Snowshoes? Do You Use Them?

[Mr VJP]

I'm thinking about getting a pair of snowshoes for hunting in the late winter when the snow is a foot deep or more.  Anybody use them?  What advice would you give me?  I've never had them before and don't know much about them other than what I've seen.

I can ski and ice skate very well, so I think I could manage to learn how to use snowshoes.  Are the fiberglass style better than the old style?

[Dinsdale]

I started with some tube framed Tubbs. Decent for the money and I still have them around for loners. You can slide on downhills a bit, so you have to be a bit more careful so you don't turn a knee.

Here is a tpical tube frame at a decent price and similar to my first pair;

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___38322

I do more than hunt in mine including some steeper terrain so now I have these;they are very stable on all surfaces because of the agressive frame design.....

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/snowshoes/ascent/lightning-ascent/product

A friend uses these, a little more aggresive between the ones above and typical tube frame styles. I think the solid panel is noisy for hunting, they wouldn't be my first choice unless you hunt in powder conditions.....

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/snowshoes/ascent/evo-ascent/product

You need to anticipate total load when choosing sizing (re. add about ten pounds for gun and gear for a day hunt)

I happen to be light and have a pair of womens as they fall between the mens sizing for me.

[Doc]

My wife bought me a pair a couple of years back. Aluminum tubular frames with rubber/canvas webbing. I wasn't all that impressed. They're a bit hard to maneuver, and they still sink into the snow a whole lot more than I thought they would.

Of course, bear in mind that I know nothing about snow-shoeing, so I'm probably not a good one to be offering opinions.

I do have another possible alternative. Have you considered cross-country skis? Again this coming from someone who is totally ignorant on the subject, but I figured as long as you are still at the planning stage, you might want to look into those as another winter possible snow-hiking aid.

Doc

[fasteddie]

I bought a pair of Tubbs Snow shoes at Sportsman's Guide but havn't tried them out yet ....

[Mr VJP]

Doc, I already ski and have tried them in the deep snow,  but have found they don't go uphill well in the woods and work best on packed snow rather than deep powder.  Their length also makes them harder to maneuver while hunting.

I've even tried the "short skis"  but find them lacking compared to snow shoes too.

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I bought a pair of Tubbs Snow shoes at Sportsman's Guide but havn't tried them out yet ....

Bingo,

Tubbs are the way to go, My son and I both have and use them to do winter scouting trips into our areas's. I have never had the need or opportunity to use them during the hunting season.

My mother has a set of Tubbs as well and she and her girlfriends snowshoe all winter on the trails, she is in her late 60's.

FDXX75

[Doewhacker]

We got ours from LLBean because of their warranty policy. Winterwalker is the brand I think. Love em they work great.

[G-Man]

I am a believer i the old style ash with rawhide, i've used the new tubbs and was surprised at how loud aluminum is when walking in icy conditions or bumped on brush, the ash is quieter. Get a pair style that will do what u want longer shoes are great for walking across large open areas or sticking to trail.(michigan type) large oval are good for carrying extra weight in brush and timber(bear paw or modified bear paw(upturned toe)) A good cross between the two is a green mountain i use these for hunting. Again as stated above get the size that meets/ exceeds your weight. you will still sink a bit. its not hard just like walking if you spred you legs you will tire fast and feel it in the morning. The wood and rawhide take a little more maint(shalacking in th espring to stay waterproof. The most important thing is the binding! get one that fits securely and will not loosen, they even have some that have ice teeth on the bottom if your climbing or following trails down slopes. I killed my best buck off of snowshoes in 5 ft of snow when eveyone else decided to stay in. A 24"inside spread 8pt that was 8 1/2 years old with 27in main beams,grossing in the mid 140's.  The new snowshoes are nice but like i said i found them to be a little noisy(unnaturally sound aluminum makes) i do have a modern pair but they are reserved for just taking a walk in the winter.

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I am a believer i the old style ash with rawhide, i've used the new tubbs and was surprised at how loud aluminum is when walking in icy conditions or bumped on brush, the ash is quieter. Get a pair style that will do what u want longer shoes are great for walking across large open areas or sticking to trail.(michigan type) large oval are good for carrying extra weight in brush and timber(bear paw or modified bear paw(upturned toe)) A good cross between the two is a green mountain i use these for hunting. Again as stated above get the size that meets/ exceeds your weight. you will still sink a bit. its not hard just like walking if you spred you legs you will tire fast and feel it in the morning. The wood and rawhide take a little more maint(shalacking in th espring to stay waterproof. The most important thing is the binding! get one that fits securely and will not loosen, they even have some that have ice teeth on the bottom if your climbing or following trails down slopes. I killed my best buck off of snowshoes in 5 ft of snow when eveyone else decided to stay in. A 24"inside spread 8pt that was 8 1/2 years old with 27in main beams,grossing in the mid 140's.  The new snowshoes are nice but like i said i found them to be a little noisy(unnaturally sound aluminum makes) i do have a modern pair but they are reserved for just taking a walk in the winter.

Very good point, like I stated above...........I don't use mine for hunting. I actually have two pair of the old style, one set was given to me by my grandmother, they were her grandfathers and are nearly 200 yrs old (they look like a really wide/rounded set of Huron style) the others are more of an Alaskian style, longer/narrower.

The binding on my gggrandfathers were in really rough shape, it had a local leathersmith make me a new set of binding and they look really nice.

I have them in my den strickly for show now.

FDXX75

[G-Man]

I actually made a pair of bear paws, steamed and bent the frame and wove the wet rawhide..i'll have to dig around for the pictures and scan them in..its been awhile since i had to do that really not that hard of a project but time consuming. A lot faster to buy em'

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I actually made a pair of bear paws, steamed and bent the frame and wove the wet rawhide..i'll have to dig around for the pictures and scan them in..its been awhile since i had to do that really not that hard of a project but time consuming. A lot faster to buy em'

Yep, but no where near as good of a feeling..............................

FDXX75

[sweet old bill]

I use to have to use them when hunting white rabbits with the beagles. I have 3 sets that I keep ready for use. 1 set bear paw, 1 set of trail shoe and 1 set of for woods trail set. they all work great but you sure should not plan on being on them for several hours the first few weekend. They will tire you out, to walk you should not lift your legs but just shuffle.