Making Snowshoes

[j williams]

J,

The frame was probably about 22 inches long by 13 inches wide. The bigger they are, the more your weight will be distrubuted, but there is a trade off because they become harder to maneuver.

I'm terrible at indentifying trees so I really can't tell you. But basically anything that is a little over three feet long, no thicker than half an inch in diameter, and pretty flexible should work. It can either be saplings or just live branches of some types of trees. I just grabbed a bunch and experimented. Some snapped when I tried to bend them.

Thanks man. I will try this out!!

 

[TFin04]

Awesome post. You've inspired me to do the same.

I was going to get out for a hike tomorrow, and it has snowed like crazy here the last couple days. I'm going to make some snowshoes tonight and try them out tomorrow. Pics to follow!

 

[kgd]

Thats a really cool project and I have to admit, they seem to have floated much better than I expected from your initial pictures. I hope you give them a good work out this weekend in your refined test. I'd like to know just how long they last.

I really dislike the new fangled ones. I prefer the traditional ones as I always seem to float much better. Mind you the newer ones work better on harder pack snow and in tighter trails where maneuverability is more of an issue. Here are my production ones, we have two pair of each. Haven't used them much since moving from Ottawa to Windsor though.

Sometime I will have to try your bushcraft designed ones. That looks like a really fun project!

 

[Bubbanumber1]

Its great that your experimenting with snow shoes, that's cool. I am left wondering a few things though, like what are you making them for? For a first pair around the house they looked fine but it didn't look like they would make it if the going got very tough. Certainly if you were loaded down with gear in snow a couple feet deep trying to keep from freezing to death in a life and death situation they need to have some more work done to them.

If you have a roll of parachute cord you can heat and steam bend stiffer wood then lace them up replacing the Gut with the Para. I have never been that great with snow shoes so the only way I can use them is with a couple sticks or ski poles, it really helps keep you balanced. There are loads of military surplus aluminum snow shoes around if you look. If I remember they were rated up to 300 pounds, I know they are certainly built to last if you can find a set.

Good luck with your project, I always wanted to make a pair of real Yukon Trapper shoes but never got around to it, to many irons in the fire.