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Walking on a winter wonderland
Snowshoeing combines exercise with winter fun and tradition
The few white pieces of precipitation that started Nov. 25 turned into a three-day snow-a-thon, marking the beginning of the winter season and the much anticipated commencement of outdoor winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
Today people snowshoe for recreation or fitness, but only several hundred years ago, snowshoes were strictly a necessity for the arctic tribesmen who used them for transportation and winter hunting. The function of a snowshoe is to distribute a person’s weight across a larger area of snow and make them seem to “float” on the snow’s surface.
The first snow-walking devices were made out of bent wood and animal skins or gut. The more modern snowshoe, like those made by Tubbs brand, has the same function as the original, but is made out of different materials.
“At Fitzharris, we only have two pair made of wood. All of the other snowshoes have aluminum frames and plastic binding,” said employee Jane Dullum.
There is an assortment of different types of snowshoes including performance, sport, women’s, mountaineering, recreation, racing and youth.
“We have two different types for children: an all plastic snowshoe for toddlers, and aluminum frames for kids ages four to eight years old,” Dullum said.
Aside from the difference in material used to construct the modern versus the original snowshoe, the biggest contrast between them is the cost.
“The price range is usually from $109-$229,” said Hector Hoppe, of Scheel’s Sports at Crossroads Mall.
According to Dullum, the difference in price is due to several factors, one being the binding.
“The binding is the mold you put your foot into. It is made of plastic, but of a high quality,” Dullum said.
Another expense for the snowshoe is the webbing.
“Some shoes like, the Mountain 36, are more expensive because they have clamp-on teeth, stainless steel on the bottom, and webbing made of ArcTec, which can withstand forty degrees below zero temperatures and not freeze or break. It has a lifetime warranty,” Dullum said.
According to Dullum, the benefits of accessories such as a rotating toe cord, which lessens the slingshot effect that occurs when a person’s foot is pulled off the ground, accounts for the extra cost of some of the shoes.
“Snowshoes also go up in price, depending on what size you wear, which is more determined by your weight than your regular shoe size,” Dullum said.
Most of the snowshoes in local stores are recreational or fitness oriented, but there are many other activity oriented snowshoes.
“We carry running snowshoes, which are smaller and used on packed snow, not powder,” Dullum said.
Snowshoes may have been a necessity before, but that doesn’t make them any less popular today.
“We have a lot of people who come in looking for them,” Hoppe said.
For people who are interested in snowshoes, but don’t know a lot about them, some snowshoe packages include starter kits that come with CD-ROM tips and techniques and a pair of adjustable poles.
“The starter kits are good for people who are just starting,” Dullum said.
While the timeless snowshoes can be used anywhere, some popular places for people who like to snowshoe are Riverside Park and the quarry in Waite Park.
“If you can walk, you can snowshoe. It’s an activity for children and adults of all ages, and it’s a great way to go out, get fresh air, socialize and just have fun,” Dullum said.
Kristen J. Kubisiak can be reached at: [email protected]
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