Looking to invest in a pair of snow shoes and wondering what is a good route to go. Let me know what you have. What works best and what to stay away from. Looked at some through Iverson's snow shoes and like the more traditional look. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

If you like the traditional look, this small operation in Canada is good: Elliot Lake Snowshoes

Also depends what kind of terrain you’ll be most on with them. Will you be on trails like the BRT, or CRT, or SHT, or are you going to be mostly walking across lakes?

Example, some are better suited to ‘float’ you across the top of the snow, and some have aggressive crampons like mine because I’m mostly using mine on hiking trails that get really icy, and very steep inclines and declines.

My traveling would mostly be lake travel for winter camping, ice fishing and trails to and from. I know I want a more traditional shoe just unsure of the style. Was leaning towards a Michigan or Huron style shoe and the Ojibwa style.

I've been very happy over the years with my Ojibways from Country Ways on bwca lakes and portages.

Last year I tried some Green Mountain/modified bear paws (basically a smaller, elongated oval shape with an upturned toe) because I wanted to get into the woods a bit more. They worked well for that but I missed the better "tracking" and flotation of the Ojibways in the open wetland areas (I mostly ski on the lakes, but if I was snowshoeing I would definitely want the Ojibways there).

I haven't tried any other traditional styles so I'm not sure how Michigans or others would compare to Ojibways, but I do like how the tips of the Ojibways cut through the snow.

The traditional style do struggle a bit on the more significant hills, I don't usually encounter big hills enough to base my snowshoe choice on that, but if I had some hilly portages planned I would definitely consider it. But I love the look and feel (and the quiet) of the traditional style.

I like the Modified H bindings, some people prefer the Super A style (both available from Country Ways, and I think Iverson also). I've also tried lamp wick bindings with mixed results.

I like a little variety in my snowshoes.

I tend to like the wood snowshoes best. I've had the Iverson's the longest. They have held up well. The Country Ways kits are fun to do. I made the Ojibway's for me and some Green Mountains for my brother. My spouse has a pair as well. DO NOT sand the frames down like nice wood work. I did not do this, my spouse did, her shoes slip and slide a lot. The GV's were only $25, there was another pair at the same price but I didn't have any more cash on me at the time. Did several 1/2 marathons with the GV's on ski trails. They have held up well. The 1943 Lund's I got for a steal at a local garage sale, $35. New bindings and they were good to go. The 30 inch Sherpa's are not the original Sherpa's of old. I got them on sale at either Menards or Costco--don't remember. They have had some use but not a lot and they really show the wear. I did a little repair work on them this summer and I've go to get some materials here soon to finish up the repairs. I've use the Ojibway's the most these last few years. Have to go further north than the Twin Cities though to have the most fun with them as time as progressed.

I like the Super A binding the most. I do like lamp wick bindings with traditional mukluks as well.

Get a pair for your most used terrain and snow conditions and go have some fun. Add more later if you want to.

I got a set of Ojibways from northern toboggan out of Ely. and then found some bindings with cleats on them.

In my opinion if you're going to be using them up in northern MN and WI, you can't go wrong with Ojibways - they're the chosen design of folks who spent centuries living in this country. I love mine!

I'll echo many of the previous comments. I favor the wooden ones more than the newer, plastic, tupperware, aluminum, or whatever composite, new age material you can get them in these days. They are loud when you're walking with them, kick snow up your back end, and sink in deep powder, If you want to make your own trail in the woods, you'll want shooz with a much bigger, surface flotation If you want to hike the urban, snow packed "trails" following hundreds of others, the small, crampon spiked shooz would work fine. I've made about a hundred pairs of Ojibways, Michigan, or Bear Paw styles over the last 15 years for toddlers to adults. I've come up with my own design of bindings that uses old, recycled truck inner tubes that cost nothing and because I lace them with nylon paracord, I can make them in any cool color a kid could want. I have not had any lacing or binding fail on any shoe since I started making them. Here's a few pics showing examples. Oh, last thing, I do not sell them, I enjoy making them, but, because I'm retired, I don't want to turn this into a job. I'd rather go for a hike with my grandsons.

I recently ordered from Iverson. While I’ve not used them yet, I went with the Michigan style, as that is what Bruce from CCO recommended.