Military Surplus Magnesium shoes
Run anywhere from $60-$80+ and will last forever.
First off, I have to say that although I am retired Army, I am not, in general, a "military surplus" guy. I am fully aware that a lot of the stuff I used for 21 years was contracted by the lowest bidder... but...
I have a set of Mil Surplus Magnesium snowshoes. I also have a set of "civilian" snow shoes (can't remember the brand). One thing I noticed right away is that the "civilian" ones are very light (that was good), but also very narrow. When I wear them with a heavy pack, I sink down a lot more than if I am wearing my Army snowshoes. I've had them 10 years (the civilian ones) and the plastic bindings are cracked and broken, as is much of the plastic webbing.
My military shoes are God-only-knows-how-old before I even bought them (from DRMO at Fairchild AFB) when I retired from the Army in 2011 and still in great shape. If you can find them, I suggest the black rubber military bindings (I'll try to remember to snap a photo of mine later). Much easier to screw with than the canvas ones. Also, they
are heavier than most civilian shoes.
