Snowshoeing Terms you might want to know about!

| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O |
| P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

A

ArcTec™
Durable plastic snowshoe decking material.

B

Baysport™
Polyurethane decking material used by Tubbs.

Binding
The harness that attaches your foot to the snowshoe.

C

Crampon
Toothed traction devices on the underside of the snowshoe, also referred to as cleats. May be at the toe, under the ball of the foot or at the heel.

D

Decking
Flat surface of the snowshoe that allows you to walk on top of the snow by spreading your weight over a greater surface area. Made of synthetic materials (or rawhide lacing on older models.

F

Fixed Toe Cord
Attachment point of the binding to the snowshoe that does not pivot but rather springs back up with each step. Usually made of neoprene, Hypalon or some other synthetic material.

Flotation
The ability of the snowshoe to keep you and your gear on top of the snow.

Frame
The aluminum or wooden outer edge of the snowshoe to which the decking is attached.

H

Hypalon™
| Rubber material used for snowshoe decking. It's very durable and flexible (it's also commonly used for rafts).

P

Pivot Point
The point under the ball of the foot at which the binding is attached to the snowshoe.

R

Rotating Toe Cord
Attachment point of the binding to the snowshwoe; it pivots on a metal rod so that the snowshoe tail drags or tracks behind as you walk.

S

Self-Arrest
Stopping your fall by planting your ice axe into the hillside with body weight over the axe.

Self-Belay
Preventing yourself from falling by planting and hanging on to your ice axe as you walk; catching a slip.

Snowshoe Poles
Poles with large-diameter baskets for walking on powder snow. Ski or trekking poles also work, but you may want to put larger snow baskets on trekking poles.

Step Kicking
Method of ascending a steep snow slope by kicking toes into the snow, creating steps.

T

Toe Cord
Same as the pivot point, above.

Traverse
Crossing a slope with one shoulder on the uphill side, the other, on the downhill.

V

V-Tail
Snowshoe design in which the frame tapers at the tail for better tracking.

W

Western
Oblong snowshoe shape with rounded tails; common shape of aluminum-frame snowshoes.