MSR Snowshoes Issues Consumer Notification Regarding Denali Ascent and Red Denali Classic Snowshoes Built Between September and November 2001

MSR Snow Shoes issued a consumer notification regarding all Denali Ascent and red Denali Classic snowshoes manufactured between September and November 2001. These snowshoes were made with a different plastic decking than previous and later model snow shoes, and have a tendency to crack under extreme flexing or hard impacts.

To identify the snowshoes in question, retail stores and consumers can look at two date code dials on the bottom of the snow shoes. The affected models are coded 9/01, X/01 and Y/01. Stores with these MSR snowshoes still in stock have been asked to contact MSR immediately to exchange them.

Consumers can also exchange their snow shoes through their local retailer or by contacting MSR directly. Erik Flink, snowshoe product group manager, noted, "The typical cracks we’ve seen include – a cracked toe area, small pieces breaking off the bottom, etc. – but won’t generally affect the function of the snowshoe. People will still be able to use the snowshoes to get back, but they will want to exchange them when they get home."

Since the discovery of the problem, MSR has returned to producing snowshoes using the original plastic material, which has proven reliably strong and durable over the last seven years. Since their debut in 1995, the MSR line of snowshoes has grown to include models designed for a variety of backcountry uses – the Denali Ascent, Denali Classic, Denali Hiker (no longer in production) and the kid snowshoes Denali Tyker.

The popularity and performance of MSR snowshoes can be attributed to the unique platform design and to the many features invented by MSR, including steel traction bars for stability while traversing and flotation tails, which created the first modular snowshoe system available to the public. Founded in 1969 as a supplier of expedition climbing gear, Mountain Safety Research currently manufactures for the outdoor industry snowshoes, stoves, cookware, water filters, tents, organic dehydrated food, hydration systems and ski-snowshoe poles. More information is available on the company’s web site.