Brad and others are correct that no one snowshoe will serve well in all conditions. I like the MSR's with detachable extensions to increase surface area of the snowshoe.

The critical factors in using a snowshoe are:

-weight of the user and gear,

-surface area of the snowshoe,

-weight bearing condition of the snow. (Deep powder is vastly different from coastal snow.)

Those three factors are always present, and sometimes traction on ice crusted snow adds another factor.

Most snowshoes sold in the US are cutesy toys designed to look cool and be agile in snowy parking lots and on groomed trails. Nothing wrong with that, but know that if you want to hunt, trap, work or travel off trail or on ungroomed trails, it is a different world. The fine print on weight charts I've read always say they are based on groomed trails and that for off trail use get a larger size snowshoe.

IF you plan to hike off trail, get bigger snowshoes than you think you need. Post holing in snow is bad and post holing when wearing snowshoes is BAAAAD. Too big a shoe is a small problem, maybe a bit clumsy or costing a bit of extra energy. Too small a shoe, even by a tiny amount, is exhausting.

I have three sets of snowshoes and if not in my declining years would buy one more, bigger than what I have. I'm 230 lbs. and nowadays mostly use snowshoes on short off road forays to call predators. I have a 30 inch set of wooden bear paws with many miles on them, a 36 inch set of cheap Yukon Charlies and a set of GV Wide in the largest they make them 12x42. I wish the GV were 48”. I almost bought some 60” semi-tradionals instead but since I moved to the US from Canada with not as much deep powder snow, the GV’s have worked fine and I like them.

I really like the short, wide wilderness skis with traction skins for hunting in up and down country, especially contouring a mountainside across ravines. Some days moving from shade to sun changes whether the snowshoe will hold you up near the surface or punch deep. Ridge to swale often does the same. On those days, IMO it is better to have bigger snowshoes than needed in the more dense snow than to flounder in the soft stuff.

Buy a cheap set of 30” and after using them some, make an informed decision about buying another pair that are bigger or smaller. Check out some Canadian snowshoe forums.





Last edited by Okanagan; 12/09/21. Reason: clarity