If you're like many people who don't feel very active during the winter, then snowshoeing could be your new hobby! Not only is it relatively inexpensive, since you only need snowshoes, but it also is easy to do for any age - Even kids enjoy trekking through the snow!
However, the process of choosing the correctly sized snowshoes for your little one can seem overwhelming at first. After all, it's based off the child's weight and not so much the shoe size. Luckily, we've made it a simple process on deciding to purchase your kiddo snowshoes. We hope this helps you figure things out a bit easier because it's not as difficult as it sounds.
Kids' Snowshoe Size Chart
When you're good and ready to get you kids a pair of snowshoes there are a few things to take into consideration before getting them. First, you need to find a solid, top-rated company such as Northern Lites' kids snowshoes for both dependability and safety features. Then, follow our easy guide to finding the perfect snowshoes for kids and youth.
Weight
Before you commit to snowshoes, you need to determine the appropriate width and length. Your child's weight will be the essential factor in this process, so it's important to know that number or pretty close. Here's the recommended weight limits for figuring out how long the snowshoes need to be:
- 16-inch snowshoes for children less than 50 lbs.
- 17 to 19-inch snowshoes for children 50 to 90 lbs.
- 20 to 22-inch snowshoes for children over 90 lbs.
Note: Consider women's snowshoes for children over 90 lbs. They tend to be more narrow and shorter than unisex snowshoe sizes. Since women's snowshoes use less material they're lightweight compared to unisex or men's.
Also, kids' snowshoe bindings are generally one size fits all to make them adaptable to growth spurts over the years.
Recommended Terrain for Kids' Snowshoes
Ensure your child feels comfortable the first few times they're trying their snowshoes out for a few reasons. One being the type of terrain they can easily venture on with kids' snowshoes. Basically, there are three types of terrain for snowshoeing enthusiasts:
- Trails (Beginner to Intermediate): Typically, easy to navigate and travel with well-packed snow. Most snowshoe trails are designed to accommodate all experience levels with little to no difficulty. Trails are best for first timers and families who enjoy snowshoeing pretty regularly.
- Rolling Terrain (Beginner to Intermediate): This terrain type can also be for more experienced snowshoers, since it can range from smaller hills to small mountains. It depends on the elevation and environment whether or not entry-level snowshoeing or kids can handle the terrain.
- Mountain Terrain (Intermediate to Advanced): Depending on what elevation you're used to living, entry-level or families can sometimes handle mountains their first time. However, this type of terrain is mostly recommended for snowshoers who've already been on rolling terrain a few times. Also known as backcountry trails in snowshoe terms.
Recommended Best Kids' Snowshoes
Northern Lites and Crescent Moon snowshoes both offer a wide variety of kids snowshoes in all sizes and color. They also have adult snowshoes and snowshoe accessories. Shop their impressive inventory for your entire family!