Do any of you who use snow-shoes every get a problem with the things pronating on the down hill? This is a huge problem I run into. Is there a way you can buckle the things to avoid that? Going up is easy. Down is sort of painful especially after 6 miles or so. I'm using a pair of pretty decent former-REI rentals. Any advice? I'm already learning how to ski, but not quite good enough for back country yet.
Seriously though, switch to skis as soon as possible. Being from MN I have a long family history of snowshoes and skis. Snowshoes literally are just for cabin walls.
But..... years ago when my ex wife didn’t ski a lick, we made snowshoes (Ojibwa style) that could float deep snow with heavy pack for ice climb access. I made my own bindings making a pseudo crampon frame (W/O the points) from hardware store steel stock and using crampon toe and heel bails and secured them at the front pivot with small hose clamps. My wife stuck with her store boughts.
Yeah, I'm working on it. I have a full AT set up. Going up is ease, going down a bit harder. I'm not a good enough skier to take my chances in the backcountry yet. My buddy and I skinned up to the window on Casaval Ridge last year, camped, and skied back down. Still not sure how we made it back to Bunny Flats in one piece. Was not very graceful. I need about a dozen more days out skiing before I try that again.
Very interesting idea on jerry-rigging your snow shoes.