One piece of kit of have overlooked is the snow shoe. Walking through deep snow is massively energy sapping and slows movement. Anyone have any recommendations or experiences of buying and using snow shoes?
Snow shoes
- Thread starter Karloshi
- Start date
Help Support Doomsday Prepper Forums:
Make sure your boot toe can fit through the toe hole. I have large thick boots, and because the boot is wider than the toe hole, the snowshoe will follow the plane of the boot sole and dig into the snow each step. The snowshoe MUST be able to remain horizontal (pointing up even) when you pick your foot up and move forward. The tail of the shoe should drag in the snow while you walk. If they nose-dive into the snow, your boot tip is not going through that hole properly.
Also, make sure they have the area to hold you up in fluffy snow without being so wide that you have to walk like a penguin, I like longer skinnier snowshoes. When I wear Tiffs, they hit each other because they were made a bit too wide. Again, make sure they allow you to walk without you feeling like you need to control the shoe. Walking awkwardly on them is the quickest way to ruin the hobby.
Ours are wood with leather bindings (the other set sinew) and very light, but I did see a neat set made of magnesium once. Having that much magnesium (and a ferro rod) would be invaluable in a cold wet environment!
Also, make sure they have the area to hold you up in fluffy snow without being so wide that you have to walk like a penguin, I like longer skinnier snowshoes. When I wear Tiffs, they hit each other because they were made a bit too wide. Again, make sure they allow you to walk without you feeling like you need to control the shoe. Walking awkwardly on them is the quickest way to ruin the hobby.
Ours are wood with leather bindings (the other set sinew) and very light, but I did see a neat set made of magnesium once. Having that much magnesium (and a ferro rod) would be invaluable in a cold wet environment!
LOL a ferro rod snow shoe.
I have several pairs of snow snowshoes and use them a lot on my trap line. Have both aluminum and wood, I dont much care for the aluminum ones. I prefer the modified bear paw or the Alaskan trail designs best. Wood frame with rawhide lacing is best. Be sure to get a snow shoe with ice cleats too.
Most of the winter where I live snowshoes are useless. We get a lot or deep dry snow up here. Right now even with snowshoes on I'd sink up to my waist. My track vehicle is getting stuck in the deep snow right now too.
Most of the winter where I live snowshoes are useless. We get a lot or deep dry snow up here. Right now even with snowshoes on I'd sink up to my waist. My track vehicle is getting stuck in the deep snow right now too.
actually almost bought a pair years ago - Menards is a multi-state Big Box chain here in the Upper Midwest - one of their buyers bought a crap load of decent quality snowshoes - all the stores got their store display including our locals - nobody bought them of course >>> price $$$ kept going down & down - the last of them were at giveaway pricing on the discount bin ....
we have 20"+ of snowpack as of the other day >>> it was 1979 since we hit that mark the last time - prepping is prepping but you have to stay reasonable ....
we have 20"+ of snowpack as of the other day >>> it was 1979 since we hit that mark the last time - prepping is prepping but you have to stay reasonable ....
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 6,652
- Reaction score
- 13,849
the last really bad year for snow here was 1963, i was 15 years old and had just started work.
Articdude is always going to have the last word on this subject as he is out and about with them for a living. All I can add for casual snow shoe users is I did see them sold in a military supply store but I did not check the price. They were metal and looked military.
I live in Finland and we are knee deep in snow every winter where I am. On the trails the snow is compact and walking is no problem but if I want to walk across the fields it is a royal pain in the arse. I made the error of placing a trail camera over the far side of the fields a month ago and only went to check it yesterday. I was bloody knackered by the time I returned and it wasn't really all that far. Also I love walking but the snow has limited my trips and I would like to do more in the winter time. My only worry is how useful are snowshoes if the snow is light and fluffy (probably not the correct technical snow terms). From what I have seen on youtube it seems that the newer metal framed ones aren't as useful as the old wooden, wider ones in lighter deep snow.
Between yesterday and today we got another 20 inches of snow. All of my traps are buried so deep that I can't find them. But I did manage to catch a beautiful red fox in a cubby set under a big tree. In the Fall and early spring snow shoes are very useful for me to get around with. If you have any hills in your area I'd highly recommend getting the ice cleats. Not all snow shoes come with the ice cleats.
mate, check these, price isn't bad,
www.varusteleka.fi
made in Canada..
US magnesium-lumikengät siteillä, ylijäämä, uudenveroiset
Lumikengät tuovat räpylällesi sen verran lisää pinta-alaa, ettei tartte polvea myöten sohjossa kahlata. Mainio korvike suksille monissa maastoissa. Nämä ovat jenkkiarmeijan ylijäämää, valmistettu Kanadassa! T
www.varusteleka.fi
made in Canada..
That looks similar in design to the Alaskan trail model. I prefer the wood ones myself. A good wood pair would run around $200-$300.mate, check these, price isn't bad,
US magnesium-lumikengät siteillä, ylijäämä, uudenveroiset
Lumikengät tuovat räpylällesi sen verran lisää pinta-alaa, ettei tartte polvea myöten sohjossa kahlata. Mainio korvike suksille monissa maastoissa. Nämä ovat jenkkiarmeijan ylijäämää, valmistettu Kanadassa! T
made in Canada..
