How to choose snowshoes


Winter sports, How to choose -guides, Snowshoeing, Backcountry skiing by Varuste.net / Toimisto-Jorma, 7.12.2022

Snowshoes

Snowshoeing is easy and fun. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. With snowshoes, you can walk over snow without sinking in it. With normal shoes, you usually sink. Whether you want to walk and take it easy, or run and exercise, it is many times funnier with snowshoes.

Snowshoes are chosen depending on purpose and user's size. The larger the surface of the snowshoe, the better it keeps you over snow. For hard or solid terrain, you can buy smaller shoes, while thick and powdery snow requires larger shoe. The basic sizes of snowshoes used for leisure activities are: 18/19'' (children), 21-25'' (women) and 25-36'' (men). The flotation numbers cannot necessarily be compared between different manufacturers, and the flotation depends not only on the weight of the user but also on the consistency of snow.

On hilly and slippery terrain, traction system is an important feature of snowshoes. You get traction from spikes and steel crampons on the bottom of the snowshoe. When walking uphill, you reduce fatigue by raising the heel lift bar.

When thinking what kind of snowshoes you should get, consider:
  • In what kind of terrain are you mainly going to use them?
  • On what kind of snow? You need a larger shoe for powdery snow.
  • Will you carry many things with you? If you have a heavy backpack, it's better to choose a larger shoe.

In a nutshell:
The heavier you and your bags are, the larger the snowshoe you need. The softer the snow is, the larger the snowshoe should be. It is hard to say what size you should have based on your foot size, but there is right shoe for everyone for every terrain.

Snowshoes
Snowshoes
With plastic frame
Sports‪»Snowshoeing‪»Snowshoes‪»
With plastic frame
Tubular-framed
Sports‪»Snowshoeing‪»Snowshoes‪»
Tubular-framed
Gliding Snowshoes
Sports‪»Snowshoeing‪»Snowshoes‪»
Gliding Snowshoes

Poles

When choosing snowshoe poles, follow the size chart of walking poles. The length of a walking pole should be approximately 0.68 x your length, which is appropriate for harder snow. For softer snow, choose at least 10 cm longer pole. A user of 180 cm should thus have a pole of 125-130 cm. Another general rule for snowshoe poles is: user's length minus 50 cm.

Poles boost the intensity of snowshoeing and help you keep your balance in soft snow. We recommend a telescopic pole with a good spike and a removable basket. With interchangeable baskets, the same poles can be used in a wide variety of conditions, for walking, hiking, skiing and snowshoeing.

Downhill ski poles
Downhill ski poles
Trekking poles
Trekking poles
Deep snow poles
Deep snow poles

Gaiters

Gaiters are useful in snowshoeing. They keep the snow away from your boots, which is a handy feature especially in soft snow.

Gaiters
Gaiters
Fjällräven Singi Gaiters
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
Fjällräven Singi Gaiters
79,50 €
(15)
Available in stock
-10%
Salomon S-Lab Trail Gaiters High
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
Salomon S-Lab Trail Gaiters High
Campaign price 38,61 €
(23)
Available in stock
-10%
TSL Trek Long Gaiters
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
TSL Trek Long Gaiters
Campaign price 35,01 €
(69)
Available in stock
-10%
Black Diamond FrontPoint Gaiter GTX
 
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
Black Diamond FrontPoint Gaiter GTX
Campaign price 49,41 €
(15)
Available in stock
-10%
RAB Muztag GTX Gaiter
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
RAB Muztag GTX Gaiter
Campaign price 66,51 €
(5)
Available in stock
-10%
Salomon Trail Gaiters Low
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
Salomon Trail Gaiters Low
Campaign price 31,41 €
(45)
Available in stock
-10%
RAB Kangri GTX Gaiter
Sports‪»Outdoor activities‪»Clothes‪»Gaiters‪»
RAB Kangri GTX Gaiter
Campaign price 56,61 €
(10)
Available in stock

Sliding snowshoes

What are they? Sliding snowshoes combine backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. The skis are wider and shorter than normal backcountry skis. There are fixed skins in the middle of the base.

-13%
OAC Kar 149 + EA 2.0 bindings
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC Kar 149 + EA 2.0 bindings
Campaign price 349,00 €
(569)
Available in stock
-17%
OAC XCD GT 160 + EA 2.0 bindings
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC XCD GT 160 + EA 2.0 bindings
Campaign price 314,90 €
(193)
Available in stock
-22%
OAC MIL 149 + EA 2.0 bindings
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC MIL 149 + EA 2.0 bindings
Campaign price 389,00 €
(100)
Available in stock
-13%
OAC Wap 129 + EA 2.0 bindings
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC Wap 129 + EA 2.0 bindings
Campaign price 349,00 €
(137)
Available in stock
-9%
OAC XCD BC 160 + EA 2.0 bindings
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC XCD BC 160 + EA 2.0 bindings
Campaign price 389,00 €
(56)
Available in stock
-10%
OAC MIL 160 + EA 2.0
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC MIL 160 + EA 2.0
Campaign price 467,10 €
(11)
Available in stock
-12%
OAC XCD GT 137 + EA Junior bindings
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC XCD GT 137 + EA Junior bindings
Campaign price 329,00 €
(8)
Available in stock
-16%
OAC Poh 100 + EA Jr bindings
 
Sports‪»Skiing‪»Backcountry skiing‪»Skis‪»
OAC Poh 100 + EA Jr bindings
Campaign price 249,00 €
(14)
Available in stock
Short introduction to Skinbased skiing

Opi lumikenkäilemään

You might also be interested in

Garmin Edge 840 Solar: täydellinen treenikumppani

Garmin Edge 840 Solar on täydellinen kumppani treenaamisen pyöräilyyn teillä ja poluillaGarminin aiemmin tänä vuonna ilmestynyt Edge 840 on valmistajan pyörätietokoneiden premium-osastoa edustava malli. Edge 840 Solar pääsi kokonaisen kesän mittaisen pitkän testijakson aikana tos...

Garmin Varia RTL516 tuo turvaa maantiepyöräilyyn

Garmin Varia RTL516 yhdistää tutkan ja takavalon, ja tuo turvallisuutta maantiepyöräilyyn Tutkan ja takavalon yhteen näppärään laitteeseen yhdistävä Garmin Varia RTL516 pääsi kesän kestäneeseen käyttökokeiluun yhdessä Edge 840 Solar -pyörätietokoneen kanssa. Pitkässä käyttökokees...

Suunnitteletko laskettelureissua?

Suunnitteletko laskettelureissua kotimaahan tai ulkomaille? – Muista nämä vinkit Laskettelemiseen liittyy usein matkustamista, sillä vain harvat laskettelun harrastajat ovat tarpeeksi onnekkaita asuakseen aivan rinteiden juurella. Laskettelureissun järjestäminen vaatii hiema...