Snowshoes
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: Ursman
03-Dec-18
How do I keep snow from building up under my snowshoes. It sticks to the bottoms of the shoes. Makes for unsteady pace.
From: Teeton
03-Dec-18
Is it sticking to the aluminum or the wedding or are they the old wooden type???
From: Ursman
03-Dec-18
They are made of a plastic material. Made by MSR. The bindings are metal, straps are rubber.
From: BigOzzie
03-Dec-18
hummm that is some nasty snow I don't recall ever struggling with that.
ideas from the top of my head
store them at the temp. you are using them make sure they are not warmer than the snow.
If they are a modern plastic bottom then, wax them?
Stay off partially frozen water, mud puddles, etc. water will freeze and adhere to whatever it touches that is at a below freezing temperature.
That is the only time I can remember my shoes giving me grief was when there was water under the snow and it froze to the shoe when I stepped. ugh not fun.
oz
From: Teeton
03-Dec-18
I'm not familiar with them you got a picture? what's the snow sticking to? Plastic? Rubber? ? Medal? You could try Pam cooking spray.
From: Katahdin
03-Dec-18
I would need to know more but it sounds like you are taking your snow shoes out of a warm house/vehicle and strapping them on. The warm material will melt snow then it will freeze and stick. There are certain snow conditions that will allow this also. Cross country ski shops sell a Teflon spray that can be used to minimize sticking.
From: Ursman
03-Dec-18
Doesn’t seem to matter what temp the shoes are. I think it’s the snow condition. I start out with a cold fluffy snow. Sun comes out, the snow begins to melt and get real sticky. I’ve taken the snowshoes off and walked or rather post-holed in my boots. Same result only worse, like walking on two grapefruits attached to the bottoms of my boots. Obviously, it doesn’t happen a lot, but what a pain in the ass when it does!
From: Mertyman
03-Dec-18
Dupont makes a Teflon/Silicone spray for snow blowers, plows, snowmobiles, etc. It works like a dream on my snow blower and wouldn't be afraid to try it on my snowshoes providing they aren't traditional wooden ones with leather.
From: TrapperKayak
03-Dec-18
Spray silicone.
From: Ursman
03-Dec-18
Thanks for the info.
From: Trial153
03-Dec-18
I bought a can of that spray...you know the one Clark used on the snow saucer in Christmas vacation....worked great.
From: Blakes
05-Dec-18
I had the same problem with a pair I had. My wife and I would go out and she had no problem with hers. I tried pam, then tried painting them (just the metal cleats where the problem was). Still had the same problem. Bought new shoes last year and never had it with this pair. Walking on grapefruit is the perfect analogy.
From: Blakes
06-Dec-18
oops, double post
From: skookumjt
06-Dec-18
It's not from the snowshoes being a different temperature. They will go from warm to ambient temperature before you can finish strapping them on. It's likely from the snow being just the right temperature that when you step on it, your weight compresses the snow and makes it melt. When you take your weight off, it freezes again. Basically the same as making a snowball. When you squeeze the snow the pressure lowers the melting point so it packs.
From: orionsbrother
06-Dec-18
Keep ‘em cold. Wooden shoes tend to flex and shed better.
From: ground hunter
06-Dec-18
I am in the UP..... I use them a lot,,,,, got rid of my ash bear paws along time ago, going to aluminum.... they are on my back and on my snowmobile////// I spray them down with PAM
From: orionsbrother
06-Dec-18
I don’t care for the sound of aluminum on cold, crusty snow.
That’s just me though.
Aluminum are certainly more durable with less maintenance and the cleats provide better grip on ice or hard packed snow.
From: ground hunter
06-Dec-18
Orion, I agree, but I trap, so the noise is no concern, I either have a surprise or I do not,,, ha ha
