Folks, I've decided Im notgoing to live inside again this winter and want to continue my hiking. I get bad cabin fever. Im going to try snow shoes and know so little about them.

Can I get some advice? Will I need ski poles or will my walking stick do? Will I have to really lighten my pack while on snow shoes? Are shoes rateed somehow?

Thanks

You will find that poles are handy, especially if they are equipped with baskets. Generally most models have some kind of optimum weight for which they are designed, assuming average snow conditions. For fairly level routes, almost any shoe will do. If you wish to tackle slopes, some more intricate bindings, with claw/crampon arrangements, come in very handy. Hills also introduce the possibility of avalanches.

After about an hour or so, you will be an expert - it is just walking, after all -just with funny things on your feet.

Snowshoeing is much of an art as it is practiced and learned skill that once you have the basics down though, it is great way to see the winter snow country.

Here is a basic overview on choosing snowshoes. And here is a typical selection of shoes from which to choose. As you can see, these modern day snowshoes are not your granddaddy's snowshoes...

As for walking sticks, trekking poles or snowshoeing poles with baskets make a big difference and helps save a lot of leg energy.

I use ski poles. Two of them for good balance.
Snowshoes are pretty straightforward but getting up after falling in soft snow is a workout and it's pretty tough to sidehill.

It's also very tiring travel. A mile on snowshoes on anything but hard ice or hard crust is about like 3 miles of hiking (or more).

And you have to keep your feet wider apart than normal so some of the muscles will be different (and weak at first).

Still beats sitting on the couch wishing for Spring.

Thanks alot fellas. My doc recommended some good exercise and this looks like the ticket. Might have to go slow as I have bad knees, one needs replacement. Still, I cant imagine doing nothing all winter long. I suppose I'll make a few knives and play on the PC but man; I gotta hit the trails on the weekend or I'll require therapy and sedation

Speaking of that, I think about my hikes all week long at work. Its a strong incentive that gets me thru my week.

found these after a brief search of ebay. Opinions on this type of shoe?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400334536886?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

+1 on the ski poles. I have always used some XC ski poles with my snowshoes. I have some old bamboo ones with large backets, cheap is good enough.

For snowshoes I have a pair of the older ash and neoprene laced Huron type, also called Michigan type. I also have a pair of the military magnesium shoes with the coated cable lacing. Both are similar in size and design. I weigh about 200 pounds without a pack so I prefer larger snowshoes and ones with a tail are easier to keep going in s straight line to my style of walking.

Have fun, snowshoeing is great. I just hope Arizona gets enough snow this year that I can do some XC skiing and snowshoeing. We have not had enough the past 2 years in a row

Snowshoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are a couple of variables for a beginner to consider:

1. How deep is the snow?
2. how much do you weigh?

Basically, the deeper the snow, the longer the snowshoe and the more you (and your pack) weighs, the longer the snowshoe.

My wife and I are avid snowshoers, and she is much lighter than me. We solved weight/snow depth problem by buying 3 pairs of snowshoes, one pair in each of the 3 standard sizes.

When the snow is deep, I use the long ones, and my wife uses the middle ones

When the snow is not so deep, I use the middle ones, and my wife uses the small ones.

There are climbing and running 'shoes available, but those are niche items.

You will need ski poles.

Here is a picture of the small size Yanes Mountain Pass model we use. It is a good starter model because it is sturdy, inexpensive, has a very robust and simple to use ratcheting binding, and comes with a tote bag and matching ski poles.... No affiliation. http://yanes.corecommerce.com/Snowshoes/

In my experience ( and in urban/ suburban areas) cross country skis are a better bet

I've been considering getting into snowshoeing as well and picked up the book Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies by Andrew Nugara (Amazon has a preview of the book).

While the trails in the book are specific to this part of the world, the first 70 pages or so of the book were dedicated to educating the uninitiated in snowshoeing including things like gear choices, technique, avalanche risks, recommended training courses (e.g., avalanche safety training), etc. I found it to be a very worthwhile resource.

i used to showshoe all the time, back when we had real winters. had to use them for a couple months a year just to get down the mountain to access a vehicle to get to town. but haven't had to use mine in a handful of years with these warmer Pac NW winters.

every now and then folks ask me which ones to buy to use for funning around. while wood are classic, the modern aluminum and poly models are cheaper, easier to maintain, lighterweight, tougher. yet even these can cost a bit too much for to supply a whole family.

so my question is this: has anyone used those US-Canadian military magnesium versions? are they any good?

i ask because they're so damn inexpensive. the ones i fondled 30 years ago seemed incredibly tough and sturdy. should i recommend them to others????

ie: here they are, brand-new with bindings, for $40 thru sportsmanguide, which to me appears to be a stunningly good deal:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=1044944

ps- i personally never found a need for ski-poles. i did fine without them and could still use my arms to carry gear, like a rifle. re: which snowshoe style is best, for trekking any distance at all i used models with a dragging tail, not the bearpaw oval sytle which are better suited for in-camp use.