flexible section of the unibody molded deck.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Flotation


fimbulvetr hikr - for fresh snow, the fimbulvetr's flotation is about average among...
For fresh snow, the Fimbulvetr's flotation is about average among our tested products.
Credit: Jediah Porter

With the innovative materials, design, and shape of the Hikr, we expected the flotation to be relatively good, for the size. The off-center binding mount, for instance, allows the snowshoes to be wider, overall, without dramatically influencing the stride ergonomics. The greater width translates to greater surface area, and surface area is the main determinant of flotation. However, presumably due to the flexible materials and “rockered” design, the effective surface area and therefore flotation is less in fresh snow than we first thought it might be. Like all compact snowshoes, these are perfectly suitable for packed trails. For much greater flotation, something long and lean is more appropriate.

Traction


fimbulvetr hikr - the traction of the fimbulvetr comes from both the metal spikes and...
The traction of the Fimbulvetr comes from both the metal spikes and the shape of the plastic decking.
Credit: Jediah Porter

The wildly textured molded plastic deck, complemented by minimal metal spiking, makes for an almost exactly average traction score. All the backcountry and alpine oriented snowshoes have much better traction.

Stride Ergonomics


Once again, we were hopeful that the innovative asymmetrical shape and unprecedented flexibility of the Hikr would result in similarly unprecedented hiking ergonomics. While none of our testers had any problems with walking in the Hikr, we had no revelations about the walking comfort. The springy binding attachment, as we mention at length elsewhere in our reviews, seems to please half the testers, while the other half want a hinged binding attachment for walking efficiency. If there is any pattern correlated with tester's preference for hinged attachment vs strapped, it is that trail users prefer hinged while backcountry and alpine users prefer hinged.

Binding Comfort


We had no issues with the comfort of the Hikr bindings. The soft nylon straps attached with pressure-dissipating plastic binding base material are quite comfortable.

Ease of Use


The binding straps of the Hikr are relatively familiar nylon textile straps run through simple ladder-lock plastic buckles. These are fairly intuitive to use. However, the nylon fabric straps are prone to icing up. In any conditions that involve both wetness and cold (which covers almost all snowshoe outings), especially when wear is extended for hours, the straps can freeze such that the snowshoes are difficult to remove or adjust.

fimbulvetr hikr - the soft nylon straps of the fimbulvetr are more prone to icing than...
The soft nylon straps of the Fimbulvetr are more prone to icing than any other in our review.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Binding Security


Snowshoes need to stay on securely to be effective. The nylon straps of the Hikr were the least secure of any snowshoe in our test. Users feet would slide side to side and sometimes slip out entirely. All the other binding designs were more secure than those on the Fimbulvetr.

Value


These snowshoes scored towards the bottom of the heap, yet cost more than most. Many snowshoes in our test scored much much higher and feature high-end construction, traction, and are equipped with secure binding systems. For this amount of money, one could buy three pairs of one of our Best Buy Award winners. We cannot say in good conscience that the Hikr is a good value.

Conclusion


These snowshoes turn heads. And, for basic use, they are perfectly suitable. While none of our test team found the stride ergonomics to be particularly unique, other online reviews suggest that the off-center binding mount can be very beneficial to some. If you are uncomfortable walking in other snowshoes, it is worth trying the Hikr style.

Jediah Porter