Got Snowshoes?

[Sunday Rock Maple]

My snowshoes are the old large wooden type and I'm thinking about replacing them with the new aluminum style. Any input on a model that works well with tubing and has bindings that it over work boots would be very much appreciated.

[Thad Blaisdell]

I have several different types, for me Tubbs has the most comfortable binding on the market.

[500592]

I have used wooden and metal and I have found wood ones have worked the best

[twitch]

i,ve got a pair that came from llbean my wife got me one x-mas. They have own boots that are like a hiking boat. There are 2 pins on the snowshoe that go into holes on side of the boots. They go on and off quickly and your foot never twist in them. they are handy i find alot of times i find myself taking them off if i am r going to be in one area for awhile and the boot are very warm to. I would definitly check them out

[Russell Lampron]

I've got a pair of the old wooden snow shoes hanging on the wall of my SH. I don't use them anymore since my wife got me a pair of Tubbs for Xmas one year. The wooden ones were a PITA to use when working on tubing. I was always tripping over the tails when I tried to turn around. I have used the bear paw style wooden ones before too and found that they were too wide.

[Cardigan99]

I have used wooden and metal and I have found wood ones have worked the best

I agree, I've got a pair of 10x36 wooden shoes (very similar to the old wooden Tubbs style but with a better binding). I've had them for about 20 years and love them.

[vikingHB]

I've had these snowshoes for 2 years (see link below), and they're great. Best of both worlds, wood & fiberglass with the crampons to prevent slipping.
They are quite narrow, but I never sink any deeper than 2 inches in powder. I weigh approximately 220lbs. Like most snowshoes, they are rated for different weights.

http://www.gear-up.com/cart_showproduct.php?pid=12371

[500592]

The ones I used had a homemade binding that you could kick your foot in and out also the tails were cut off

[adk1]

I bought a pair of snowshoes from Cabelas this past spring. havent used them yet. Will come in handy though!

[gmcooper]

Couple years ago I bought a pair of metal frame snowshoes with rachet type buckles. They have been great in the woods. I have a couple stone walls that I climb up and over with snow shoes on regularly with no problem. Before I had been using a older pair of wooden bear paws that were good but a bit too wide to be really comfortable working on tubing.

[MapleME]

I will second Tubbs as a great set of snow shoes. A word of advice is to get a pair one size larger than the size guide tells you, especially if you are moving sap. You may be 150LBS without carrying buckets but you weigh more when you are lugging sap! I always buy at LLBean and they carry Tubbs. This way, if they break etc just replace em. I would avoid the thought of the snowshoes that have an integrated boot. You will want to be able to use many different boots with your snowshoes...hiking boots, muck boots, etc etc.

[Flat47]

I've got 2 pair of GV and one LL Bean (plus a bunch of old wooden ones). I really REALLY like the GV bindings. One hand operation, ratchet style. Cabela's are re-marked GV and LL Bean are re-marked Tubbs. Work issued my wooden ones - hate those. The bindings are terrible and they sink in powder more than my GVs. Even the old timers at work are coming around and using Tubbs or GVs.

[adk1]

yeah, my Cabelas ones have a ratchet style strap. seemed simple yet secure.

[petersp22]

I've got some ten year old aluminum Atlas 1033's and love the bindings. But in deep snow I much prefer my old wooden snowshoes. The Atlas ones seem best for following an established path. They sure are more comfortable to wear and maneuver in. But in my experience, for flotation it's hard to beat the wooden ones. So I guess it depends on where you're going to wear them. Fresh deep snow - big ol' wooden ones. Established paths - aluminum.

[Flat47]

[QUOTE=petersp22;167578 But in my experience, for flotation it's hard to beat the wooden ones. So I guess it depends on where you're going to wear them. Fresh deep snow - big ol' wooden ones. Established paths - aluminum.[/QUOTE]

I really disagree - but it's probably all personal preference.

For me - wooden ones with a mesh deck give me no flotation while my aluminum ones with a solid deck float better without a question. I have found that to get similar floatation, I need bigger wooden ones like my wood 10x36 while my 9x30 aluminum perform the same.

[maple flats]

I have 4 pair. An old wooden pair (PITA), a pr of military surplus magnesium, designed like the wooden, Michigan or Alaskan style. I also have 2 metal frame similar to Tubbs in 2 sizes, a 10 x 36 and an 8 x 30. I used all of them last winter. I use the smallest size that will support me, depending on snow conditions. I use the last 2 most, they are the easiest to get on and off but when snow conditions require I use the military surplus (I put a set of Bob Maki bindings on them after I got the Mfgr to make a larger size). The old wooden ones are hard to put on and off, there must be a more friendly binding.

[500592]

The wooden ones I used had a wooden "u" then a strap ahead of that so all you have to do is out your boot through the strap then wooeden u catches the heel part of the boot making so you don't even have to take your gloves off

[Brad W Wi]

I've got wooden ones. I'm old fashioned and wouldn't use aluminum or plastic. The bindings are Bob Makey I think out of the U.P. of Mich.They're rubber and no buckels or leather. I use them for beaver trapping in winter and tapping if needed in the spring. The shoes are Iverson's out of the U.P. Wood does thake some caring for in the off season but "I" think they are the only way to go. You buy the size you need according to your weight, and the style to your terrain. The dealers will help you with that info.

[DrTimPerkins]

I've used snowshoes a moderate to excessive amount (depending upon the year) each year since I was quite young, and have gone through quite a number of different types over the years. All will work OK under certain conditions. For just walking, most types are fine. For real working and moving around on steep hillsides...some types/styles are almost worse than worthless. A good deal of what type of shoe works best for you depends upon the snow conditions, the terrain (steepness of the ground), what is on the ground you're walking over (shrubs, saplings), and how you're using them (gentle recreation, working for a few hrs, working hard all day).

The biggest problem I had with the wooden shoes was the maintenance.....if you use them hard and don't keep them varnished well each year, the wood and older style bindings will start to soak up water and freeze up if you're using them every day (or if you step into a stream or puddle). They stay on fine as long as you really tighten them, but can be a real bugger to get off. Worst part is that they get heavier if snow/ice builds up on them or they start getting wet at the end of the season. They also require a bit wider stance (at least the "bear claw" style do), which is fine once you get used to it...but is definitely more un-natural and tiring when you're on snowshoes all day long. For all those reasons, I switched first to plastic about 20 yrs ago, then to aluminum. I'd never go back to wood.

My current snowshoes (and most of the shoes we use at UVM PMRC) are Tubbs with the newer ActiveFit bindings -- easy in, easy out...and once adjusted properly, they stay on no matter what you're doing. Snow/ice build-up doesn't seem to be much of a problem. Having the crampon is great for the slopes around here (VT). Don't bother with the recreational shoe though....go for the higher end and you'll be happier (except for the cost) -- they'll hold up better to hard wear. We've only had one failure (breakage) in several years and multiple sets of snowshoes....and that was easily fixed with the replacement parts available. Don't forget to add in the weight of the tools, fittings, and buckets of sap you'll be lugging around.

Finally, if you don't fall down every now and then when you're on snowshoes....you're not working hard enough. :D

[Homestead Maple]

I use the MSR Trek, EVO's. I have had them for 10 years or better. They have a very easy binding to strap into. They are very light with aggressive ice cleats and have provisions to add a 8 or 12 inch tail on them if your going to be in deep snow.

[Potters3]

I have a aluminum pair of Atlas around 10yrs old if I remember right they where around $250, My wife now has a set of top end Tubbs again I think around $250. She had bought a cheap pair ($79.0) would have worked ok if her feet where a mens 12 or bigger. They would not stay on her feet very long, first big step or side hill she got to off one would come. She tried to save some money but in the end (buying two pair) cost use money.


We spend all winter working in the woods and all spring gathering buckets with the shoes on. Buy the very best ones you can, Atlas or Tubbs are both well made with parts available. (to bad the tubbs aren't made in VT anymore)

[Squaredeal]

I have four pair of shoes of my own, plus six more for my wife, kid and helpers. We all spend hundreds of hours on them every season. Hands down, you can't beat the aluminum frame models with crampons and plastic decks. I'm a big guy and I used to break wooden ones all the time. Since switching to metal, I have only broken binding straps that were easily replaced. I don;t know if they still do it, but I have a pair of Tubbs that have a lifetime warranty and each time that I have snapped a strap they have replaced the entire binding for free.