# What's to know about Snowshoes ?



## Dang Dawg (Jan 14, 2013)

OK It seams like talking about toilet paper but, I think I'm in the market for some snowshoes.
First what I think I want in a set is something Kinda short . Defiantly light. I put all my Coyote stuff on the scale the other day and in mid winter I'm packing 32 pounds of stuff. I think I'd use them more in sage brush and CRP grass and 8 to 10 inches of snow, sometimes soft and fluffy but more often in crusty drifted snow that JUST won't hold your weight. Noise, or lack of it may be important too. They have to be able to attach to my Kenetreks and some times the big floppy Sorels.
AND I don't want to pay a BUNCH of $$$
With all the gear on I'd need a weight range near 180 pounds and for a shorty of 5'6" What would I be looking at? Brands? My boy and his wife have a couple of sets they like, but together I probable weigh more. WAY back when I was a kid we would rent some and use them in the mountains, they were long wooden ( beaver tail ?)ones with raw hide stretched over them. THEY sucked and I didn't think they worked very well. Any one have any input? the wife is looking for a Christmas present for me ,this may be it.


----------



## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

i have a pair of wooden/rawhide ones from cabelas

my kids bought them for me for xmas a few years back

i have the bear paw style(i belive thats what they are called)

they are more oval shaped and not real long

they hold my 175 lb,5' 9" frame up one snow quite well

i pack about as much gear as you do,at times even more

wood ones are going to be quietter than the modern aluminum ones,

they sound like pipes being dragged across the snow

my bindings area adjustable and fit all my boots, danner 1000 gr thinsulate to my sorels

my bindings are also from cabelas

dont discount wood ones just because of a bad experience in the past

there are many differant styles of them,and each serve a differant purpose

the bear claw is great for in the woods and brush

as they are shorter since they dant have the beaver tail on them,they are not real wide

and like i said they support me and we can get several ffet of snow in the winter here in minnesota

the have served me well in all types of snow from powder to crusted snow and everything in between

and if i remember right they were right around $150


----------



## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Dang---------- Dawg--------- is that 32 pounds with a weapon?.

If I'm carry'in ten pounds I figure I'm pack'in stuff I don't need. :hot:

awprint:


----------



## Dang Dawg (Jan 14, 2013)

Rifle, shooting sticks, shells, Call, shooting muffs, walki talkies. battery's, seat, Binoculars, boots two pair long johns, heavy socks, wool pants, wool bibs, wool under shirt, wool outer shirt heavy jacket, , hat , face mask, gloves, winter whites, camera, go pro, and a bottle of water. Maybe soon snowshoes.


----------



## jswift (Dec 24, 2012)

Fortunately we don't use snowshoes so no advice from here. Sounds like you are packing a lot of weight with you....


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Sherpa snowshoes are the best of the best, depends on how hilly of terrain you may be in as to the type of cleat you might want underneath, I have the ice claw which were incredible on steep hard crusted terrain. There are not to many I haven't tried when I was trapping, the sherpa's are in a class of their own.


----------



## Dang Dawg (Jan 14, 2013)

I don't have to weir them long distances maybe 200/300 yards each way but take them off and on a dozen times a day.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Dang Dawg said:


> I don't have to weir them long distances maybe 200/300 yards each way but take them off and on a dozen times a day.


Their lacing system is great, you can have 6 pairs of gloves on and still put them on or take them off.


----------



## beavertrapper (Dec 31, 2012)

i think i would take the advice of some one from BC...i think they get a little snow to practice in.

your weight sounds good to me...need what you need


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

beavertrapper said:


> i think i would take the advice of some one from BC...i think they get a little snow to practice in.
> 
> your weight sounds good to me...need what you need


 I don't know if coming from BC has much to do with it though most of the snowshoeing was done in mountain terrain, each trapping season I had 3 pair of the wood shoes on the go, keeping them varnished up cause the snow is so abrasive, you couldn't give me a pair of them now, I could go on but I know what kinds of shoes to get. JMO.


----------



## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

Hmmmm. Good thread I've considered getting me a pair. Some good advice so far.


----------



## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

You could search for Paul Bergren from Minot ND as he is a top snow sled and snowshoe builder. I have a pair of his shoes that he made for a person my size (200 lbs) and the little bit I have used them (no snow around here yet) they work great.

any way I know he is willing to help any one looking for snow shoes.


----------



## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

You should always get larger ones than you need due to the weight of the gear and clothing that you will be on the shoes. Another thing to consider is the snow, wither the snow is dry or wet and how compacted it is. Up here is the snow shoe of choice used to be called Alaska Trail shoes which are long in order to take the weight of the snow being so light.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

knapper said:


> You should always get larger ones than you need due to the weight of the gear and clothing that you will be on the shoes. Another thing to consider is the snow, wither the snow is dry or wet and how compacted it is. Up here is the snow shoe of choice used to be called Alaska Trail shoes which are long in order to take the weight of the snow being so light.


 I think you mean Alaskan trail snowshoes.


----------

