Adapted from Snowshoeing by Larry Olmsted

Regardless of the names that manufacturers choose, most modern snowshoes fall into three categories: mountaineering, recreational, and sport.

Mountaineering snowshoes are also called backcountry, back-packing, or hiking shoes. These shoes are for use on the most demanding of terrains—including steep slopes and ice—where good traction, durability, and maneuverability are a necessity. They have sophisticated bindings, and large cleats on the bottom. They also cost the most, because they are made of more expensive materials.

Recreational shoes are also called walking or hiking shoes. They are scaled-down models of mountaineering snowshoes, with less sophisticated bindings, less aggressive traction, and less ability to tolerate the high"levels of abuse" that occur during use in extreme conditions. However, recreational snowshoes are more than adequate for most terrains.

Sport snowshoes are also called running, racing, or cross-training shoes. Some are just lighter versions of recreational models and can be used for hiking. Others are highly specialized, smaller racing models designed for running races—such as 10Ks—on packed snow. While most recreational and mountaineering snowshoes are symmetrical (that is, tile left and right foot are identicap, many sport models are asymmetrical, with the bindings mounted closer to the inside edge. This enables you to take a more natural stride without having to worry about the inside edges of the shoes hitting each other. When choosing a pair of snowshoes, you will need to determine which of the three types best suits your needs. This should not be difficult. Do not feel limited by the definitions, since there is a lot of overlap between the three snowshoe categories. Most models can be used in the backcountry, and mountaineering models can certainly be used for a walk in the park. Lighter men and women can often use running models for recreational hikes. I know a 115-pound woman who uses a highly specialized running model for all types of snowshoeing.

In general, if you are planning on spending a large amount of time in the backcountry, or enjoy challenging mountain hikes, your best bet is to buy mountaineering shoes. If you are planning to walk feat trails in the walk in your neighborhood, and may even go winter camping in the future, choose recreational snowshoes. Running models are often a person's second pair of snowshoes, but if you are a dedicated roadrunner looking to train in the off-season and don't plan to do much hiking, these lightweight shoes would be ideal for your first pair of snowshoes.

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