How to Buy a Mountaineering Snowshoe

Be sure to consider what types of activities and terrain you will be traversing when you go to buy a mountaineering snowshoe. These snowshoes are made to be very sturdy for use on harder surfaces. If you only plan on family snowshoeing walks, mountaineering snowshoes are probably not for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Buy a Mountaineering Snowshoe for Certain Activities

1. Select mountaineering snowshoes for long-distance snowshoeing. Mountaineering snowshoes have greater lift, so they will be easier to use when your legs begin to tire out.
2. Purchase a mountaineering snowshoe for trips where you will be climbing. Mountaineering snowshoes are built with greater traction than regular snowshoes to prevent slipping on hard snow or ice.
3. Use mountaineering snowshoes when you plan to "bushwhack." Bushwhacking is the process of blazing your own trail through the snow. With their crampon spikes, mountaineering snowshoes keep you prepared for whatever terrain you may come across.
4. Choose mountaineering snowshoes when you will be snowshoeing on fresh powder snow. This soft snow often requires snowshoes with greater flotation. Flotation is the ability to stay on top of the snow, rather than sinking into it.
5. Bring your mountaineering snowshoes along when performing any type of search-and-rescue work. Because they can traverse various terrains, mountaineering snowshoes are well suited to tracking lost people.
6. Pick mountaineering snowshoes for hikes over rough terrain. Regular snowshoes may not be sturdy enough to handle the punishment changing terrain puts on your snowshoes.

Buy the Right Mountaineering Snowshoes

7. Choose snowshoes with rigid bindings, which are necessary for the heavy wear that climbing mountains and rocks places on your snowshoes. Rigid bindings can also help make uphill walking easier.
8. Try mountaineering snowshoes with ascenders for long uphill snowshoeing. Ascenders are pieces of the shoe that flip up as you climb to give you better lift.
9. Pick snowshoes with sturdy front crampons (spikes) for mountaineering. When climbing very steep hills, it is often necessary to use a kick step. This involves kicking the toe of your snowshoe into the ice or snow before taking your next step up.
10. Buy snowshoes that are long. Mountaineering experts recommend snowshoes that are at least 30 inches long. The longer length helps with flotation.
11. Avoid very narrow snowshoes. Narrow snowshoes are designed for speed, not for endurance. Mountaineering snowshoes should be around 10 inches wide.
12. Decide on snowshoes with heavy crampons for mountaineering use. Crampons are the cleat spikes on the bottom of the snowshoe.

Tips & Warnings

• Always pack a snowshoeing survival kit when mountaineering.