Want to invest in a good pair of snowshoes that actually work in deep powder. I have a cheap plastic pair that are basically worthless. Any suggestions?

Pm ..Boco ..he will have your answer

Walking roads or through the brush? The long ones like Boo likes are great for walking in the open, but if you are walking through trees and brush with limbs and brush in the snow I prefer a snowshoe with a solid deck. The woven ones I have issues with brush getting hung up in. Walking in our timbered mountains up and down hills through the trees and brush I like a 9x30 pair with a solid deck, ice cleats and ratchet bindings. If I was walking in open mostly level ground the long narrow ones are ideal for walking long distances.

Most snowshoes are rated for how much weight they will "float". I recommend weighing yourself and all the gear you plan on packing, then if you are anywhere near the upper limit, move up to the next size.

Depends on your terrain. I am always in steep stuff. I have two pairs. Tubbs mountaineers which are bigger, with more floatation and Tubbs Flex alps. My theory was I'd use the mountaineers in deep snow conditions and the smaller ones when I had a good trail. The Flex Alps are small, with incredible traction and I just ended up useing those all the time. When you have a decent trail, you can cook pretty good in them. The Tubbs have great crampons and traction bars and harnesses that are good for the entire day without messing with them. I always wanted a pair of those Alaskans and I looked at them on Ebay all the time. I think they would have turned into skis in my terrain. I think good crampons are a must. When you're in that old growth timber a lot, the snow sometimes isn't too bad a lot of times. Anyway, I got along better with the smallest pair that could manage the snow. If you're keeping a decent trail, I would try to go smaller, but there's guys on here that know more than I do. One thing I bought is a good pair of crampons that go on your boots. Man, you can climb a mountain in those in steep conditions without the snowshoes sometimes. Gives you 4-wheel drive.

you have to get a pair thats is made for your weight , iverson make a real good shoeshoe

I use only the old wood military shoes made by CA Lund. You can still find some if you search. They are 10x56 and made in the 1940's & 50's.

Most modern shoes are worthless IMO because they lack sufficient upturn on the tips to be of much use in deep powder

i have three extra pair of CA Lunds plus one new pair style like CA Lunds with neoprene bindings

Must be your retirement fund )))
I have 4 pair of them. Can never have too many

I've had a couple pairs of those, or if they have enough upturn they have the bindings attached at the wrong point so that the toe doesn't lift enough when you raise your foot. I actually find this worse in a light crust than powder. If you have just enough of a crust that your snowshoe breaks through it, if you don't have enough upturn or the toe doesn't raise (heel droop) as you lift your foot to step forward the toe will go under the crust as you step forward, either causing much more fatigueing or result in you landing on your face if you're not paying attention.

The cheap knockoffs are particularly bad for not having the bindings attached to the right place for proper balance, I have owned a few pairs of those knockoffs because they copied my preferred ratchet type bindings that have become hard to find on new quality snowshoes. I like those bindings not only because they hold well without having to readjust them, but you can operate them with gloves on, and they are quick and easy to put on and off without having to remove your gloves. If you are putting your shoes on once and not taking them off until the end of the day, not such a big deal. But if you are like me and hopping on and off a snowmachine, and putting on and taking off snowshoes a couple dozen or more times a day, being able to operate the bindings quickly and efficiently with gloves and not having to stop and readjust them after walking a little in them becomes very important.

My preferred snowshoes are also no longer made, you once said you had a pair hanging on the side of your cabin and hated them, if you still have those Cabela's snowshoes made by Atlas I might be interested in buying them off you. I've got a pair I literally wore through the decking on I used them so much and have never found the right material to redeck them with.

Oh you're talking about those awful Cabela's Guide Snowshoe. They were so bad I only used them to go to the outhouse. Thankfully some misguided soul stole them not knowing just what misery he was in for.

"Alaskan trail" style with up swept tips, long narrow snowshoes almost like wide skis. as long as your not in the brush. Bob maki rubber bindings made out of inner tube type rubber are fast and easy to get in and out of.

Iversons makes a 10”x72” shoe. Good for open country.

I've never seen snowshoes that are GOOD in deep powder snow!
Open windswept country, 10 x72 do ok.

I wonder if the pointed Ojibway Iversons would be better in the woods?

If the OP is planning to use them in the dense "powder" snow of the Oregon cascade mountains, I would suggest he go on Ebay and find a pair of Sherpa Trackers; lots of flotation. You can probably find a pair with bindings for $50 or so.

Over the years, I’ve encountered so many people that have told me how much they LOVE snowshoeing. My reaction to myself was always, yeah, that’s only because you don’t do enough of it. A couple of hours on a groomed trail on a sunny afternoon sounds nice. Four miles up, with a pack, and at least a couple thousand feet of elevation gain and the novelty starts to wear off, and by the end of the day, you can’t wait to shed that ball and chain. I should have paid more attention to the skis.

My next venture is a Martin line out of a truck full of lynx proof martin boxes in Maine, with a good friend. Gentleman’s trapping, WITHOUT snowshoes. And those trucks have heaters and everything. Lol. At 64, that’s more my speed today.

Oh yours were the "Guide" snowshoes? I preferred the "Outfitter" which had a little more upsweep to the tip and a different decking on them. I'd take a pair of Guides nowadays though, if I could get them as a substitute.

Custom made Cree snowshoes-top notch for floatation in the deep snow in the thick boreal forest.
These are hunting shoes-very lightweight-ash frames.Go all day in deep snow without tiring out.Made in Moose Factory.

I have a pair of work snowshoes-bigger,heavier with Tamarack frames-made for trapline work and heavy packing in deep powder snow.
Made in Fort Albany.

I am in the eagle cap wilderness of eastern Oregon. Much different than the cascades. Basically your typical inter mountain west mountain range. Very cold, lots of snow.