View Full Version : Snow Shoes
After all searches on the internet comeing up with nothing useful, can I ask if anybody out there knows where I can get a pair of snow shoes that I dont need a mortgage to pay for and then a second mortgage to pay off the import tax customs will add? :?:
Another ply in the ointment is I need them by February!
Any and all help, links or pointers welcome.
Not traditional in the least by there are some Yowies here for under a ton:
http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Snow_Equipment_28.h tml
(near the bottom)
Or ex army ones on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=310&item=7124945230&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=310&item=7124945254&rd=1
Cheers Adi, thats a start - thanks!
Abbe Osram
07-01-2005, 20:53
After all searches on the internet comeing up with nothing useful, can I ask if anybody out there knows where I can get a pair of snow shoes that I dont need a mortgage to pay for and then a second mortgage to pay off the import tax customs will add? :?:
Another ply in the ointment is I need them by February!
Any and all help, links or pointers welcome.
hi mate,
how much do you want to pay?
I bought some Alaskan snowshoes from Faber which work great for me.
Check out my pictures here on BCUK there you can see them. I am 185 cm and my weight is 85 kg and they work great for me.
I didn't buy any kind of bindings that saved me some dollars. I made them myself not to be cheap but the self-made are the best you can get, simple and cheap. I got the idea from the book "Winter Wilderness companion", they are made in the style of the first nations. I bought my shoes from a company in germany and they posted them here to sweden.
http://www.globetrotter.de/de/shop/detail.php?mod_nr=fm_70021&artbez=Faber+Snowshoes+U.S.+Ra whide&k_id=0804&h_kat=Winterausr%FCstung&u_kat=Schneeschuhe
cheers
Abbe
bothyman
07-01-2005, 21:20
Don't look cheap, but are closer to home.
>> http://www.noblecustom.co.uk/inook.html
Have you tried putting " snowshoe " in Ebay?? :roll:
Cheers guys - Abbe more like it. Is there an english translation?
arctic hobo
07-01-2005, 21:26
Out of interest (not suggesting you do this Gary) how difficult are they to make? Abbe, yourse look like a fairly simple construction. I've never snowshoed, it looks like it could be good. :biggthump
I plan to make a pair of Roycrafts once I'm on the ground but I need to get there first!!
Actually making then isnt to problem its finding time and materials!!
Oh and Abbe excellent pictures btw - really good.
bothyman
07-01-2005, 21:39
Try
>> http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/tr
works for me, put the URL in the box
whitebuffalo
07-01-2005, 21:42
Pm on its way.
Jeff Wagner
07-01-2005, 21:55
I have tried several different snow shoe designs and after falling on my face a few times due to the toes digging in, I am sold on the pointed toe Ojibwa style. They slice through heavy brush with ease. The best shoes I know of come from Williams and Wilcox. http://www.snowshoe.com/Snowshoes/
Abbe Osram
07-01-2005, 21:58
Out of interest (not suggesting you do this Gary) how difficult are they to make? Abbe, yourse look like a fairly simple construction. I've never snowshoed, it looks like it could be good. :biggthump
If you know how to bend wood and have a small workshop at home then you can make them yourself. The bests are made by hand.
At one point I am going too to make my own, here is a link to a book;
http://www.birchbarkcanoe.net/snowsho.htm
Here is a link to the english Faber webpage:
http://fabersnowshoes.com/vitrine/fabersite/activeservice?value=home1&stl=en
Guys, dont forget the simple snowshoe Ray is building in his Arctic Survival show. The swedish army teaches them in their survival book.
cheers
Abbe
Or ex army ones on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=310&item=7124945230&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=310&item=7124945254&rd=1
Adi, you may or may not know, but those ones that you suggested would be rather appropriate since the nick name for them are "BEARS FEET" :wink:.
Gary, do not get those bear paw snowshoes from ebay. They are completely useless for walking long distances !!!!
The ones that Abbe uses and linked to looks very similar to mine, and even if they are not the same the design is one of the best. Also the ones that Jeff linked to are good.
Moonraker
07-01-2005, 23:46
Gary a quick translation:
Faber U.S.#9
Large, traditional ash wood beaver tail style for demanding use. They are suitable for deep snow surfaces, relatively open ( i.e. not deep bush!) heavily snow-covered areas and universal snow conditions. Classical models, the first choice for migrations. Raw hide tension[ed]?. 30 x 152 cm. 2.900 g/Paar? without connection.
Recommended weight range (depending upon kind of snow and inclusive backpack!): 80 to 130 kg
They are currently showing availability in calender week 4, i.e. end of January I assume. Delivery within EU inc UK between 5,60*EUR - 15,75*EUR.
Nice looking snow shoes. faber do a guide to snow shoe type here
http://fabersnowshoes.com/vitrine/fabersite/activeservice?value=generic5
What do the Swedish army use?
GL with the search.
Abbe Osram
08-01-2005, 00:04
Gary a quick translation:
What do the Swedish army use?
I emigrated to sweden so I was not here in the army, but what I saw in the army shops are only the small alumin bear pats. They are no good.
The swedish army uses mainly ski, very long and and broad. But I like more snowshoes. (Good onces) :wink:
cheers
Abbe
Moonraker
08-01-2005, 00:08
I emigrated to sweden so I was not here in the army, but what I saw in the army shops are only the small alumin bear pats. They are no good.
The swedish army uses mainly ski, very long and and broad. But I like more snowshoes. (Good onces) :wink:
cheers
Abbe
Thanks Abbe. I wondered as I had not seen any looking around.
OldJimbo
08-01-2005, 01:18
Seems expensive to me. I just picked up a pair of regular snowshoes for the grand-daughter and a really big pair me me - $79 and $89 CAN. Yeah I live in Canada, but I'm as far away from Quebec as most of you.
Bearpaws are for doing jobs on well packed snow.
The problem comes up with just what sort of snow you're travelling on, total weight with pack (although a small toboggan or even a kids sled overcomes pack weight) - and whether you are the poor sucker breaking trail. Around here there's also the factor of super heavy snowfall which covers bushes and leaves air cavities. It's easy to be jogging along nicely on the new smaller high tech snowshoes (which are great) and suddenly disappear. Even the old lampwick bindings still have their place if a person crosses places where they might go through ice.
I have tried several different snow shoe designs and after falling on my face a few times due to the toes digging in, I am sold on the pointed toe Ojibwa style. They slice through heavy brush with ease. The best shoes I know of come from Williams and Wilcox. http://www.snowshoe.com/Snowshoes/
Jeff, I picked up a pair of these maybe 6 weeks ago. I bought the Ojibwa style. I haven't used them yet but they are exremely well made. I am very impressed with how well they are put together. Unfortunately the snow has not been deep enough around here yet for me to try them out.
bothyman
08-01-2005, 07:56
Found these a couple more for the collection??
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070228922/qid%3D1105170368/202-2475880-6078211
>> http://www.tentsmiths.com/egyptian-cotton-snow-walker.html
Seems expensive to me. I just picked up a pair of regular snowshoes for the grand-daughter and a really big pair me me - $79 and $89 CAN. Yeah I live in Canada, but I'm as far away from Quebec as most of you.
Bearpaws are for doing jobs on well packed snow.
The problem comes up with just what sort of snow you're travelling on, total weight with pack (although a small toboggan or even a kids sled overcomes pack weight) - and whether you are the poor sucker breaking trail. Around here there's also the factor of super heavy snowfall which covers bushes and leaves air cavities. It's easy to be jogging along nicely on the new smaller high tech snowshoes (which are great) and suddenly disappear. Even the old lampwick bindings still have their place if a person crosses places where they might go through ice.
OldJimbo, yours and Hoodoo/Jeff's link are great and these are what I'm after but the import tax with be as much again in pounds, Normally I'd get Zackary to send me them from Toronto as a gift but he is over here in UK at present so I can do that.
Anyway thanks for all the info guys! Top bananas.
arctic hobo
08-01-2005, 10:10
Thanks for the info Abbe :biggthump
I emigrated to sweden so I was not here in the army, but what I saw in the army shops are only the small alumin bear pats. They are no good.
The swedish army uses mainly ski, very long and and broad. But I like more snowshoes. (Good onces) :wink:
cheers
Abbe
The swedish army uses two diffrent kind of ski´s, one that are long and one that are shorter. The ski´s are known as "The white flash" or "Vita blixten" as we say here.
Abbe Osram
08-01-2005, 10:14
Found these a couple more for the collection??
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070228922/qid%3D1105170368/202-2475880-6078211
>> http://www.tentsmiths.com/egyptian-cotton-snow-walker.html
Hi Mate,
thanks for the great links!
Abbe
Found these a couple more for the collection??
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070228922/qid%3D1105170368/202-2475880-6078211
>> http://www.tentsmiths.com/egyptian-cotton-snow-walker.html
Chers Bothyman - I would if the Snow walker book is a reprint of the winter wilderness companion - I hope not it, gets on my nerves the way they keep releasing the same book with a differnet cover, Old Mears is terrible for it, and on UK amazon you can't see the pages before you order so you dont know.
Abbe Osram
08-01-2005, 10:33
I am afraid it is but I have heard that they worked putting new stuff into it.
Would be nice to hear from someone who bought both books.
I think that book is one of the best for winter bushcraft. I have another great one called: Winter Wise Travel and Survival in Ice and Snow. I believe if you buy these two books you don't need more, they are so great and don't copy from each other. I love the Winter Wilderness companion and thought it is perfect until I found Winter Wise, there I found a lot of great info and building plans for things I missed in the wilderness companion. If I only could buy one book so I still would go for the Winter Wilderness companion. Anyhow get both books and you will have plenty to do. :-P
cheers
Abbe
I am afraid it is but I have heard that they worked putting new stuff into it.
Would be nice to hear from someone who bought both books.
I think that book is one of the best for winter bushcraft. I have another great one called: Winter Wise Travel and Survival in Ice and Snow. I believe if you buy these two books you don't need more, they are so great and don't copy from each other. I love the Winter Wilderness companion and thought it is perfect until I found Winter Wise, there I found a lot of great info and building plans for things I missed in the wilderness companion. If I only could buy one book so I still would go for the Winter Wilderness companion. Anyhow get both books and you will have plenty to do. :-P
cheers
Abbe
Whose the author of Winter wise Abbe?
Abbe Osram
08-01-2005, 12:05
ok, here it comes:
Winter Wise
Travel and Survival
in Ice and Snow
by
Montague
"Monty"
Alford
ISBN 1-895811-95-3
Publisher:Heritage House
and here is the link to amazon uk:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1895811953/qid=1105185871/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/026-6749982-5968464
hope it works for you
cheers
Abbe
Jeff Wagner
09-01-2005, 03:45
Jeff, I picked up a pair of these maybe 6 weeks ago. I bought the Ojibwa style. I haven't used them yet but they are exremely well made. I am very impressed with how well they are put together. Unfortunately the snow has not been deep enough around here yet for me to try them out.
I think you will like them. The tails keep them tracking straight and true. The up turned and pointed toes are great for getting through light brush. I would not trade mine for any other style. By the way...too little snow is not unfortunate... :wink:
I use air force surplus magnesium snow shoes on sft snow and they work great!!! readily available at mil. surplus outlets in u.s. and under 70$u.s. these are very tough snowshoes that will last a lifetime, I can't say enough about them. for they're size they are very light, if anyone wants site add.s shoot me a message, I have at least a dozen.