How to Maintain Snowshoes

After paying good money for a new pair of snowshoes, you want to maintain them for years of outdoor fun and exercise. Whether you prefer the early wood-frame snowshoe models or the modern aluminum versions will determine the type of care required to maintain your snowshoes season after season. Traditional snowshoes can last a lifetime with a little varnish to protect the wooden frame and rawhide webbing. Aluminum snowshoes are durable and require even less attention to maintain.

Instructions

    • 1

      Rinse your snowshoes after each use to remove any salt, minerals or dirt that may have collected on them.

    • 2

      Wipe snowshoes with a soft, dry cloth to ensure all debris is removed and snowshoes are dry before storing.

    • 3

      Inspect snowshoes for damage. Pay special attention to wooden frames as they can splinter or get gashes from rough surfaces or rocks. You can prevent damage to your snowshoes by staying on snow and soft surfaces.

    • 4

      Look for any separation or tearing around the bindings and make sure the rivets (which are placed at many points along the frame to secure the decking) are still tight. If your snowshoeing journey takes you across any roads or hard surfaces, the traction on your snowshoes may wear down.

    • 5

      File the teeth on the underside of your snowshoes' traction bars to bring back the gripping action.

    • 6

      Replace bindings and laces as they become worn. Look for strings or strands where nylon could be breaking down and keep these clipped so there's no further unraveling or snagging. Leather and nylon replacement bindings are available at most outdoor/sporting goods stores.

    • 7

      Soak snowshoes in an end-of-the-season bath of lukewarm water (no need for soap) to remove any salt, minerals or debris that may have become embedded in them.

    • 8

      Perform annual maintenance on wood and rawhide snowshoes. Sand any worn areas and apply a fresh coat of varnish to seal the frame and rawhide from the elements. Aluminum frame snowshoes with synthetic decking require almost no annual maintenance.

    • 9

      Store snowshoes in a cool, dry place after each use.