Canadian, Eh?

A girl’s guide to snowshoes

VAWN HIMMELSBACH, Chic Savvy Travels

I grew up in northern Alberta (Canada’s equivalent of Siberia), and snowshoeing was part of our school curriculum. Every winter we’d head out into the woods with traditional snowshoes made of wood and rawhide lacings — something I enjoyed far more than our square-dancing class or a game our gym teacher invented that involved whipping rubber balls at you as you ran for your life across the double-sized gymnasium.

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At the time, snowshoeing wasn’t really considered a “sport” — instead, it evoked images of fur traders from another era.

But today, snowshoeing is growing in popularity as a sport for fitness and leisure, perhaps because pretty much anyone can snowshoe, as long as you can put one foot in front of the other. And it offers a way to get out in deep snow and experience the beauty and solitude of winter.

Snowshoes have also gone high-tech, so there’s a variety of styles and materials to choose from. Here’s what you need to know to find the right fit:

There are three major brands: GV, Atlas and MSR, all with a range of offerings (their entry-level snowshoes start at Cdn $140-$150). Consider what you’ll be using them for: Are you planning to snowshoe on groomed trails at a ski resort or do you want to go off-trail? Are you interested in snowshoeing as a recreational activity or for fitness, perhaps even racing? Or will you be mountaineering (which means you’ll need snowshoes designed for hill-climbing)?

This will help determine how much flotation you’ll need. Basically, flotation refers to the ability of the snowshoe to keep you afloat when walking on snow. This will depend not only on your total weight (including gear), but on what conditions you’ll be snowshoeing in. The harder the snow, the less flotation you’ll need. Smaller snowshoes are designed for groomed trails or packed snow, while larger snowshoes provide flotation on deep fresh snow. You can also buy flotation tails if you’re looking to add extra flotation on the trail.

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The more you spend, the better the quality of the snowshoe. A higher-end snowshoe, for example, might be constructed of lighter aluminum or offer a heel riser bar, which helps when slogging it uphill. Also consider the binding: GV uses a ratchet system (similar to a snowboard), while Atlas uses a wrap system and MSR uses a rubberized strap. Look at how the binding is attached to the frame, whether it’s rubber-band style or free pivot. For fitness or racing, consider running snowshoes, which are smaller, narrower and more lightweight.

GV offers more than 20 snowshoe models, including traditional wooden snowshoes, originally used by Native Americans for hunting, trapping and long-distance travel. GV’s Huron model, for example, features a frame made of Appalachian white ash with rawhide lacing. However, aluminum or stainless steel spikes allow the modern-day snowshoer to climb mountains, which is much more difficult with traditional snowshoes. GV offers a pivot that stays in the rotation axis, canceling lateral movements and allowing for an efficient grip on hardened snow or ice.

Atlas offers a range of snowshoes for the backcountry, mountain hiking, trail walking and speed. The company has come up with several technological innovations such as a dual crampon design and spring-loaded suspension to create lightweight and compact snowshoes. To date, the company has 19 patents, from heel cleats to contoured footbeds.

MSR categorizes its snowshoes under Ascent, Explore and Trek. Ascent is designed for professionals and alpinists, with 360-degree traction and modular flotation. Explore is ideal for aggressive, off-trail forays, and includes the company’s new SpeedLock bindings and Gait Efficiency Technology, a laterally adjustable binding system. Trek is designed for covering long distances, multi-day treks or casual day trips across rolling terrain.

So, whether you want to climb mountains or go night-snowshoeing to look for owls under a full moon, there’s a snowshoe out there that fits.

Date Added: March 1, 2011 | Comments (0)