Snowshoes Des Moines IA

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Snowshoeing is a wonderful winter outdoor activity to enjoy the beauty of the wilderness in the most majestic time of the year. If you haven’t tried it yet, you must give it a shot. Snowshoeing is how I “hike” in the winter and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of snow covered landscapes.

Snowshoes

Snowshoe Shopping tips

• Figure out what weight the snowshoes can support. Snowshoes are designed to carry specific loads (you and your pack) over snow. The level of your “flotation” will vary with different snow conditions, but you should make sure that the weight specifications are suitable for your body weight and anything else you carry with you (ie, a backpack with your 10 Essentials, extra clothing layers, food, water, etc.) Some snowshoes have attachable “tails”, which you can add on if you are taking a heavier backpack with you on your snowshoe adventure.
• Where do you plan to go snowshoeing? If you plan to spend the majority of your time on relatively flat terrain, then you don’t need some of the bells and whistles that some higher end snowshoes have. However, if you are like me and enjoy snowshoeing up and down steep slopes, look for a pair with a heel lifter. It will greatly reduce the strain on your calves as you head up hills. Also, if you are going to be in icier, steeper conditions, make sure the “crampons” on the bottom of the snowshoe grip well.
• Women’s specific snowshoes. Snowshoe manufacturers are finally realizing that women have narrower feet than men and shorter strides. Therefore, they have decided to design a few women’s snowshoes that are specially designed to be narrower and lighter.
• Easy access bindings. Look for snowshoes that have step-on bindings that open wide so you can easily slip your boots in and strap in and begin your day of fun. Fumbling with tricky bindings is not how I like to spend my winter mornings.

Hiking Lady’s Favorite Snowshoes:

• Womens MSR Lightning Ascent 25 Snowshoes I just bought a pair of these Lightning Ascents for my upcoming snowshoeing trip to Yosemite. I also will be using them in the local Southern California mountains as soon as we get some snow. If you’re looking for bells and whistles, this pair has it. They are super light weight (you’ll be thankful of this after a day of snowshoeing!), have excellent crampons, a heel lift (MSR calls it the “Televator”), and they’re designed specifically for women. In the past I’ve always had unisex snowshoes, and have wondered why they feel so bulky and why I have had to force my stride to be much wider than comfortable. One of my friends bought these Lightning Ascents last season and when she let me borrow them I loved them so much I decided that this year I was going to buy myself a pair.
• MSR Denali Evo Ascent Snowshoes Th...

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Snowshoes were made with wood and leather bindings up until 1972, when aluminum tubing replaced the wood frame and neoprene and nylon decking replaced the bindings. Eventually, technical advances in plastics and injection molding made for a lighter and more durable snowshoe. They require little maintenance and can incorporate crampons, which allow for better grip in the snow. How does one walk in snowshoes? You lift the shoes slightly and slide the inner edges over each other slightly with each stride. There is no need to use an especially wide (and tiring) step once you become accustomed to walking in snowshoes. The terrain will determine your pace - the more steep the trail, the more intense your snowshoeing becomes. Generally, your stride should feel natural and you will find yourself lifting your knees a bit more and steeping just a bit wider whether you are walking or running.

The first few times snowshoeing each season often lead to sore calves and thighs for several days afterward. In the past with heavier snowshoe designs, excessive snowshoeing sometimes led to lameness of the feet and ankles. Today's snowshoes are much lighter and the condition is much rare. There are snowshoe races and competitions for those who really want to take things to a more robust level.

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