Snow Shoe
What should I look for in snow shoes?
I’m interested in snow shoeing but I don’t know anything about it. What should I be looking for in snow shoes, what other equipment will I need? I live in northern Michigan, it’s hilly and wooded.
There are several brands and styles to choose from. Tubbs, Atlas, Redfeather, and MSR are some of the more popular brands. All of these are modern shoes with aluminum frames, PVC decking, and integrated bindings with some sort of crampon or traction device. MSR makes several stlyes of shoes that are high density plastic and do not have a metal frame. These are very good too, but the odd style sometimes is less appealing to the casual user.
Each company makes several levels of shoe. The basics are all the same, but the more expensive the shoes have better bindings and usually more traction. The highest levels also usually feature reinforced decking and additional features to assist in steep mountaineering climbs.
When I sold snowshoes I always pointed the customer in the direction of the snowshoe that had the easiest binding to use. Normally the easier bindings are found on mid-range shoes and better. Intro shoes normally use more webbing than plastic and are trickier to fit and take longer to adjust. I lead snowshoe hikes almost daily in the winter and we use the top-end snowshoes only because we deal with a lot of ice, need something very durable, and are really easy to fit the wide range and sizes of our hikers’ boots.
When buying snowshoes, try them on with the boots you plan to snowshoe in. This way you’ll get the right fit. If you will mostly be hiking through deep snow, longer snowshoes give you more floatation. Also, if you plan to use them while carrying a fully loaded backpack or you weigh a lot (like me) you will want longer shoes as well. However, if you plan to hike mostly on trails that get a lot of use, then a shorter size will most likely do OK for you. 23″-25″ is a good starting size for most people looking to do light snowshoeing.
Trekking poles are a nice addition to the package. Poles help you keep balance, can assist when traversing rough terrain, and can be used to help get you out of a big snowpile if you somehow sink down too deep.
Snowshoeing generates a lot of body heat so wear lightweight synthetic layers when hiking and keep a wind shell jacket and pants (rain jacket and pants work well too) in your backpack. I also wear snow gaiters over my boots to keep out the snow, but if you have high boots you might not need them. I generally go out for 3 hours at a time and carry a backpack, 1qt of water, 1st Aid Kit, some hand warmers, extra lightweight gloves and a fleece hat. Some trail mix or a Clif Bar is always good to have. Depending on your trip, things like maps, compass, fire starting supplies, extra food, toilet paper and trowel, more water, a thermos of hot water, and other things you would take on a day hike should be brought on you trek.
Hit me up if you have any other questions!
Snow Shoe Fitting Guide: Selecting Snowshoes