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naaahhh, I think I'll pass.....
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60 incher Hurons, getting ready to switch out the leather.
These are awesome for open field speed on unbroken fluff, even carrying a pack. Would NEVER try these in forest, but you can skate right over bramble on them. I have several sets of modern material 'shoes... prefer the REAL hand-mades. Mixed First Nations, myself, I stick mostly to gear that friends and rellies make, I help with the building of them at times. Time to get the gear readied up! Cheers for plenty white schtuff this year!

and yes. those are Kamiks.
Cardamomtea
588
Nov 3, 2017
TiffanyPoodleslideAny recommendations for snowshoes to wear in the Northern Minnesota forest? I have MSR shoes that are perfect for the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to run into flotation issues out here. I know most people go out on lakes, but I'd like to snowshoe the summer hiking trails. Planning on getting Steger mukluks for this. Any thoughts would be appreciated -- you seem like you know what you're talking about :-)
BlueCrowned
5305
Nov 6, 2017
TiffanyPoodleslideOh those are very cool! Every time I run into you on here you have more surprises
CardamomteaDo you want to go with traditional, or man-made “technical” ’shoes? Forest lands need shorter shoes so you don’t get tangled in bracken and undergrowth/bramble. I am going to take a quick snap here of a pair of what some call “Beaver paw” or “Bear paw, we call them “Roundies”. I am finishing them, we built them this summer anx I need to wax and surface them properly. These are what we’d typically use in the old times for trap line running, which required lots of mix of firrst and stream-side trail work with highly variable snow conditions that I think are similar to what you ddscribe. Anything that comes close to this shape might serve you quite well. Hang on for a couple pix!
BlueCrownedlol! Just a busy guy, I guess.... :)
TiffanyPoodleslide
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As you can see, they still need a coating of a varnish and th wax on all the webbing and oil/lotion on the leathers. They are webbed and leathered in hide and in gut from our people's hunting from the year before, where we hunt to provide people with freezer meat, who can't provide for themselves. We use all natural materials and in a very conservative way, traditionally using all of the animal, as in the old ways. I want to get these ready for this snow season. No trapping, but I hike the Algonquin region forest lands in winter, very majestic, water and woodlands.
Technically, these are heavier than the man-made 'shoes, and to have these hand built can be expensive, if you do it right. I guess my recommendation might be that, if you're not very experienced, go with man-made "technicals", and then, when you know what you really want, pursue custom built traditionals. You should consider the elongated Bear-paw style that gives you a shorter "paddle", yet long enough to get you out and about in non-wooded, field conditions.
Here's an example of a modified Bear Paw, man-made;

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The U-shaped Komperdells in this listing are a modified Bear Paw. I'm not super familiar with their quality.

BTW; I 'shoe in muks too. My Aunt makes us moose-hide muks, lined with shearling and packed with sweetgrass. Almost invulnerable to all conditions, if coated properly and laced correctly. Takes the Aunt a year to do 3 pairs of muks, but they last forEVER, only need lace changes over time. To be absolutely honest, I don't know each and every technical out there on the market. Go with a solid name that gets excellent reviews and props in discussion boards among the guys and gals out there using them. My input should be considered pretty helpful regarding the physical principles of the different shoes and what we've discovered over the millennia of using them practically as part of our survival as peoples in snowy places all over the globe. The right pair of 'shoes can save your life, the wrong pair can get you killed, after all! Many of us, who REALLY get out into the snow, have many pairs of snowshoes, different structures for different conditions. Including the new ones that I am finishing, I have 12 pairs, 4 of which are man-made technical materials. They see very little use, unless it's for casual runs and a lighter, easier to pack in shoe is the right choice. For REAL shoeing, its always the tradish shoes.

I'll do some reading,(self edification is good too), and, if I find a brand shoe that I think fits the bill, I will post it to you in this discussion. CHEERS!
Cardamomtea
588
Jan 11, 2018
TiffanyPoodleslideThank you so much for the detailed reply! Somehow I missed it earlier :-O