It Takes All Kinds

What’s the best type of snowshoes to wear? The answer to that question depends upon where you are going snowshoeing and what the conditions are. It doesn’t really matter too much which kind you wear as long as you are getting out and enjoying the sport.

My traditional wooden snowshoes are ideal for deep snow. They keep you floating on top of the snow yet do a great job breaking trail. They work best on a lake or trail without too many obstacles to climb over. If you have to get over logs they can be a bit cumbersome and as with any snowshoe you don’t want to stand on top of a log with them on.  They are heavier, longer and wider than some of the newer types of snowshoes but are still my favorite snowshoes to wear.

I tried Cassidy’s blue Tubbs snowshoes on the second day of snowshoeing. These are about as different from my snowshoes as you can get.  It barely felt like I had snowshoes on because they were not much bigger than my boots and they were so lightweight. With the trail already packed these snowshoes worked perfectly. I wouldn’t want to have to break trail wearing them or get around in very deep snow but the metal claws were terrific for going uphill and over obstacles in the path.  They were easy to put on which is always a bonus.

The rest of the snowshoes in the photo are of average size and can be used in all conditions. If I were looking for a new pair of snowshoes then I would look for one with a good buckling system that is just as easy to tighten outside in the cold as it is inside of a store. Whatever the type of snowshoe you have just be sure to get outside and use them as often as possible.