[pct-l] lightweight snowshoeing

[Steel-Eye]

Good evening, Kermit,

 

I hike in sneakers, I snowshoe in sneakers, and my crampons fit very nicely on sneakers as well.  I live in the Cascades where it doesn't get gosh-awful cold so I don't often have to resort to the "bunny boots" to keep warm.  Since the snowshoes keep my feet up out of the snow .. more or less .. I can stay more comfortable with them than without.  Most snowshoe bindings are generous in size so they will likely fit about anything you care to walk in.  Try wearing sneakers first, then if you can't hack it, go to boots.  

 

At first I was reluctant to wear anything but boots on the snowshoes, but then I started cross-country skiing.  The cross-country ski shoes that I successfully used were little more than low-cut shoes with a stiff front soles, so what's the diff?  Knee-height gaiters keep most of the snow out of the shoes and protected my shins from crust that seems inevitable no mater what slats or rackets I have on my feet.

 

Many people first try snowshoes in the light, fluffy, early-season, mountain snow and they are disappointed.  There have been times when I was up to my vaccination in powder while standing on 40" snowshoes.  It's awful .... kind of like wading a creek with a sleeping bag on each foot.   I prefer to snowshoe beginning mid-winter when the snow is coalesced a bit. 

Steel-Eye.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Heather Barbare 
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 6:28 PM
  Subject: [pct-l] lightweight snowshoeing


  So for everyone who hikes in trail running shoes and also snowshoes... is it possible to combine these things and snowshoe in trail running shoes? (Not for the PCT, just for nice CO powder). Will the trail running shoes fit properly and be comfortable or is a stiffer boot necessary? If a boot is necessary, will a lightweight hiking boot work as well as a more solid leather boot? I'm pretty new to snowshoeing and have recently converted to running shoe backpacking. I REALLY love the no-boot thing and don't want to have to buy any more uncomfortable boots.

  Kermit
  the lurker and hopeful snowshoer





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