How to Make a Snowshoe Binding From an Inner Tube

Snowshoes are available in all different types--fancy metal with ratcheting bindings, cheap plastic with snapping bindings, and wooden with rawhide webbing and leather bindings. Instead of dishing out a couple hundred bucks for a new pair of snowshoes, why not make your old pair as good as new by adding a fresh set of bindings? If you have a large tire inner tube and a few other tools lying around, you have all you need to create a homemade pair of durable rubber snowshoe step-ins.

Things You'll Need

  • Inner tube (large size)
  • Heavy scissors or shears
  • White grease pencil
  • Hole punch
  • Rope or cord
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a triangular segment with rounded corners out of your inner tube. Make the base of the triangle equal to the width of the pivot bar. Judge the distance from the pivot bar to your heel and make the sides of the triangle 4 inches longer.

    • 2

      Put on your boots and place the ball of your foot over the snowshoe's pivot bar. Slide the rubber triangle's base just under the ball of your foot. Mark on the rubber with the white grease pencil where your boot's toe lands.

    • 3

      Cut the rubber binding's toe hole using the mark as a reference. Make the hole wide enough for the toes of your boots to fit in and out of easily.

    • 4

      Slide the rubber binding back under the ball of your foot and put the toe of your boot in the hole. Pull the rubber triangle up across the top of your foot and to one side of your boot. Mark on the rubber where the mouth of your boot is.

    • 5

      Cut a foot hole using the mark as a reference. Make the hole just big enough for your boot to get through, as the snug fit will keep the binding in place while walking.

    • 6

      Punch three holes on the front inner and outer sides of the binding. String rope or cord through the holes and secure the bindings to the pivot bar.