Wooden Snowshoes (Beavertail)

Iverson’s beavertail snowshoes are made for going far afield and breaking a trail. They are made for soft virgin snow and float better than aluminum snowshoes. The open rawhide lacing lets the snow filter through so your snowshoes don’t turn into shovels. The extended tail acts like a rudder as you cut through the snow, keeping your stride straight in long cross-country hikes.
 
Best of all, Iverson wooden snowshoes are silent, so you don’t disrupt the wilderness you’re out there to see with a clanking pair of aluminum boats.
 
The frames of the snowshoes are made from White Ash wood harvested from near Iverson’s factory in Michigan’s Upper Penninsula. Ash is strong with a long straight grain that bends well and keeps its shape. The wood stays flexible and doesn’t become brittle, so it is less likely to break or crack. Even after long periods of hiking, ice won’t build up on the wood, so you don’t have to worry about the bottom of the snowshoes becoming slick and creating a sledding effect.
 
The knotted rawhide lacing spreads your weight out over a larger area to allowing you to float on the snow, and doubles as traction for the snowshoes.
 
Iverson has improved the harness that clasps the snowshoe to your foot. The harness is tightened by simply tugging on a couple of straps, eliminating the need for fumbling around with frozen leather and buckles in the middle of a hike. 

Bindings "AA-W" 
The AA-W has a black leather foot bed and black nylon webbed straps. 

Binding "Snow Walker (SW)"
The Snow Walker has a metal foot bed and three metal tines that grip into packed snow. Tightens with a ratchet strap with a push button release and adjustable heel strap.
 
Snowshoes are also available without either binding.

Tighten the snowshoe harness around your footwear and go out into the snow. These shoes can take a maximum of 200 pounds — don’t forget to factor in your pack or anything you may be gathering on your way.
 
The snowshoes are made to be sturdy so there shouldn’t be much to worry about while you’re walking. The only thing to avoid is “bridging.” If you are going to step on something, step on it with your whole foot. Don’t put the toe of the snowshoe on a stone and the heel on a log, with your foot hovering over nothingness. It’ll take a pretty heavy person to snap it this way, but it’s best not to try.
 
Iverson snowshoes are triple-dipped in protective varnish. To keep the shoes protected over the years, apply a layer of spar varnish with a paint brush once a year. Spar varnish (also called marine varnish) was originally made for boats but works great for snowshoes because it is water resistant and elastic. With the right treatment the shoes will last three lifetimes, if you slack on it, they’ll may only last 60 years.
 
Let the shoes (and the rawhide) dry fully after each use. 

Iverson’s snowshoes are made in twenty steps, all of which are done by hand in Shingleton, Michigan (population: 309). The wood is cut, steamed, shaped and kiln dried. Holes are drilled and hardware attached. After the first dip in varnish, the frames are sent to the lacers, who mostly work from home, knotting the rawhide into place. The whole shoe is dried for 4–5 days and dipped three more times in the varnish before shipping out. 

Please email support@kaufmann-mercantile.com.  We reply to every email promptly. Or call us at 347 529 5122.

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