As many winter recreationists rediscover snowshoeing, many more newer models of snowshoe are becoming available. Ski areas and outdoor equipment stores are also offering snowshoes for rent; it is an excellent way for those interested in snowshoeing to decide what type of shoe is right for them. Snowshoes today are divided into three types: aerobic/running (small and light; not intended for backcountry use); recreational (a bit larger; meant for use in gentle to moderate walks of 3-5 miles (5-8 km) at a time) and mountaineering (the largest, meant for serious hill-climbing, long-distance trips and off-trail use). Sizes are often given in inches, even though snowshoes are nowhere near perfectly rectangular. Mountaineering shoes can be at least 30 inches (76 cm) long by 10 inches (25 cm) wide; a lighter pair of racing shoes can be slightly narrower and 25 inches (64 cm) or shorter.

Regardless of configuration, all wooden shoes are referred to as “traditional” and all shoes made of other materials are called “modern.”

Not withstanding these variations in planned use, larger users should plan on buying larger snowshoes. A common formula is that for every pound (0.45 kg) of body weight, there should be one square inch (6.5 cm?) of snowshoe surface per snowshoe to adequately support the wearer. Users should also consider the weight of any gear they will be packing, especially if they expect to break trail. Those planning to travel into deep powder look for even larger shoes.

Many manufacturers now include weight-based flotation ratings for their shoes, although there is no standard for setting this as of yet.
Properly adjusted bindings on two snowshoes of different size. Note use of gaiters.

Bindings
When traditional wooden shoes were still popular, it was common to buy the bindings separately, much like downhill skis (and many wooden shoes are still sold this way). They were commonly called “H” bindings, since they consisted of a strap around the heel crossing a strap around the toe and one at the instep, forming a rough version of that letter.

On modern shoes, there are two styles of binding: limited-rotation, in which the toe is not allowed to go below the decking; and free-rotation, in which it is. The former is preferred for racing purposes as it prevents the tail from dragging, the latter for climbing steep slopes as it allows kick steps. The heel is always left free.

A series of straps, usually three, are used to fasten the foot to the snowshoe. Some styles of binding utilize a cup for the toe. It is important that a user be able to manipulate these straps easily, as removing or securing the foot often must be done outdoors in cold weather with bare hands, exposing him or her to the possibility of frostbite.

The loose ends of the straps are always placed outside the direction of travel to avoid stepping on them while snowshoeing. Under some conditions, however, accumulations of snow develop into ball-shaped attachments to them, which must periodically be removed as they become annoying.

In 1994, Bill torres and a younger associate developed the step-in binding, designed to make it easier for snowshoers wearing hard-shelled plastic boots (serious mountaineers) to change from snowshoes to crampons and back again as needed.
This article was supplied by Wkipedia.org

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