Hi gypsy,
Well, it's true that snowshoes have changed a lot over the years, but I kind of like the traditional ones. We have a few sets around here and they are all made of ash wood with babiche (a kind of rawhide) woven webbing. My bindings are pretty traditional too.. leather with 3 buckles for adjustment. I prefer a longer snowshoe that isn't too wide... They are easier to walk in than the wide shoes that some people use. For heavier people, or someone carrying a heavy pack, it's better to go with the slightly shorter but wider shaped snowshoe. All of my snowshoes were made in Quebec... I think around Sherbrooke. I believe that there is someone making them around Peterborough, Ontario too. A good camping outfitter would probably have the ash-and-babiche shoes. These days though, I guess a lot of them are carrying aluminum shoes and other types. I guess I'm just a little bit of a purist in this respect. I love the look and feel of the traditional shoes.
When you're buying snowshoes, they are usually "sized" according to the weight that they can carry. An outfitter should have several different sizes and shapes of shoes available for different types of people.
For boots, I've tried a lot of different things over the years. I've used the soft-soled mukluks made for snowshoeing, but I have to say that I actually prefer my ankle-height leather and nylon hiking boots which have moderately grippy soles. The binding can be adjusted to hold the boots well without slipping off, and the grippy sole of the boots prevents your foot from sliding around too much on the snowshoe.
One thing you should remember is to keep your snowshoes outside where it is cold when you aren't using them. They won't get iced up or packed with snow when you put them on to go out for a hike. If they are warm, ice and snow stick to them. I leave mine sticking in a snowbank right by the front door so that I can just strap them on and away I go...
Oh, and one other thing. Some people like to carry a pair of light cross-country ski poles when snowshoeing. I never do, but I see people doing it and if you aren't accustomed to snowshoeing, you might find that helpful, especially in difficult snow conditions or on rough terrain where you might fall down.
Hope you try it out... I'm sure that you'll have a great time. In winter, snowshoes can take you into places where nobody else can go. Highly recommended...(-:
Croc |
