[leadin]Snowshoes are almost always rigid metal, plastic, or wood contraptions that don’t pack down small.[/leadin]
For anyone who would like to stow snowshoes in a pack or other small space, a new product called Small Foot is a viable option.
These aren’t the only stab at inflatable snow shoes, but they look well designed. Small Foot snowshoes were introduced last year and are now raising money for production on Kickstarter.
The company makes inflatable snowshoes that have crampons for traction and a heel lift for climbing, much like traditional snowshoes.
But these have the big difference of packing down small to fit in a backpack or even a pocket of a ski jacket, the company claims.