Forum Index > Trail Talk > Learned something new today! - Day hikers + snow shoes = bad
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janders
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janders
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 12:45 am 
It's 50 degrees at the trailhead. On one hand I have my trusty warm boots rated to -4 degrees. On the other hand I have my shiny, comfy, new day hikers rated to just below room temp. In my closet at home 50 miles away sit my gore-tex leather backpacking boots. What I didn't realize is the amount of torque snowshoes puts on a foot (MSR snowshoes especially) and just how much dayhikers don't cut it. My foot got twisted and munched in ways that would make Dr. Scholl himself woozy... My ankles rolled around like they were on ball bearings. And I seemed to end up on my posterior with a higher frequency (a good operator will always blame his equipment <g>) Ow. dizzy.gif (BTW- I hope you all got out today. Beautiful it was!)

"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
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MCaver
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Joined: 14 Dec 2001
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MCaver
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 2:21 am 
Unfortuatnely, I still have a cold and nagging cough from last weekend's snowshoe trip. I spent all day in bed. frown.gif I'm not a gear nut, so please excuse the ignorance, but are "dayhikers" a type/brand of shoe? I have sturdy hiking shoes that I use with my MSRs and haven't had a problem with them either causing me to twist my ankles or land on my arse. The frequency of the latter is purely my own fault. tongue.gif

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Tennies Essential
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Tennies Essential
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 6:32 am 
I've tried various shoes and boots with snowshoes. Have to agree the heavier boots work better. You can feel the bindings with lighter boots. Hertz the foot. Snowshoeing doesn't have the high mileage where ultra light shoes are as important -- and the energy of squishing snow and lifting heavy snowshoes is way more than summer hiking. Thus heavy boots seem to fit the bill. In summer it's back to the lightest shoes I can! Ah.... summer. 'Tis a wonderful thing.

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janders
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janders
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 10:58 am 
By dayhikers, I mean a lighter boot meant just for day outings. Not really brand-specific. They tend to be lighter, smaller and of less substance than your 4lb+ backpacking boots. Great for one day trip and knocking around town agree.gif , bad for snowshoeing shakehead.gif

"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
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Tennies Essential
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Tennies Essential
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PostSun Mar 24, 2002 9:52 pm 
Ever try those "dayhike" boots for a overnight trip (with a heavier pack)? On summer trails they work fine for many people. Yikes, 4 lb on feet is fine for off-trail but overkill for most maintained trails. Heave ho, ankles aweigh!

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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Backpacker Joe
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 12:52 am 
"4 lb on feet is fine for off-trail but overkill for most maintained trails. Heave ho, ankles aweigh!" It's because I care about my ankles that I wear a full grain leather boot. 3lbs 8oz a pair is NOT to heavy to take care of your feet, ankles, legs. Besides, most of my trips entail both trail AND off. Dont most? As far as I am concerned tennies with a pack over 20 pounds is risking way to much! TB tongue.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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salish
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salish
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 8:32 am 
Tend to agree with you there, Backpacker Joe. I am casually in the market for a new pair of leather boots and I'm looking at some new Danner boots called the "Explorer", which appears to be a leather version of their Danner Light II's, which are made of synthetics. I've always felt their Mountain Light II was a great design, but I want a little taller upper, at least 6". My current boots (Italian Sundowners) are fantastic boots for trail and light off trail, but start losing their credibility in bad off trail stuff. I consider these Sundowners to be my absolute minimum I will wear for backpacking. I've used my New Balance 803's for some backpacking trips, but they are strictly on-trail shoes as far as I'm concerned. I guess I'm just too much old school where footwear is concerned.

My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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kleet
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Joined: 06 Feb 2002
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kleet
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 8:43 am 
My only snowshoe experience has been with the MSRs. Can anyone chime in here about other brands of snowshoe, i.e. do they experience the amount of torque janders spoke of? As far as dayhikers vs. 4 pounders, I WISH I could wear something lighter but my ankles are in conspiracy to kill me, I swear! I need the support. rolleyes.gif

A fuxk, why do I not give one?
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lopper
off-route



Joined: 22 Jan 2002
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lopper
off-route
PostMon Mar 25, 2002 8:59 am 
There are several pages of user comments on snowshoe brands and preferences in another part of this forum: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums....=4;t=62 MSR is certainly not the only game in town.

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Dante
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PostMon Mar 25, 2002 11:01 am 
I wore the 2lb 13oz Asolo Fusion 95s I bought last summer on an overnight snowshoe trip. They worked even better than the Merrell Leathers I used to use. Ironically, I bought the Asolos to use on trails to extend the life of the Merrells for off trail and winter trips, but now I don't know when I'll use the Merrells again. I have to agree with the Backpacker Magazine Editor's Choice write-up, which says "...for everything shy of the most crushing loads on the most brutal terrain, it's all the boot this backpacker needs." Speaking of Editor's Choice award winners, has anyone tried Grivel Promenade Snowshoes?

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