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Other Winter Camping Gear / Re: Difference b/w Back Country Skis and Snowshoes?
« on: March 28, 2019, 09:14:22 AM »
This is a big topic and there is interesting (pre)historical context. The archaeological record provides no evidence that skis were ever developed in North America. Now, that may not be true, and I personally believe that skis were probably invented hundreds of times here but fell out of use. After all, people used toboggans, and it isn't a big step to strap smaller toboggans to your feet. But it is interesting to consider why skis did not catch on here.
I use both, depending on my mood and conditions. Skis are (sometimes) more fun to use. On a good day, there is a joy to the motion of skiing that snowshoeing just can't match. But it requires a higher skill level than snowshoeing. The equipment is also more "fussy", in that you have to deal with poles and wax and/or skins. And under certain conditions, e.g. variable temperatures in sun and shade around the freezing point, skis can become very frustrating to use.
For off-trail bush skiing, I really think ski skins are a necessity. It's not just about grip: they cut down on glide, too, and on heavily forested downhills, you don't actually want much glide.
I think flotation is over-rated for skis. Because of the shape of skis and the way they are used, it is almost impossible to get a usable ski with surface area (i.e. flotation) approaching that of a big traditional snowshoe. Do the math yourself if you don't believe that. So, in soft snow, you are going to sink on pretty much any ski. It then becomes a matter of how easy it is to push the ski through the snow. A narrower ski is easier to push through the snow, and will be lighter too. I have used big wide skis in the past, and I didn't find them easier under most conditions. But this is very much a minority opinion: most people seem to prefer short wide skis for the bush. I don't.
When towing a sled with skis, it is difficult to use a rope hitch in hilly bush country. Fine on the lakes. But it is just not as easy to move around and backwards on skis to get your sled out of trouble as it is with snowshoes. I prefer to use a solid hitch with skis, but that is difficult when bushwhacking through thick bush. Under those conditions, with a sled, I would use snowshoes and a rope hitch.
Snowshoes are better around camp for fetching wood, stamping platforms, etc. For that reason I generally take a pair of modern snowshoes on a ski camping trip.
Other than that, it is a matter of preference and skill. I like both, and will interchange between the two sometimes on the same trip. Incidentally it is quite possible to use ski boots in many snowshoe bindings, so there is no need to change your boots when switching.
Kinguq.
I use both, depending on my mood and conditions. Skis are (sometimes) more fun to use. On a good day, there is a joy to the motion of skiing that snowshoeing just can't match. But it requires a higher skill level than snowshoeing. The equipment is also more "fussy", in that you have to deal with poles and wax and/or skins. And under certain conditions, e.g. variable temperatures in sun and shade around the freezing point, skis can become very frustrating to use.
For off-trail bush skiing, I really think ski skins are a necessity. It's not just about grip: they cut down on glide, too, and on heavily forested downhills, you don't actually want much glide.
I think flotation is over-rated for skis. Because of the shape of skis and the way they are used, it is almost impossible to get a usable ski with surface area (i.e. flotation) approaching that of a big traditional snowshoe. Do the math yourself if you don't believe that. So, in soft snow, you are going to sink on pretty much any ski. It then becomes a matter of how easy it is to push the ski through the snow. A narrower ski is easier to push through the snow, and will be lighter too. I have used big wide skis in the past, and I didn't find them easier under most conditions. But this is very much a minority opinion: most people seem to prefer short wide skis for the bush. I don't.
When towing a sled with skis, it is difficult to use a rope hitch in hilly bush country. Fine on the lakes. But it is just not as easy to move around and backwards on skis to get your sled out of trouble as it is with snowshoes. I prefer to use a solid hitch with skis, but that is difficult when bushwhacking through thick bush. Under those conditions, with a sled, I would use snowshoes and a rope hitch.
Snowshoes are better around camp for fetching wood, stamping platforms, etc. For that reason I generally take a pair of modern snowshoes on a ski camping trip.
Other than that, it is a matter of preference and skill. I like both, and will interchange between the two sometimes on the same trip. Incidentally it is quite possible to use ski boots in many snowshoe bindings, so there is no need to change your boots when switching.
Kinguq.