This demonstrates why they made different sizes. No one size is going to work in all conditions.I live on tug hill , northern NY. We just got our 13 th foot of snow. The day before christmas my daughter and I went snowshoeing on modern snowshoes like those demonstrated. We had a thaw that packed things down a bit. Since christmas we got 3 feet of new snow. My little modern ones would be worthless now.Time to break out my five footers! Good video
I love my traditional snowshoes, another reason I hate modern is that when you are walking and you hit them together they make an unnatural metal sound which can scare wild life away if you are hunting, filming or just looking to see wild animals.
in defense of modern snowshoes, they are mostly designed for light work and speed, marketed towards "sporty" people, and are often fitted with metal teeth to allow for climbing up rough terrain. however, the traditional ones are far better suited for long use and actual distance, as opposed to a quick jog or backyard expidition
@@TheBeatenPaths So you’re saying I didn’t need my 1036 Garneau snowshoes to keep me from sinking more than 4” in snow I could easily push my 5’ trekking pole all the way to the handle and not be touching solid ground?
@@philsmith2444 I'm not saying anything, because I don't know what 1036 Garneau's are. But I'm willing to bet you over payed, and they under deliver for that price.
@@TheBeatenPaths Well, let’s see. They’re 10”x36” aluminum & plastic snowshoes that keep 280lb of me and my pack in the top 6” of all but the driest, fluffiest snow, and, unlike your traditionals, are actually useful on more than flat ground and the most gently rolling terrain. And I don’t have to sand them down and varnish them every year, slush doesn’t freeze on them and make them weigh 10lb each, and I can strap them on my pack and don spikes or crampons when snow turns to ice or rock near the summit. It’s really funny how some of you traditionalists get so insecure about stuff you admit you know nothing about. 🙄 I got rid of my bear paws 30 years ago and haven’t looked back. If I was ever in an area where traditionals had a clear advantage I’d be on the most efficient mode of winter transportation for that kind of terrain - skis.
Question one: why did you choose monofilament line. Pros and cons vs webbing / rawhide / braided? Two: does making the weave tighter (3/4") increase the flotation? Three: approximately how long of cord will it take for a Alaskan 10x54?
What a great video - Great share! I've just bought and received a set of "Traditional" snowshoes (made with synthetic sinew) and bought a binding - looking forward to trying them out in our snow here in Australia!
I am making the switch to traditional snowshoes this winter. Ive used modern style snowshoes at work for years so its all i had, but just found a nice pair of Viking(14x48 huron style) snowshoes at a garage sale and plan to try those out this winter.
Is that a fair comparison? 16" x 48", regardless of design (modern vs. traditional) or materials, will give you the flotation you need in cold, deep, unconsolidated snow. Most "modern" snowshoes have a much smaller cross-sectional area. They work quite well in heavy, warmer snow. The bottom line: one should purchase snowshoes suitable for the type of snow most likely to be encountered.
Come on, though...This is like doing a towing capacity comparison between a Honda Civic and a '60s pickup truck and saying that unfortunately most modern car designs ignore the basic principle that more engine displacement is better. Yeah, it's better for towing...but towing isn't the only relevant factor. Here in the Sierra Nevada, I wish my MSR snowshoes were smaller way more often than I wish they were bigger. And indeed, if you look at the traditional snowshoes of the Native Americans from this area, they were substantially smaller than my modern ones. It's not that some basic knowledge has been lost or neglected, it's that smaller snowshoes are designed for an inherently different environment than the one you're using them in.
A snowshoes ability to carry you through snow is kind of a big deal. I'm teaching about travel in the northern forests. I do mention our location in the first few seconds of the video.
Live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I've used both. Yes, Traditional works great in deep snow & they have the cool factor. Bindings are pain to adjust and put on and take off, they stretch and loosen over time and Traditional have no toe crampon, which really make them suck at climbing step hills at 45 degree and up inclines, which is what we have here in the U.P. Plus , the woods are so dense and thick it makes maneuverability a pain in the ass. Modern's, the bindings easy to adjust and to put on and take off and never loosen. With toe crampons it makes climbing those 3 foot deep powdered snow covered 45 degree hills a breeze. . In some areas I do sink farther in with modern than traditional but big deal, It's not anything you can't handle. They are more mobile in the dense woods. Prove my point, went with a local who was strictly traditional. Did side by side test. Beat him climbing the hills, wasn't even a contest , maneuvering in the woods was a breeze and my bindings never slipped or needed adjusting, unlike his. He beat me through deep snow. He sunk in about 5 inches , me a foot but had no problem staying right behind him. Last thing he beat me on was he looked cool wearing the Traditional and they looked good hanging on his wall when he was done. Personally, I like using both. Other than the cool factor of Traditional, if I had to choose one to take a trek over hilly snow covered terrain, with less hassles , I would choose modern over traditional any day. Ugly, yes they are., But when I'm in the woods, I look for practicality and easement not out there pretending to be Jeremiah Johnson of days past.
If your buddy on traditionals was sinking 5" and you 12" with modern shoes that's a significant difference over the course of days or weeks of travel in deep snow. Check out 2:13 for an easy to put on/ take off traditional binding.
You might be right. I might have to test that theory out. Thank goodness I'm only into day and not week long excursions. I'm impressed how quickly that you can put on and off traditional binding's but I have found out they eventually loosen up and are pain to re-adjust them again in the back country when the bindings are wet . My modern bindings, being plastic are always dry it's a one time adjustment and never have to worry about them. If you have to adjust them, it only takes less than 30 seconds in the back country. Not knocking traditional but with any snowshoe there are advantages and disadvantages to them all. Depends on the situation you're using them for. Only disadvantage I have found so far with modern is that I sink a little farther in powdery snow but have no problem walking through the deep snow along side traditional wearers over long hours back country and not get winded or tired anymore than my counterparts. In fact they get more winded than I do when they struggling to walk up those steep hills with their traditional where I have toe crampons and walk up fairly easy. Like I said, depends on the situation and what your into. But for the casual weekend snowshoe warrior, moderns are a lot less hassle free, in my opinion.
@@devoidbmx1 The largest modern snowshoes I’ve seen are GV 12x42 Wide Trail. I’ve had mine on fresh, uncompacted, “average” Maine mountain snow with over 300lb of weight and they sank about 4”. To put it in perspective, my trekking pole snow baskets were sinking deeper than that. Traction isn’t the greatest, not with that kind of surface area. You just can’t get enough weight on the crampons. So they’re not what you want to grab if mountaineering is the plan. But for rolling terrain they’re great, and the rigid pivot makes them rock solid on your feet. They’re much more nimble in dense forest than you’d imagine from their size. You still have to look ahead and plan your steps if you don’t want to backtrack. They are heavy at 7.3lb for the pair.
Inches of coverage over the snow makes a big difference in snowshoes. most of the modern type snowshoes are made for walking trails that are already packed. If you're going to walk in deep snow with a new type snow shoes you need to get large ones. I'm 250 lb with my winter clothes on I get snow shoes that are 42 in Long by 10 in wide. I have small ones that are 25 in Long and 9 in wide for walking trails that are already packed. Each type serves its own purpose
Pretty stupid if you ask me, the traditional ones you walked on a packed path. Then the metal ones you went into deep snow pretty hard to actually compare that!!
I'd always go for the bigger ones if I were to recommend any snow shoe. It's just common sense. Everyone would be floundering with the powder we've been getting this winter - it's missing the mountains. We usually get the heavy wet or medium density stuff. Great for scooping, but won't stay put, lol.
I’m in the snow belt of eastern Canada (northern NB). I use traditional Huron style, but also sometimes bear paw. In my team of three, my other two trackers have to follow behind with modern (aluminum?) snowshoes. They can’t go first because they’ll sink as you did here.
Yup northwest NB here, l use the more traditional style, similar to his but with a tighter loop up front and a little bit longer tail. They were made for me by my great uncle when l was a teenager 30+ years ago. they're very old school, but things were built with purpose then. I find the tighter loop gives a more comfortable gate. As l step and pull my foot foward, l lift up with the toes and as l follow through put a little preasure on the tail with my heel, this makes it very controlled as you walk. I can really move with them, and l don't sink like the newer ones. I definitly rather stick my old style snow shoes.
@@curlybrownk9 Hey, neighbor. How about bindings? I use nylon rope tied around my boot and webbings. It's solid, adjustable, and quick/easy to slip on/off. And it's completely hands free! By the way, my other team members have switched to traditional snowshoes.
@@DerekBlais hey neighbor, yeah l have some cheapo nylon, gym bag type material bindings , I bought at Canadian tire years ago. They're pretty sturdy though, and easy to put on too. I slip my foot in as far as it can go, and snap the buckle, and i'm off. They're the best ones I've had so far. I've had similar leather ones, with a belt style buckle, they were a pain to get on and off, and the leather eventually rotted off. I've tried the rubber inner tube slip on kind too,. but your feet don't stay tight , and they eventually tear. The can tire ones if they still make them, I definitly recommend. I also wear those green rubber boots with the felt liner, my feet stay dry and warm, no problem.
@@curlybrownk9 My dad uses those. He swears by them. He just got the buckles replaced at the local seamstress. I think they're pretty good too, but I'd rather the rope twisted/wrapped in the traditional way. I'm usually carrying gear, so I like to be able to put them on/on handsfree. Leather ones won't work in our climate. They humidity, wet snow, and freeze/thaw cycles makes them impossible to handle. The leather degrades quickly! PS I use the same felted rubber boots (Kamik).
Homemade winter moccasins, and yes super comfortable, super warm. We now sell DIY kits: lureofthenorth.com/product/clothing/footwear/diy-moccasin-kit-hide-uppers/ We also publish the instructions (and patterns) on how to make them free: lureofthenorth.com/instructional-booklets/
Using 400lb. Mono.. How often do you lace your snowshoes if you don't get a snap or nick in the mono? I laced one pair of my shoes with 550 para cord. But that can be pricey but holds up good to snagging branches and forth. Thanx
I presume that going steeply uphill or downhill is easier with smaller snowshoes, as they'd be easier to put where you want them for good leverage (and for other reasons as well). Going on this presumption, I wonder where the tipping point is, where the grade has become steep enough that it's worth wearing modern snowshoes.
I haven't had the opportunity to try traditional shoes in steep, mountainous terrain, so I can't say for sure, but riding higher in the snow has a huge positive impact on mobility and leverage. I have wondered if traditional shoes would serve well for snowy approaches in mountainous terrain, almost certainly once you're into icy, alpine conditions, then modern shoes with crampons would be the better choice.
One must also consider the building materials. Modern plastics just don't work well in cold. My msr's never lasted a year before the bindings broke. And they suck in deep snow. Mother Nature and traditional knowledge for me!
i only live for msr products but their snowshoes seem designed by and for chinese. Raquette GV is THE company to go to. They're the original makers of the huron babiche snowshoe and they make the extrawide trail snowshoe. i cant wait to buy a pair
As much as I appreciate traditional snowshoes, this statement about modern plastics is not true. I have a pair of Tubbs snowshoes of the modern style that I bought in about 1990. The "framework" of the bindings (that's everything but the steel pivot pin and the adjustment straps) is plastic, and so is the decking, and through all those years of hard use, the plastic has proven to be absolutely indestructible. This particular model of snowshoe has been replaced by newer versions, but I have no reason to think it was the only modern snowshoe design that was so incredibly durable.
I shall be using MSR snowshoes in a few weeks up in the Australian Alps. We'd kill to have the powder you have, so far our winter has been relatively mild in my opinion. I hire the shoes for a week. The slip-on fitting of your shoes looks so simple compared to getting the straps into the teeth of the ones I'll be using. I shall log on to your website to see what information you have there. I'm thinking that the winter Moccasin looks like something I could make?
In alpine areas you may find the modern shoes perform quite well. If your snow is wind-blasted and sun backed (both thoughts that come to mind when I think of Australia, though admittedly I've never been) to a hard or icy crust, then you may not require the flotation of a pair of really large shoes. Perhaps you should plan a trip to Canada to experience our deep powder ;)
Thanks for the reply. Unless I win the lottery, I don't anticipate that I will be venturing to your territory. My adventurous ski trips were to Japan in the 1980's. The powder there is fantastic and your snowshoes would be in their element. Generally, our snow is wind-blasted, sun baked, and hard with an icy crust, perfect for modern snow shoes! Ha ha. The alpine snow gums are beautiful. I'm not interested in resort ski areas.
Its an older Mountain Equipment Co-op brand jacket. Unfortunately I don't see an affordable MEC brand jacket that they're offering anymore. There are lots of options out there, but I haven't found any at the value that MEC used to offer in a good down jacket!
We've never used them, but the size and design suggests that they should perform quite well. Picking up a pair in the past, I was surprised that they are lighter than they look. If you can find a pair at a really good price, they could be a good value!
"I love the mobility!" LMAO!! I've not touched modern snowshoes for the very reasons shown here. I'm sure some of the larger traditional ones are probably a little trickier to walk in initially, but I've always considered that brief learning curve to be well worth it.
Does anyone know why modern snowshoes are so dang small? It’s something that frustrates me to no end. Does any manufacturer make a very large modern snowshoe for deep snow?
GV makes a 12x42 Wide Trail that will stay on top of everything but the lightest, fluffiest powder. I’ve had over 300lb on mine in typical Maine early season soft snow.
@@rogerswartz790 That's the ONE decent reason for using poles (I normally see poles as worse than useless, but I often go through brushy areas where you simply can't use them at all, and even in a typical deciduous woods there are plenty of places where poles will snag on the forward swing far too frequently to tolerate). Anyway, for what it's worth, you can't back up with most modern-style snowshoes either, unless they are extremely small, in which case they aren't good for anything but packed trails anyway, and on packed trails there's no need to ever back up in the first place.
I agree 100 percent. The 11by 40 aluminum still sink two and a half feet in three foot snow in cold powder in Wyoming. Only problem is ,where we snowshoe, we are kicking into the steeps like creek banks and through trees where I don't think the big shoes would go,I don't know that for a fact though so why don't you do another video and show the traditional shoes out of their element. The flotation of the rawhide ones are amazing and I will own a pair at some point just to laugh at my friends struggling while I'm sitting fat and sassy on top of the snow! Thanks for he video.
I'm also curious to see how larger traditional shoes would fare for mountainous approaches (below the treeline, where snow is often still soft). We're a long ways from the mountains these days though, so it might be a test for someone else to perform!
@@lureofthenorth I think where the snow is deep and you have less densely treed areas and no steep ascents to make, then a traditional snowshoe is the right choice. I would definitely prefer a traditional shoe in the terrain you did your demo in. However, some modern snowshoes are a better choice where the terrain is steep and you need crampons to help with your ascent (ie MSR's have these). I live near the Canadian Rockies and I'm not so sure a traditional shoe would be the best all rounder to chose. I think it would have been useful in this video to show what it would have been like without *any* snowshoes in the deep powder. A modern snowshoe would certainly be better than nothing. As with all things, choosing the right tool for your terrain is important when selecting your gear.
This demonstrates why they made different sizes. No one size is going to work in all conditions.I live on tug hill , northern NY. We just got our 13 th foot of snow. The day before christmas my daughter and I went snowshoeing on modern snowshoes like those demonstrated. We had a thaw that packed things down a bit. Since christmas we got 3 feet of new snow. My little modern ones would be worthless now.Time to break out my five footers! Good video
I live in the southern adk platoe and we just got 2ft from the most recent snow and I have been snowshoeing like crazy lately! I've been loving it!
@@christiecook1743 Cool ! we didn't get only a dusting. Maybe a foot in the woods. I'm not complaining though.
I love my traditional snowshoes, another reason I hate modern is that when you are walking and you hit them together they make an unnatural metal sound which can scare wild life away if you are hunting, filming or just looking to see wild animals.
Wow. Kind of a no-brainer when you put it like that!
in defense of modern snowshoes, they are mostly designed for light work and speed, marketed towards "sporty" people, and are often fitted with metal teeth to allow for climbing up rough terrain. however, the traditional ones are far better suited for long use and actual distance, as opposed to a quick jog or backyard expidition
Different snow shoes for different circumstances. A pistol and rifle are both firearms, but they each have their intended purpose.
Except with modern snowshoes they're only good in places you don't need snowshoes in the first place.
@@TheBeatenPaths So you’re saying I didn’t need my 1036 Garneau snowshoes to keep me from sinking more than 4” in snow I could easily push my 5’ trekking pole all the way to the handle and not be touching solid ground?
@@philsmith2444 I'm not saying anything, because I don't know what 1036 Garneau's are. But I'm willing to bet you over payed, and they under deliver for that price.
@@TheBeatenPaths Well, let’s see. They’re 10”x36” aluminum & plastic snowshoes that keep 280lb of me and my pack in the top 6” of all but the driest, fluffiest snow, and, unlike your traditionals, are actually useful on more than flat ground and the most gently rolling terrain. And I don’t have to sand them down and varnish them every year, slush doesn’t freeze on them and make them weigh 10lb each, and I can strap them on my pack and don spikes or crampons when snow turns to ice or rock near the summit. It’s really funny how some of you traditionalists get so insecure about stuff you admit you know nothing about. 🙄 I got rid of my bear paws 30 years ago and haven’t looked back. If I was ever in an area where traditionals had a clear advantage I’d be on the most efficient mode of winter transportation for that kind of terrain - skis.
Question one: why did you choose monofilament line. Pros and cons vs webbing / rawhide / braided?
Two: does making the weave tighter (3/4") increase the flotation?
Three: approximately how long of cord will it take for a Alaskan 10x54?
What a great video - Great share! I've just bought and received a set of "Traditional" snowshoes (made with synthetic sinew) and bought a binding - looking forward to trying them out in our snow here in Australia!
I am making the switch to traditional snowshoes this winter. Ive used modern style snowshoes at work for years so its all i had, but just found a nice pair of Viking(14x48 huron style) snowshoes at a garage sale and plan to try those out this winter.
Enjoy. Once you start using them you'll wonder where they've been all your life!
Is that a fair comparison? 16" x 48", regardless of design (modern vs. traditional) or materials, will give you the flotation you need in cold, deep, unconsolidated snow. Most "modern" snowshoes have a much smaller cross-sectional area. They work quite well in heavy, warmer snow. The bottom line: one should purchase snowshoes suitable for the type of snow most likely to be encountered.
Thank you guys for putting up so much important content. Lots of great videos here. Great channel!
Come on, though...This is like doing a towing capacity comparison between a Honda Civic and a '60s pickup truck and saying that unfortunately most modern car designs ignore the basic principle that more engine displacement is better. Yeah, it's better for towing...but towing isn't the only relevant factor. Here in the Sierra Nevada, I wish my MSR snowshoes were smaller way more often than I wish they were bigger. And indeed, if you look at the traditional snowshoes of the Native Americans from this area, they were substantially smaller than my modern ones. It's not that some basic knowledge has been lost or neglected, it's that smaller snowshoes are designed for an inherently different environment than the one you're using them in.
A snowshoes ability to carry you through snow is kind of a big deal. I'm teaching about travel in the northern forests. I do mention our location in the first few seconds of the video.
Live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I've used both. Yes, Traditional works great in deep snow & they have the cool factor. Bindings are pain to adjust and put on and take off, they stretch and loosen over time and Traditional have no toe crampon, which really make them suck at climbing step hills at 45 degree and up inclines, which is what we have here in the U.P. Plus , the woods are so dense and thick it makes maneuverability a pain in the ass. Modern's, the bindings easy to adjust and to put on and take off and never loosen. With toe crampons it makes climbing those 3 foot deep powdered snow covered 45 degree hills a breeze. . In some areas I do sink farther in with modern than traditional but big deal, It's not anything you can't handle. They are more mobile in the dense woods. Prove my point, went with a local who was strictly traditional. Did side by side test. Beat him climbing the hills, wasn't even a contest , maneuvering in the woods was a breeze and my bindings never slipped or needed adjusting, unlike his. He beat me through deep snow. He sunk in about 5 inches , me a foot but had no problem staying right behind him. Last thing he beat me on was he looked cool wearing the Traditional and they looked good hanging on his wall when he was done. Personally, I like using both. Other than the cool factor of Traditional, if I had to choose one to take a trek over hilly snow covered terrain, with less hassles , I would choose modern over traditional any day. Ugly, yes they are., But when I'm in the woods, I look for practicality and easement not out there pretending to be Jeremiah Johnson of days past.
If your buddy on traditionals was sinking 5" and you 12" with modern shoes that's a significant difference over the course of days or weeks of travel in deep snow. Check out 2:13 for an easy to put on/ take off traditional binding.
You might be right. I might have to test that theory out. Thank goodness I'm only into day and not week long excursions. I'm impressed how quickly that you can put on and off traditional binding's but I have found out they eventually loosen up and are pain to re-adjust them again in the back country when the bindings are wet . My modern bindings, being plastic are always dry it's a one time adjustment and never have to worry about them. If you have to adjust them, it only takes less than 30 seconds in the back country. Not knocking traditional but with any snowshoe there are advantages and disadvantages to them all. Depends on the situation you're using them for. Only disadvantage I have found so far with modern is that I sink a little farther in powdery snow but have no problem walking through the deep snow along side traditional wearers over long hours back country and not get winded or tired anymore than my counterparts. In fact they get more winded than I do when they struggling to walk up those steep hills with their traditional where I have toe crampons and walk up fairly easy. Like I said, depends on the situation and what your into. But for the casual weekend snowshoe warrior, moderns are a lot less hassle free, in my opinion.
Why don’t they just make a very large modern snowshoe with crampon grip. The best of both worlds? I can’t be the first person to think of this.
@@devoidbmx1 No you're not. It'sda great idea I agree but probably wouldn't look "traditional" I am guessing
@@devoidbmx1 The largest modern snowshoes I’ve seen are GV 12x42 Wide Trail. I’ve had mine on fresh, uncompacted, “average” Maine mountain snow with over 300lb of weight and they sank about 4”. To put it in perspective, my trekking pole snow baskets were sinking deeper than that. Traction isn’t the greatest, not with that kind of surface area. You just can’t get enough weight on the crampons. So they’re not what you want to grab if mountaineering is the plan. But for rolling terrain they’re great, and the rigid pivot makes them rock solid on your feet. They’re much more nimble in dense forest than you’d imagine from their size. You still have to look ahead and plan your steps if you don’t want to backtrack. They are heavy at 7.3lb for the pair.
Inches of coverage over the snow makes a big difference in snowshoes.
most of the modern type snowshoes are made for walking trails that are already packed.
If you're going to walk in deep snow with a new type snow shoes you need to get large ones.
I'm 250 lb with my winter clothes on I get snow shoes that are 42 in Long by 10 in wide.
I have small ones that are 25 in Long and 9 in wide for walking trails that are already packed. Each type serves its own purpose
I haven’t come across one video favouring these new snowshoes. I’ll stick to my 12x48 traditionals with an inner tube binding, blows them all away
Really appreciate this video. Thanks.
Pretty stupid if you ask me, the traditional ones you walked on a packed path. Then the metal ones you went into deep snow pretty hard to actually compare that!!
I'd always go for the bigger ones if I were to recommend any snow shoe. It's just common sense. Everyone would be floundering with the powder we've been getting this winter - it's missing the mountains. We usually get the heavy wet or medium density stuff. Great for scooping, but won't stay put, lol.
where is that
Don't forget that snowshoe size is related to how big or heavy you are.
I’m in the snow belt of eastern Canada (northern NB). I use traditional Huron style, but also sometimes bear paw. In my team of three, my other two trackers have to follow behind with modern (aluminum?) snowshoes. They can’t go first because they’ll sink as you did here.
Yup northwest NB here, l use the more traditional style, similar to his but with a tighter loop up front and a little bit longer tail. They were made for me by my great uncle when l was a teenager 30+ years ago. they're very old school, but things were built with purpose then.
I find the tighter loop gives a more comfortable gate. As l step and pull my foot foward, l lift up with the toes and as l follow through put a little preasure on the tail with my heel, this makes it very controlled as you walk.
I can really move with them, and l don't sink like the newer ones. I definitly rather stick my old style snow shoes.
@@curlybrownk9 Hey, neighbor. How about bindings? I use nylon rope tied around my boot and webbings. It's solid, adjustable, and quick/easy to slip on/off. And it's completely hands free! By the way, my other team members have switched to traditional snowshoes.
@@DerekBlais hey neighbor, yeah l have some cheapo nylon, gym bag type material bindings , I bought at Canadian tire years ago. They're pretty sturdy though, and easy to put on too.
I slip my foot in as far as it can go, and snap the buckle, and i'm off. They're the best ones I've had so far.
I've had similar leather ones, with a belt style buckle, they were a pain to get on and off, and the leather eventually rotted off. I've tried the rubber inner tube slip on kind too,. but your feet don't stay tight , and they eventually tear.
The can tire ones if they still make them, I definitly recommend. I also wear those green rubber boots with the felt liner, my feet stay dry and warm, no problem.
@@curlybrownk9 My dad uses those. He swears by them. He just got the buckles replaced at the local seamstress. I think they're pretty good too, but I'd rather the rope twisted/wrapped in the traditional way. I'm usually carrying gear, so I like to be able to put them on/on handsfree. Leather ones won't work in our climate. They humidity, wet snow, and freeze/thaw cycles makes them impossible to handle. The leather degrades quickly! PS I use the same felted rubber boots (Kamik).
What kind of boots are those? Just a deer hide wrap or something? They look super comfortable.
Homemade winter moccasins, and yes super comfortable, super warm. We now sell DIY kits:
lureofthenorth.com/product/clothing/footwear/diy-moccasin-kit-hide-uppers/
We also publish the instructions (and patterns) on how to make them free:
lureofthenorth.com/instructional-booklets/
Using 400lb. Mono.. How often do you lace your snowshoes if you don't get a snap or nick in the mono? I laced one pair of my shoes with 550 para cord. But that can be pricey but holds up good to snagging branches and forth. Thanx
I lace my traditional snowshoes with 1/2" or 3/8" white nylon webbing. Great floatation and when varnished they look like rawhide.
I presume that going steeply uphill or downhill is easier with smaller snowshoes, as they'd be easier to put where you want them for good leverage (and for other reasons as well). Going on this presumption, I wonder where the tipping point is, where the grade has become steep enough that it's worth wearing modern snowshoes.
I haven't had the opportunity to try traditional shoes in steep, mountainous terrain, so I can't say for sure, but riding higher in the snow has a huge positive impact on mobility and leverage. I have wondered if traditional shoes would serve well for snowy approaches in mountainous terrain, almost certainly once you're into icy, alpine conditions, then modern shoes with crampons would be the better choice.
One must also consider the building materials. Modern plastics just don't work well in cold. My msr's never lasted a year before the bindings broke. And they suck in deep snow. Mother Nature and traditional knowledge for me!
i only live for msr products but their snowshoes seem designed by and for chinese. Raquette GV is THE company to go to. They're the original makers of the huron babiche snowshoe and they make the extrawide trail snowshoe. i cant wait to buy a pair
As much as I appreciate traditional snowshoes, this statement about modern plastics is not true. I have a pair of Tubbs snowshoes of the modern style that I bought in about 1990. The "framework" of the bindings (that's everything but the steel pivot pin and the adjustment straps) is plastic, and so is the decking, and through all those years of hard use, the plastic has proven to be absolutely indestructible. This particular model of snowshoe has been replaced by newer versions, but I have no reason to think it was the only modern snowshoe design that was so incredibly durable.
I shall be using MSR snowshoes in a few weeks up in the Australian Alps. We'd kill to have the powder you have, so far our winter has been relatively mild in my opinion. I hire the shoes for a week. The slip-on fitting of your shoes looks so simple compared to getting the straps into the teeth of the ones I'll be using.
I shall log on to your website to see what information you have there. I'm thinking that the winter Moccasin looks like something I could make?
In alpine areas you may find the modern shoes perform quite well. If your snow is wind-blasted and sun backed (both thoughts that come to mind when I think of Australia, though admittedly I've never been) to a hard or icy crust, then you may not require the flotation of a pair of really large shoes. Perhaps you should plan a trip to Canada to experience our deep powder ;)
Thanks for the reply. Unless I win the lottery, I don't anticipate that I will be venturing to your territory. My adventurous ski trips were to Japan in the 1980's. The powder there is fantastic and your snowshoes would be in their element.
Generally, our snow is wind-blasted, sun baked, and hard with an icy crust, perfect for modern snow shoes! Ha ha. The alpine snow gums are beautiful. I'm not interested in resort ski areas.
I use the traditional style but they are magnesium.......very light weight and they work well.
Hi, that looks like a warm jacket. What kind is it? Been looking for one and have no clue. Thnks!
Its an older Mountain Equipment Co-op brand jacket. Unfortunately I don't see an affordable MEC brand jacket that they're offering anymore. There are lots of options out there, but I haven't found any at the value that MEC used to offer in a good down jacket!
Thanks!
what do you think of the magnesium military snowshoes
We've never used them, but the size and design suggests that they should perform quite well. Picking up a pair in the past, I was surprised that they are lighter than they look. If you can find a pair at a really good price, they could be a good value!
I have these and they work great once you figure out the bindings.
"I love the mobility!" LMAO!!
I've not touched modern snowshoes for the very reasons shown here. I'm sure some of the larger traditional ones are probably a little trickier to walk in initially, but I've always considered that brief learning curve to be well worth it.
I'd die of exhaustion after the first mile.
Excellent comparison. Thank you.
Does anyone know why modern snowshoes are so dang small? It’s something that frustrates me to no end. Does any manufacturer make a very large modern snowshoe for deep snow?
Nope, they are made in China for urban yuppies.
GV makes a 12x42 Wide Trail that will stay on top of everything but the lightest, fluffiest powder. I’ve had over 300lb on mine in typical Maine early season soft snow.
very good
Haha. They have different sizes in modern. But I am not so sure about 16x38. :) BUT I Bet you cant back up with the Huron :)
Busy Bee Leds Actually you can. Just push down on the toe of the snowshoe with the poles you use while snowshoeing as you lift your foot and back up.
@@rogerswartz790 That's the ONE decent reason for using poles (I normally see poles as worse than useless, but I often go through brushy areas where you simply can't use them at all, and even in a typical deciduous woods there are plenty of places where poles will snag on the forward swing far too frequently to tolerate). Anyway, for what it's worth, you can't back up with most modern-style snowshoes either, unless they are extremely small, in which case they aren't good for anything but packed trails anyway, and on packed trails there's no need to ever back up in the first place.
Tell me about those MukLuks!!!
it's so obvious !Bigger is better!!!
Great video. That's EXACTLY why I won't replace my traditionals for moderns. It seems like moderns are just for groomed, prepacked trails
I wish to see how you go on a icy sloping snow with traditional snowshoes
When hauling a toboggan with 2 weeks of food and supplies, you avoid steep slopes, regardless of what you have on your feet!
I agree 100 percent. The 11by 40 aluminum still sink two and a half feet in three foot snow in cold powder in Wyoming. Only problem is ,where we snowshoe, we are kicking into the steeps like creek banks and through trees where I don't think the big shoes would go,I don't know that for a fact though so why don't you do another video and show the traditional shoes out of their element. The flotation of the rawhide ones are amazing and I will own a pair at some point just to laugh at my friends struggling while I'm sitting fat and sassy on top of the snow! Thanks for he video.
I'm also curious to see how larger traditional shoes would fare for mountainous approaches (below the treeline, where snow is often still soft). We're a long ways from the mountains these days though, so it might be a test for someone else to perform!
@@lureofthenorth I think where the snow is deep and you have less densely treed areas and no steep ascents to make, then a traditional snowshoe is the right choice. I would definitely prefer a traditional shoe in the terrain you did your demo in.
However, some modern snowshoes are a better choice where the terrain is steep and you need crampons to help with your ascent (ie MSR's have these). I live near the Canadian Rockies and I'm not so sure a traditional shoe would be the best all rounder to chose.
I think it would have been useful in this video to show what it would have been like without *any* snowshoes in the deep powder. A modern snowshoe would certainly be better than nothing. As with all things, choosing the right tool for your terrain is important when selecting your gear.
I can actually hear you in this one as opposed to the other, where I can barely hear you.
Slowly, slowly we are learning.
WTH? I thought you would walk on top of the snow?
From day one on the the shores u either followed the first nation knoldge or died .
Lol modern snow shoe like using a horse to get to north pole
Thank you now I know why I shied away from the modern garbage.
Just as I suspected..... modern snowshoes are modern marketing scams.
get some modern boots for thoes tennis rackets
what rhymes with snow? Slow. Slow down and enjoy the outdoors...dont be Joe Rushing thru the Woods Robinhoods.
It's like the difference between skidoo snowmobile and all the others. Skidoo are made to break trails , the others are made to follow ( maybe ). Lol
Poor analogy Skidoo is simply a brand of snow mobile.
hteyhe
So they both suck.