Heel lift at a glance
- Also called
- Televator, climbing bar
- Weight cost
- A few ounces per pair
- Deployed with
- A trekking pole tip
- Worth it for
- Sustained climbs, not rolling terrain
What it actually does
On a steep climb without one, every step stretches your calf at full extension and holds it there under load. That fatigue compounds quickly, and it is what usually ends a long ascent rather than aerobic capacity. Flipping the bar up supports your heel at something closer to level ground.
MSR sells its version as the Televator; most other makers simply call it a climbing bar or heel lift. It weighs a few ounces, folds flat when not in use, and is designed to be flipped up with the tip of a trekking pole so you do not have to bend down in deep snow.
When it earns its place
Only on sustained steep ground. On flat and rolling terrain the bar stays folded all day and is dead weight, which is exactly why several good recreational snowshoes leave it off entirely and are better for it. Lake loops and forest roads do not need one.
If any part of your season involves grinding up a drainage or a summit approach, treat it as close to mandatory. It changes how far you can travel in a day more than almost any other piece of hardware on the shoe.
Using it well
Deploy it at the bottom of a climb rather than partway up, once you can see the pitch is sustained. It costs a second with a pole tip and it is the difference between topping out tired and topping out cooked. Drop it again on the flat, because walking on a raised bar is unstable.
What this means when you're choosing
- Whether the bar can be flipped with a pole tip rather than by hand
- That it folds fully flat, so it does not catch on the flat sections
- Metal rather than plastic on shoes intended for real mountain use
- Whether your terrain actually justifies the weight, since many trails do not
The common mistake
Buying one for terrain that never climbs
A heel lift on a flat-trail snowshoe is a few ounces you lift thousands of times and never use. Recreational shoes that omit it are not cutting a corner, they are correctly specified for the ground they are meant for. Match the feature to your actual season rather than to the spec sheet.
Common questions
What is a Televator?
It is MSR's brand name for a heel lift, the bar that flips up behind your heel on a climb. Other makers call the same feature a climbing bar or heel lift.
Do I need a heel lift on my snowshoes?
Only if your winter walking includes sustained steep climbs. On flat and rolling terrain the bar stays folded and is dead weight, and plenty of good recreational shoes omit it on purpose.
How do I use a heel lift without bending down?
Flip it up with the tip of a trekking pole at the bottom of the climb. Most designs are shaped for exactly that, which matters when the alternative is crouching in deep snow with a pack on.
Where this is defined
- Snowshoeing, National Park Service