Tell me what you know. Where should I be looking to buy? Who has good deals? What features and things do I need to look for or avoid? Do I need poles? Any specifc ones you would suggest?
You don't need poles. Where will you do most of your snowshoeing? Trails, open land, deep woods? Second is deciding what style you'd like. Traditional or modern. Primary use is most important to know though. We can go from there
General fun hiking. Id say more trail than deep woods but I would do woods too. Traditional or modern? No idea. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yes, you need to decide on what they will be used for in order to make a good buy. Trekking and long hauls over open terrain, where you don't need to do allot of turning....... the traditional snowshoes (chippewa and huron style) with the longer tails are fantastic and fun. But as soon as you get into any kind of cover or need to turn frequently, you'll quickly find yourself tangling the shoe's tails and be on your face. I needed mine for pheasant and predator hunting so opted for the bear paw style (more of the oval style with little to no tail). I also went with the aluminum frames as they are lighter and they don't need near the upkeep of traditional style. You can get pivoting and non-pivoting bindings. The pivoting allow you to move with a more normal step as the bindings pivot at the ball of your foot. The non pivoting require you to lift your entire foot off the ground which means more work. You can also get shoes with and without crampons. One day of snowshoeing on snow with a crusty layer of ice on top and any hills and you'll quickly realize just how useful crampons are. Finally take a very close look at the bindings, because if you need to remove the shoe while out and about, the last thing you want is to be fumbling with difficult bindings when its 10 degrees and the bindings are covered in ice. I currently have a pair of Red Feather Alpines that have been good for me, but they're only used 8-10 times per year. SIerra Trading Post has fantastic deals from time to time.
OK, Here's some of my general thoughts: Modern Snowshoes: pros- easy on/off bindings, built in ice cleats for well used trails, light, easy to find cons- I don't like them in deep snow, every pair I've used squeaks, snow flips up onto your back. Traditional "in general": pros- many more styles to choose from, look cool, most float better in deep snow, quieter cons- many more styles to choose from, need occasional maintenance, lack of ice cleats, harder to find generally Traditional styles breakdown. The Alaskan & Ojibwe: pros- great floatation in deep snow (especially for bigger/taller men). Usually the biggest upturn in the toe for breaking trail, track well cons- can slide some on hills, hard to turn around on trails due to length Alaskans Ojibwa Bear Paw & Modified BP- pros- above average floatation, easy to turn around or go backward cons- due to their width they can be cumbersome for some's stride, little or no upturn so you have to step higher in the deep stuff Bear Paw Modified BP Michigan & Recreational: pros- good balance of maneuverability and floatation, versatile cons- versatile but not exceptional at anything
I love big alaskans, because I'm breaking trail in the deep stuff often. We have a couple old pairs of SnoCrafts that are 56" that are great for this. I may make my own pair of ojibwas this winter closer to 60". I also have a pair of 46" Iverson Alaskans, that really are good shoes. Probably enough floatation for most people. (we broke trail in 3-4' today where I used then, though i wished I had the 56"ers). I don't like using anything smaller than these unless it's my dad's bear paws. I like them for late winter scouting when im in the thick stuff and need the maneuverability. Iverson is a great maker. I wouldn't hesitate to buy any of their stuff. I especially like their binding systems. My favorite is their "AA" seen here:
For kids I'd go modern all the way. Easy for them is best. You wife could use either depending on what she likes. If you'll be wandering you property a bunch I'd say for a shorter alaskan (or long Michigan) in the 46" range. If you're busting trail, everyone behind you can get away with anything
I did find a set of aftermarket ice cleats that you can attach to a traditional shoe. I may try that on a smaller pair for better traction on trails & ice.
I would think I would be breaking trail mostly. It is mostly for my land. Maybe a little bit of hunting. This year I would of bow hunted late season if the snow was not so deep. But mostly to just get out and enjoy the land when the snow is 3' deep which I can't do now. I'm not sure how I will use them yet. I can't see it being a high use item. But maybe a dozen times a winter would be my guess.
Here's Iverson's website. Their descriptions have weight recommendations. Iverson Snowshoe & Furniture (Powered by CubeCart)
This is an interesting thread. I've been thinking that if I'm going to be goofing off in the mountains out here, eventually I'll want snowshoes. My issue is that I walk funny. Kind of in a straight line, slightly pigeon-toed. I think this would mean I'd be tripping all over myself in snowshoes. (I'm enough of a klutz now as it is) So, I guess I'd need to learn to walk like a man, or worse, Mrs. Obama.
