Skis and snowshoes have helped man move about through thick snow for thousands of years. The earliest use of primitive snowshoes is believed to date to 4000 B.C., many centuries before the great Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations organized. In its simplest structure of interwoven pine boughs lashed together on the feet, the wooden snowshoe has developed into a bewildering array of designs intended to meet specific climate and terrain needs around the world.
Basic Construction
Wooden snowshoes are made from a roughly oval or teardrop-shaped frame of bent wood with wooden spacers running width-wise between the frame. Due to its strength and flexibility, white ash is a popular choice for snowshoe frames. Amidst the frame a web of leather is woven; more inexpensive snowshoes use split-grain leather, which absorbs water relatively easily. Ideally, more expensive whole grain leather is used for the web lacing as it is stronger and resists water more efficiently than split leather. Binding straps attach about a quarter to a third of the way down the snowshoe. The bindings let the ankle move freely, and a hole in the snowshoe's webbing allows the toes to rotate below the plane of the snowshoe during a step.
Complex Terrain Designs
For wooded or hilly terrain, a snowshoe needs to be relatively short in order to facilitate maneuvering, climbs and descents. For these conditions, the bearpaw and modified bearpaw are the favored snowshoe shapes. Bearpaw snowshoes are made in a slightly tear-dropped oval shape with rounded fronts and backs. Short fronts reduce accumulation in unpacked snow and the wide design aids stability, though it can result in an uncomfortably wide-legged gait. The modified or elongated bearpaw is designed for somewhat more open terrain. It is longer than the bearpaw but still has a rounded front and back; it is a suitable all-purpose snowshoe.
Open Terrain Designs
For wide open terrain a snowshoe should have a longer tail to help with stability. A narrower overall profile and a longer tip facilitate an easier gate. The Alaskan, Ojibwe and Huron are such designs. All three possess long tails. The tip on the Alaskan snowshoe is rounded, while the Ojibwe has a pointed tip like a ski which allows for near-skiing movements on densely packed snow. The Huron is similar in design to the Alaskan, but wider, giving greater soft-now performance at the expense of speed.
Care and Treatment
Like any outdoor equipment made from natural materials wooden snowshoes require some special care; however, with proper maintenance wooden snowshoes can last for generations. Snowshoes should not be put away wet, and should be stored away from moisture and direct sunlight. Hang snowshoes by the frame, not the webbing. Every couple of years, depending on use, snowshoes should be re-varnished to ensure their continued water repellency.
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