Abstract: A snowshoe heel lift for preventing heel strain and fatigue is disclosed. The snowshoe heel lift described herein is comprised of a substantially planar heel platform and a bail member coupled thereto. The bail member articulates between a deployed and a retracted position. When in the deployed condition, the bail member abuts against an external support which is coupled to the heel platform. The external support keeps the bail member deployed and the bail member and external support are together capable of supporting the weight of a snowshoer, without collapsing. A heel lift and snowshoe combination is also disclosed.

Abstract: A snowshoe rear cleat assembly comprised, in a first embodiment, of a rigid substrate for mounting a rear cleat beneath, the rigid substrate underlapping a conventional rubberized snowshoe decking. The rigid substrate and rubberized decking together function to comprise the entire decking of a snowshoe. This underlapping design serves to cause the rear cleat to protrude a greater distance below the snowshoe frame, thereby allowing the cleat to penetrate a greater depth into snow, for better traction. Additionally, a heel strike plate is designed to prevent slippage of a snowshoer's footwear, and to serve to self-clean the bottoms of the snowshoer's footwear of snow and ice. In an alternate embodiment of the rear cleat assembly, the rigid substrate comprises the entire snowshoe decking and the rear cleat attaches underneath the rigid substrate.