Binding on traditional snow shoes

[Heavy Duty]

I see many different types of binding on traditional snow shoes. I prefer the "Indian Hitch" with lamp wick. These are pretty easy to get on and off with my mukluks. What do you all prefer?

[Haggis]

Me most of the time...

[timdaman]

I can't say I have a lot of experience, I got my first "traditional"s from http://www.snowshoesalesandrepairs.com/ last year, 60" X 12". I highly recommend, they worked great on my trips.

For me, easy off is a bad thing, I want mine on all day.

I have the GV "Ratcheting" bindings, model H3R. They worked great last year on about 20 days of travel. They are very secure, comfortable, easy to adjust, and can fold flat when not in use making easily to strap to the toboggan when I am using my smaller modern shoes. They came with a crampon that I installed. I am not sure I feel like I need it though so I may remove it before I start this season.

[Kinguq]

Hi,
I used the GV's for years on my big trads, although I took the crampon off because they are not necessary with trads in my experience, and tend to ice up. Last year I switched to lampwick and moccasins and really like them. For me the huge advantage is being able to put them on and take them off hands free in seconds. This is a major thing when you are camping in the bush in deep snow and you have to wear snowshoes to leave the tent. They are definitely more "sloppy" than the GV's but I don't find that to be a major disadvantage. Easier to do kick turns.

Kinguq.

[Lonelake]

I loved the Cabelas work binding, however I believe that they are discontinued........

LL

[Lonelake]

Greg at Country Ways offers several styles. I prefer the Super A.

https://snowshoe.com/collections/snowshoe-bindings

LL

[snapper]

On my traditional snowshoes I use strips of wool instead of lampwick. The main reason is I do a lot of 17th & 18th century living history programming and lampwick wasn't around at that time but wool was. I find the wool works well so it's really no issue for me.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

[Haggis]

Seems like the original bindings would have been made from the same babiche as was woven into the snowshoes, given there few other choices very early on... Be interesting to try that sometime...

[gerdos]

I use simple cotton strips for bindings. They’re 1 inch wide and 2 feet long. They are better to use than cotton/wool threads. When I pull out my shoe, the webbing stays intact. I wrap the strip around itself in the place where I stick my foot, making it look like a thick stiff rope. It’s easy to put in and off. And you have to do the binding once a day only. When I get into the tent, I put on a pair of air jordans 1 low and unrope bindings to get rid of ice and dry them out.