Traditional snowshoeing is one of the oldest winter sports and has evolved into an increasingly popular recreational activity in the past few decades. Advances in technology and design have greatly improved the form and function of snowshoes, making modern models far more manageable, maneuverable and accessible to people of all skill levels.

The beauty of snowshoeing is its simplicity. Modern snowshoes allow you to strap on a pair over any type of shoe or boot and hit the trails with a completely natural stride. The lightweight materials and streamlined designs mean that you no longer have to struggle with overly wide and heavy models that get bogged down with snow or force you into a bow-legged walking position.

Snowshoeing is a fun and inexpensive winter activity that the whole family can enjoy. Since you do not need expensive equipment or special training to start snowshoeing it is easy to introduce yourself and others to the sport.

Putting On Your Snowshoes (Depending on your make)

1. Put the ball of your foot over the top of the hinge, centered on the snowshoe. Your toes should be hanging over the front of the foot bed.

2. Tighten the front strap first, followed by the heel strap and finish by tightening the strap over your instep.

3. The straps don't need to be overly tight. Just make sure they are snug. It's that easy!

Snowshoeing Is Fun!

Snowshoeing allows you to explore the outdoors throughout the winter. Whether you're breaking trail through snowy forests, trekking along mountains or just enjoying the many parks and trails in your area, snowshoes let you get around with ease. With snowshoes you get to extend the hiking, climbing and running seasons through the winter so that you are never left behind! You can keep your trekking gentle and low-key, or go adventuring off the beaten path with ease to explore your surroundings.

Snowshoes are also the perfect winter addition for many hobbyists including photographers and birdwatchers. Enjoy the beauty of winter solitude, or go out as a group to experience everything winter has to offer!

Don't worry about needing special training, you already know how to snowshoe! If you can walk, then you can snowshoe! There are no tricky techniques to master and you can rest assured that within hours you should be able to handle almost any terrain. Because snowshoes are more stable and offer more control than skis or snowboards, beginners are able to handle steeper and more exciting ventures far sooner than with other equipment. Snowshoeing is one of the most versatile winter sports around and it is an activity that children, adults, beginners and seasoned pros can enjoy together!

Snowshoeing Is Inexpensive!

Unlike most winter sports, snowshoeing doesn't require expensive equipment, clothing or tickets. Snowshoeing is one winter activity that won't wreak havoc on your bank account. All that is required are the snowshoes themselves, appropriate winter clothing preferably layers and perhaps some snowshoe poles depending on the conditions and your experience level. You don't need to purchase specialty boots or binding as modern snowshoes not only come with advanced binding systems, but they are designed to securely fit any type of footwear. Whether you're shopping for yourself or for the entire family, you'll always find snowshoes that fit all shapes, sizes and experience levels; but best of all, they'll fit your budget!

Snowshoeing Is A Great Fitness Option!

Most people feel trapped indoors once the winter hits but snowshoeing gives you the opportunity to get outside and get fit! While many people use snowshoes for recreation or competitions, others are using snowshoeing as a great fitness routine. The beauty of the sport is that since you can control the intensity of your trek, snowshoeing offers a great option for people of all ages and experience levels from children to seniors and novices to pros.

Many people that turn to snowshoeing as a form of fitness and healthy lifestyle can see significant improvement in their cardiovascular systems and endurance not to mention visible weight loss!

Snowshoeing burns up to twice as many calories as walking at the same speed. In fact, you can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour of snowshoeing more than running or cross-country skiing!

The sport of snowshoeing also is effective conditioning training for all types of athletes, including runners, cyclists climbers and much more! The added resistance provided by the shoes and the snow enhances your current fitness and helps take you to the next level.

While energy expenditures are greater for snowshoeing than most other winter sports, there are many ways to further add to your snowshoeing routine. Simply by incorporating snowshoeing poles to your trek can greatly increase your upper-body strength and endurance for a total-body workout. In addition, snowshoeing on hilly terrain or breaking trails through thicker powder snow can also intensify your caloric burn and fitness level.

However, no matter what your goals, it's important to work at your own pace and not over-exert yourself, especially when out in the cold. Snowshoeing can be a fun and useful activity in a healthy lifestyle, and it's a great way to take advantage of the great winter outdoors!

* Ascending and Step Kicking: Walking on flat or rolling ground is fairly straightforward if you can walk, you can snowshoe. However, as you start to take on more demanding terrain you will need to start to use your toe or instep crampons for traction uphill. To ascend a steep slope, kick the front toe of your boot into the slope and press down to make a full contact step. Your snowshoes will be on the angle of the slope, with the tails hanging downhill behind you and the front tips above your boots. This allows you to plant the crampons firmly into the snow directly under the calls of your feet for secure and stable footing. Poles can also add support and leverage when ascending slopes and trekking through the wilderness.

* Descending: While your instinct may be to lean back on your snowshoes, only models which feature angled rear crampons built into the heels are designed to dig into the hills in this manner. If you are wearing snowshoes without rear heel crampons you will want to keep your weight balanced over your entire foot so that your front toe crampons will be planted firmly into the snow. Snowshoe poles are also useful when descending slopes as they can offer a great deal of balance for a more controlled descent.

* Traversing or Edging: Traversing or edging is the act of crossing steep or hilly terrain sideways. The most important thing to keep in mind when edging is balance. You will want to kick the side of your foot into the hill to engage the crampons with the snow. Also, swing you heel hard towards the uphill slope and tread heavily to secure the snowshoes into the snow. You should be creating a sort of shelf with your snowshoes in the snow as you traverse your way across the hill. Collapsible poles are also useful on this difficult terrain as you can shorten the uphill pole while lengthening the lower pole for increased stability and balance.

* Breaking Trail: When breaking trail in powder snow it is beneficial to take a marching approach to your stride. This ensures consistent and even steps that won't drag or pick up snow that could possibly bog you down. When snowshoeing in a group, walking in a single line behind the leader. Take turns breaking trail in order to decrease the fatigue of the group. When following behind, try to maintain the gait and spacing of the leader's stride in order to further pack down the snow and create the best trail.

* Deep Snow: Try to lift your knees high and shorten your stride in order to tread through deeper powder with greater ease. Remember, no snowshoe is designed for complete flotation, but if you are going to be traveling through more drifts and softer snow you may want to buy snowshoes a size up from the recommended weight and size range for increased buoyancy. As always though, for the best traveling, it is important to tread lightly and pace yourself.

Benefits Of Snowshoe Poles:

* Poles stabilize your upper body.

* Improve balance and stability on difficult terrain.

* Reduce stress on knees, ankles, and feet.

* Increase cardiovascular output by including upper-body movement.

* Collapsible poles are compact for easy carrying and you can adjust the length for different uses.

How To Use Adjustable Two Or Three-Piece Snowshoeing Poles:

* General: Adjust the height so that the pole handles touch the ground when you grip under the basket with your hand and your arm is at a right angle.

* Climbing: Adjust the poles shorter.

* Descending: Adjust the poles longer.

* Traversing: Adjust the downhill pole longer, and the uphill pole shorter so that your arms remain even and balanced.