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Anatomy Of A Snowshoe

Get up close and personal with all those snowshoe parts.

by: Kristin Hostetter

Snowshoes are the easiest way to travel through deep powder in the backcountry. A big plus to snowshoeing: After about 10 minutes, you'll be an old pro.

Before running out to buy a pair of webbed feet, you'll need to bone up on the basics of a snowshoe's structure. While all snowshoes rely on the same basic structure, when you walk into your favorite outdoor shop, you'll be amazed at how radically different they all look. Check out the diagram and descriptions below to learn the features you need for the type of snowshoeing you want to do.

One important note: Bring your hiking or snowshoeing boots when you try on snowshoes to make certain the bindings fit.

Click on the parts below for more info.

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