ID Hot Socks with Northern Lites Snowshoes

[Craig Shelley]

I haven’t yet started using snowshoes this year. However, I had the idea that I might try using my Integral Designs Hot Socks containing a piece of closed cell pad cut out for an insole rather than using shoes.

Is this a stupid idea? Interesting idea? Has anyone ever tried something like this?

Craig

[William Siemens]

I think that is a very fine idea…IMO nobody needs large heavy boots with agressive treads for snowshoing…you probably would need some light mukluk sort of thing, to keep the hotsox dry…I used to have a nice pair of eskimo-made muklux, calf-skin tops, fur outside, walrus bottoms, very very light…long gone of course. currently, I like very light running shoes,sized a bit large, with thick socks, then produce bags to keep the socks dry. If it is below zero, I have another set of produce bags next to the skin, so sweat doesn’t build up in the socks and reduce insulation.

[Ryan Jordan]

Craig,

1. Hot Sox don’t provide enough of a “shell” to resist compression by the snowshoe binding. You’ll have to really crank the binding down (to keep the foot stable, see #2 below), right to the surface of your foot. Result: cold feet and poor circulation.

2. Hot Sox don’t provide enough of a stability platform for climbing and traversing. As such, your foot will slide around relative to the binding sole. Result: extreme fatigue. This can be a problem even with soft footwear like trail runners and mukluks, it would be a nightmare with Hot Sox.

I haven’t personally tried this.

I have used NL’s with trail shoes (variety) and mukluks (Steger Arctics) and have made these observations with both, with trail shoes getting the nod as more appropriate than mukluks for steeper terrain.

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