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Your snowshoe experience?

Started by North to Alaska, March 06, 2021, 01:44:06 AM

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North to Alaska

Curious, who uses snowshoes? What is your experience with them in deep....deep snow? Traditional vs newer(aluminum) style. Do they keep you on top or do you sink? Size of your snowshoes and your weight? Just trying to make some decisions on what I might get. Huron style or Alaskan style traditional will keep me afloat but I worry that the wood and webbing will not hold up. Biggest sized aluminum I've seen is 40 in x 11 in. Also the Alaskan style might be a bit long (56 in)for tree logging but I can pick up a pair from a local that makes them from birch and nylon webbing...super lightweight.
Also plan to use them for some back woods hunting and I have read the the modern style is a bit noisy.

Live near Talkeetna, Alaska and we average about 10 to 12 feet of snow.

Thank you!
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DDW_OR

ask the local Alaskans
the more rural the better.
"let the machines do the work"

SwampDonkey

I use bear paw, but we only get 2-3 feet in the woods here. Crusty snow is hard on nylon bindings. My shoes are a hybrid from Faber, ash framed (continuous), some type of plastic webbing with a lashing like grass trimmer twine. I've had them for 16 years, what goes eventually is the lashing. The bindings go quicker on the crusty snow. But I think that is even hard on the animal leather/gut webbing to. On light snow where there is a lot of small brush undergrowth you can still sink a lot. But if it is wind driven snow or with layers you don't sink more than 4" I would think, less so on the wind driven stuff that was real cold when it blew around. I'm in New Brunswick, so our winters are above zero F most mornings. Don't get as cold as 30 or 40 years ago very often now.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Satamax

Best advice i can give you, get yourself backcountry or touring skis. Snowshoes are a pain imho. 
French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

dgdrls

https://snowshoe.com/pages/flotation-traditional-snowshoes-vs-modern-snowshoes
This may help with your decision

I would stay away from any type of plastic webbing, 
I broke mine this year,  decent LL Bean shoe but the
webbing was too thin and brittle,

Get some trekking poles too,

D

Edvantage

I bought the sherpas while living in N.H. they are 24" and worked great in the wet snow of New England.  I had to buy the 30" Tubbs to stay on top of the deep fluff we get here in the U.P.  The Tubbs are awesome with the cable binding systems.

 

Edvantage

Plastic is quiet in powder snow. Anything's noisy in crusty or wet snow

peakbagger

I do winter hiking in the White Mountains of NH. The standard observation by many is the Whites are where good snowshoe designs go to die. I have been hiking and climbing the local mountains for 30 years using a variety of snowshoes. I also keep an eye out on what the local search and rescue folks carry when they need to go haul someone off the local mountains. I also use snowshoes on occasion to cut trees.

My observations

The size and shape of the snowshoe is very dependent on the local snow and terrain. What works out in wide open spaces become useless in dense growth. If you want or need to climb slopes on a consistent basis you should look at rotary binding. A rotary binding separates the binding from the snowshoe deck. The binding rotates on either a steel pin that is bound to the frame on either side or in some cases on small hinge pins held in by stainless steel rings (MSR brand shoes use that approach). Lowest cost flat land snowshoes attach the binding to the deck or use some lacing that give some limited rotation the binding. The key is when a rotary binding is used, the pivot point is under the ball of the foot, If the user picks up their snowshoe off the ground, the front of their boots and the traction claws under the front of the boot will be sticking out past the plane of the snowshoe deck. This gives far greater traction up hill. There are also televators on climbing shoes that flip up under the heel to make steep uphills easier. My guess is hunter working the local mountains will use these climbing shoes. Technical climbing shoes are not cheap and the designs on occasion are a compromise between weight and durability. MSR has several technical designs but they all seem to trade off weight for durability. That said I have two of their designs that I use as they are optimized for my use which is climbing the local mountains. Many of their snowshoes but not all are US manufactured. I think US special forces were using them as the GI version pop up on occasion.

Sad to say there are bunch of high tech snowshoes out there that are marketed like skis. Tubbs sad to say that used to make great snow shoes long ago went out of business and the trademark is used by some marketing company that offshores production. Tubbs still has good designs but good luck on warranty repairs and long term parts. They want you to buy a new pair rather than fix the old pair. MSR is pretty good with stocking parts for their older designs.

If you want powder shoes that tend to work in deep snow but not in steep terrain, a dirt cheap option is the surplus US Army magnesium frame snowshoes with coated stainless steel lacing that are usually available on the Internet. I use them for my powder shoes for breaking deep powder. The tails are long and some folks cut them shorter but I leave them full length. The key thing with them is the army bindings that came with them are the worst. My guess is the bindings are why the military stop using them. There is type of binding called an Iverson A binding that will cost about what the shoes will cost. The bindings fit the Mickey Mouse style boots. Its a great combination but the trade off with any long shoeshoe is they designed to go forward. If you need to go sidewards they fight you. When I have used them for chainsawing I have to stomp down around the tree and then pack out an couple of escape routes and even then foot placement is challenge.

The snowshoe that the local rescue folks use is a 40 year old design called a Sherpa snowshoe. It was the first aluminum frame snowshoe with reinforced synthetic decking. They invented the rotary binding and had the patent on it until it ran out. IMHO its the universal snowshoe if there is one.The combo to get was the version with the Tucker claw which was an aggressive aluminum claw attached under the front of the binding. There is firm in Canada that makes an exact copy called an Arctic Trekker IRL Supplies Category Snowshoes. They are commercial snowshoes used by pros, pricey but tough as nails.  My suggestion is to keep an eye on Ebay as the original Sherpas pop up frequently. The big caveat is that when Sherpa went out of business the copyright floated around and a company called Yukon Charlies started using the name and came out with Chinese built lookalikes that were far less durable to the point where walmart was selling them. They were inferior clones, throwaway for a weekend user but nothing I would depend on in the long term. IRC does not have the Tucker claw but the alpine bindings they do sell are still pretty good except for climbing real steep stuff.  


mudfarmer

Like Satamax I prefer skis in any situation possible but sadly a lot is too steep here for me. 

Like peakbagger I like the milsurp magnesium, cheap, good for unbroken powder, not as good on ice as some of the modern designs that practically have crampons. Just using cheap nylon universal bindings, second set in 10yrs but same shoes 


 

SwampDonkey

Quote from: dgdrls on March 06, 2021, 07:49:22 AM
I would stay away from any type of plastic webbing,  
I broke mine this year,  decent LL Bean shoe but the
webbing was too thin and brittle,
Not on my Fabers, as I said on mine the lashing broke on just one after 16 years. The plastic webbing never broke or cracked in all them years.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

Here's mine, I can fix them with some grass trimmer string I think.



I've did my share of cross country skiing, much prefer snowshoes on untamed ground. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

North to Alaska

Wow, thanks for all the replies. Lots of good info.
I live on mostly flat terrain. Not much for underbrush. 
Fabers has been one of the shoes I have been looking at. Both there hybrid and aluminum. They have an aluminum that is 11x40 in. https://www.fabersnowshoes.com/collections/aluminum-snowshoes/products/mountain-quest

But I am now looking at the military issue magnesium. Several online for good prices (unissued/unused). Made in Canada. 



Branson 4520r tractor
Krpan 3.5 winch
MTL grapple
Dr 22k splitter
Stihl MS 261 CM

Sugar

I have a pair of aluminum shoes rated for up to 250lbs. Which I am well within the max weight.  They work very well in the woods, but they also allow me to sink 10 or 12 " in the fluff.  I am going to try a pair of the 60" Alaskan style next in hopes that walking to and from becomes "easier".
Hooked up and Hard down

Runningalucas

I got a kick out of the title,  my foot size is a 15, and I'm light, so I guess I come with snow shoes to begin with lol 
Life is short, tragedy is instant, it's what we do with our time in between that matters.  Always strive to do better, to be better.

nas

A lot depends on what you are doing with them. We use them for maple tapping and find that the bigger ones will hold you up on the snow better, but they are awkward so we stick with smaller ones. If you are just walking with them, you should get bigger ones. Working in them, think a little smaller.

Nick
Better to sit in silence and have everyone think me a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt - Napoleon.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.
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North to Alaska

I did look up the GV wide trails.
Looks promising too.
Problem with both GV and Fabre is that they are out of stock :-\
Branson 4520r tractor
Krpan 3.5 winch
MTL grapple
Dr 22k splitter
Stihl MS 261 CM

Jeff

What a timely thread as I just now got all the snow melted out of my right brain hole.

I need a pair for that U.P. snow. 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

WCFAK

Jeff, check out Iverson snow shoes they are made right there on the Upper Peninsula. 

SwampDonkey

Quote from: North to Alaska on March 06, 2021, 02:39:18 PM
I did look up the GV wide trails.
Looks promising too.
Problem with both GV and Fabre is that they are out of stock :-\
Most anyone is out of stock during this pandemic mess. I even looked back before winter, nothing but kids stuff I call it. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Old Greenhorn

I have 4 pairs of snow shoes. The best ones for doing a of of walking on open snow are the Adirondack style Tubbs pretty mush the same as the Michigan style. I think a lot of these names are regional. Those are 45 inches long and 12" wide, wood, rawhide webbing, pre 1940. Still work really well, but you can only turn by using either the 'flip method' or walking in a circle. Good floatation. I also have a pair of modified bearpaws that have no name and are 14x30, also wood with rawhide. Both have leather bindings. I was given a pair of aluminums a while back but I hardly have any time on those. Lastly I have what many would think of as a toy or gimmick they are plastic bear paws that strap full on the boot bottom (no hinge at all) and turn out to be very handy when snow camping and setting tents and working around camp. I thought they were a joke and brought them on a weekend trip once, turned out I spent most of the weekend with them on and when I took them off, somebody would snag them and try them out. Definitely not for deep snow cross country, but reall handy in small areas while working and you could easily run at a full gallop with them. Something it took me years to learn on those long Adirondacks.
 I think Peakbagger wrote the definitive buyers guide here and I can't add a thing to that. I did just check ebay and found a bunch of shoes, some were decent prices on the older used style. Most folks these days want the new fancy high tech stuff so the older shoes go cheap, I saw some decent deals there. Shipping is costly though. I spent all my time in the shop this winter, no time for recreation. I should fix that next year. ;D
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

SwampDonkey

My outdoors this winter has been on pavement, well icey/snow pavement. But I try to get my 4 miles in most nice days. And a nice day isn't a windy one. ;D

Did see two flocks of turkeys today. Been missing my 3 ruffed grouse this winter though. They was in the back yard before the snow. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

ehp

When I was logging up north I cut using snowshoes and I used a bear paw designs that was made by the indians that lived by use , worked very well and were wooden , The bear paw design has no tail on the end of the snowshoe so alot easier to get it to turn around in a hurry if things were not going correct for you 

North to Alaska

I worry about getting close enough to the tree for cutting and yes, getting turned around or getting out of the way if things go wrong. 
I also worry about the wooden ones holding up or getting nicked by the chainsaw too. 
The magnesium ones would be rugged enough. The two from GV and Faber would be big enough to stay afloat and have no tail to cause turning issues.

Thanks so much for the info and advice!
Branson 4520r tractor
Krpan 3.5 winch
MTL grapple
Dr 22k splitter
Stihl MS 261 CM

Old Greenhorn

Quote from: North to Alaska on March 07, 2021, 12:38:57 AM
I worry about getting close enough to the tree for cutting and yes, getting turned around or getting out of the way if things go wrong.
I also worry about the wooden ones holding up or getting nicked by the chainsaw too.
The magnesium ones would be rugged enough. The two from GV and Faber would be big enough to stay afloat and have no tail to cause turning issues.

Thanks so much for the info and advice!
Hang on just a sec. Just because there is no tail does not mean you have no turning issues. True the tailed shoes take more thought and practice and turning is a small art form, but a bearpaw type with no tail only removes that one small issue (the tail) it does not address the flex in the binding. So if you have technical hard binding on a pivot pin, then yes, turning is easier (but not 'free' as in like walking in large boots) but the back end of the shoe still drags in the snow and can easily trip you up during a turn. If you have leather or web type bindings and even some plastics there is a lot of twist flex in those and therefore turning will always be something you must think through, even though it becomes automatic in a short time.
 I don't know how comfortable I would be cutting while on snow shoes, but I know some guys are good enough to do it. I just worry about those first few seconds on the escape route. Packing those paths before you begin cutting will help a lot, but I would likely take the shoes off when I did the cut and made my safe retreat because I am chicken. If you trip on the way out, you are a sitting duck with those shoes on.
 I just wanted to point that detail out for your consideration...and safety.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

62oliver

I have GV wide trails, they have been good, I did break them a couple times, but the warranty is excellent and they look after it all. My only complaint is they are a bit noisy. My favs are wood/web shoes. I have broken every set of snowshoes I've ever had. In my view get the biggest you can comfortably handle. The modern ones have nice bindings. Have fun out there.
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