Once considered a crucial tool assisting in the mobility of indigenous peoples living in snow-covered areas around the world, the snowshoe has resurfaced as a budget-friendly form of fitness and adventure.
Since the snowshoeing boom in the 1990s, the number of models on the market has mushroomed offering consumers a wide variety of choices. One of the brands now making headway in North America is Baldas Snowshoes.
When we first learned of Baldas Snowshoes, we were intrigued by their unique approach to the design and construction process of their snowshoes – all of which takes place in Italy. The company reached out to Gumption Gear and asked us to put two of their best models to the test.
While our field team is out plowing through the late Sierra snow drifts, we wanted to share a little more about the Baldas brand.
Getting to Know Baldas…
Whether it’s haute couture, the Ferrari, or fine glass of Sangiovese, the Italians seem to have a knack for doing things with a unique style and elegance.
So when you consider that the Italians know technical, jagged mountain terrain better than anyone (heard of the Alps?) it only makes sense that a snowshoe company imagined, built and tested in Italy, prides itself as being on the forefront of cutting edge designs and technologies.
Baldas Snowshoes is a product line by Ferrino (www.ferrino.it), a family owned maker of premium quality outdoor gear for over 140 years.
Baldas has three main lines of shoes, the Expedition, Trekking and Youth. Within those lines are several models, made to fit snowshoers of varied abilities and terrain preferences. The Expedition is for the more advanced snowshoer, made for extended hikes or backpacking trips on varied or difficult terrain.
The first company to combine plastic and ceramic technologies, Baldas Snowshoes are built for speed and endurance at any temperature or elevation. Their unique molding and production cycle also makes for dynamic and elegant lines not normally seen on the standard snowshoe.
Baldas compliments their unique decking designs with their Castor binding. The Castor has a step-in frame that covers and fastens in the toe in the front end. The one piece binding also helps keep the foot tracking straight while using a ratchet system to secure the boot into a solid base plate, so your foot stays secure mile after mile.
During an extended review period, our team will be putting the Baldas Miage and Trek Gripsnowshoes to the test in an effort to see if they perform as good as they look.
With late winter storms dumping snow across California’s Mountain Ranges, we have plenty of time to test the Baldas Snowshoes in fresh thick powder and report back with a full review coming in the fall of 2012.