On the high cost of snow shoes, buying tip - folks who rent these in season tend to sell them off in spring. I bought 2 sets of top of the line Atlas show shoes for 12.93 each a few years back, and as often as I snow shoe the have plenty of mileage in them. Look for the rental places in your area (REI is where I got mine), and ask what they do with the rentals at the end of the season. If you can get a date out of them, go and find a pair.

Thanks for the input, all.

Lono -- Hadn't thought of that. A very good tip!

And yeah, it does boil down to what one is most experienced with, doesn't it?

Myself, I learned to cross country ski first (a.k.a. Nordic skiing), and have done so since childhood. Downhill (a.k.a. alpine) skiing on the other hand was more of a post-college activity that was only done once a season or so, and less than that now that lift tickets cost the moon.

Snowshoeing experience is somewhat less, as well; mostly something I did at scout camp with old-school ashwood and rawhide gear; I've not yet tried out the aluminum variety, but am very interested now that I've seen how compact they are.

The reason I was asking which was better for an urban situation, I suppose, is because I could totally see myself XC skiing, due to ease and speed, but then thought that there might be a snowshoeing advantage that I'd be missing out on -- and now this has been confirmed by the helpful posters here. (More maneuverable in tight spaces, easier to store, etc.)

I'm thinking my scouting experience of clumsily trudging in oversized tennis rackets might need an update...

A Ford F150 4x4 and pac boots are all I've ever needed in Colorado for the last 30 years. But if I were living out in a cabin in the woods, rather than in the suburban area that's my home, I'd definitely opt for the snow shoes. It just seems like they'd have a much shorter learning curve. Plus, much easier to transport.

Depends on if you're going to do Nordic or skate skiing. You won't have any need for metal edges with Nordic.

The two types compete for space on groomed trails. Nordic is a peaceful and quiet type of skiing, with the skis running in parallel groves, where as skate looks more like speed skating but with skis instead of skates. It's more like racing.

With downhill experience, you would have no trouble transitioning between the types.

Haertig -- Better a Ford than a Dodge, eh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3wAy59Kq6I

That storm in late '06 was a doozy...

Pretty well, I guess...
Coming from alpine means you're used to balancing on a pair of skis. Which is a huge plus. But you'll probably find x-country skis incredible flimsy when going downward.

Skiing isn't not rocket science. Walk/jog like normal, just kick the foot agressively downwards instead of just stepping on it. (Think: Kick the binding DOWN). You want the ski to stick (and not slide backward) when you apply force to accelerate yourself forward.

Skating is similar, just that you are... skating. You're sigsaging, balancing on one ski and applying a kick with the other ski at an angle to your direction of movement. Easier done than to explain it.

As always: It takes some practice before those movements become natural and fluid.



People made do without steel edges for ages before they became the norm for "mountain skis". Although a huge plus for a wide range of conditions they can't be said to be mandatory.

Metal edge really shines if the surface is very hard and icy. Otherwise, they're not nescessary. On grommed tracks they won't be needed - but they will be really nice to have when the wet/warm track has frozen into concrete over the night.

If you plan to go "off track" you'll encounter a much wider range of snow conditions than on carefully groomed tracks, including ice hard rain crust, sastrugi and wind crust. It's like choosing a car: If you want to go offroad you'd buy a car with 4WD and all-terrain tires. If you want to go outside tracks you'd by (slightly) wider skis with a steel edge.

Skis made for going as fast as possible on groomed tracks typically won't have steel edges. Skis intended for off-track ("mountain skis") or combined track/off-track use will typically have a 3/4 or full steel edge.

As always, you adapt to local conditions. Where I live we have a coastal climate, so there will be episodes of rain all winter. Which means you have to be prepared to meet icy hard crusts any time you step outside the "paved" tracks... Even if the low lying areas have nice fluffy snow the wind exposed ridges will often be wind blown, hard and icy.

Skis when going any distances. Snowshoes are labor intensive, skis not so much.

If you can walk you can crosscountry ski.

Used both in Alaska back in the early 80s, courtesy Uncle Sam, who thought I needed to learn Artic warfare. Snowshoes were used mainly, as stated by others - shorter learning curve and with the loads we carried, more efficient.

Before I enlisted, I would x-country ski to work. My car at the time was hell in snow.

Thanks for the info Byrd_Huntr and MostlyHarmless. I looked up a few videos and I think I prefer the walking style, although with this craptacular winter we are having I'm not sure about icy surface without metal edge. Now I need to go look up the wax vs. wasless type.

Never tried snow shoeing before but I have done some hiking in the snow and it is a lot of work. It has to be easier to walk on the snow with snow shoes than boots.

My wife and I have Fischer skis that we like really well for all kinds of tooting around in the woods and touring on slopes. We bought them at a ski swap with bindings for around $150 bucks per pair. (Add shoes to the cost).

Mine are the "Boundless" model with no wax base, metal edges, wider
for deep snow. With 3 pin boots and skins they are a go anywhere ski. I use them at the down hill area with tele boots when teaching beginners.

My wife has "rebounds" with waxless base and narrower width that fit in groomed tracks a bit better. Stiff enough and short enough for off piste skating when the snow is firm too. Some friends use these for 50 mile backcountry day trips when the snow is perfect for skating.

That said, for emergencies, snow shoes fit most any shoe, most anyone, and store in more compact spaces. I made my own once from aluminum tubing, polypro rope, wire and webbing.

Skiers remember too that you can make rope climbers from P-cord
or polypro rope that will enable you to climb even icy slopes.