Snowshoeing is a popular activity in regions featuring heavy snowfall. This type of equipment has been modernized since it was first developed, often featuring light aluminum bottoms that improve the equipment while also making it lighter on the feet. Snowshoes are also something you can make at home as a craft.
History
Snowshoes have been around for thousands of years -- it is believed they were invented roughly 6,000 years ago somewhere in Asia. Eventually they migrated to other parts of the world, being used in Scandinavia and also being found among some North American Indians as forms of snow footwear.
Function
Snowshoes are designed to keep individuals on top of the snow when walking rather than trudging through deep drifts, burning energy, and getting cold and damp in the process. Snowshoes accomplish this feat by spreading out the area where your weight is placed -- instead of the relatively small surface area of your foot or shoe. Snowshoes can easily utilize five to six times the space, making you light enough over a large area that you don't compress the snow.
Construction
A snowshoe is a very wide and expansive piece of footwear that is flat on the bottom, and wider and longer than your foot. They can be made of different materials -- more expensive models are made of aluminum, while traditional types were created from wood. The shoe is attached to bindings that are often easily placed over a shoe or boot and can be adjusted to fix the shoes tightly and securely.
Maintenance
The maintenance required on a snowshoe depends on the type of shoe you are using. Metals snowshoes are best maintained by drying them off to prevent the development of rust. Wooden snowshoes need frequent varnishing to protect the wood from moisture. The best way to protect your snowshoes -- unless you have new, maintenance-free shoes -- is to keep them in a cool, dry place where the wood and rawhides used to make the snowshoes don't warp.
Considerations
Snowshoes can be a fun and effective way for traveling over the snow, but it is important to dress and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Avoid snowshoeing alone, wear multiple layers to protect yourself from the snow and cold, and don't wander off and get yourself lost. Even with snowshoes, you are still susceptible to many dangers of the winter wilderness.
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