Frequently Asked Questions
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Winter Camping Gear
Are Snowtrekker tents waterproof?
The Sunforger tent material strikes the balance between being water repellant yet still breathable, which is critical for allowing moisture to escape from the tent and maintaining a dry interior environment. In our experience Snowtrekker tents do repel water quite well, staying dry inside over many hours of steady rain.
What’s the best way to guy out your tent in the snow?
This can be done either with large, wide tent stakes designed for snow or with the use of forest materials. We will soon be stocking light-weight, military-grade aluminum stakes that are well-suited for snow, which will be great for camping in parks or faster setup. When backcountry camping we have typically guyed-out the side and back walls to logs laid parallel and buried in snow (deadmen) and treetops driven into the snow for the front wall guy-out. This is a little more fun and foresty, but does take some extra effort!
What do you use for a floor in your Snowtrekker tents?
Indeed canvas prospector-style tents typically do not have built-in floor material, but most people want to have some type of flooring when setup for overnight camping. The choice of flooring depends on a number of “environmental” factors and personal preference, of course.
For backcountry camping in normal winter conditions (i.e. setting up the tent on a frozen snowpack) we typically use spruce boughs laid down over the snow, which makes for a nice cushy and fresh-smelling floor. When that’s not possible, or conditions are not amenable, we use a thick 10 mil ground tarp cut to size. With small kids bouncing around the tent, we layer foam mats, thermarests, blankets, and sleeping bags across the back half of the tent to create a warm and comfy play/sleeping space.
What's the best way to support an angled stovepipe?
Up until recently this has required the use of scissor poles outside the tent, which entails lashing the stovepipe to a set of crossed poles (usually green treetops) buried into the snow. Although this looks cool and is a fun way of using the materials provided by the forest, it does take time to set up and may not be possible in certain situations. Recently we've started using the new stove pipe support rings, sold by Snowtrekker and manufactured by Brautigam Expedition Works. These are quick and easy to setup, and provide a secure pipe support system that's attached only to the tent itself.
How do I keep my stove from sinking into the snow after burning overnight?
This is a challenge, but something that can be mitigated with a few tricks. First off is to place your stove on >3” diameter floats cut from green wood (laid perpendicular to the length of the stove), and lash the base of the stove legs securely to the floats with seizing wire. The floats should extend beyond the sides of the stove by >6” in order to stay supported in the more distant snow. Secondly, placing heat reflective sheets under and around the stove helps minimize the melting around the stove.
Snowtrekker now makes heat reflectors sized to fit Trekker, Alaskan Jr., and Alaskan stoves, as well as large stove hearth mats that together minimize snow melting considerably. Alternatively, laying green wood or boughs around the stove may also help in minimizing melt, but please check that it is not at risk of catching fire. Even implementing the measures above, if camping multiple nights in the same location, you will likely need to take a few minutes to fill and pack the spot under the stove at some point.
How do I keep my stove from warping?
The portable, lightweight, rolled steel stoves we typically use for backcountry winter camping can warp a bit over time, as a result of rapid heating and cooling. So the best mitigating measures are to build up to max heat gradually on the first few burns and in cold temperatures, and raise the fire off the stove bottom a bit. Kni-Co does make false bottoms for the stove; however, we find that placing a thick layer of wood pieces along the base of the stove and starting the fire on top of that works pretty well.
Winter Travel Gear (see also the LOTN Gear Selection Guides)
Can I roll up my toboggan for transport?
Indeed, the fully-assembled trail (freight) toboggans roll up quite nicely, down to <20” diameter cylinders, and come with two sets of nylon straps to secure them in rolled up form (in fact this is the way they’re shipped). So the toboggans can easily fit in the trunk of most cars. Since the plastic does become a bit more brittle in very cold conditions, it’s best not to roll them up quite as tightly on the way home from your winter adventure!
How should I store my toboggan at home?
It is best to store them unrolled and out of direct sunlight if possible. The plastic does tend to retain some curl after unrolling, but will easily regain a flat shape when loaded. Also, it is possible that the plastic may become weaker or more brittle in places if left rolled up or exposed to UV light for long periods.
I see your toboggans are made with HDPE plastic, how does this compare with UHMW plastic?
Both plastics come in the same thicknesses and have similar effective surface smoothness, and so are both able to haul heavy loads (see videos here). The main differences are in the flexibility and price. While HPDE is very flexible and durable, it can start to become more brittle at -20C or lower and may be susceptible to breakage if stressed too much in very cold conditions. UHMW is also considerably more expensive of a material, and thus we make our toboggans with HDPE to provide an affordable and effective solution.
Which style of traditional snowshoes are right for me?
Although both Huron and Bearpaw snowshoes significantly outperform modern snowshoes in the deep, uncompacted snow of the backcountry, deciding between them is a function of the intended use, type of terrain, and personal preference. Huron style snowshoes are best-suited for straight-line walking in open country (e.g. on lakes, rivers, marshes, and fields), whereas Bearpaw-style shoes (lacking the long tail) are generally preferable when maneuverability is required as in more forested country (e.g. bush trails, portages, around camp, or when trapping, hunting or gathering wood).
What size snowshoes are right for me?
This is mostly a function of height and weight. The wider snowshoes can support more weight with minimal sinking into uncompacted snow, but also require a longer stride to keep the frames clear of each other while walking. A general size classification would be: 12” wide snowshoes for <130 lbs, 14” wide snowshoes for 130-170 lbs, and 16” wide snowshoes for >170 lbs. If on the border between sizes, longer strides should size up.
Materials
What is the difference between 3 oz and 5 oz hide?
From a technical perspective, the hide weight translates into its thickness, so the 5 oz hide is almost twice as thick (~2 mm) as the 3 oz hide (~1.2 mm).
In practice, this difference in thickness has a few effects when hand stitching our DIY kits. The first is in flexibility/softness, where 3 oz hide is more flexible/less stiff than 5 oz hide. The second is in the ease of stitching. The 5 oz hide can be difficult to pull the needle through, and can require a thimble or even pliers to aid in pulling through. That's not to say that working with 5 oz hide is a problem for most people, just that in some cases it can take some extra time and effort.
Will the 5 oz hide last longer than the 3 oz hide?
If protected, with one of our Rubber Soling kits for example, the hide should not wear down over time and both 3 oz and 5 oz hide should last a lifetime!
If left unprotected, and worn on hard rough surfaces (e.g. rocks, pavement), the hide will wear down over time (like any material). So in that situation the 5 oz hide would likely last longer than the 3 oz hide.
What material are the Anoraks made from?
Our anoraks are made from 10 oz. canvas that has been preshrunk (by hot wash & dry cycle) to tighten up the weave. This makes them essentially windproof yet still allows moisture to escape through the cotton fibres. This windproof breathability makes them ideal for staying dry when working in the cold winter environment, which is critical to staying warm when the work is done and the temperatures drop. The 10 oz. canvas is also highly durable, and much more resistant to abrasion than most modern synthetic materials.
Should I coat my moccasins and anorak to make them waterproof?
Both our moccasins and anoraks are designed for use in sub-freezing temperatures, and thus designed to be breathable and not waterproof. We have not tried applying a waterproofing substance to our products, but anticipate that this would severely compromise their breathability and nullify one of their most important qualities for winter use.