Racing Snowshoe Modification: Direct Mounting

Racing Snowshoe Modification: Direct Mounting

Your are racing snowshoe and you want to take your racing to the next level.  Here is a quick fix: racing snowshoe direct mounting.  So you ask, “What is Ray talking about?”  I am talking about taking you pair of racing snowshoe and directly mounting/bolting a pair of running shoes to them.  No more clunky bindings, but rather a sleek racing snowshoe system.

Reasons to Modify your Racing Snowshoe

The main reason for me to modify my racing snowshoe is that snowshoe racing in your running shoes feel so much closer to my running style rather than the clunky feeling of running in the racing snowshoe bindings.  Another thing that I really like is that by direct mounting a pair of running shoes to my racing snowshoe, I can use my cycling booties on my shoes to help keep my feet warm.  This direct mounting “quick-fix” will take you to a new level of snowshoe racing.

Direct Mount Running Shoes to your Racing Snowshoe

How to Make Your Own Racing Snowshoe with Direct Binding

Tools you will need.

Tools You Will Need

1) Drill

2) Drill Bits (small and large)

3) Phillips Screwdriver

Materials you will need

Materials You Will Need

1) T-Nuts

2) Bolts

3) Lock-washers

4) Permatex High Strength Threadlocker Red

Step-by-Step Instructions

READ ALL STEPS IN THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE YOUR RACING SNOWSHOE DIRECT MOUNTS.  THERE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW.

1) Remove the current bindings from your racing snowshoe.

2) Chose a pair of running shoes that will be able to take the stress of having bolts put through the bottoms without having the bolts rip right through.  I suggest a trail running shoe that has a rock plate.  However, the pair of direct mounted racing snowshoe have just regular road racing running shoes.

Fore and Aft Placement of the Running Shoe

3) Fore and aft placement of the running shoe:  You want to line up where the ball of your foot is with the plate on your racing snowshoe.

4) Once you find you fore and aft placement take a felt tip marker and mark through the holes on the plate on your racing snowshoe to the bottom of your running shoe.  This is going to be used as the guide where you will drill holes all the way through the bottom of you running shoes.

5) Purchase T-Nuts to be just a bit shorter than the thickness of your running shoes. To figure out the correct length of the T-Nut you will have to drill the holes in your running shoes before purchasing the T-Nuts. Remove the lining in your running shoes and use a small width drill bit (1/8”) and drill the holes.  This drilling will used to get a measurement of the thickness of the soles of your running shoes.  Poke the drill bit thought the holes and mark how far it goes in to get your thickness measurement.  REMOVE the drill bit from the drill when doing this.  This measurement will also determine the length of the bolts you will need.

6) Find a drill bit that is the same width of the T-Nuts and drill the holes from the bottom all the way through the running shoe.

7) Buy a few different lengths of the bolts.  The for the different lengths are because there are a few variables that need to be taken into account: a) The thickness of the lock-washer, b) The thickness of the racing snowshoe mounting plate, and c) When tightening the bolt into the T-Nut, how much your running shoe sole will compress.

8 ) Take a T-Nut and from the inside of your running shoes insert it into the drilled hole so the head is flush on the inside of your running shoe.  Try one of the bolts and tighten it down all the way.  If it sticks through the inside of your running shoe try the next smaller length bolt.

9) After finding the correct length bolt, place a generous amount of the threadlocker in the threads of a T-Nut.  Just do one T-Nut at a time.

10) Take the T-Nut with the threadlocker and from the inside of your running shoes insert it into one of the holes so the head is flush on the inside of your running shoe.

The Bolts after screwing in from the bottom.

11) Place the running shoe on the mounting on your racing snowshoe and take a bolt with a lock-washer and shove it through the hole to catch the teeth of the T-Nut.  Start screwing the bolt into the T-Nut, but do not tighten it all the way.  You need to be able to move it around to line up the other bolt(s).

12) Insert the other bolt with a lock-washer and tighten both screws.

13) Repeat on the other racing snowshoe.

Using a Cycling Bootie to Keep My Feet Warm