BigGameHoundsmen.com

I am having trouble deciding what size of snowshoes to buy I weigh 180# and hunt in utah. The two sizes I am looking at are 9x30 and 9.5x36. Some of the reviews say the
9x30 size won't hold up the weight that they advertise. Which would work best for hunting lions?

Don't forget to add the the weight of your pack. Get the larger ones.
Nothing worse than punching a small pair of shoes to the bottom of the snow all day. Makes you wonder why even wear them.

if you plan on strapping them on right out of the truck get the big ones, I prefer to buy one size smaller. This makes them easier to pack if you don't need them.
I am 190 and have a pair of 30 and 25, i use the 25 to pack around and strap on if i need them. but if i leave the truck in snow shoes ill usually throw on the 30.
Having said that, if i ever have to buy another pair they will be 25 also. 35 are rated for my wight but are just too big. IMO. And where you live id imagine you wont be hunting in the deep snow enough to need the big dogs.
Bluefloyd

The short answer is to get the minimum sized snowshoe you can get that will still give you floatation. The problem is, that is going to vary according to temperature, terrain, and snow conditions. Cross country skiers have a different wax color for the varying conditions, and in a perfect world, you'd have a rack full of different snowshoe sizes and styles to do the same.

Personally, if you are only going to get one pair, I'd just get a medium pair knowing that you're going to flounder on the heavy powder days (which you are likely to do even with the large ones), but be overkilling it on the crusty days.

Thanks for the help.

I usually wear my ojibwe's they're 11x56 and i pack the modified bearpaws just in case,those are 10x36.I'm in the lake superior snowbelt tough,we usually have a pile of it to walk in all winter.

ive never seen a pair that was big enuff

you'd have a rack full of different snoeshoe sizes and styles to do the same.

thats my plan-- the biggest ones always work -- get them first--

Thanks Pete, I ordered the 9x30's the area I hunt rarely gets more than 10" fresh snow and 36" total. I just hope they are a good average.

bearhntwi, Those are some big paddles. how much snow do you get?

Hell Pete, I just noticed my mispelling of "snowshoe." You may have to edit that for me so I don't look like a total idiot.

Here's my deal, for years my only snowshoes were a pair of 10" x 56" white oak and rawhide with the long tails. After one particularly grueling bobcat race gone bad, my knee joint swelled up and I was a cripple for a couple years. My knee has gotten better but still bothers me from time to time.

What caused my injury was the stress of pulling a heavy, snow laden, snowshoe out of the snow with every step. It separated the cartilage and swelled up. There's a name for the condition that I had but it escapes me now. Anyway, that's why I've concluded that when it comes to snowshoes, least is best.

The new generation of lightweight aluminum snowshoes are infinitely better than the old wood and rawhide ones. The only place the old style of snowshoes belong is over the fireplace mantle.