Snowshoeing is a lot of fun, not just for the adults but for kids too. It opens up a whole new world, and kids love to play in the snow. Snowshoes for kids are, naturally, smaller than the adult version. Snowshoes work on the idea of spreading your weight out over a larger area, so that not as much pressured is being put on any one section of snow, so that you don’t sink in. Since kids weigh less, their snowshoes are smaller, which also helps with their smaller legs and feet.
Snowshoes for Kids
What to look for when you're looking for snowshoes for kids.- Recommended Weight – One of the more important variables when it comes to snowshoes is the recommended weight. Snowshoes work by displacing weight over a larger area, and if the weight is too much, the snowshoe just becomes a large, novelty shoe. So it’s important to get a snowshoe with a weight range suitable for your child.
- Boys and Girls – Snowshoes are fairly unisex, and children’s snowshoes even more so, but there are boys and girls snowshoes. Some of it comes down to aesthetics, but there are a few differences, like size, that do sometimes distinguish to two. As related above recommended weight matters, and girls snowshoes, for example, will usually be smaller, with a smaller recommended weight range.
Best Snowshoes for Kids
Some of the best snowshoes for kids that you can choose from.- MSR Denali Tyker Snowshoes - The Tykers are a great snowshoe for kids being introduced to snowshoeing. They will fit children's shoe sizes of 7.5 to 13.5, and are recommended for kids up to 80 pounds. They're unisex, and come in a gender neutral red, so good for boys or girls. They have a few good features for kids, including a tab and hole binding system that is very easy to use, even with gloves on. They weigh 1.9 pounds, which is 878 grams.
- Tubbs Flex Jr. Snowshoes - Another pair of snowshoes for kids that work well as an introduction to snowshoeing. Like the Tykers these are a completely plastic frame, and are meant for weights of between 40 and 90 pounds. The bindings are a ratchet style, which is easy to use with gloves on. Finally, the snowshoes weigh 2 pounds, which is 907 grams.
- Tubbs Glacier Youth Snowshoes - These are snowshoes more intended as a step up from the introductory level and a slightly older age group. The recommended weight is 80 to 150 pounds, and they have a nylon deck and aluminum frame, rather than the more basic plastic of the other two listed above. These also have slightly better crampons, for improved grip and better off trail travel, and are unisex. The pair weighs 3 pounds, or 1.36 kilograms.
