Full Instrumental

Great book: Snowwalker's Companion

Written by Garrett Conover, it covers all I needed to head into the great outdoors and have some fun tromping around in snowshoes.  There is a particular "traditional" showshoe binding and I think it beats the pants off of anything you can buy - it is a simple leather strap that you wrap around the showshoe and your foot leaving your heel free and your toes clamped down.

Also covered are general winter camping skills, including the gear, wall tents, stoves, etc.  He writes and recreates with his wife (though I'm not sure if she gets writing credit).  The best part of his style is the approach to new technology.  Its easy to be swayed by the marketing hype of the outdoor retailers trying to hawk gear that is .01% lighter than it was last year, but Garrett focuses on the timeless.  Its always easy to find wisdom by going back in time and seeing how things were done before they are now - its how we lived for thousands of years!

A Boot for all occasions

When it comes to snowshoeing, the gear is important.  If the snowshoes are too big, you'll trip!  If they're too small, you'll sink right through the snow, although anything larger than the profile of your foot will spread your weight around.  If your winter boots are too heavy, you will tire quickly.  If not breathable, you foot will get sweaty.  The Steger Mukluks and the bindings that go along with them will affect stride which has a direct impact on how much energy you use.

Steger's are light, they claim half the weight of traditional winter boots.  They have different styles to choose from so you should be able to find one that matches your wardrobe.