Adjustable snowshoes

Abstract

A snowshoe having a floatation structure and a binding configured to secure a wearer's foot to the snowshoe. The floatation structure is adapted to distribute the weight of the wearer over an area larger than the wearer's foot. The snowshoe may include a pivot adjuster secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of pivotal movement occurring between the binding and the floatation structure. The pivot adjuster typically is configured to enable operation by the wearer while wearing the snowshoe. Additionally, or alternatively, the snowshoe may include a pivot limiter configured to enable selective adjustment of a permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure. In addition to or instead of these features, the snowshoe may include an extension configured for selective attachment to the floatation structure so as to permit selective variation of the area over which weight is distributed by the snowshoe.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a foot of a wearer;    a floatation structure to which the binding is pivotably secured, the floatation structure being configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot; and    a pivot adjuster secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of pivotal movement occurring between the binding and the floatation structure, where the pivot adjuster is configured to be operable by the wearer without the wearer having to remove the snowshoe.    
     
     
         2 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , where the pivot adjuster includes a limiter configured to enable selective adjustment of a permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.  
     
     
         3 . The snowshoe of  claim 2 , where the limiter includes a strap connected between the binding and floatation structure, the strap having a variable operative length that determines the permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.  
     
     
         4 . The snowshoe of  claim 3 , where the operative length of the strap is variable via selective engagement of a protrusion on the floatation structure with one of a plurality of spaced apart holes defined through the strap.  
     
     
         5 . The snowshoe of  claim 3 , where the strap extends aftward from the binding and is configured to enable manipulation of the strap from an upper side of the snowshoe.  
     
     
         6 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a floatation structure extension configured to be selectively secured to and removed from the floatation structure so as to selectively vary the area over which weight is distributed by the snowshoe.  
     
     
         7 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a heel riser secured to the snowshoe and selectively movable between an enabled and a disabled position, where the heel riser is configured to maintain a minimum pivotal displacement between the wearer's foot and the floatation structure when in the enabled position.  
     
     
         8 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , where the floatation structure includes a perimeter frame spanned at least partially by decking material.  
     
     
         9 . The snowshoe of  claim 1 , where the floatation structure includes an instep cutout configured to permit the wearer to employ a narrower stance when walking or running.  
     
     
         10 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a foot of a wearer;    a floatation structure to which the binding is pivotably secured, the floatation structure being configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot; and    a pivot limiter secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of a permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.    
     
     
         11 . The snowshoe of  claim 10 , where the pivot limiter is configured to enable the wearer to adjust the permitted range of pivoting while wearing the snowshoe.  
     
     
         12 . The snowshoe of  claim 10 , where the pivot limiter includes a strap connected between the binding and floatation structure, the strap having a variable operative length that determines the permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.  
     
     
         13 . The snowshoe of  claim 12 , where the strap extends aftward from the binding and is configured to enable manipulation of the strap from an upper side of the snowshoe.  
     
     
         14 . The snowshoe of  claim 12 , where the operative length of the strap is variable via selective engagement of a protrusion on the floatation structure with one of a plurality of spaced apart holes defined through the strap.  
     
     
         15 . The snowshoe of  claim 12 , where the snowshoe is configured to enable the wearer to adjust the operative length of the strap while wearing the snowshoe.  
     
     
         16 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a foot of a wearer;    a floatation structure to which the binding is pivotably secured, the floatation structure being configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot;    a floatation structure extension configured to be selectively secured to and removed from the floatation structure so as to selectively vary the area over which weight is distributed by the snowshoe; and    a pivot adjuster secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of pivotal movement occurring between the binding and the floatation structure, where the pivot adjuster is configured to be operable by the wearer without the wearer having to remove the snowshoe.    
     
     
         17 . The snowshoe of  claim 16 , where the pivot adjuster includes a limiter configured to enable selective adjustment of a permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.  
     
     
         18 . The snowshoe of  claim 17 , where the limiter includes a strap connected between the binding and floatation structure, the strap having a variable operative length that determines the permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.  
     
     
         19 . The snowshoe of  claim 18 , where the operative length of the strap is variable via selective engagement of a protrusion on the floatation structure with one of a plurality of spaced apart holes defined through the strap.  
     
     
         20 . The snowshoe of  claim 18 , where the strap extends aftward from the binding and is configured to enable manipulation of the strap from an upper side of the snowshoe.  
     
     
         21 . The snowshoe of  claim 16 , where the floatation structure includes a perimeter frame spanned at least partially by decking material.  
     
     
         22 . The snowshoe of  claim 16 , where the floatation structure extension is a removable tail piece configured for selective attachment to and removal from an aft portion of the floatation structure.  
     
     
         23 . The snowshoe of  claim 22 , where the removable tail piece is one of a plurality of different sized removable tail pieces, such that the binding, floatation structure and removable tail pieces define a snowshoe kit permitting end-user assembly of plural different snowshoe configurations.  
     
     
         24 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a foot of a wearer;    a floatation structure to which the binding is pivotably secured, the floatation structure being configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot;    a floatation structure extension configured to be selectively secured to and removed from the floatation structure so as to selectively vary the area over which weight is distributed by the snowshoe; and    a pivot limiter secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of a permitted range of pivoting between the binding and floatation structure.    
     
     
         25 . The snowshoe of  claim 24 , where the pivot limiter is configured to enable the wearer to adjust the permitted range of pivoting while wearing the snowshoe.  
     
     
         26 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a foot of a wearer;    a floatation structure to which the binding is pivotably secured, the floatation structure being configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot;    a pivot adjuster secured to the snowshoe and configured to enable selective adjustment of pivotal movement occurring between the binding and the floatation structure; and    a heel riser secured to the snowshoe and selectively movable between an enabled and a disabled position, where the heel riser is configured to maintain a minimum pivotal displacement between the wearer's foot and the floatation structure when in the enabled position.    
     
     
         27 . A snowshoe, comprising: 
 a binding configured to receive a wearer's foot;    a floatation structure to which the binding is secured, where the floatation structure is configured to distribute weight over an area larger than the wearer's foot; and    a floatation structure extension configured to be selectively secured to and removed from the floatation structure so as to selectively vary the area over which weight is distributed by the snowshoe.    
     
     
         28 . The snowshoe of  claim 27 , where the floatation structure includes a perimeter frame spanned at least partially by decking material.  
     
     
         29 . The snowshoe of  claim 27 , where the floatation structure extension is a removable tail piece configured for selective attachment to and removal from an aft portion of the floatation structure.  
     
     
         30 . The snowshoe of  claim 29 , where the removable tail piece is attachable to and removable from the floatation structure via operation of a latch mechanism including a depressible release tab provided on the floatation structure.  
     
     
         31 . The snowshoe of  claim 29 , where the removable tail piece is one of a plurality of different sized removable tail pieces, such that the binding, floatation structure and removable tail pieces define a snowshoe kit permitting end-user assembly of plural different snowshoe configurations.