Snowshoeing is walking, hiking, running or climbing on the snow. Because the surface area of a snowshoe is larger than your foot they distribute your weight over a larger area helping you stay on top of the snow instead of sinking. Modern snowshoes are lightweight, designed to allow a natural stride and feature crampons that bite into the snow and ice to provide traction.
Anyone who can walk can snowshoe. It is a low impact, heart-healthy way to enjoy winter and can even be used for injury rehabilitation or cross-training.

No, it is very easy to learn. As we say here at Atlas, "If you can walk you can snowshoe and in a few yards you're an expert."

Snowshoeing is a great way to get and stay fit. It burns approximately 45% more energy than walking at the same speed and you can get any type of workout you want depending on the terrain and snow conditions you choose.
On a packed trail you can expect to burn approximately 450-550 calories/hour. Going uphill in unpacked snow conditions, snowshoeing burns as much as 1,000 calories/hour. It is an excellent cross-training sport for athletes. Competitive athletes from runners to cyclists use snowshoeing to build muscles and improve aerobic capacity.
Snowshoeing is low-impact and versatile and reduces the chance of injury while it builds up endurance levels and strengthens quadriceps, hip flexors and extensors. The use of poles can help incorporate the upper body for a total body workout.

To choose the right snowshoe you must answer the following questions:

1. How much will you weigh when snowshoeing (body weight + weight of anything you'll be carrying)? This will help you determine what size snowshoe you need.
2. What snow conditions will you mostly be in? If you will mostly be in deep and dry powder, consider a larger snowshoe than if you will be in heavy or packed snow.
3. What will you be doing on your snowshoes? What will the terrain be like? Hiking or climbing steep terrain, running, or walking on packed trails? This will help you determine how much performance and what features you need. For example, if you will be doing a lot of climbing you will want aggressive traction and a heel lift; if you are running you will want the lightest weight snowshoes with less traction; if you are mountaineering or back country snowboarding you will want snowshoes that pack flat in addition to having great traction.
4. Will I be wearing special footwear? Although most snowshoe bindings accommodate a variety of footwear sizes and styles if you are wearing any type of specialty footwear such as hard mountaineering style boots, snowboard boots or insulated hunting boots you will want to make sure the binding on the snowshoes you are considering fits the footwear.

Within each series of snowshoes there are several sizes. The size refers to the length and width of the shoe and the resulting surface area the snowshoe has to support the weight of the person wearing them. The more surface area the heavier the load that can be floated. The goal in selecting the best size snowshoe is to select the smallest snowshoe you can "get away with", while ensuring enough flotation for fully-loaded weight. When selecting your size, keep in mind the following factors:
1. The total weight equals the weight of the user plus any extra weight they will be carrying (pack, baby, snowboard, etc.)
2. The type of snow user will be snowshoeing in: light, dry powder (Utah) vs. heavy, wet (Washington State) - light snow requires greater flotation.

Most snowshoe manufacturers use either a fixed toe cord to affix the binding or a free-rotating binding attachment.
The patented Atlas Spring-Loaded™ Suspension actually suspends the foot in the snowshoe allowing it to move naturally at all times.
To see how this works view our interactive Spring-Loaded Webumentary.
Because our technology is patented you won't find it on any other snowshoes.

You can snowshoe anywhere there is 4-6 inches of snow including: Favorite summer hiking trails, National and state parks, nordic centers, local parks and your own backyard in snowy parts of the country.
In addition, many ski resorts throughout the country offer safe and scenic snowshoeing areas away from the ski slopes.

Because snowshoeing is an aerobic activity, done usually in cold weather, it is important to be prepared for a variety of temperatures. Layering is the best way to dress allowing for regulation of your body temperature. Following is a recommended list of layers:
Base layer - moisture-wicking and lightweight, avoid cotton garments
Second layer - insulating, lightweight fleece or wool is ideal
Outer layer - windproof and waterproof/water-resistant, breathable
Other recommended items are:
Gaiters - to protect your feet from getting wet
Gloves - waterproof, windproof
Wool or fleece hat - to conserve body heat

Most snowshoe bindings will accommodate a variety of footwear. To ensure an enjoyable snowshoeing experience it is important to have warm, comfortable and dry feet. Your ideal footwear will depend on the type of snowshoeing (climbing, running, walking) and your personal requirements.
For a long snowshoe hike we recommend a pair of stable, comfortable and waterproof hiking boots or your preferred winter activity boot (snowboarding, mountaineering, etc). GORE TEX® provides a level of waterproof breathability that is ideal in snowshoeing footwear.

Although not necessary, poles are recommended for snowshoeing. They improve balance and provide added stability, especially on uneven and aggressive terrain and can assist you in standing back up if you fall down. Poles also offer additional upper body workout.

Atlas snowshoes don't require any special care. Just dry and wipe any dirt away. The materials are no-rust and very durable. To prevent excessive wear and tear don't walk through the parking lot in your snowshoes. Put them on when you reach the trail.

Snowshoe racing is very popular in many parts of the country. The most common races are 5 and 10K and are usually a mix of single track and packed trail running. To find a race near you check the United States Snowshoe Association at www.snowshoeracing.com.

This is an effect from the unique design of the Atlas Spring-Loaded™ Suspension. This tends to happen mostly when the snowshoes are new. After time as they break in the snow flip will not happen as much. In many cases the stride you use could make a difference.

Atlas Limited Lifetime Warranty - (excludes poles, totes, and youth snowshoes).
Atlas warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for life of the product to the original purchaser, as validated by a copy of your original sales receipt. It will be repaired, or replaced if it is found to be defective in materials or workmanship.

Atlas One Year Limited Warranty - Poles, totes, and youth snowshoes.
Atlas warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year, from date of purchase, as validated by a copy of your original sales receipt. It will be repaired, or replaced if it is found to be defective in materials or workmanship.

If your product is verified as having a valid warranty issue we will repair or replace the product free of charge. In the event, an exact replacement (Model, size, and/or color) is no longer available, we will replace your product with one of comparable performance, size and value. This applies to replacement parts as well.

What is Covered
• Broken Rivets due to a manufacturing defect.
• Broken or cracked buckles due to a manufacturing defect.
• Broken or cracked binding housing or strap due to manufacturing defect.
• Broken Frame due to a manufacturing defect.
• Broken SLS Strap™ due to a manufacturing defect.

What is Not Covered
• Torn Decking.
• Any problem resulting from misuse, abuse, or neglect. This includes but is not limited to bent and/or broken frames.
• Cosmetic issues including decking scratches, scuffs, abrasions, sun-faded graphics, and frame oxidation.
• Damage caused by any modifications made outside of the Atlas facility.
• Normal wear and tear, i.e., decking, crampons, etc. Click here for a downloadable Atlas warranty policy.

Take your product to your nearest Atlas dealer to have them send it back to us for you. The dealer will obtain an RA# (Return Authorization Number) from us and this number will be needed if you want to check the status of the warranty/repair while it is with us. The consumer is responsible for the cost of shipping to us but we will pay return shipping.
Dealers will usually give an accurate opinion of your shoe, but it is up to the Atlas warranty dept. to make the final decision.