Roycraft Snowshoes - Modern vs Traditional Snowshoes

[@jand3163]

My husband carries shoe laces when we are back country snowmobiling so he can make these kind of snowshoes if we need to walk out. He learned the technique about 40 years ago. Great skill to have.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

That is so awesome. I will be relaying your comments to my fellow instructors. We all love hearing little tidbits of information like that. Take care

[@mycompasstv]

Wow, what a wonderful demonstration, great upload. It now makes me want to make a pair of Roycraft Snowshoes!

[@NordicBushcraft]

Would been interesting to see how a pair of traditional skis would compare with the snowshoes. Thanks for a great video showing how good the Roycraft snowshoes are

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments. Skis are for sure faster on a set trail. But skis and the Roycraft snowshoes are about the same in deep snow. My preference is for the snowshoes rather than skis, mostly because I can wear much better footwear (moccasins) when snowshoeing. I find most ski boots to be hopeless for anything but skiing. Take care

[@kayakncamping]

@@NatureAliveAdventures Not to mention in very cold weather. There's not much thermal protection in a set of ski boots. Plus, it's one more piece of equipment you have to lug around.

[@bushmankel]

Stellar job Dale! likely the best video on Roycraft ski-shoes ever produced!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks Kelly. Can't do this stuff without your help and support. Take care.

[@Karamat]

Thanks so much for putting this video together Dale. What a wonderful review of the different snowshoes and a testament to the nature and reliability of the Roycraft Ski-shoes.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

And thank you for the totally awesome opportunity to teach at the Karamat courses. Hopefully we can make many more pairs in the years to come. Take care

[@PeterNordBushcraft]

Those snowshoes are very cool!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments. They are awesome and a lot of fun to build. Take care

[@DannyWalker1949]

Another Great Video. I really enjoyed this video on how well they work and can be built so easily and have several uses too. Thank You.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks Danny. The Roycraft snowshoes certainly excel in open spaces and deep powder. I totally support using large traditional snowshoes as well. Take care and thanks for your comments and support.

[@TJackSurvival]

Hey stopping in! Thatnks for the training!!! Tyler

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Awesome Tyler. Was great to spend the week sharing and learning with you. Thanks for all the extra stuff you shared with filming, and sharing your knowledge and stories. Take care

[@arnsnicklefritz9634]

The magnesium can be used to start a fire too.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

You bet it can. Thanks for your comment. Take care

[@NomadicWoodsman]

This was great Dale ! I have seen these ski shoes on Jon's truck and in other videos but never built them myself. I will attempt to make them based on the ones in the video this week. Thanks so much for sharing some of these great skills ! (I'll make a video and refer/link your video. Cheers !)

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks a bunch Woodsman. It's best to make them from black spruce but it's also fun to experiment with different materials. I built my first pair in 2001 out of birch and saskatoon, but I quickly discovered that there is merit to having someone show you the little tricks and details. For example, make the sticks at least broom stick thick up to shovel handle thick. Don't peel the slender tips until the shoes are completed so that you can peel and bend the tips upward at the end of the project. Also, get very familiar with the jam knot as it's the only knot that really works on the lashings, and remove the inner strands to make the paracord profile flatter for the crossbars. A big secret is to use a small ring nail at each lashing or the lashing will work loose after time. Good luck and take care.

[@Naughtz]

great demonstration!!! side by side you can see the difference. Wish I was there I'm still kicking myself hahaha

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks Scott. The deep snow allowed us to do stuff with snowshoes and shelter that we usually never get to. I am working on a video of the three snow shelter we were able to build during the course and hope to have it up in the next few weeks. Take care.

[@markwallingford3252]

What an awesome video to really show the differance ... Great work thanks .... Mark....

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments Mark. Take care

[@bozobutte920]

I know this is an older video,the question is how do you get the front end of the shoe to curve up?

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

The entire skishoe is built and the tips are left with bark on until the last. Then we peel the bark off the tips, tie them together at the very tip with a constrictor knot, then pull back the rope while bending the tips upwards, and tie the rope to the foot bars. Thanks for your comments, take care

[@lephenix11]

i will try it! thank you from france!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Awesome. Send pictures of the finished craft if possible. Take care

[@max_fjellstorm]

Any chance you could show how to tie the Mors Kochanski way of making the binding?

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

I think it is published in one of his little survival pocket books. Unfortunately I don't have any video of that entire lashing. I know from tying it many times that it's basically an X pattern over the toe, and then a loop of bicycle tire around the leg and over the toe.

[@kayakncamping]

It looked like he was discussing a few different types of bindings. It would have been great to see the different binding types.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments Lucho. In Hindsight, I should have included the entire discussion on binding options. Maybe in a future video. Thanks and take care.

[@B_heron]

I'm gonna make a pair 🤙

[@2338]

At us in this year of a snow and was not soe. But it's still interesting to see, thanks.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments. Take care

[@billsimpson1876]

Hi Dale, I discovered your vids this past winter and have enjoyed your adventures and lessons. Question for you: In your opinion, what is your preferred species of sapling for making these? If you have opinions on several types I would appreciate it. I ask as I do not have easy access to much Spruce, however being on the West Coast I can easily get Red Alder, maybe W. Hemlock, Douglas fir and maybe W. Red Cedar. Thanks for your time!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Hi Bill, Thanks for your comments. I have made the Roycraft skishoes from birch, saskatoon, willow, tamarack, and black spruce. The best materials are for sure black spruce. Basically, the two most important details are straightness and strength. Unfortunately, don't have much experience with the trees you mentioned. I do know that I have never regretted building a set, even if it doesn't work out well, and the set breaks after a short while. The usual progression of this project is as follows: the first set is often built loosely and with poorly selected materials, and your knots often are not as tight as you hope. The second and third set are a great leap forward in quality and finished product, and you really begin to hone your skills at judging material sizes and getting the knots to hold well. By the time you have built 4 or more, they really perform better and last longer. It is really important to remember that just making the skishoes is not the only skill involved in gaining enjoyment from the project. A very important aspect to this type of snowshoe is what we call the 4th skill. Skill 1 to 3 are as follows: 1. choice of materials, 2. physical skill of the craftsman, and 3. experience working on the craft. The 4th skill is all about how you use the project once completed. It's wrong to think that we can just slap together a pair of Roycraft Skishoes and march out into the snow, and walk the same way we would if we were wearing a pair of modern aluminum snowshoes. We just can't push the craft that hard and it will take time to develop the skill in how to walk with this specialized piece of gear. They really are emergency skishoes - not heirloom snowshoes that last forever. In any case, I hope you have a great time searching for adequate materials and building a pair of skishoes. Remember to use the Jam know and also ring nails for the lashings. There are many subtle details to the project that are hard to gather from a KZbin video. Take care

[@billsimpson1876]

@@NatureAliveAdventures Thanks so much for the detailed and comprehensive response Dale. I can imagine the first couple of sets one makes have a tendency to come apart under use. I think I'll give it a go with the Red Alder (bit of an aggressive understory tree here, but common and flexible) and some #36 bank line. I've got a handle on the jam knots and locks, not familiar with ring nails for lashings. Any chance you could elaborate on this a bit? Thanks again!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

@@billsimpson1876 sure. Because paracord and bank line has a tendency to slide up and down on the snowshoes, we just hammer a small ring nail through each sapling and into the foot pads. The combination of a ring nail and jam knots keeps the lashings nice and tight and prevents the foot boards from slipping along the saplings. Hope that makes sence.

[@billsimpson1876]

Absolutely Dale, thanks for that. I didn't realize there was some hardware/fasteners involved, I thought it was something cordage-related I'd never heard of. Appreciate your response.

[@micstica]

The best is to watch fools trail running with snowshoes about the size of cake pans running along in about 3 inches of snow.

[@micstica]

I think they are the urban commando, tactical models. Defination: Urban commando. 2 sticks of dynamite and 1 snowshoe.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

Good stuff as always Dale. One day I will get to sit down and pick your brain over some tea, balsam fir or birch for me thanks!

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

That would be great, call or email any time. 780-305-6921, [e-mail]. Take care

[@mattiasnorberg]

Great video Dale👍😊

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks a bunch Mattias. Hope you are doing well and getting outside a bunch. Take care.

[@Washkeeton]

Thank you for this video...

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Your welcome. Thanks for your comment. Take care

[@brianspencer4220]

Seems to me that they bare really a home built form of cross country ski that has a poor slide. At least that is how it appears to me. Thanks Brian 77

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

That is a good description. There isn't really much slide with the Roycroft Ski Shoe. The are awesome in open areas with deep snow. However, they are kind of tough to use in tight forest with lot's of turns and maneuvering. We can make a crude pair in a couple hours, but a nice pair usually takes a better part of a day to build. That is still a considerable time savings compared to traditional snowshoes that require woodworking finesse and babiche or rawhide materials. Take care

[@WilliamCrooks]

Thanks for sharing well done, I know some boy scouts who will benefit from this.

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Thanks for your comments William. Glad to help out. I love working with Scouts. Great Program. Take care

[@jonathanruffing8780]

Good eh

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

Yup. and a totally fun project as well. Take care

[@WoodsmokeSelf-Reliance]

Tom Roycroft NOT Roycraft. I knew Thomas and studied woodsman skills under him (and Mors.)

[@NatureAliveAdventures]

You are mistaken my friend. Google Thomas Roycraft or check this link: bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/tom-roycraft-another-bushcraft-giant-has-passed.266556/ I taught with Mors since 2002 and I am one of Morss certified instructors, and along with Kelly Harlton, we teach the Karamat course in Mors footsteps. No worries though. Many people make the same mistake. karamat.com/in-memorium/