Being a Tubbs Ambassador has its perks. Lots and lots of perks. One of the nicest is getting to see what's coming.

When we toured the Tubbs offices we saw a pair of snowshoes every kid was going to want. And... we had to wait. The pairs we looked at were prototypes. They didn't even really work. They were just there for photoshoots. How unfair.

Fast forward a bit and a box arrives at the house. Three pairs of the prototype 'shoe, but no longer a prototype. These are the production Snowglow Snowshoe!

What makes them so great for kids? These snowshoes light up with every step. There's a button on the back that turns them on and a motion sensor (technically MotionBright) that flashes six multi-colored LEDs in the tail when they're in action. After a bit of idle time, the lights stop to save the batteries. (You can also turn them off by holding down the button until the lights cycle.)

Ok, ok. Who needs flashing snowshoes?

ME!

Alas. I don't wear a kids size 11 or even and adult size 6. Instead, I have to watch enviously as my kids wore the 'shoes on our first nightshoe... er... glowshoe trip of the season.

We live about 20 minutes from the Pacific Crest Trail so when we had the first decent dump of snow (lamentably late, but that's a different post) I grabbed our headlamps, boots, and Glowshoes and headed to the trailhead.

Just like the slightly larger Tubbs FLEX JR snowshoes that my kids wear during the day, the Glowshoes are easy to get on with a simple binding across the toe and another strap over the heel. However, while the FLEX JR have metal crampons, the Glowshoes are all plastic with molded traction. They won't be climbing icy slopes, but the plastic 'shoes are safer for little kids and do fine on softer snow.

From the trailhead we headed south, climbing through the sometimes thin snow coverage. This meant Lilly and Henry had the chance to test the traction as they avoided exposed rocks, mud, and trees not yet buried. Henry tried doing the splits through some sections, but unfortunately he's not quite as limber as his ballerina sister so he needed to retreat to a more sensible approach.

Out of the woods we were on the open ski slopes where the snow was better even though the resort wasn't open. Treen had a blast dashing through the powder, sometimes being barely visible as just the green light on her collar.

My headlamp was plenty powerful to pick out the kids almost anywhere on the open slope, but I turned it down and let them roam. They were just cones of light thrown from their own headlamps and flashes of color coming off their Glowshoes.

I had dreams of searching for the mysterious WWII-era tank rumored to be used for avalanche control near the top of the hill, but the kids were content once we found a slope steep enough to slide down. After a couple of pictures in the Mountain Tutu it was time to head down.

When I asked Lilly what her favorite part of the trip was she said the beautiful snow on the trees and the pretty lights on the Glowshoes. Henry said it was sliding on his butt (because "butt" is his new favorite word) and the awesome new snowshoes (because "awesome" is his other favorite new word).

Surely, you want to give glowshoeing a try, so enter the contest below and maybe you'll win a pair from Tubbs Snowshoes. I just hope you've got small feet.

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