Snowshoes

[TessiersFarm]

How many of you guys wear snowshoes?  I am looking for some to work in.  I currently have traditional wood and rawhide with rubber bindings.  After a couple weeks of using them every day they sag and flop around on my feet, due to stretching.  I would like to treat myself to a new pair of aluminum showshoes.  My local logging supplier sells Faber, which would be my preference but I am open to about anything.  I wear them every day for several weeks while maintaining, tapping and collecting from my sugar bush.  There is a fair amount of side hill, some quite steep.  Weight will be between 200 and 250 lbs depending on what I am carrying, less while breaking trails, more on packed trails.  I figure I go about 4 miles per day while collecting.  I never knew how complicated snowshoes were until I stared looking for a new pair (or expensive for that matter but that is less of an issue)

Thanks

[JDeere]

Who is your local logging supplier over there? We will be logging in an area just west of Rangeley and the first thing I was told is "you better have some good snowshoes."

[CX3]

I know nothing about snow shoes but have seen several neat looking pair at the local army surplus store.  You might check there.

[TessiersFarm]

Who is your local logging supplier over there? We will be logging in an area just west of Rangeley and the first thing I was told is "you better have some good snowshoes."

Labonville Located in Maidson, Farmington and Mexico Maine and Gorham, North Conway and Littleton NH.  They are great to deal with although I have only been to Madison, Farmington and Gorham stores.

[Magicman]

Here is an idea.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=585706

[sprucebunny]

I got the Faber brand that Labonnville sells but they are not rated for your weight in powder snow. The bindings work well. They have survived lots of abuse. I also have the ones Magicman posted; they aren't as good and the bindings really aren't as good.

Aluminum is great when I'm sawing down brush in the snow  :D

The aluminum and fabric/rubber ones get snagged on stuff much less than the others.

[furltech]

I have never worked in them myself but i worked with a frenchman from quebec who always wore aluminum ones .He always seemed to do ok with them when we used to pre thin ahead of the harvesters .

[HousewrightVA]

Post your question on the Mapletrader Forum. Lots of people there doing exactly what you are.
Already tapped in VA.
Good luck

[chevytaHOE5674]

I have two pair of "cabelas" branded ones (surely built by someone else and rebadged). And the bindings have held up great to the last 5 winters of forestry work. I wear them all the time when I go out and mark sales, run property lines, cruise volumes, etc and they haven't let me down yet.

One word of advice get the next size bigger than you think you will need as far as weight is concerned.

[Reddog]

www.Risdonrigs.com

[Dean186]

We have used Atlas brand of snow shoes for several years and would buy again.  You also might want to consider Tubbs brand of snow shoes.  

It's important to us to have a good buckle system on a snow shoe, which the top of the line models mentioned above will have.

We buy most of our outdoor stuff from REI and they will have a good selection of quality snow shoes.  Here is the link.

http://www.rei.com/category/40004287

[KingTimber]

Been there done that.
I used them cutting wood one winter. A bit scary when dropping problem trees.
LL Bean, then when you blow off a binding you can get a new set free.
Trust me I put them through the torture test.
I am on my second pair.
It was like 30 below and I tossed a cant dog into the back of the truck. The plastic binding exploded. Replaced with no questions asked. Bindings are critical when out in the real stuff. Have fun and be safe.
Chuck

[SwampDonkey]

My vote is for Faber, made in Canada. Mine have wood (ash) frames. I've had these for 4 years. The only thing I find is nylon wears out with the darn crusty snow we get here in recent years. Get a couple winters out of the nylon bindings and have to replace. But, other than that, the shoes have served me well. Some winters of late around here, all you needed was work boots with soft sole or "creepers" on to keep from landing on your butt.  :-\ : Aluminum are no good, people break the aluminum and the trash is full of them. Doesn't have the give like ash wood does. I was working with some fellas with them aluminum and one of each pair was starting to crack the aluminum. Junk. :

The worst place i ever shoed in was with an understory of thick hazel. Holy crap, go along and whoosh clear to the bottom in that brush with snow up to your neck. The hazel made air pockets under the heavy snow and you break through it. Just about wore a fella out walking in that stuff. The woodlot owner decided he wasn't making work out of it and stayed home. :D :D

[Shotgun]

My snowshoe story...

I wore snowshoes for much of the winter while working in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a number of years back in the 1960's& early 70's. They were made of wood (ash) with leather webbing and leather bindings. Metal snowshoes were not available then. We wore them for much of the day, day in and day out. This was the time when snowmobiles were just coming on the scene.  The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made the shoes in a little town named Shingleton, MI, just about in the middle (E & W) of the UP.  They were made by inmates, for use by state agencies in those areas of Michigan that required snowshoes. There was a trustee camp close by which provided a continuous source of inmates. I was employed by another state agency, and had access to raw bull hides, and I was able to trade bull hides for finished snowshoes.

For bindings, we ultimately resorted to using just leather toe straps (purchased) that were fastened to the snow shoe cross strap with small leather straps and buckles. To hold the shoes on our feet, we used rubber bands made from slices of old inter-tubes.  Put a couple of these rubber bands over your boot on each foot, shove your boot toe through the toe strap on the snow shoe, and slip the rubber bands over your toe. We would wear a couple bands at a time, and if one broke you weren't then left in a lurch. If you happened to upset in deep snow (frequently 5 plus feet) or brush tangles, it was very easy to extricate yourself from the snow shoe(s). These bindings were very comfortable and dependable. They worked great and were certainly cheap enough.  ). Inter-tubes are probably considerably harder to come by now. I spent lots of hours on snowshoes. Probably even more hours than SwampDonkey has spent on the Forestry Forum, and maybe even Jeff, himself.

We had crews (both inmate and civilian) working in the woods through-out the UP and since transportation into the bush during the winter was often impractical due to snow depth, we purchased several large snowmobiles to haul the crews with, and always carried snowshoes to wear for work, or snowmobile emergencies. We worked all over the UP. The snowmobiles extended our work range considerably.

With the state agency/inmate arrangement manufacturing the snowshoes, we could just take the shoes back for a varnish dip or web repair,  as needed, or at the very least in the spring when the shoes went into storage for the summer. Each pair lasted years, though.

There was a little private business in Shingleton that was an off-shoot started by one of the DNR employees who started his own snowshoe manufacturing business for private sales. It's probably done by his kids by now. It's still in business and is known as Iversons Snoeshoes (www.iversonssnowshoes.com/) . You might want to take a look there at their snowshoes. I haven't been there in years, though.

Norm

[Ironwood]

The military ones are REALLY bullet proof, but are slightly wide in the foot. It is likely they are the most durable, titanium w/ coated stainless cables. I have a few pair here and look far more durable than the Atlas and Tubbs I have. You may find them a bit wide (although better floatation) and they lack a real crampon on the bottom of the boot area for off angle/ steep work, that can be remedied by some aluminum and rivets. they are certainly cheaper to acquire and for a REALLY good set up you could combine them w/ a Raimer style binding found on military skis from back in the day. I have seen a lot of this stuff over the years. You could try Coleman Military Surplus in Pa. For starters. If they don't have them in their warehouse ask where/ who may.  Sportsman Guide has had spirts of this stuff over the years and it was sold Cheap cheap , so likely none left, but perhaps worth a call.

Ironwood

[ga jones]

I just bought a pair of the military ones from sportsman guide waited about 2 weeks but got them. they do look bullet proof. I have seen atlas ones break easily. tubbs are very durable, depends on your budget. cant beat sportsman guide military price!

[Ironwood]

YES, Sportsamn Guide is catalog I was speaking of. I think they used to be $20 a pair w/out binding. I bought them just to have a backup. We LOVE to play in the snow. I am waiting for some deep stuff, I have Atlas and Tubbs for the wife and 8-4-3 year olds.

Ironwood

[bill m]

I have 2 pair of Tubbs I use when working in my sugarbush and I think they are among the best. I had a strap break on one of them and brought them back to a local sporting goods store ( not where I bought them ) and they sent them back for repair. Lifetime warranty - no charge not even for shipping.

[Ironwood]

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=585706

GRAB them or TWO at that price.

Ironwood

[TessiersFarm]

Thank you for all the replies.  I have looked at the sportsman guide mag snowshoes and I like the durability, however I am a little skeptical of the bindings, which I can replace, and I think they will not be real manuverable in some of the areas I work.  I may order a pair just to try them out, they look indestructible, may be nice to have a couple pairs around the sugar shack as loaners for visitors.

I am most intrigued by the MSR snowshoes from the link by Dean186
http://www.rei.com/category/40004287

They offer add on tails for improved flotation while breaking trails or carrying heavy loads, which remove when my trails are well packed or I am just out having fun.  I really like that option.  I realize that was not where he was directing me, but thats where I ended up.  I couldn't find anyone else offering that option.

Thanks Again

PS I have this same discussion going on at Maple Trader

[Ron Scott]

I've a few hours on snowshoes while in the marines, USFS, and as a consulting forester. Iversons are a very good Michigan made wooden snowshoe like Shotgun said. The USFS has used many of their shoes over the years.

I taught snowshoeing to marine trainees going through cold weather training in the high Sierra's at Bridgeport CA back in the 1950's. We used the wooden bear paws, no tail, made by Tubbs at the time. They held up very well, but haven't seen any of that military issue for some time.

I've now gone to the aluminum frames for lightness and ease of travel in heavy brush, but yes they can break as well as the wooden shoes. Whatever shoe you get, be sure it is of good quality, has a good durable easy mounting binding, and get the proper shoe for your weight including the weight that you will be carrying.

Also carry some emergency repair items adaptable to your type of snowshoe such as nylon or buckskin line, leather strap, etc. since a long walk back in fresh snow with one good shoe can be a chore. ;)

When the trail gets well packed, I will often switch to cross country skis and pack the snowshoes in and then put them on when I get to the fresh snow work area. Long distances are much faster traveled on cross country skis, if you are adept to using skis also.

[SwampDonkey]

I'm having a good old time here coming up with a type of sled that a short stubby type snow shoe can be used or a set of creepers on the shoe for traction on hard surface. Can coast on the hills, step off to shoe, or push off on the level or slight slope.

SwampDonkey, the sled builder and self tester.   :D :D

At the moment designing a steering mechanism.  ;D

[g_man]

If you have a lot of side hill work you better get the best binding you can find. It will have to hold both your toe and heel solidly in the center of the shoe or they will be useless. Also at 250 lbs and deep powder snow expect to sink knee deep no matter how big they are. 

[TessiersFarm]

I am running more like 180lbs in powder and 250lbs on packed trails, I actually never get more than 500 yards from plowed road but I make a lot of trips, mostly over the same trails.  This obviously applies to my work, I do a few recreational trips that are longer.  When the sap is good I make 50 or 60 round trips in and out of the bush.  Only about 20% is side hill, 50% fairly flat and the rest rolling.  I have done some cross country skiing, however I can't figure out how to be efficient while carrying 2 buckets of sap.  Sleds are not an option on some of the side hill areas, unfortunately those taps are some of the farthest out.

Thanks Again

[SwampDonkey]

All I know at this point, for me personally, the days are too dang short when you are drawing up a plan, sawing, planing, gluing and waiting for glue to set, waiting for a ski to set...... sigh. But, you can't do it all in a tiny shop at once, only one step at a time. :D

How much load do you need to sled on the hills. A light sled on tramped trails might be able to handle 200-300 lbs, depending on the design of the sled, breaks, steering and stuff. ;)