I tried snowshoeing last winter in the San Bernardino mountains with a backpack, and the first time, on packed snow, it was great. The next time there was 3 feet of soft snow and I struggled. What is the best snowshoe for deep soft snow when backpacking? Winter is around the corner and I could use the advice now.

Patrick Preciado

Expert Answer:

Most of the snowshoes being sold today are not for use in deep, loose snow. The majority of the people who have taken up snowshoeing — and account for its booming popularity — travel on packed trails. Consequently, most of the snowshoes available in stores are more suited to travel on consolidated snow — i.e. smaller, lighter, and easier to manage, and often with crampons to grip the hard-packed surface.

Deep unconsolidated snow demands more support and a large (by today's standards) snowshoe. You didn't state your weight, so I can't advise specifically, but you'll probably want something at least 32 inches long. Big snowshoes for deep snow off-trail use are a small part of the market, but most of the manufacturers have a few models for the fluff aficionados. The manufacturers usually specify the combined weight of the person and the pack each model can support. No snowshoe is perfect for all conditions, but using small snowshoes in deep soft snow is far nastier than using big snowshoes on hardpack. Consequently I'd err on the large side, even though the bigger snowshoe will be heavier. If you are out backpacking, there's time for a weather change to dump enough snow to strand you if the snowshoes are too small.

That said, you must be careful traveling on large snowshoes when the snow has settled and they are no longer sinking in deeply enough to grip properly. Especially if the snow is just loose enough that the crampons aren't gripping, you can get the feeling you are on short, wide skis! The large shoes will also be more difficult to kick into firm snow to grip on steep slopes.

It's all a compromise, and no snowshoe is great in all conditions.