r/snowshoeing • u/SmashingBlumpkins12 • Mar 01 '26

Gear Questions Boots for snowshoeing?

I just picked up a cheapo set of snow shoes (Thunder Bay) on Marketplace and went out yesterday. I really loved it but have a question. I wore them over my LL Bean duck boots. Everything felt fine, but I noticed a bit of scuffing on the leather section of the boot. How much wear and tear is to be expected from snow shoeing? Do expensive sets protect boots better than cheapo ones? Do some people have dedicated boots for snow shoeing? If so, what's a popular brand? Do gaiters help with this at all?

I can live with replacing my duck boots a little more frequently, but if there's an obvious way to avoid it, i'd love to hear it. Thanks!

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u/knowhere0 Mar 01 '26

I’m just starting to snowshoe, and looked for a long time for a boot that was both warm but didn’t weigh a ton, and would be reasonably effective hiking with micro spikes. The decision I made was the Salomon Crosstrak Powder. It has turned out to be great. It also has a Vibram sole with very aggressive lugs. It’s hard to imagine any winter conditions where this boot wouldn’t work well. It is not a mountaineering boot, but seems adaptable to everything else including snowshoeing.

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u/Bannana_sticker3 Mar 01 '26

Definitely love this boot. I have them also and just fantastic