help building snowshoes

[inthemud]

Hey I am a scout master. We are thinking about making snow shoes as a troop. I was wondering if any of you helpful people might have a pattern that has been used that is not too difficult to put together.

Thanks

 

[Graycliff]

We built some when I was over the Varsity scouts. The conduit frames were bent on a plain pipe bender and the webbing was a solid piece of tread material from Proform(treadmills). We just cut our own patterns and I used copper rivets to secure mine but you could put grommets along the outside edges and lace them on.
I cut a hole where your toe can flex through and used leftover tread material to make the binding, works great.

 

[inthemud]

Hey thanks for the reply! Where did you buy the treadmill material?
Thanks Again
Lex

 

[Graycliff]

The treadmill material came from a guy that worked at Icon Fitness in Logan, a friend of mine got it from him. Other than that I don't know where to get the stuff. I guess you could go to the sprtng goods store and steal the belts of the treadmills but that might not be the best example of "a scout is trustworthy...kind...!" Good luck.

 

[Kevin D]

I understand the need to build snowshoes just as a scout project, but for serious use, you're better off going out and buying a pair. There's too many good commercial brands out there right now that would be far superior than anything you can handcraft in scouts.....and the cost will still be cheaper than knee surgery!