Choosing Between Crampons and Snowshoes: Finding the Best Option for Your Winter Adventure
- Céline Simard, propriétaire de Simard Sport & Raquetteaneige
- Dec 11, 2022
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 1

"During your winter hikes in the snow, it's essential to adapt your gear based on the terrain conditions and snow type. To ensure optimal stability and effective traction on snow, you'll need to choose between snowshoes and crampons. Both options are used with warm, winter-appropriate boots.
Crampons for Hard or Icy Snow: When the snow is hard, thick, and frozen, the risk of slipping increases significantly. In such conditions, it's advisable to wear crampons with at least 19 spikes. These crampons will provide excellent traction, allowing you to walk safely and reducing the risk of slipping, even on surfaces where sinking isn't an issue.
Snowshoes for Fresh or Light Snow: Snowshoes provide additional ankle stability and increase the surface area in contact with the snow, improving buoyancy. They prevent you from sinking, which is particularly useful in powder snow or when the snow layer is soft or deep. The choice of snowshoes depends on your type of hike, your weight, and rarely your size. You can refer to our detailed descriptions for each snowshoe model, as well as our chart to guide you in your purchase.
Don't forget your adjustable hiking poles: To adjust the height of your poles, hold the pole by the grip, press it against the ground, and place it at a 90-degree angle to your arm, so your hand is at the same height as your elbow. Make sure the angle of your arm is not less than 90 degrees.
The right gear can make all the difference in your winter adventures. Choose wisely between snowshoes and crampons for a safer and more enjoyable outdoor experience."
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