Wooden snowshoes & what not...

[spider solo]

On another thread I enjoyed seeing that someone has even tried a different type of snow shoe on each foot and I have long been tempted to take two pair... a wooded and non on a hike but have yet to do that...though I have brought skis and 'shoes' once or twice, but found the skis to be lacking for what I am looking for.
I have seen snowshoes woven with steel cable, or twigs, neoprene, babiche(rawhide) rope, and just plain planks with a strap on them.
For bindings I have used rubber inner tube, lampwicking, leather,and various other things.
I would love to come up with a wooden shoe that has a cleat for traction on the uphill but folds flat on the down hill. I know some plastic shoes have tried this idea...are they any good... Are they adaptable for a wood shoe?
I see Northern Guide shoes and Yukon Charlie shoes...are they any good as a backup for wooden ones?
Also...any interest in perhaps a retro outing of woodies and woolens...or gasp...cotton...? Any ideas ?

 

[carole]

I love using my wood 'shoes. Wood with rawhide (treated with marine varnish) 36", and TR9 (if that's the correct name) bindings. Fresh, deep, untracked snow to beautiful places....

 

[RoySwkr]

I would love to come up with a wooden shoe that has a cleat for traction on the uphill but folds flat on the down hill.

I think I saw folding cleats advertised in Appalachia back in woodie days, apparently they didn't perform that well (ask ME to check his collection)

The guy who was #2 on the NE 111 in winter used to use an aluminum crossbar on his snowshoes going up, he would take a wrench and sometimes unbolt it going down

While I love sliding down in powder, if it is icy enough to grip a crampon I'm glad they're still on

 

[paul ron]

My first pair of snowshoes were wood n leather. I loved them for the traction. It seems plastic snowshoes don't have the same traction because of the solid decking that feels like it slips under foot, especially on steep grades, you are relying on the toe claws. The lacing of the leather grips the snow as you plant your shoe in, compacting the snow under foot.

 

[spider solo]

snowshoe magazine

Just thought I would mention that I came across a link for a new...as yet online magazine... that looks promising. They have a forums section and hope to publish a reg magazine in the future.
I have hopes they can recall some of the days of old...as well as the new.
Does anyone rememember the old Snowshoer newsletter / magazine from a few years back...they had a nice article about Baldy in one of the issues... a bit of a ledgend in his own time..... may he live many more years....

opps I almost forget the link for the new site is www.snowshoemagazine.com