How to make snowshoes at home. Bushcraft. How to make snowshoes with your own hands. How to make snowshoes with a wooden frame

Good snowshoes are not cheap, a branded model from Salewa, for example, can cost about $ 100-150. This is probably why resourceful tourists have learned to make snowshoes with their own hands - just like in those distant times when they were made from fir branches and twigs.

So, how to make snowshoes: detailed instructions.

Let's start with the fact that there are several "recipes": frame snowshoes are made from aluminum tubes and scraps of leather or tarpaulin, snowshoes "in haste" in the midst of a winter hike are weaved from branches and cords.

Here is one way to make emergency homemade snowshoes (however, such a model will be disposable - for one trip):

And if you decide to take care of the equipment in advance, it is quite possible to make decent “reusable” snowshoes with your own hands from improvised materials.

We will need:

about 5 m of polypropylene tube (d=20 mm.),
about 2 m. tubes made of metal-plastic (d = 20 mm.),
a dozen tees for diameters 25-20-25 and 4 tees for 20-20-20 mm,
4 barrels of 20 mm,
55-60 meters of cord (diameter 2mm),
waterproof plywood and pieces of plastic,
pair of ski bindings
fasteners (bolts, self-tapping screws, etc.),
tools (drill, hacksaw for metal and wood, file, emery, pliers, soldering iron).

Instructions "How to make snowshoes with your own hands":

1. From the pipes you need to cut blanks:

4 things. 65 cm long + 8 pcs. 23 cm long - from a polypropylene pipe.

4 things. 50 cm long. from a metal-plastic pipe.

the edges of each blank are slightly rounded.

2. By heating the ends of the tubes over the gas stove, we weld 6 elements, each of which will consist of a tube 23 cm long and 2x adapters 25-20-25. But before you start welding, mark the boundaries to which you will fuse the tubes.

3. And now we heat the ends of the metal-plastic tubes (we have 4 of them, as you remember), as well as the ends of the remaining 2 polypropylene tubes 23 cm long. We assemble frames from them, as in the photo - three elements in each frame.

4. Cut out inserts from pieces of plastic and mount them in our homemade snowshoes. Fix with a soldering iron.

5. We put barrels on one end of the frame. Then we bend 2 metal-plastic tubes into an arc and connect them to our frame, securing everything with self-tapping screws. Additionally, the joints can be strengthened with electrical tape or tape.

6. Then we drill holes for the mesh from the cord and pull it onto the frame. If the cord is inconvenient to thread through the holes, you can fasten the wire to its end. And you can also impose a cord, but then there is a risk that the mesh will slide off.

7. Finally, cut out pieces of plywood 28 x 16 cm, ennoble the edges with emery and mount ski bindings on each platform.

8. Now, with the help of bolts, we fix the plastic with fasteners on the prepared frame of a homemade snowshoe. Larger bolts can be used in the center, smaller bolts along the edges. Actually, here we made snowshoes with our own hands! It remains only to test them in the snow.

And the last warning: the plastic frame of our homemade snowshoes can withstand a person weighing up to 70-75 kg., If the weight is greater, it is better to make a frame from a more durable material.

Budget snowshoes.

This winter we have a lot of snow in the Urals. And somehow, having arrived in the garden, (to check how it is there and whether everything is in order), I realized that not just driving up, but also walking to my site is a problem. The snowdrifts were almost level with the fences. When I tried to get to the site, I fell through where knee-deep, and where deeper. As a result, an old idea surfaced.

As a schoolboy, after reading Jack London and watching films about Klondike gold diggers, I was then infected with the idea of making snowshoes. But then I did not have enough resources, skills and perseverance. Then, during my life, I returned to this idea more than once (especially in such winters as the current one). Yes, I didn't get it. But now, as they say, "goosebumps ran through." Since I was not completely sure whether I needed it or not, I decided not to invest much in this matter. But I still wanted to try, so I decided to use the cheapest and most available materials. The design is not particularly complicated. It should work.
I remembered recent experiments with polypropylene pipes.
A 2-meter piece of the cheapest pipe costs about 100 rubles. I bought 3 pieces (this was more than enough). I also bought a skein of yellow polypropylene twine. 120m for 87r. Polypropylene pipes, polypropylene twine - solid polypropylene snowshoes.
Of the tools I needed: a building hair dryer, a jigsaw, a screwdriver, an 18mm cutter, and later a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes (although at first I planned to do without it). Well, a tape measure, a knife, a screwdriver and all that. No exotic.
And so snowshoes model 1.1

A pipe heated by a hair dryer bends quite easily. The main thing is not to overheat, otherwise the pipe will collapse. The template made things easy.

Didn't bend all the way. I decided to leave some tension in the design.

He brought the ends of the pipes together, pulled them together with a clamp, fixed them with self-tapping screws and adhesive tape.

Planed from a bar of chopiks.

I cut the spacer. I did not saw off the ends of the spacers, but “drilled” them with a cutter.

So it turned out to dock spacers almost without gaps. At the ends of the struts tightly hammered chopiki.

Marked the docking points, drilled and pulled with self-tapping screws.

The frame is ready.

Don't ask how it is braided. I wove and unraveled 20 times. I still can't explain how it's done. There are diagrams on the Internet, but they bring more confusion than clarity.

Fasteners made from a sling with a buckle.

Now it's time to test.
Went outside the house. There, the snow may not be waist-deep, but in places it is knee-deep for sure.

I walked about 50 meters in them. The snow was puffy, fell in the morning. I fall deep, but still not the same as without snowshoes. You can walk on snow. It is to walk, and not to hobble, lifting your legs high. Having specially removed snowshoes, he looked like there. The difference is palpable. However, shortcomings were also revealed. The twine began to stretch and slide down the wet pipe. The strap attachment is not the most convenient. So, when I got home, I immediately took up the alteration.

Option 1.2

The frame remains the same. On the whole, he justified himself. Decided to redo the mesh and mounts.
Unwound all the twine. Instead, I cut out pieces of a polymer mesh from a polymer mesh (I bought it for a garden in the summer. It cost 60 rubles per m.p.) pieces that fit the shape.

I pulled a sling under the fasteners, punched it with eyelets. The grid was pulled to the frame with a nylon cord. I tightened it up a few times to make it smooth and tight.

At the same time, he redid the "tail". The ends of the pipes were cut obliquely, heated with a soldering iron for polypropylene through foil and glued. Then, with the same soldering iron, I jammed the plug.

It turned out quite firmly and more thoroughly than in the first version.

Bindings made as on children's skis. There was a use for the remnants of the skin, which still did not dare to throw it away.

OK it's all over Now.

All?
No, not all!
Looking at my needlework, my wife remarked with irony - So you quickly run into the garden on your snowshoes, and I will squirm along the snowdrifts? I also need Jewish skis (I wonder why she called them that?)!

Option 2.1

The shape is slightly different from 1.2

I didn’t bother with chopsticks and self-tapping screws, but assembled the entire structure with a soldering iron.
But instead of using fittings, I simply cut a 16mm hole in the pipe with a cutter and soldered the end of the jumper into it with a soldering iron. It turned out pretty solid.

I bought a trimmer line for 37r. Round section!

I made markup with such a simple device. Drilled holes.

And pulled the line through the holes.

A flat nylon cord has already been woven through the fishing line (50r per 20m).

Under the fasteners, I again pulled a sling with eyelets.

Mounts made the same as on 1.2

A normal test report did not work. My wife didn’t go to the garden with me, and it wasn’t very good to take a picture of myself. When I got to the site, I was already covered in soap. Yes, even as a sin, the zipper on the jacket parted. But in general, the impressions are positive. Without snowshoes, I would not have got through the snowdrifts there soon.

And the same place "barefoot"

In principle, the goal of the project has been achieved. The budget of snowshoes 1.2 and 2.1 does not exceed 500 rubles per pair.
Technically, snowshoes also performed well. This is not a snowboard or cross-country skiing, they will not add adrenaline and wind to your face, but in deep snow they definitely help out. It turned out cheap and cheerful.
Now that's all.

Anyone who tries to walk in deep enough snow will immediately understand how difficult it is to do. The legs will constantly fall into the thickness of the snow cover, and sometimes falls are inevitable. For more comfortable movement on the snow floor, there is an ancient device called snowshoes. They are different, made from different materials and using unique technologies. You can buy them in the store, or you can make snowshoes with your own hands.

What are snowshoes, their types

Many peoples and northern tribes had their own views on the correct version of this device. Snowshoes were made in different shapes and materials, due to the climate, terrain and mindset of our previous generations. They were used to move through the snow, mainly during hunting and fishing. But regardless of what shape a snowshoe is and what it is made of, any variations are united by common features.

Roughly speaking, snowshoes are a design that increases the size of a person's foot. After all, the larger the area covered, the less mass per unit. In other words, thanks to snowshoes, the pressure created by a person is distributed over a large area of the surface of the snow, preventing a person from falling through the cover.

Snowshoes and skis have a lot in common, especially hunting ones. Both devices increase the surface on which pressure is applied. Also, both options have common features in the design. Namely, the base and fastening. But wide skis are not always comfortable to use. In addition, they are heavy and voluminous, which significantly reduces the speed of movement, and they are inconvenient to carry around.

There are two main types of snowshoes. For the former, the base consists entirely of dense material without holes (wood, plywood, plastic). The latter partially or completely consist of a mesh material or a base with holes. Usually such snowshoes have a frame, which can be made of bone, wood, or, in modern versions, plastic.

In ancient times, netting could be made from leather straps, string, or braided rods. The shape of such structures could be different, but an oval frame was used mainly. In various cartoons, the snowshoes of the indigenous people of North America are shown, in shape they resemble tennis rackets.

Snowshoe construction

As already mentioned, snowshoes have a foundation. Another name for this part is a deck. It is also used in many types of sports equipment. Until now, the deck is divided into two types: rigid and in the form of a frame. Modern snowshoes are more likely to use various synthetic fabrics instead of mesh. But there are also simple, more classic options. Still on any snowshoe there is a mount. It can be both under special shoes with a welt, and in the form of straps. With a second mount, any shoe will do.

For movement in icy areas or in mountainous areas, special claws called crampons can be installed on snowshoes. With their help, it is much easier to hold on to climbs and descents without slipping.

Which option is more efficient

The difference in the base of snowshoes gives different results depending on the characteristics of the snow cover and the type of terrain. So, on a flat deck it is very difficult to walk normally on loose snow. But it is much more convenient on the mountain slopes and on a good crust. Mesh models are more effective on loose snow, they are comfortable to go down and up hills, as they do not slip. But they are more difficult to make and require more materials.

How to make your own snowshoes

Despite the fact that the modern market offers a large number of different models of this device for tourism, fishing and hunting, sometimes it is more pleasant to do something yourself. Snowshoes are no exception.

As for the dimensions, they depend on the weight of the person for whom the snowshoes are made, as well as the shape of the foot, height, and so on. But the following parameters are considered standard: from 20 cm to 25 cm in width and from 50 cm to 100 cm in length.

The most difficult are the options with a frame and mesh, or completely woven, as their design requires certain skills, more material and time. In this case, you must first make a frame. For this, thick rods or branches that bend into a shape resembling an oval may be suitable. Then you need to weave a net of ropes, leather laces or thin rods. In the center of the base, it is necessary to strengthen the place where the leg will be placed, and also take care of a secure fastening from the same ropes, laces or belts.

Plywood snowshoes

But if you need snowshoes to cover short distances, say, from the car to the lake, if you came for fishing in the winter, then you can make the option simpler. To do this, you will need a sheet of plywood, a jigsaw (preferably electric), a drill and a couple of drills, old ski mounts (or straps), screws, glue and two small boards (20x50). Plywood is best used in at least 7-10 layers.

Making the simplest option will not take you much time. First of all, you need to prepare the deck. To do this, two elongated ovals, or rectangles with rounded edges, are marked on a sheet of plywood. Next, they must be cut with a jigsaw and mark the place where the foot will be located.

From the underside of the base, you need to attach planks along your feet. This is necessary to strengthen the structure so as not to break the plywood by stepping on pits, etc. The length of such a bar should be approximately equal to the length of the base itself. To fix the board correctly, you need to mark a line that will run right down the center of your leg. Put a plank on it and mark the points for the holes for the screws. The holes need to be made wider on the bar itself and slightly narrower than the screw itself in plywood. Drip glue into small holes and twist the reinforcing fasteners with the deck.

Next, you need to make a mount for our snowshoe equipment. To do this, next to the markings of the foot, you need to drill holes and thread ropes, laces or straps through them. If the belts are wide, then you can enlarge the hole with a jigsaw. It is even easier to install bindings like on hunting or old children's skis. But they usually have a poorly fixed heel, so you still have to figure out how to fix it. After all, walking with a dangling leg may not be convenient for everyone.

Of course, modifications can be made to this design. For example, you can make holes or spikes to make it easier to move on the ice. But this option is simple and fast, while it is not without its functionality.

On winter holidays or during hunting, specific equipment can be useful to help you move freely through snowy areas. It is quite expensive, so most people try to make snowshoes with their own hands. This will require minimal knowledge, a small amount of materials, as well as a few hours of free time.

General information about snowshoes

Before you start making snowshoes, you need to consider the main advantages of this equipment, as well as study its characteristics in detail. The information received will help to understand not only the possible options for using finished products, but also how to create them yourself.

Main types and their advantages

Snowshoes are very handy devices that make it much easier to get around in difficult terrain. Specialists distinguish 2 types of such products used in a given situation:

On a dense base without holes. In most cases, such equipment is used to move on ice in the plains or in the mountains. It is made of wood, plastic or plywood, which can significantly reduce weight without losing strength.
On a mesh frame. Such devices are made with a partial or full base, which can help overcome any snow-covered areas. Most often they are made of aluminum or wood, and synthetic threads are used for weaving.

Both types of snowshoes have a number of positive qualities. Thanks to this, they can be used everywhere and easily cope with the difficulties of the cold season.

Advantages of any models:

ease of use;
good maneuverability;
high speed of movement;
uniform weight distribution and reduced pressure on the surface;
excellent stability;
the ability to adapt products to specific conditions (with the help of special parts - crampons and hooks).

Required characteristics

A self-made snowshoe will do its job well only if it has standard characteristics. If these requirements are not met, various difficulties in operation will arise.

The main qualities that all snowshoe models must meet:

Strength. This indicator should be at the highest possible level so that the finished product can withstand continuous loads.
Reliability. In most cases, snowshoes are used in remote places where there is no way to repair broken equipment. Because of this, it should be one that will not let a person down in difficult times.
Light weight. The maximum allowable weight of the finished product is 1 kg. Exceeding this indicator will lead to the fact that the equipment will fail and make it difficult to move.
Standard size. The snowshoe should have such dimensions that will allow you to stay on the surface of the snowdrift and will not interfere with movement. All devices are calculated based on the size of a person’s legs, as well as his body weight. In most cases, the length varies from 50 to 80 cm, and the width from 25 to 30 cm.

Manufacturing options

There are 3 main models of snowshoes for hunting. It is quite simple to make them with your own hands, so even a beginner can do the job. In this case, you will not need to spend a lot of money on the purchase of the required materials.

From a polypropylene pipe

Snowshoes made from polypropylene tubing are the most versatile and often handcrafted. They can be used for movement in open or rough terrain, as well as in a forested area. With a simple upgrade, you can convert the devices and use them to overcome icy areas.

To make such a model, you will need the following materials and tools:

polypropylene pipe 1.5 m long and 20 to 30 mm in diameter;
synthetic or nylon cord with a cross section of at least 4 mm;
technical rubber bands;
hacksaw;
metal teapot;
protractor;
tape measure or metal ruler;
sandpaper;
fasteners.

The materials used must be purchased with a margin. Otherwise, the slightest mistake will lead to a stop in the manufacturing process and the need to re-buy pipes, rubber bands or cords.

They take 2 identical polypropylene pipes and cut 20 cm from them with a hacksaw.
The remaining parts are alternately bent into a semicircle. To do this, heat the middle of each of them over the stove.
Then the parts are carefully rounded, wrapping them around a metal teapot.
The finished elements are placed in a basin of cold water, where they are cooled to room temperature.
The blanks are bent in the same way, forming the toes of the snowshoes. In this case, it is important to use a protractor, with which you can achieve the desired bending angle (from 120 to 130 degrees).
The edges of these parts are connected to each other and securely fastened.
The contact point is treated with sandpaper.
At the next stage of work, a nylon cord is taken and wound around the structure.
Cut off pieces of polypropylene pipes are attached to the almost finished equipment. This is done with a synthetic cord.
Technical rubber bands are installed on these elements, and they are fixed with any fasteners.

With wooden frame

Due to their appearance, wood-based products are often referred to as "Bear's Paw". They are used during winter hunting or walking through a snowy forest. Due to the peculiarities of the material and design, the equipment has springy properties that allow you to move, jump and run as quickly as possible.

For work you need to prepare:

a tree trunk with a diameter of not more than 15 cm;
fiberglass tape;
nylon cord;
steel rope;
foot mounts;
sandpaper;
epoxy adhesive;
polyurethane varnish;
skobel.

For snowshoes with a wooden base, it is best to use ash. It needs to be harvested in winter or late autumn, since at this time there is practically no juice in the wood.

Equipment manufacturing steps:

The trunk of an ash-tree is divided into 4 equal parts (longitudinal).
The blanks are carefully planed with a scraper until their cross section is 40 x 40 cm in size.
Structural elements are placed in a steaming chamber, where they are kept for 3 or 4 hours (depending on the degree of dryness of the tree).
After the specified time, the blanks are bent as carefully as possible, giving them the shape of a drop.
In this form, the products are placed in a dark and dry place at room temperature.
After a week, the edges of the blanks are split.
Epoxy glue is poured into the gaps formed and the parts are spliced.
The junction is tightly wrapped with fiberglass tape. It is important to carry out this operation before the adhesive composition hardens.
Small crossbars are cut out of wood, which are inserted into the frame. This will give it extra strength and rigidity.
The finished base is cleaned with sandpaper.
Then it is covered with polyurethane varnish and left for a day to dry.
After 24 hours, a nylon cord is wound around the wooden frame. Do this so that weaving is formed in the form of a grid.
In those places where the greatest pressure will be exerted on the base, a steel cable tie is made.
At the very end, fastenings for the foot are put on.

Plywood products

Snowshoes made of plywood are often used by skiers and climbers who use them to climb mountains. The design feature allows you to get maximum emphasis on the heel. This not only increases the comfort of movement, but also prevents slipping.

Before you start creating plywood snowshoes, you need to prepare the following items:

plywood sheet;
wooden boards;
synthetic or nylon cord;
fasteners for straps;
electric drill;
set of drills;
jigsaw;
screws;
sandpaper;
marker or marker;
epoxy adhesive.

Experts recommend taking sheets of plywood with a thickness of 7 to 10 mm. A thinner material will not give the desired strength and elasticity, and a wide one will significantly increase the mass of the structure. In the classic version, it is advised to use plywood 8 mm thick.

Work procedure:

First of all, they take a sheet of plywood and cut out a rectangle 50 cm long and 20 cm wide from it. This work is easiest to do with a jigsaw. If there is no such tool, then you can replace it with a manual wood jigsaw.
The edges of the workpiece are rounded and processed with sandpaper.
After that, a foot is placed on the plywood and circled around it with a marker.
2 wooden planks are attached to the bottom of the workpiece parallel to each other. Their size must exactly match the length of the base. Such an action will help strengthen the structure and increase its strength characteristics.
The center of the foot placement is determined and a line is drawn in this place.
Then they outline the places where the straps will be attached to the base.
Holes are drilled using an electric drill. Their size should be slightly narrower than the diameter of the screw.
Before attaching the straps, the holes are filled with epoxy glue, which will improve the quality of fixing the part to the base.
Holes of small diameter are drilled in pre-marked places.
A synthetic or nylon cord is threaded through them, which will fasten the snowshoe to the leg. If the product provides for the use of special belts, then the finished holes are expanded to the desired size using an electric or manual jigsaw.

Terms of Use

In order to learn how to walk on snowshoes, three hours of practice will be enough. At the same time, during movement, it is necessary to take into account the general rules that will help speed up walking and reduce the load on the legs.

In order to put on devices for moving on snow or ice, it is necessary to place the foot on the base and combine the location of the heel with the fulcrum. After this, the fasteners are alternately tied or fastened. At the very end, the reliability of fixation and comfort for the human feet are checked.
While walking, you need to put your foot on the heel, and then smoothly move the center of gravity to the entire foot.
The speed of movement should be approximately the same as without the use of useful devices.
Don't lift your leg high with every step. Otherwise, the muscles will quickly get tired, which will lead to cramps.
When walking on loose snow, only the toe should be raised above the surface, and then slide on the heel.
While walking, it is better to use assistive devices - sticks. You can also make them yourself or break off branches from any tree. At the same time, the length of the sticks should be such that it is comfortable for a person to move with a straight back.
Moving uphill, it is necessary to hit the toe on the snowy surface with force. This action will make it possible to use the snowshoes as a lever for lifting.
Going down the slope, you need to walk narrowly and slowly. If it was not possible to maintain balance, then it is better not to run down the mountain, but to sit down and slide down.
Moving along the slope, it is necessary to drive the side surface of the equipment into the snow. For greater stability, it is recommended to use sticks.
Several hikers or snowshoe hunters must move in formation. This will help reduce the burden on the team member walking last. However, periodically it will be necessary to change the leader, as he will get tired much more than the others.

Snowshoes are an essential piece of equipment to take on long winter hikes. Thanks to them, it will be possible to avoid various difficulties and easily overcome deep snowdrifts.