What’s Best For You? Sherpa Snowshoes And Ojibwa Snowshoes

While Sherpa snowshoes haven’t been made for a while, people are still relying on these great shoes to help them get around in rough terrain. Anyone who wants more than just a gentle stroll through the woods relies on older Sherpa showshoes when they need to walk in the mountains, the woods, or on a steep slope. While these shoes aren’t as attractive as some more modern models, they more then hold up. It’s hard to break them, and they can easily be repaired if something goes wrong. That’s why they’re the choice of many people who really want high quality snowshoes. Back when these shoes were being made, they were the only thing around. Now, they’re one of the classics of quality snowshoeing.

Sherpa snowshoes first came around in the early 1970s, and were made from aluminum tubing with a nylon and neoprene decking. To help with control, the bindings were attached to a metal hinge rod. The binding including claws to aid in traction. These great snowshoes were around a long time before recreational snowshowing got popular, and they dominate the market until the 1990s. However, their competitors made less expensive, somewhat lower quality snowshoes and had aggressive marketing campaigns that eventually drove the Sherpa company out of business.

Newer snowshoes were also simpler to use, which meant they appealed to people who were just getting into the sport. Eventually the company disappeared. However, you can still find Sherpa snowshoes if you’re lucky. Look on Ebay, Craigslist, or other sites, and check your local yard sales and flea markets. Sometimes, a pair of old Sherpa snowshoes turns up. They’re well worth the cost. There are also a number of high end snowshoes built by other companies using similar technology that might be a good choice for the person who wants Sherpa snowshoes.

Of course, if you’re really into traditional snowshoeing, you can also choose from old fashioned snowshoes, made the same way for generations. Ojibwa snowshoes and other types are still being made by Native Americans, and are available for sale to avid snowshoers. Traditional hunters used to use these snowshoes to maneuver through deep snow, and you can too. Ojibwa snowshoes are a particularly popular style, because of their upturned fronts and ability to slide on hard surfaces, like skis. If you’re looking for this type of snowshoe, choose on with a frame made from white ash, or another very strong and flexible wood. Webbing should be made from whole grain leather, rather than splits, as it is stronger. Look for a long warranty on wooden snowshoes. Remember that these will require a little more maintenance than modern types – you’ll need to varnish once every season, and take care of the wood and the webbing. However, if you’d really like to snowshoe the old fashioned way, Ojibwa snowshoes might be for you.