SIA & REI Snowshoe Park and Winter Feels Good Pavilion a Success

SnowSports Industries America reports that it has successfully partnered with REI stores in Northern Virginia and Maryland in hosting the Winter Feels Good Pavilion and Snowshoe Park, an interactive public demo held November 11-13 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. SIA states that this was the second year that the Expo has presented the Pavilion and Snowshoe Park and the first time that REI hosted the attraction.

Atlas, Tubbs, MSR and Redfeather snowshoes all were represented at the park, and show participants got to try snowshoeing on an indoor surface. The four snowshoe manufacturers are also founding sponsors of Winter Trails, an annual event that will again be scheduled for January 7, 2006. Winter Trails allows children and adults new to snowshoeing and/or cross country skiing at nearly 100 venues in the U.S. and Canada to try out equipment. Winter Trails has become one of the largest "introduction to snow sports" programs in the snow sports industry.

Also featured in the Winter Feels Good Pavilion were additional sponsors for Winter Trails including W.L. Gore and Associates, Columbia Sportswear, Manzella gloves, Sorel, Nature Valley granola bars, Alpina, Atomic, Exel, Karhu, Fischer, Rossignol, Salomon, Swix, Whitewoods, Cross Country Skier magazine, Snowshoe magazine, Ski Trax magazine and XCSkiresorts.com. Winter Trails is organized by SIA through a partnership with the American Hiking Society and the Cross Country Ski Areas Association.

Camelbak Honcho Redesigned for Snowshoers

A company spokesman for Camelbak Hydration Systems has announced the release of the newly revised Camelbak Honcho for snowshoeing. With a suggested retail price of $125, the pack is reported to be nearly half the price of competitors' backpacks. The Honcho includes several innovative features made especially for cold-weather use.

The integrated-hydration system keeps water flowing despite outside temperatures well below freezing. The Honcho reservoir is 100 ounces inside an insulated and padded pocket, with an insulated drinking tube that fits within a zippered sleeve on the pack's shoulder strap when not in use. Around that system is a 1,900-cubic-inch back pack featuring a padded MP3/CD pocket, a modest shove-it panel, and attachment straps for hanging snowshoes from the backpack. The Honcho weighs 3 pounds, 10 ounces.

C3 Verts " Snowshoes " Defined

Outdoor gear manufacturer C3 has publicly released explanatory information on their Verts " snowshoes " foot wear. The company explains that the C3 Verts have been available since the late 1990s.

The Verts description is a rigid, compact snow shoe, made from nylon, that straps firmly to a boot and creates a footprint maybe three times as large as the boot sole. The design is intended to provide good float. The rigidity of the Verts, along with their firm attachment means users have a lot more leverage, users can even climb knobby rock with them, something that normally cannot be accomplished with traditional snowshoes. Users can ascend along the sides of steep gullies or even up the crest of adjacent ridges, rather than slogging up the center of the gully with snowshoes, fully exposed to avalanches.

Annual REI Holiday Gift-Pick Includes Snowshoes in Two Categories

REI has just released its annual favorite hot-for-holiday gift picks in each of the popular Christmas Gift categories: Gear, Family Oriented, Tech Gadgets, Apparel and Stocking Stuffers. The Family and Gear categories each include snowshoe selections for 2005 holiday shopping.

The snowshoe Expert Gift Pick in the Gear category includes Atlas Snowshoes ($169.95-$179.95), featuring durable, stainless-steel 8-Trac toe crampons to make each step more secure and efficient, while molded arch supports offer comfort for longer snowshoeing hikes. REI has also selected the Atlas 8 Elektra Snowshoes ($169.95) because women's snowshoeing has increased 163 percent in the last five years.

And the Family category includes the childrens' Little Bear Spiderman Snowshoes ($24.95), which are built so kids can join their parents in venturing deep into snowy excursions. REI explains these are more than just a toy, these kids snowshoes offer exceptional durability and an adjustable fit that will see them through several winter seasons.

Atlas Snow Shoes Partners with Breast Cancer Fund for 2005-2006 Season

Atlas Snowshoes has announced that for the upcoming 2005-2006 winter season, 100% of proceeds from the company organised Explore Winter series of women's regional snow shoe hikes will go towards the benefit of the Breast Cancer Fund. A company spokesman explained that there will be no minimum or maximum donation amount necessary. In response to the current public health crisis of breast cancer, the Breast Cancer Fund exists to identify and advocate for the elimination of the environmental and other preventable causes of the disease.

Snowshoe Industry Releases Bulletin on Selecting Snowshoes

The Snowshoeing industry has issued a press release educating consumers on the current most popular types of snowshoes on the market today, as well as best practices for selecting a pair of snowshoes that is best suited for an individual's particular needs. The release begins by explaining that there are plenty of good reasons to snowshoe. Snowshoeing has a faster learning curve than cross-country skiing. And snowshoes are less expensive and easier to transport than cross country skis.

The three general classes of snow shoes include:
Traditional wooden snowshoes, which have rawhide lacing and are large and relatively heavy. They are not as maneuverable as more modern snowshoes, and they require some maintenance each season. Some snowshoers prefer them because they are attractive and nostalgic, but most outdoor enthusiasts use modern high-tech snowshoes. Injection-molded snowshoes are inexpensive and utilitarian but lack any type of design aesthetic. They are strong and dependable but tend to be heavy. Finally, high-tech snowshoes generally have tubing frames made of the type of aluminum used in aircraft, and they have synthetic decking material across the broad surface instead of lacing. These are lighter in weight than the other kinds, and they are the type of snowshoe that most users choose today.

When selecting snow shoes, in particular the high-tech styles, consumers will be confronted with a series of decisions based primarily on intended activity. Racing snowshoes are light and small and are designed for running over groomed trails as a competitive sport. They are not large enough to use on unpacked snow, nor are they sturdy enough for backcountry use. Some high-tech racing snowshoes have titanium or carbon-fiber frames which are strong but light. They are great for getting into shape, but they are not designed or recommended for hiking.
Recreational snowshoes are designed for casual walking over trails or gently rolling terrain for a few miles or a few hours. Backcountry snowshoes are sturdy, dependable snowshoes designed for steep slopes, deep snow, off-trail travel, mountaineering, and mountain rescue.

Minnesota Women's Press Highlights Snowshoeing

The Minnesota Women's Press recently highlighted snowshoeing as one of the hottest growing trends in the outdoor market. Bob Aldrich, sales and training coordinator at Midwest Mountaineering, explained that “Snowshoeing just exploded about five years ago. All of a sudden it was the hot new thing. Maybe people just got tired of looking at those skis sitting in their garage and thought, ‘There’s gotta be another way to do this without that huss and fuss.’”

The article conveyed how current snowshoes have aluminum frames and solid plastic decks, instead of the wooden frames and rawhide webbing of traditional snowshoes. The new models are supposed to give “better floatation” because the snow doesn’t come through the webbing, but Aldrich says that wooden shoes are arguably better in very deep snow. The top manufacturers listed include Crescent Moon, Atlas, MSR, RedFeather and Tubbs. Most also produce snowshoes specifically engineered for women, although Aldrich said the issue is really weight and not gender. “The only difference in women’s shoes is that they are a little narrower at their widest point,” he explained. “A lot of women can wear the so-called men’s.”

Atlas Snow-Shoe Company Launches New Kids Snowshoes Line

Atlas Snow-Shoe Company has announced the introduction of a new Junior Series of snowshoes created for younger snowshoers who want to explore the outdoors during winter. The series is comprised of two models: the Mini for children up to 80 pounds and the Junior for kids up to 120 pounds.

With national focus turned toward increased physical activity for combating the growing population of obese children, more programming is being developed to get kids active in Winter Sports. For example, the trade association SnowSports Industries of America’s “Winter Feels Good” outreach program helps connect school PE teachers with snowshoeing curriculum and equipment.

The new Atlas Junior Series snowshoes will accommodate a wide age and weight range of kids. They both feature a new soft molded binding with a heel cup that tells kids exactly where to place their foot. The one-buckle closure is easily operated by kids, giving them freedom and independence. The binding also features an adjustable footbed that allows a macro adjustment for different size feet to accommodate multiple users and passing along to siblings. As with all Atlas snowshoes there is a dual-cleat system to ensure stability and traction. The Junior Series snowshoes are authentic versions of adult models. Fun colors will make these snowshoes a hit with kids of all ages. The Mini and Junior carry a suggested retail of $ 49 and $59 respectively.

Atlas Snow-Shoe Company Sponsors Athlete in 'Climb Against the Odds'

Atlas announced recently that it is sponsoring Leigh Henman, an enduance athlete that trains for a living, running and mountain biking the hills of Marin County, California. In September of 2003, the mother of five teenagers was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to begin chemotherapy immediately. A fitness buff with boundless energy, Leigh says that during her painful radiation treatments, she was itching to get back to the mountains, “because that’s where I’d go in my head.” She says that the cancer drugs made her nauseous and her body temperature explode. “My body felt like it was getting burned.” Leigh suffered severe dehydration during treatment and her body stopped sweating; it had lost its ability to self-cool. Between radiation sessions, Leigh would make the three-hour drive up to Lake Tahoe, and upon reaching the mountains and fresh, cool air, she’d feel better.

“Part of it was getting away,” she says. “Part of it was being in the mountains, and part was getting on my feet again.” Leigh would step into snowshoes and head out for a walk in the snow, then eventually, longer hikes, which she says was both mental and physical therapy. The Sierras received record snowstorms that winter, and Leigh loved it. “If you’re out in a white snowstorm — even a total whiteout — and there’s no noise, the air is fresh, the snow fluffy … I don’t think I could have picked anything else to make me feel so good. It was amazing.”

Leigh maintains that anybody can get out and snowshoe, and at a time when she couldn’t run seven feet, much less seven miles, she could put on her snowshoes and walk in the woods. “At first it was 10 minutes, then an hour… pretty soon I was out there all day.” While the fitness benefits of snowshoeing sometimes double that of walking (snowshoeing burns 680 calories/hour while hiking burns only 340) it is a remarkably easy sport to do. Stepping into snowshoes allows access to the serenity of the backcountry, a walk in the woods, time with friends and family, time for yourself.

Today, Leigh is healthy and was chosen by the Breast Cancer Fund to join a team called “Climb Against the Odds,” which is slated to summit Mount Rainier to raise money for research and prevention. She spent the spring gaining altitude exposure and training steadily, and healthily, on her Atlas Elektra snowshoes. Leigh says that snowshoeing, and tackling mountains of all sort, “has been the saving grace to my cancer recovery.”

Online Women's Magazine Posts Suggestions on Snowshoeing

Bella Online, an online magazine for women, recently posted an article recommending snowshoeing as an excellent activity for children during winter. They also included creative ways of engaging in the activity and trying something new. They suggest renting shoes or even creating your own by strapping old tennis rackets to childrens' feet. Old tennis and racquetball rackets can be found at thrift stores and snowshoes are also available at most outdoor gear stores and ski & snowboard rental shops. Suggested activities for creating immediate excitement include playing hide-and-go seek and tag on snowshoes. These activities are both challenging and a lot of fun, the article states.

All-New 36 Inch Snowshoes Available from Atlas Snowshoes

Atlas Snow-Shoe Company has developed and released two new 36-inch snowshoe models – the Frontier and Trailbreaker – targeted for carrying heavy loads through waist-deep powder off trails and in the deep woods or high country. The 36 Series snowshoes are similarly constructed to the snowshoes Atlas manufactured for U.S. military operations. They are an excellent gear choice for backcountry trekking, camping or hunting during winter.

The 2005-2006 Atlas Frontier and Trailbreaker are more than a pound lighter than previous Atlas 36 Series snowshoes due to the introduction of a high-end Easton 7075 aluminum frame construction that provides long-term durability without the extra weight. Both models feature the Atlas patented Spring-Loaded Suspension providing the most natural foot movement, maneuverability and stability a snowshoe can offer for navigating challenging terrain or deep snow. The Frontier has a premium, ultra-durable Duratek™ decking and the best traction system Atlas offers: All-Trac™ toe crampon, heel crampon and Traverse Trac™ side traction rail combination. The Trail Breaker features a lightweight aluminum toe crampon and stainless heel cleat system and durable Nytex™ decking material. Suggested retail for the Trail Breaker is $199 and the Frontier $269.

Atlas Snowshoes Releases 2005-2006 'QuickGuide of Facts'

Atlas Snowshoes has released their annual 'QuickGuide of Facts' on the current state of the snow shoe industry. Excerpted highlights are included below:

Number of United States Snowshoeing Participants: 5.9 million

Growth of Snowshoeing: Almost 93% since 1998

Snowshoer Demographics: Snowshoeing appeals to every age. 59% are between the ages of 16 and 34; 44% are women.

Average Snowshoe Cost: $150 Retail

Most Popular Places to Snowshoe: Alpine and Nordic resorts, national parks/forests, local hiking trail systems, golf courses

Popular Trail Access Resources: AtlasSnowshoe.com featuring Trails.com; XCSki.org

Most Common Uses for Snowshoeing: Fitness, Cross-training, Recreation, Hiking, Running, Racing, Backcountry Trekking, Mountaineering

Caloric Burning Rate: 420-1,000 calories per hour, 45% more than walking or running at the
same speed

Average Weight of a Snowshoe: 1.8 pounds per average 25” snowshoe

Snowshoes Industry Defines Snowshoe Bindings

The Snowshoes Industry has issued a press release that explains the state of current snowshoe bindings. Bindings are necessary to keep snowshoes firmly fixed to the footwear, and they should be easy to operate even when wearing mittens. The type of bindings a snowshoe has affects the way it works. Many snowshoers pay more attention to larger, more obvious parts of the snowshoe and give little consideration to the two main binding types, fixed and pivoting.

Fixed bindings, also called spring-loaded bindings, have a spring that lifts the snowshoe's tail up away from the snow with every step. This makes backing up possible, but it also throws snow from the decking against the back of the legs, so users are advised to wear high gaiters with fixed bindings. Fixed bindings are best on packed trails and in brushy areas where their good maneuverability is an asset. Pivoting-hinge bindings, also called freely-rotating bindings, allow the boot to rotate freely around a pivot, and they allow the tail of the snowshoe to drop to the ground when the snowshoe is raised to take a step. This sheds snow that has accumulated on the decking. This type of binding does not allow the user to back up, because the snowshoe's tails will dig into the snow. It is the strongest type of binding, and it is best when doing a lot of climbing.

Snowshoers must be able to walk up, down, and across hills. High-tech snowshoes provide traction with toothed cleats called crampons. These are usually found on the toe or under the ball of the foot and also near the heel, and they grip the ground on ascents and descents. Additional crampons which run parallel to the snowshoe's sides are found on heavy-duty climbing snowshoes and provide additional lateral stability for traversing slopes.

Atlas Snowshoes Introduces New Lightweight, Adjustable Poles

A spokesman from the Atlas Snow-Shoe company recently announced that with approximately six million snowshoeing enthusiasts, snowshoeing poles have emerged as essential, standard operating equipment for this popular winter sport. The spokesman explained snowshoe poles enhance the snowshoeing experience by offering improved balance, stability and an increased upper body, cardio workout.

To support this demand, Atlas Snow-Shoe Company has produced lightweight, versatile snowshoe poles for both men and women. With a weight of slightly above one pound per pair, the compact, telescoping poles by Atlas can be adjusted quickly and easily in order to fit a wide variety of users or snowshoeing terrain. The three-piece telescoping system collapses compactly for storing when not in use and can be adjusted shorter for climbing or longer for descending steep terrain. The material make-up is 7075-T7 aluminum for lightweight strength, the poles feature men and women specific grips made of EVA foam, anotomically contoured for comfort and equipped with adjustable neoprene straps. They also contain flexible tungsten carbide tips and large snow baskets for powder.

Traditional Wooden Snowshoe Classes Again Offered for 2005

Chuck Nelson, the director of the Sarett Nature Center, located in Benton Harbor Indiana, will once again be offering classes on building traditional wooden snowshoes in the style of the Ojibwa tribe. Mr. Nelson has been teaching how to handcraft snowshoes for 25 years. His class, held on four consecutive Tuesdays, will begin the first week of November at the center.

Unlike the first oval snowshoes, commonly known as the bear paw, and the teardrop shape of the Maine or Michigan snowshoe, the Ojibwa design has a tail, and a tip which rises up like a boat's bow through a wave. "In the Midwest, you get melting and freezing conditions and the snow is awful," Nelson explains. "There was nothing to keep the snowshoe from going under the ice and blam! You would be thrown to the ground."

The building process starts with two pieces of white ash, each 55 inches long. After the wood is plucked from the boiler, the pieces are placed in a bending jig. This wood contraption holds the pieces in place, creating the shape that becomes the frame. Rivets in front and back and two cross-pieces of support wood in the middle complete the framework. Participants will then take this home for sanding and staining before starting the intricate weaving of the babiche, or webbing. The toe and heel take 16 feet of flat white nylon tubing, while the body takes another 60 feet. While the Ojibwa used rawhide for the babiche, Nelson uses nylon, which shrinks in water. Nelson explains that, "If you take it in the shower with you, that nylon tightens right up." After it is tightened, the nylon is varnished to seal it from moisture. Bindings are then created from the rubber of inner tubes.

Outdoor Gear Industry Publisher Issues Advice for Proper Snowshoe Clothing and Apparel

A leading outdoor gear industry publication has recently issued advice for choosing the proper clothing to wear when snowshoeing. Of central importance is selecting suitable footwear. Snowshoe runners and racers wear lightweight sports shoes for racing and training, but if users are adventuring into the backcountry, they will want to use sturdy, waterproof boots with snowshoes. Mountaineers and snowboarders can wear their specialized snowboard boots or climbing boots with their snowshoes, as long as the bindings fit. Many styles of hiking boots also work well.

Snowshoe gaiters are useful for keeping the lower legs dry and comfortable. They are especially practical if a user's bindings are the fixed type, which otherwise throw snow onto the backs of the legs and into boots.

Snowshoeing racers don't use poles, however many backcountry snowshoers use at least one and more often two snowshoe poles. Poles can push interfering branches out of the path and can also improve balance on unlevel terrain. Either collapsible trekking poles with snow baskets or one-piece ski poles work well. Some snowshoers prefer poles that come up to the elbow, while others prefer poles that come up about to the armpit the way they would for cross-country skiing.

Atlas Snowshoes Announces 2005-2006 Team Atlas Roster

Atlas Snow-Shoe Company is sponsoring some of the world’s top snowshoe athletes who use the sport to train, race and pursue their athletic lifestyle in the winter season. The company believes these athletes are excellent resources who can offer first-hand training advice, tips and testimonials for editorial about the benefits of snowshoeing.

Team Atlas, is comprised of a collection of internationally-ranked competitive snowshoe racers who also excel in adventure racing, trail/ultra running, mountain biking, triathlon and cycling. The team has more than 40 men and women located throughout the United States. They will compete in more than 30 sanctioned races throughout the U.S. and Canada including this year’s U.S. National Snowshoe Championships. The United States Snowshoe Racing Association (USSSA) located in Corinth, New York, acts as national governing body for the sport of snowshoe racing in this country. There are a growing number of nations around globe with organized snowshoe racing programs including Italy, Finland, France, Japan, and Canada.

2005-2006 Team Atlas athletes include:

• Dave Mackey: Trail running, mountain biking, ultra running, rock climbing and adventure racing make up this busy athlete’s lifestyle. Not only has he found the aerobic benefits important, but also cites the core strengthening workout from snowshoeing as key for climbing. “Let’s not forget the fun factor – the best snowshoer out there is the one having the most fun.”

• Nikki Kimball: Physical therapist by profession and world-class ultra runner by design, you can catch Nikki at any number of major 50 to 100 mile distance races around the globe. Commented Nikki, “Runners and cyclists don't often venture into each other's realms. But we meet in snowshoe racing. By December our joints and muscles need a break. Snowshoeing allows our joints and specific soft tissue structures a reprieve while we maintain, and perhaps even enhance our fitness.”

• Syl Corbett: Residing in Boulder, Colorado, this 34 year-old business entrepreneur is a dedicated mountain runner and professional triathlete/duathlete. She is a member of many elite teams including the Canadian Elite Mountain Running Team and the Salomon Adventure Racing Team. “Mountain running are snowshoe racing are obvious crisscross sports – they provide the synergistic benefit of increasing both strength as well as cardio capacity.”

• Greg Krause: National snowshoe champion, Greg is a professional triathlete, who competes in both off-road and traditional triathlons and was in the top 15 of American finishes at this year’s Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. “My training on snowshoes is what got me my top triathlon results today.”

• Peter Fain: Considered the top snowshoe racer west of the Rockies and one of the top mountain runners in America, this 31-year old Renaissance man isn’t your ordinary athlete. A former collegiate 800-meter track champion, Peter regularly runs on hard packed snow at clips of 6-1/2 minutes a mile often with outings that last four to six hours. During the off-season he’s a trail marathoner, climbing the 7,000 to 14,000 foot peaks before plunging back down again.

• Karen Melliar-Smith: Professional triathlete and nurse anesthetist, Karen espouses the virtues of snowshoe racing as strength and endurance training for cycling and running. She is currently ranked 9th at the National level, and was also an All-American in the 200 and 500 meter freestyle and an All-Academic American. “Snowshoeing provides a relaxing mental diversion while maintaining aerobic capacity – it is the only sport that I don’t notice my heart beating away at 190 beats a minute.”

• Adam Chase: Long-time athlete and author of “The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running”, Adam is an experienced endurance and adventure athlete who has competed in dozens of world class competitions including the Boston and New York Marathons, World’s Toughest Triathlon and the Eco-Challenge.

Leading Outdoor Gear Industry Publisher Issues Tips for Beginner Snowshoeing

Leading outdoor industry publisher Backpacking Light, recently issued several tips for individuals just beginning in the sport of snowshoeing. These tips include renting your snow shoes the first few times. This will familiarize you with snowshoeing and will allow you to use several different brands to see which you prefer. Use hiking poles for added stability. Go on daytrips with a group. Snowshoe on well-packed trails over gently rolling terrain. Don't get too far away from your starting point. And finally, familiarize yourself with safety aspects of winter recreation, such as minimizing avalanche danger and avoiding or if necessary treating hypothermia or frostbite.

Atlas Snowshoes Joins Coalition to Lobby for California Wilderness Protection

A company spokesman for Atlas Snowshoe Company has announced that, alongside other outdoor industry partners, it has secured a Congressional hearing in Washington DC for legislation that would protect 300,000 acres of public land. Karen Righthand of Atlas Snowshoes, along with Lisa Myers of Patagonia, Alex Kutches from Marmot, Laura Keresty of Wilderness Press and Devaki Murch from prAna, recently traveled to the nation's capitol alongside representatives from The Conservation Alliance to lobby in support of legislation that would protect 300,000 acres of public land on California’s North Coast.

The legislation received a Congressional hearing in July, bringing the bill one step closer to final passage. The outdoor business delegation met with eleven congressional representatives and delivered the message that new wilderness designations on California’s north coast benefits outdoor businesses and California’s tourist economy. “There is a growing consensus that wilderness has real economic value,” stated John Sterling, Director of the Conservation Alliance Program. “As California’s rural economies shift from resource extraction to tourism and recreation, protected public lands become a community’s most valuable natural asset.”

The legislation (H.R. 233/S. 128) is championed by Representative Mike Thompson (D-Napa), and Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), would permanently protect 300,000 acres of land, including the King Range and Lost Coast, the longest undeveloped stretch of coastline in the lower 48. The bill would also secure Wild and Scenic River status for 21 miles of the Black Butte River. Karen Righthand, Marketing Director for Atlas Snow-Shoe Company, added that “Outdoor businesses need protected wild places for our customers to recreate and enjoy our products."

Homemade Snowshoes Advocate Issues Additional Tips

Long-time industry snowshoe building advocate, Carl Heilman, has released an addendum to his widely publicized article on making your own homemade snowshoes. The additional points of clarification follow:

It is possible to split two bows from each quarter-log if you lay them out as in the accompanying illustration. After a bow is split off (either by using a circular saw to rip the length of the log at a point 1 inch from the hand-split edge, or by gradually tapping an axe along a line parallel to the hand-split edge), excess wood can be removed from the heartwood side with a power saw . . . to produce the roughly 1 " X 1-1/8" X 8' bow, which is then shaved into shape. (If you don't have access to a shaving bench, the bow can be clamped to a solid surface while you work it with a drawknife.) Snowshoe builders are also cautioned when choosing copper nails to connect the two halves of a shoe's tail not to drive the fasteners through the wood. Instead, drill the bow first, then cut the nail to a bit longer than the width of the tail and washer, slip it through, and gradually peen the end of the nail over the washer with many light taps from a ball-peen hammer. (By the way, the tail of the snowshoe aids in "tracking" . . . that is, it helps keep the shoes pointed straight ahead as you walk through the woods.) When choosing lacing material—either rawhide or neoprene—keep in mind that the former will prove best for dry snow, while the latter is a better "all condition" lacing. (Rawhide will become stretchy and soak up water in wet weather, but not so badly that it can't be used under such conditions.) And when lacing rawhide, do stretch the material, but use common sense and don't apply too much force. As you walk in your snowshoes (you'll probably want to wear them with high-top moccasins and wool socks in dry snow . . . felt pack or good leather hiking boots will serve under most conditions), be careful not to allow one shoe to step on the other, and remember never to let a snowshoe "bridge" between two high points.