It so happened historically – the abundance of snow has never been a hindrance to humans. Many rescued skis. However, they are not universal enough. Hunters are well aware of how difficult it is to walk through a snow-covered forest even on wide skis. In addition, they require special skills and physical strength to move. More versatile for moving through deep snow drifts, women’s snowshoes, snowshoes for men, and kids’ snowshoes are well forgotten today. Snowshoes on sale are the best way to spend winter.
Size, shape, and design
Snowshoes varied considerably in size, shape, and design. After all, they were made from local materials and used to move around different areas: through the tundra, through the forest, through the mountains and snow-covered fields. Despite the fact that the design of snowshoes is known in principle, the technology of their historical manufacture from leather, sinew, and wood has actually been lost. And it is unlikely that it was the same for all people. Archaeologists suggest that people began to use snowshoes about 4 thousand years ago in Central Asia. From Asia along the isthmus, which was on the site of the modern Bering Strait, they also spread to the lands of North America.
The most important thing in snowshoes is the area of support on the snow. The larger this value, the less you will fall through the snow, especially loose. The snowshoe consists of a deck and bindings.
Depending on the design of the deck, snowshoes are of two types. Snowshoes of the first type have a hard plastic deck. Snowshoes of the second type – an aluminum frame with fabric stretched over it, usually made of PVC. You can’t say that some of them are bad and some are good. It’s just that different types of snowshoes are better used in certain conditions.
Snowshoes with a rigid deck are more applicable in the mountains, where there is not only fluffy crumbly snow, but also firn patches, wind sastrugi, and ice. Framed snowshoes are more suitable for the forest, where the snow is mostly fluffy, and if it is dense, it is only because it has melted or a snowmobile has driven over it. The molded deck made of polyethylene withstands, according to the manufacturer, the impact load even in frost -40. On the bottom surface of the deck there are longitudinal and transverse “ribs” that prevent the snowshoe from slipping back and forth and to the sides. There are several holes in the deck itself, which also provide reliable support for the foot while walking, prevent slippage, and, in addition, reduce the overall weight of the product.
Attachments
Attachments are installed on top of the deck. A feature of the snowshoe bindings is that there is a hinge in the toe area of the boot that allows the deck to rotate freely relative to the boot. This is done so that the snowshoe seems to “emerge” from the snow at every step, and not drag the snow along with it like a shovel.
There are several types of fasteners. Some are suitable for any boot, others are similar to cat bindings and are only suitable for boots with a welt (mountain or ski), there are bindings specifically for snowboarders. There are two options for snowboarders to choose from: with straps or for step-in bindings.
A small cat is installed on the very toe of the mount. Most often three-toothed, but there are also more “toothy”. Just like on real climbing crampons, the front metal tines point forward and help you get a better grip on the snow while climbing steep slopes with hard snow. You can climb a very steep firn slope relying only on these teeth and ski poles, while the snowshoe deck simply drags along the surface, and surprisingly, it practically does not interfere with walking, the cat holds perfectly.
How to choose the right snowshoes
When choosing snowshoes, first of all, you need to pay attention to their area. Naturally, the larger the area, the less you will fall into the snow – the laws of physics cannot be canceled. However, there is some optimum in the size of snowshoes, making the use of snowshoes more ergonomic. So the width of snowshoes for most manufacturers is about 20-23 cm. If it is wider, you will have to go “in full swing”, spreading your legs wide, otherwise, the snowshoes will constantly cling to each other at every step.
A good snowshoe
In addition to sufficient area, a front cat, and longitudinal and transverse ribs that prevent slipping, a good snowshoe has the following “chips”:
● “Waist”. If you look at pictures with images of snowshoes of different companies and designs for a long time, then, of course, note that for many models the deck has a shape similar to the number 8, not done in vain. The fact is that the recesses on the sides of the snowshoes are located just opposite those places where, when walking in deep snow or steeply uphill, the second snowshoe will “emerge” from the snow. Thus, a small recess prevents snowshoes from catching on each other.
● Anti-wind spikes. In addition to loose snow in the mountains, there are all its other varieties. Firn, crust, wind sastrugi, and even a frozen snowmobile track. To prevent the snowshoe from slipping on such snowy surfaces, many models are equipped with several spikes.
● Heel drop limiter when walking. On snowshoes, you couldn’t see the “frame” design. If you are walking steeply uphill, such a limiter raised does not allow the heel to drop to the very deck, making your life much easier.
● A latch that prevents rotation of the mount relative to the deck. A feature that is very convenient when going down the mountain. Going downhill is more comfortable if the snowshoe deck does not rotate, but rigidly attached to your boot. True, at the same time, the back of the snowshoe at each step throws snowballs at you a little, but these are trifles.
