An apparatus for traveling across snow includes a ski having opposing ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and an aperture extending therethrough between the top and bottom surfaces. The apparatus also includes a centerboard pivotally connected to the ski and disposed at least partially within the aperture in the ski. The apparatus further includes a binding plate configured to have a boot binding connected thereto.

A heel unit for an alpine touring binding, comprising a binding body which is suitable for holding a heel portion of an alpine touring shoe in a downhill position of the heel unit and for releasing the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe in an alpine touring position of the heel unit, such that the alpine touring shoe can lift off the heel unit, and a climbing aid which is adjustable between an active position and a passive position, wherein, while in the active position, the climbing aid supports the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe at a predetermined height above a sliding board plane in the alpine touring position of the heel unit, wherein the climbing aid is biased over the entire path of movement thereof into the active position by means of a flexible element and can be locked in the passive position.

A frame of a snowshoe has an annular frame, a vamp, a plurality of teeth and an upper, wherein the annular frame is made from a metal pipe with a triangular cross-section, the front end of the annular frame is upturned, the middle portion of the annular frame is horizontal, and the rear portion of the annular frame is horizontal or upturned; the annular frame has a top surface for mounting a vamp and has a bottom surface with a sharp downward angle, and the lateral teeth for anti-skid effect are mounted on the bottom surface of the frame. The snowshoe is simple in structure, light and easy to carry, high in strength, and firm and stable to mount, and is lightweight, safe and skid proof when walking on the snow and is convenient for climbing, so that it is suitable for people who like snow sports.

Snowshoes are provided which include a footwear supporting plate, a front binding device and a rear binding device. The plate has a lattice-like, essentially flat configuration formed by a plurality of hollow prismatic structures partially superimposed on one another. The main axis (x) of each hollow prismatic structure may be inclined by an angle (α) between 20° and 70° relative to a middle plane of the plate, in such a manner that lower edges of the hollow prismatic structures form sharp edges which allow the plate to grip snow and inner surfaces of the hollow prismatic structures offer high resistance to penetration into snow allowing for the distribution of weight of a user over a wide contact surface, thereby ensuring good floatability.

The present invention relates to collapsible snowshoes. In one embodiment, a collapsible snowshoe includes a collapsible frame, a webbing and a binding. The collapsible snowshoe frame includes a first pair of bars, a second pair of bars, a pair of joints and a center bar securing the pair of joints to each other. The second pair of bars are each collapsible and include bar sections that are removably coupled to each other. The pair of joints is coupled to the corresponding first end of each of the first pair of bars, and is also coupled to the corresponding first end of each of the second pair of bars.

A frame of a snowshoe has an annular frame, a vamp, a plurality of teeth and an upper, wherein the annular frame is made from a metal pipe with a triangular cross-section, the front end of the annular frame is upturned, the middle portion of the annular frame is horizontal, and the rear portion of the annular frame is horizontal or upturned; the annular frame has a top surface for mounting a vamp and has a bottom surface with a sharp downward angle, and the lateral teeth for anti-skid effect are mounted on the bottom surface of the frame. The snowshoe is simple in structure, light and easy to carry, high in strength, and firm and stable to mount, and is lightweight, safe and skid proof when walking on the snow and is convenient for climbing, so that it is suitable for people who like snow sports.

A padded overshoe assembly for facilitating a user to walk on a fragile surface includes a shoe binding for receiving a user's shoe. A paddle is provided and the shoe binding is pivotally disposed on the paddle. The paddle has a width and a length that is greater than the width and the length of the sole to evenly distribute the user's weight over a surface upon which the user is walking thereby reducing the likelihood the user will damage the surface. A cushion is coupled to and extends downwardly from the paddle to abut the surface upon which the user is walking. Additionally, the cushion is comprised of a resiliently compressible material to inhibit the surface from being damaged by the user.

The invention relates to a snowshoe including a base structure forming a shoe area and a lift area, in which the lift area comprises a side projection on each side of the shoe area, a front portion of the snowshoe substantially corresponding to the front of the shoe area.

Snowshoes are provided which include a footwear supporting plate, a front binding device and a rear binding device. The plate has a lattice-like, essentially flat configuration formed by a plurality of hollow prismatic structures partially superimposed on one another. The main axis (x) of each hollow prismatic structure may be inclined by an angle (α) between 200 and 70° relative to a middle plane of the plate, in such a manner that lower edges of the hollow prismatic structures form sharp edges which allow the plate to grip snow and inner surfaces of the hollow prismatic structures offer high resistance to penetration into snow allowing for the distribution of weight of a user over a wide contact surface, thereby ensuring good floatability.

A heel unit for an alpine touring binding, comprising a binding body which is suitable for holding a heel portion of an alpine touring shoe in a downhill position of the heel unit and for releasing the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe in an alpine touring position of the heel unit, such that the alpine touring shoe can lift off the heel unit, and a climbing aid which is adjustable between an active position and a passive position, wherein, while in the active position, the climbing aid supports the heel portion of the alpine touring shoe at a predetermined height above a sliding board plane in the alpine touring position of the heel unit, wherein the climbing aid is biased over the entire path of movement thereof into the active position by means of a flexible element and can be locked in the passive position.