Snowshoes

[Jaeger]

Well after last winter I'm finally going to break down and get a pair of snowshoes for late season hunting and trapping.

 

No on trail or level 5-6" snow here.  I'm looking at hills and greater than 14" snow packed and powder (mostly 3-4' powder last year in 0-(-15) degree temps, too cold to pack down.

 

LL bean sells the MSR Lightening Ascent and offers trailers to increase the footprint and flotation in powder.  Anyone use these or other aluminum shoes?

 

They are slim and  light weight and not the traditional wood and leather (which I would prefer but do not want my short legs to have to suffer with bear paws).

 

Any other recommendations from backwoods deep snow hikers?

[G-Man]

I'm short Bearpaw work fine,it your legnth of stride you need to worry about, may need a pair of green mountain. I stay away from metal shoe for hunting, the sound of metal on ice packed snow or hitting a bush is so unnatural and loud!!!

[Daveboone]

I have a pair of Tubbs bear paws, one of several Ive owned (lost two pair in a fire). Just be sure to get plenty of snow shoe for your wt. and any gear you may be carrying.

[cityboy]

I like the older army surplus aluminum snowshoes with the beavertail. I use bindings I found online, the surplus ones are very frustrating. These snowshoes don't make noise like the hollow aluminum frame ones, or the ones that have the stretched fabric instead of shellacked leather weave. Not near as quiet as wooden and leather snowshoes, but they don't break crossing over rock walls and crossing plowed roads. 

 

I also use a pair of short fat cross-country skis that have a "skin" on the bottom. They glide pretty good and you can use your regular winter hunting boot, the bindings are kind of like snowboard bindings but have a free heel.

[Jaeger]

Well, I picked up a pair of aluminum frame, synthetic looking deck and straps with one crampon under the ball of the foot this weekend at a yard sale for $30.

 

I am going to give them a try early on to see if it suits me.  I know, start with cheap stuff and may get turned off altogether.  Usually when something cheap doesn't work I go more expensive to "fix it"..that's why I broke!!

 

Seriously, though they are just an initial experiment for trapline use.  I'll get a better pair, and quieter, if I like the idea and get out some.

[grampy]

I do a LOT of snowshoeing. I break my own trails, up and down hill and through deep powder. The last couple of years I have been using the LL Bean made by Tubbs aluminum shoes. They have a great binding system that does not keep coming off or loosening every few hundred yards. It also has an axle and crampon under the ball of your foot for excellent control up and down slopes. And they are feather light compared to the wooden shoes. Yes, they can be a bit noisey in very thick cover but any shoe is a real pain in the thickets. Just slow down and they are quiet enough to hunt with. And they are guaranteed for life, no questions. If something breaks, just return them for a new pair. I have done this myself.

[Fantail]

Brand name escapes me but I use shoes to scoot up to camp in the winter, dragging some gear in a mixing tub behind me.

 

Can be seen near the end of this short video.

 

https://youtu.be/fa2gAoWyPKU