Winter hiking, especially in hilly or wooded terrain, demands some type of snowshoe for snow of any depth. Basically, the web of snowshoes distributes the person's weight over a wider area so that she can walk on snow without sinking in. It doesn't require the skills or expense of ski equipment. As snowshoe designer Carl Heilman says, "If you can walk, you can snowshoe."
Snowshoes can be used for fitness aerobics, recreational hiking or mountaineering and each type of usage has a different style of snowshoe to go with the activity. Snowshoes can be tied to a backpack if the terrain permits, so an advantage over cross country skis would be the ability to change back and forth to hiking boots as the terrain dictates.
What to Look for
A rule of thumb for snowshoe sizing is about 1 square inch of snowshoe area per pound of wearer, including extra gear and backpack. If powder is expected, another size should be added to the calculation.
Basic styles of snowshoes fit into either curved heal (bear paw) or tear drop (drag tail) category. New hybrids with symmetrical diamond or oval style variations and asymmetrical offset or interlocking styles are some of the newer styles available.
Materials tend to be traditional wood frame with cured leather webbing for traction or modern designs with aluminum, plastic or composite frames. Describing the type of snowshoeing the wearer expects to encounter should help the sales attendant guide the buyer to the right design.
While traditional materials have stood the test of time and have a special beauty, they do require some upkeep and maintenance, while newer designs need little upkeep. The options of heel and toe turn-up, styles of hinging, and the use of traction crampons are all considerations that should go into the purchase choice stemming from the type of snowshoeing expected.
Common Pitfalls
The buyer shouldn't get drawn into the romance of the traditional wood and leather designs if he has no time to refinish the snowshoes.
Conversely, new and experimental designs of man-made materials are more for the expert and specific use than general recreational use. Basic designs for the main types of usage are the safest bet. If a multitude of possible uses is planned, a mountaineering style can be used for recreation and fitness, but the other two don't work well for mountaineering, according to Heilman. (More complete discussions and comparisons are on Heilman's website at www.carlheilman.com.)
Member Comments