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.

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.

A convertible binding comprising a base plate, a heel plate and a toe plate. The toe plate is rotatable from one end of a frame to either lie underneath the base plate or extend outward from the base plate to form a front portion of a snowshoe configuration. The heel plate is rotatable from a second end of the frame to either extend upward from the base plate to provide a heel back support for a snow board binding configuration to or extend outward from the base plate, in an opposing direction from said toe plate, to form a back portion of a snowshoe configuration. A mounting bracket with a forward and rear lip is attached to a snowboard and holds the convertible binding. A locking mechanism will hold the base plate down.

A snowshoe (1) in the form of an elongated plate called a mesh, onto which a fastener (3) is mounted, intended to hold the shoe of the user in place, the mesh being formed by an elongated plate comprising a front portion (6) called a spatula (6) extended rearward (AR) by a rear part, formed by a central portion (5) extended by a rear portion (7), the front portion (6) being curved upward to form the spatula, characterized in that the rear part is flexible at least longitudinally and at least in the central portion (5), while the front portion (6) of the mesh is rigid so as to be less flexible than the rear part, i.e. the other portions, particularly the central portion and the rear portion.

The hybrid snowshoe-ski comprises a rigid frame, a decking attached to the frame and a binding attached to one of the decking and the frame. The decking comprises undulations that each extend between first and second sides of the snowshoe-ski.

A snowshoe (1500) is formed from multi-density foam materials. The snowshoe (1500) generally includes a deck 1502 and binding 1504 mounted on the deck 1502. The deck 1502 is formed from layers of flexible multi-density foam materials and has a continuously curved bottom surface to promote forward rocking motion. Consequently, it is not necessary to provide a pivot plate with crampons or to provide an opening in the deck 1502. The deck 1502 further includes a traction plate 1510. The traction plate 1510 is formed from a material that is harder than the lower layer of the deck 1502. The traction plate 1510 includes a number of cleats 1512 distributed from side-to-side and front-to-back across the traction plate 1510. Each of the cleats 1512 includes a number of spikes 1514 for penetrating snow or ice to provide enhanced traction.

A convertible binding comprising a base plate, a heel plate and a toe plate. The toe plate is rotatable from one end of a frame to either lie underneath the base plate or extend outward from the base plate to form a front portion of a snowshoe configuration. The heel plate is rotatable from a second end of the frame to either extend upward from the base plate to provide a heel back support for a snow board binding configuration to or extend outward from the base plate, in an opposing direction from said toe plate, to form a back portion of a snowshoe configuration. A mounting bracket with a forward and rear lip is attached to a snowboard and holds the convertible binding. A locking mechanism will hold the base plate down.

A snowshoe-ski kit comprising a hybrid snowshoe-ski comprising a main body defining a bottom surface operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface. The hybrid snowshoe-ski further comprises a binding attached to the main body for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface. The kit also comprises a first removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient. The first skin is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body with either one of the first and second surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone or with the first skin installed with either one of the first and second skin surfaces exposed.

A snowshoe. The snowshoe includes a base and straps. The base is made of polyethylene foam. The base includes an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer edge. The lower surface is substantially flat and is designed to prevent the user from sinking into snow. The plurality of straps each include a first end opposing a second end. The first end and the second end are secured to the upper surface forming a loop. The straps are an attaching mechanism to keep the snowshoe on the user's boot or shoe.

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 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.