outdoors
Put your best foot forward Photo by ThinkStock:Wojciech Gajda
Kathleen Wilker
Tackling deep powder in snowshoes.
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ost of us know how to buy shoes that fit. You choose a pair you like and ask for your size. Put them on and walk around the store to make sure your toes have wiggle room and the heels aren’t slopping up and down. We’re comfortable enough with this process so we use it for more specialized footwear, and it doesn’t always work. Ottawa Outdoors went looking for advice from local cycling, rock climbing, cross-country ski and snowshoe departments – how do you get the right fit for footwear that isn’t designed for walking? These tips are guidelines. Combine them with talking to a sales expert and walk out with footwear that will encourage – not squelch – passion for your sport. Start by telling that sales pro your level of experience and expertise, whatever the sport.
“Smaller snowshoes are more appropriate for on-trail where the snow is already packed down.” Whether you tackle steep trails in Gatineau Park or cross flat frozen rivers and lakes determines how whether you want aggressive crampons underneath your snowshoe. As to price, more dollars equals less weight. Cheapies weigh a lot. Dubyk recommended a gender-specific fit as women’s snowshoes are designed for a women’s typically narrower stride, which means less snow being kicked up. Dubyk had an optimistic note for snowlovers. Ottawa-Gatineau is good for snowshoeing because the region’s snow consistency tends to be dense and wet so you won’t sink as deeply as you would in the fluffier stuff further afield.
Snowshoes
Cross-country ski boots
Snowshoes are sized based on the height and weight of the snowshoer as well as the intended terrain – on or off trail, steep or flat. Ryan Dubyk at SAIL started with this advice: Think about what you’re going to weigh when you are actually snowshoeing – after all that holiday food, and after you pile on jacket, snow pants, outer wear, boots, and a backpack if you use one. “If you are mostly planning to go off-trail, you’ll want larger snowshoes,” says Dubyk.
At Greg Christie’s ski and bike shop, the Nordic and skate-skiing guru himself shed some light on choosing the perfect ski boot. His most emphatic point was to decide on a boot that fits your foot – not one that fits your bindings – to get the most out of skiing: “Your boot is the most important part of your ski system.” For skate-skiing, Christie said put the boot on, have your toes touch the end, and be able to slip an index finger in behind your heel.
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