Working on setting up the MH buy. Everyone who emailed, check your email. Someone’s email keeps getting bounced to me…so, M.R., try emailing me a different address to reply to.
We don’t get alot of snow in this particular chunk o’ Montana, so I never really worried about snowshoes. But, we don’t get a lot of zombie apocalypses either and yet I’m getting a couple pallets of Mountain House….. So, I figured I’d risk fifty bucks and order those surplus snowshoes we constantly see in all the surplus catalogs. (Fifty bucks over at Sportsmans Guide) They arrived today.
Virtually everything I have read says that the issued bindings suck like a Hoover with a hemi. An alternative binding was recommended. However, always up for a challenge and willing to experiment with surplus gear, I figured I’d try the military bindings. The intimidating part is getting them on the stupid snowshoes. Fortunately, YouTube to the rescue:
Sure, I had to rewind a couple times but I think I got it figured out. I need to go out in the hills where theres a good bit more snow and try these out. But…its one more thing off my list. I’ve been meaning to give snowshoeing a try…it appeals to my desire to be out in the boonies away from all the stupid humans.
Ordered up two pair of snowshoes…one is none and all that jazz. Did a search for “Sportsmans Guide Coupons” and found a coupon for free shipping, so that worked out well. Now I just need to dig out the winter camo, put the winter furniture on the PTR, and go tromp in the woods.
Do you have some serious croos country skis?
Not yet.
if you do: back country skies and boots. wider skies, better turning, better at cutting line, better for extra pack weight. down side they are slower than classic/skate skies. assuming your need is GOOD and headed to the BOB. I have waxless (still wax them) touring skies with 3pin back country boots: my skies are shorter, wider, slower which is fine since I mule a 35lbs pack.
Poles help a lot with snowshoeing, they make you way more stable and you’re able to walk faster.
It just a coincidence but today Rawels has written about show-shoes as well.
https://survivalblog.com/editors-preps-week-31/
I have those shoes and bindings. problem: the bindings are made from webbing that is hard, the spring tension buckle teeth are rounded off. fix: buy some 1″ polypro webbing ( i choose white color ); make sure the webbing is soft and pliable so the teeth can bite into and since your doubling the thickness the tension is better. sew the new webbing on to the portion of the OG surplus binding webbing that goes too and thru the tension buckles; make sure the new webbing is facing the spring tension buckle’s teeth. I used 53″ of webbing per binding. Also mark which shoe is R or L; I just labeled with sharpie on the webbing that cross under the heel. I can send a pic if you want. I used them for 3 years with mickey mouse boots. I had the problem for the first season this fixed it. my next project is to figure out how to make a pouch that can be attached to molle or buckled to a frame pack.
I have your pouch solution – check out Hill People Gear’s Kit Bags.
http://www.hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1
Spring for both the lifter straps and the running stabilizer strap. Worth the expense to turn the bag into a multi use option.
I’ve had a pair of Michigan style shoes for 30 years, I got them because they are more maneuverable in close woods, they work great and are able to carry my weight and that of any game load I might be bringing out of the woods with me. Recently I got a pair of Alaskan style, which are easier to walk quickly but are not as manuverable in the deep woods. Both pairs are traditional wood. Hope you enjoy yours.
I did two tours in Alaska and used this type of snow shoe and binding. The spring release is better than the previous version which was simply a clip and had no strap retention. There is a quick fix to the toe strap slipping off. Use a section of tire inner tube (truck or car), cut up in one inch thick sections and place your foot through the tube prior to tying your boot into to snow shoe. Once you have the snow shoe mounted to your foot, slide the tube down your leg and over your toe. This will stop the toe strap from sliding off. I use the Army issued Chippewa -40 boots that have a squared off toe which were designed for snow shoe/ski use. If you want photos of the binding mounts let me know or I may have some extra manuals on cold weather operations. Let me know.
A friend has some of these as do I and we were looking at chopping the long tail. I’d be interested in any thoughts the LM have on whether it’s worth it or if that long of a tail serves a purpose other than for clumsy old me to step on.
tails have uses when trekking over uneven ground, i would advise too not cut. when using i have to think big turns and big steps.
I just picked up a set of the USGI PVC lightweight snowshoes a couple of weeks ago off of ebay and they worked pretty well in roughly 6″ of powdery snow on a little used hiking trail. I only sank about 2″ in the 3/4 miles I walked in them. I also put away a couple more white bedsheets to use as winter camo and some white paint, I’ve tried to convince some local preppers about doing this but they won’t do it. Really starting to despise self admitted preppers and just want to deal with the survivalists. It’s weird about that post from Rawles on winter camo/snowshoes. The timing was just creepy.