Self-made snowshoes

Manufacturing of self-made snowshoes - a simple way to open to itself road to the world of winter hikes. To buy(purchase) firm snowshoes or tourist skis (ски-rounds or classical Beskids) not to everyone on a pocket, therefore homemade products on former are actual in our 21 century.
Two years ago, within the limits of preparation for a winter hike on Carpathians, I too have decided to make self-made snowshoes. Here that from this has left. As the hike was mountain, snowshoes has been decided to do(make) rigid type. In such it is possible to cut steps in a snow and to move on abrupt slopes.
Having rummaged the Internet I have found some variants of a design of rigid snowshoes:

 
1. Snowshoes from P.I.Lukojanova's book " Self-made tourist equipment ".

Them make from djuralja or the titan thickness 1-2мм. On the top party(side) of a plate (1) semifixed fastenings (2), a belt for fixing stops (3) are mounted, and to the bottom part corners (4) with size of a shelf up to 30-40мм fasten. Their arrangement "elochkoj" provides the confident coupling at rises and descents(releases). Deduction on slopes at lateral movement is reached(achieved) by installation of a longitudinal corner.
The weight of pair snowshoes depending on a material and can reach(achieve) its(his) thickness 1-2кг.
The technics(technical equipment) of walking on snowshoes reminds movement on climbing cats: it is necessary to put a snowshoe all surface, and on the condensed sites - even to be cut into a snow by its(his) corners.

 
2. Snowshoes of design Reznikova.

The snowshoe is made of a sheet alloy of aluminium by thickness of 1,5 mm (for example, АМГ-6, alloys AMTS are not recommended; a leaf(sheet) of alloy Д16 to bend with radius of a bend not less than 5 mm). The greatest dimensions are set for sheet preparation without the unbent edges(territories). On three parties(sides) (except for noska) it is done(made) otgib by height under a right angle in height of 20 mm. Preliminary on these parties(sides) it is possible to execute a fillet-rounding off a bend of a site of edge(territory) (see section In-in) for increase in rigidity and durability.

Snowshoes are carried out so that one of them was easily and freely put in another: see section In-in. The unbent edges(territories) are rivetted in corners: an external snowshoe with an external bend of continuation of edge(territory): And, and internal - with an internal bend And '. Corners of a lobby, nosochnoj parts of a snowshoe are cut off under 45 degrees with a cathetus equal to one third of length of this part. All angular ledges of a snowshoe are carefully rounded by a file and a skin (to remove(take off) all agnails). Inside of a snowshoe the marking of oval apertures under the top fixing ledges of cats is done(made). The axial line of a sole should be parallel to the long parties(sides) of a snowshoe and coincide with its(his) average line, or have small displacement to an internal part stops at position of the unbent edges(territories) downwards. Spaces in front also are behind identical. Apertures are carried out by a drill of the big diameter and a round file so that the top fixing ledges of cats rigidly fixed a snowshoe from turn or displacement in a horizontal direction.
The snowshoe is rigidly established(installed) between platforms of a cat and a boot (it is desirable, in bahile), thus belts of fastenings of cats should pass(take place) through apertures of a snowshoe: fastening should allow to make it, differently a snowshoe to not establish(install)! The top platform of cats should be flat. The back handle of fastenings of cats is recommended to be executed with a small carbine, differently it(she) will prevent at installation of a snowshoe.
For rise on abrupt slopes the snowshoe is established(installed) by the unbent edges(territories) downwards (рис.1б). For movement on equal zasnezhennym to slopes with an opportunity of partial sliding forward (as on skis) snowshoes vary places (left on right and on the contrary) and are established(installed) by the unbent ledges upwards.
Snowshoes fail during a snow, but it is much less, than boots, since their area in 4-5 times more. To go follows having placed legs(foots) little bit more widely, than at circulation on cats: fig. of century At rise on a slope (fig. g,) by cave-in and nagruzheniem snowshoes are done(made) horizontal a step on which other participants rise. In it(this) the main advantage of snowshoes of a rigid design consists. Troplenie on a deep snow with a backpack hard physically also demands frequent change of the leader. Application of snowshoes reduces risk of failure in the closed crack, but increases risk of a dislocation golenostopa at unsuccessful falling on one side or failure a little.
Snowshoes can be used and not on direct purpose(assignment;destination): as supports under a kerosene stove, as kryshek the improvised table, as snow shovels and as a snow anchor. As the spade (shovel) is more convenient for using a snowshoe if to provide the demountable »-shaped handle (see рис.1а) from izognutoj tubes or two corners with the crosspiece-хватом, and as the second handle the closed loop of a belt or repshnura, passed through its(his) average apertures (it is possible to make and special small apertures in more convenient place) is used. For transportation a backpack snowshoes are desirable for packing into a rectangular bag from a dense fabric. Weight of snowshoes-up to 800

E.V.Bujanova's clause(article) from a site http://www.mountain.ru/people/Buyanov/2002/snaryag/

 
3. Snowshoes Reznikova for platform cats.

the Basic changes in design of classical snowshoes Reznikova which have been brought by tourists from Kiev club " Globe ", consist in maintenance of fastening of snowshoes to a sole by means of platform cats Muraveva. This fastening is provided greater(big) rectangular vyrezom in a surface of a snowshoe into which handles of fastening of cats are inserted.

The information from a site http://www.tkg.org.ua/travels/2kar03sa-p2.htm#9

 

 

 
Choice of model and preparation.

Time at me was a little, access to a workshop it was not expected, therefore priority criterion of a choice was simplicity of manufacturing of snowshoes.
Snowshoes Lukojanova have disappeared at once as assumed manufacturing of system of fastening, that it seemed to me unreal (in my conditions).
Zamanchivej all advanced snowshoes Reznikova looked(appeared). Them most easier to dress, they lungs, beautiful. But at me was not neither a boot with a welt nor cats-automatic devices.
All that remains to me, it to do(make) ordinary snowshoes Reznikova for fastened cats.

 

I otdolzhil at friends of a cat (10-ти zubye the Soviet fastened cats of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions) also have started searches of a material.
Usually such snowshoes do(make) of a sheet alloy of aluminium by thickness about 1,5 mm. The size of one preparation 430 on 300 mm. Obbegav all city, I and have not found any similar "listika".
But has found a steel leaf(sheet) of the necessary size.
Steel is certainly much heavier(certainly grow much heavy) some aluminium, but time drew in and to touch harchami there was no time.

 
Manufacturing of snowshoes.

By means of bolgarki two leaves(sheets) of the necessary size have been cut out. Then sides are turned in and rivetted. It has turned out two nice koryttsa, while without holes.
Now it was necessary to plan somehow apertures for fastening cats. I have taken a cat in the left hand, a pencil in right (it is ingenious is not that so?), has brought a cat to koryttsu and has led round a pencil of a projection of fixing rings.
In figure Reznikova they look(appear) 6 small akkuratnenkimi ovalchikami. Probably cats since then podrosli - I should cut out for rings of 6 huge holes of the wrong form.
From tools at my order were only a drill, bolgarka and a stupid(blunt) file.
With their help I also have chiselled through holes. Нда-and, the kind at snowshoes has turned out completely not commodity.
But appearance disturbed me in last turn.
The first tests have shown, that only hit by rings of a cat in prorezi borrows(occupies) one about 2 minutes. Then it was necessary to latch calcaneal skobu and to pass to a sling.
On attachment of a cat with a snowshoe to a leg(foot) 4 more minutes left. Total about 15 minutes on clothing of two snowshoes.
I understood, that it is inadmissible long, and trying though somehow to improve a situation, has even more expanded prorezi, has replaced canvas slings with thin synthetics with three-slot-hole prjazhkoj. Well also trained.
As a result time of clothing of self-made snowshoes was reduced till 9 minutes.

Field tests of snowshoes - three-hour guljanie on zasnezhennomu to a wood have been lead. Snowshoes have proved to be not bad, but have let know, that a lung this hike will not be.
On each leg(foot) hung almost on 3 kg of a cargo (the Boot + shoes covers + a snowshoe + a cat + a few(a little;little bit) snows). Gait reminded a march of skin-divers-терминаторов. Steps became slow and... Heavy.
Comprehension own silishchy inspired, but the prospect of such heroism during all hike, to put it mildly, guarded.

 
Test by a hike.

And here, the long-awaited moment - we in Carpathians. Snowshoes are adhered, we act.
Other participants of group shchegoljali aluminium snowshoes with accurate vyrezami (at them bul an electrofret saw).
Their products not much easier (because of the a little bit greater area) weighed.
It was there and then found out, that the difference in the area of snowshoes practically does not influence depth provalivanija during a snow. All of us crept knee-deep in a snow (all it(him) was more than meter). Snowshoes adhered in the morning and removed only in the evening after statement of camp. Without them even in kustiki to descend(go) it was problematic.

Few times it was necessary to remove-dress them in the middle of day, on the freezed ridge. Then to me the staff from any historical film were vividly recollected:
Bullets whistle above a head, neighbours fall as knocked down, and the soldier continues to charge with concentration silicon to a musket. Gunpowder falls asleep, rams, pyzh, rams, the bullet, pyzh, rams. And bullets everyone whistle...
And we: we sit on backpacks under impacts of a gale-force wind and it is persevering so we try to get stropoj in a ring. On hands fleece gloves (to not freeze to metal) and it gives to procedure additional colour.
Was, the truth, among us one happy owner of cats-automatic devices. It(he) has naturally made snowshoes of the third type (see above) and dressed them for 2 minutes.

During a hike snowshoes had time to be trampled and on a deep friable snow (you fail hardly more deeply a knee) and on a lung firnu hiding stlannik (the step, two - a failure). There were downhill racings and abrupt rises. Snowshoes everywhere worked on glory, would be only them to move forces.

That snowshoes have not fallen off during the most responsible(crucial) moment, I adhered them with special diligence.
As a result, by the end of a hike slings have rubred on a leg(foot) (through a boot and two noska) a little boljuchih vodjanok in the most nonconventional places - on the top surface stops, above fingers. And without that uneasy process of moving has turned to the present(true) torture. Then have started to break on the sly and snowshoes - aluminium have bursted in several places, steel were strongly bent.

 
Conclusions.

Also what you think?
After all these horrors, I dare to recommend similar self-made snowshoes to all thirsting winter exotic under the similar price.
It is necessary to realize simply precisely all pluss and minuses.
Yes, snowshoes heavy and inconvenient, but they enable though somehow to move on a deep snow (at times we were dispersed even up to 2 km/h).
Without them we would not pass(not take place) on a snow and hundred meters.

P.S. Already now, later I have understood two years, how it was possible to simplify clothing of a snowshoe considerably. Was instead of narrow cracks for rings enough to make spacious rectangular windows like 3-rd variant.
One more advantage similar " windows for cats " - an opportunity to use modern fastened cats (with two plastic arches and simplified shnurovkoj).
Plus smaller attachment to one concrete size of a leg(foot). In fact snowshoes with slot-hole system are done(made) under a concrete boot, and to adjust(set up) them for other size of a leg(foot) it is possible only by means of a file and someone's mother.

If after perusal of my opus you have decided not to do(make) snowshoes by the hands, I recommend to esteem my report on testing snowshoes tsl .