Information on Snowshoes

Snowshoes allow people to walk in areas of deep snow without sinking. They can be used for recreation, travel, employment or racing. While snowshoes have evolved over the years, they remain popular with Americans.

  1. History

    • The white ash framed snowshoe is the most traditional construction.

      Snowshoes date back to about 4,000 B.C. in what is now central Asia. They are one of man's oldest inventions. Snowshoes were brought to North America by ancestors of the Inuits and Native Americans but popularized primarily by migratory Native Americans who needed to travel in the winter.

    Shapes

    • Wood, the primary snowshoe construction material until the 1970s, gave the shoe three main shapes. The bear paw refers to a snowshoe that is oval shaped and is ideal for forested areas because of the ease of maneuvering. The Yukon showshoe is very long and best for powdered snow. The beavertail is teardrop shaped with a tail and can be used in varying snow conditions. Modifications on these include interlocking, diamond shaped, hourglass and offset.

    Composition

    • Snowshoes can be made of wood, aluminum or plastic.

      Originally, snowshoes were made from slabs of wood but soon evolved into the traditional white ash frames and rawhide lacing. However, the materials used have expanded greatly. Lacing options include neoprene, polypropylene and nytex. Aluminum frames were introduced in 1972 and are popular among professional users including military members, forest rangers and mountaineers. Plastic frames are common for children.

    Popularity

    • According to the Outdoor Industry of America, more than 3.4 million people went snowshoeing in 2009. This was an increase of 17.4 percent from 2008.