B: This Snowshoe is Considered the Ordinary Eastern Model and One Best Adapted for All-Around Use
Style B may be considered the ordinary eastern model, and a common style best adapted for all-around use. It is a neat and gracefully designed frame, about 12 in. wide and 42 in. long, and is usually made with a slightly upcurving toe, about 2 in. turn at the toe being correct. When made by the Indians of Maine, this model is fashioned with a rather heavy heel, which is an advantage for fast walking, while it increases the difficulty in quick turning.
C: The Style Illustrated Here is Splendid for General Purposes and is a Favorite among Hunters and Woodsmen
Style C is a favorite model among the hunters and woodsmen of New England. This is a splendid style for general purposes in this section of the country, since the full, round toe keeps the toe up near the surface, and lets the heel cut down more than the narrow-toe models. Style C is an easy shoe to wear, and while not so fast as the long, narrow frame, its full shape is more convenient for use in the woods. It is usually made with about 1 to 1-1/2-in. turn at the toe.
D: This is the Familiar "Bear's-Paw" Model, Originated by the Northeastern Trapper for Use on Short Tramps and in Brush
Style D is the familiar "bear's paw," a model originating with the northeastern trapper. This model is well adapted for short tramps in the brush, and having a flat toe, is likewise a good shoe for mountain climbing. For tramping about in thick brush, a short, full shoe enables one to take a shorter stride and turn more quickly, but it is a slow shoe for straight-ahead traveling.
When purchasing a pair of snowshoes, some few important considerations should be kept in mind, and the size and model will depend upon the man to some extent, since a large, heavy man will require a larger snowshoe than would suffice for a person of lighter weight. Height also enters into the choice, and while a small person can travel faster and with less fatigue when equipped with a proportionately small shoe, a tall man will naturally pick out a larger-sized snowshoe for his use. For a country where deep snows prevail, larger sizes are best, but in localities where the snow packs solidly and there is considerable ice, and in mountainous districts, or for rough-country traveling, the smaller sizes will give more satisfaction and prove more durable also. For a wet-snow locality, the center filling should be strung in rather coarse mesh, while for soft, powdery snow, a finer mesh will be the logical choice.
There are snowshoes and snowshoes, and while there are fine models regularly stocked by a few of the better sporting-goods firms, there is likewise a deal of poorly made snowshoes on the market. It is well to pay a fair price and secure a dependable handmade article, for the cheaper snowshoes—often filled with seine twine and the cheapest hide (commonly known in the trade as "gut")—will warp and twist in the frame, and the shoddy filling will soon become loosened up and "bag" after a little use. The best snowshoes that the writer is acquainted with are made by the Indians, and the filling is ordinarily made of neat's hide; cowhide for the center filling, and calfskin for the toe and heel. A first-class pair of snowshoes may be had for about $6 to $7.50, and when possible to do so, it is best to have them made to order. This plan is, of course, necessary in case one wishes to incorporate any little wrinkles of his own into their making, or desires a flatter toe, lighter heel, or a different mesh from the usual stock models.