snowshoes

[Super Star!]

anyone use them? are they worth buying. anyone have any they wanna sell?
im thinking about buying some and wanted to know what kind to get. I looked at REI and seen that they are around 250 so i want to make sure im not wasting my money. thanks for the help.

[repoman]

my buddy uses them alot in the bwcaw he spends like 500 on his ... as long as they keep you above snow ... 

[Grute Man]

Sounds a bit high to me.  I saw some at Fleet Farm for much less than that.  I think they were around $90.  Still not exactly cheap but you could get nearly 3 pair for the price of the ones you saw.

I tried a pair up at Wolf Ridge a few years ago in about 2.5 feet of powder.  They worked and kept me above the snow but its hard walkin.  Don't think it makes it easy -- just possible.

[Super Star!]

thanks for the info guys i found some at scheels for 209 im ganna try them.

[JackpineRob]

Take a look at the military surplus snowshoes.  They are a white magnesium frame with coated aircraft cable webbing.  They are pretty well bombproof, and work well for most applications.

My dad and I have been using them for years now, and I have to go way back in the memory banks to remember when I was last on my custom wood/rawhide models.

You can find them on e-bay frequently, and I have also seen them at Sportsmans Guide and Fleet Farm.  For the money, they are a great buy, and you would have to work pretty to destroy them.

The next question is bindings - and you will get a lot of different opinions on the "best" binding.  My opinion being the correct one, I would look at the rubber ones that you pull your foot into, unless you're doing a lot of work in extremely deep snow or hilly country.  If that's the case, you want an H-style binding.  I've got both.  Usually for predator calling and general beating around, I use the rubber ones.  Quick to get in and out of.  However, in hills or deep snow your foot isn't held in securely enough, so that's when the H-style are a real plus. 

Lots of the neoprene/aluminum shoes are designed for mountain use, and actually have an ice cleat built into the bindings.  Nice for mountains, not so nice walking across the ice of beaver pond or lake.

[GRIZ]

I got my first pair nearly 30 yrs ago. Don't use them every yr. Only when needed. One yr I used them everyday on the trapline and put nearly 20 miles on a day. I still have that pair but havn't had a reason to use them for awhile. You got a ? give me a call.

Just for entertainment try crossing a barbed wire fence with em.

[thunderpout]

I bought a pair of the MSR's from REI years back, They still are about the same design, they have the pivoting claw, multiple rubber boot straps, and except for the aluminum/titianium claw and pivot part, they're that pro-link type plastic(like canoes & kayaks) so they're really light and indestructable. You can actually jog in em... They also have removeable "tails" to give ya more floatation.  They are inbetween the big wood and rawhide type and the small racing type shoes.  I think they are like $150........   -thunderpout

[GRIZ]

You can actually jog in em...    -thunderpout

That's it! Snowshoe sprints. I've tried running and I'm glad I nor anyone else could see that. It is funny watching others try.

[Super Star!]

i could see you Girz trying to catch a mink with them on 

[GRIZ]

Don't worry about catching a mink with them on. What they'll do it run through the thickest patch of prickly ash they can find. Then once on the other side they turn around and run back through it again. Catching them is nearly impossible on foot under those circumstances but it has been done. Now if you were to have a set of shoes on you'd prolly end up in a bad situation. More than likely ur feet would end up in the air with the tail of ur shoes holding ur arms firmly underneath ya behind ur back as you try to peer through the water at the sky from the bottom of a creek bed. Now that isn't that bad, a bit uncomfortable but not "a bad situation". When it gets to be a bad situation is when ya realize the prickly ash is holding ur shoes in place from being shoved and woven through the bindings and webbing of ur shoes. Now you are in "a bad situation" Happy shoeing.

[Super Star!]

Griz
are those tails of the Griz,  Sounds like they may have happend to you. 

[GRIZ]

I have chased and caught mink in the prickly ash.

Rule #1 keep one hand in front of the face.

Rule #2 no other rules are needed. for further instructions refer to rule #1

The rest of it is something that does belong in a trapline tale involving a coon.

[GRAMPS]

There are a pair of Alaskian (Yukon) on Craigslist for $100 or best offer.  Give the guy a call at 763-780-1678.
The ad says that they were made in Canada.  The pictures look good.
These would be good for open country.
Good Luck,
Gramps

[GRIZ]

Did ya ever get a pair?

[Super Star!]

yeah but i took them back.