Snowshoes Designed Specifically for Women
About half of all snowshoers are women, who snowshoe for different reasons: to experience nature outdoors, to exercise with friends and family, for backcountry access, or to have outdoor fun all winter long. The various snowshoe companies have been and continue to cater to this market by delivering a broad selection of women's-specific snowshoe technologies for hiking, backpacking, or backcountry snowboarding and recreation/fitness use that go far beyond just a change in cosmetics.
Tubbs pioneered the development of women's-specific snowshoes in several ways; by offering patented binding technologies that custom fit women's boot sizes and by ergonomically engineering frames that are tapered at the tip and tail to accommodate women's shorter strides. The result is lightweight, comfortable, high-performance snowshoes and many of the other brands have followed suit.
Atlas Snowshoe Company conducted gait studies and biomechanics research to create snowshoes that enable women to hike and run with the most natural stride possible, while making the snowshoes both comfortable and lightweight. The research revealed that women have a greater Q-angle (at the knee where the thigh bone angles in from a woman's wider hips) and abducted gait that create specific issues when snowshoeing. Women also tend to pronate (collapsing arches) pointing to the need for bindings to support the arch of the foot.
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Snowshoeing may very well be one of winter's greatest pleasures. Lighter, more durable materials, streamlined shapes and easy-to-use bindings combine for more efficient snowshoes that appeal to people at all levels of interest. Snowshoeing, whether running, hiking or walking, is an excellent low-impact winter exercise.
The physical demands of snowshoeing can build up endurance levels and strengthen quadriceps for runners. Climbing in snowshoes works the hip flexors and extensors, crucial muscles for cyclists.
The use of poles gets the upper body moving, lending stability to your stride in variable terrain, steep ascents or descents, and heavier snow. It also helps condition your arm, shoulder and back muscles. Snowshoeing is a great rehabilitative therapy for people suffering from knee or ankle injuries, since there is little or no impact due to the snow's cushioning effect.