The best teacher will always be testing even "written in stone gospel" for ourselves. The military even went as far as producing a magnesium frame, wire strung snowshoe. I get enough funny looks from snowboarders with my wood and rawhide traditional pair. I tried these once, and passed them off to a "Survivalist" friend. He threw them on the fire in disgust. We sat there for the evening until time to turn in. is last comment before falling asleep was " Chris,do you carry a magnesium firestick? No Pat. Oh,O.K."