PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 5, 2023
Foam snowshoes, the newest snowshoes on the market, are part running shoe, part bedroom slipper and part snowshoe. They are made of ethylene-vinyl acetate, the same material used in today’s high-end running shoes. These modern snow toys are smaller and narrower than the modern aluminum snowshoes, or the large, traditional wooden ones. Molded in a rocking-shape design and incredibly light, they allow a user to walk with a more natural gait. These snowshoes do not require you walk bowlegged, so there’s less strain on your back. They are ideal is on groomed Nordic trails but are not recommended for mountain ascents that bring icy paths and soft, deep powder.