Dyke Williams and Greg Wilcox have been working for the past twenty-five years now to bring you the very best in kits and finished outdoor equipment.

Their goal is to provide:
Gear that truly works well
Great value for modest investment, and
Expert service and counsel.

The concept actually began in 1972 as a store and mail order business called Country Ways Kits, co founded by Dyke to provide outdoor equipment kits to his consulting clients. After all, the basic premise of experiential education is to "do it first and talk about it later." Kit making so often provides firsthand learning of that crucial connection between "effort in" and "result out." So, the first kits went to school, college, scout camp and environmental education programs.

“For us, the point was then, as it is now, to build gear with the very best in design, materials, construction and ultimate function.”

Today, "Country Ways" by Wilcox & Williams, Inc. carries on the Country Ways name and tradition.
The Country Ways Guarantee:

“We're good and we're honest. If something isn't right, we'll make it right. Just let us know.” A concept we admire and stand behind!

Most of the Country Ways products we sell are designed and manufactured at their shop in Minneapolis, MN. Country Ways has been working for the past thirty years to bring you the very best "high tech traditional snowshoes" and their own style of lodge furnishings. Our goal is to provide exceptional service and advice, helping choose the product that works best for your particular need. For Country Ways, the point was then, as it is now, to provide products with the very best in design, materials, construction and ultimate function, which is why we have chosen to present their products in our store. 

Snowshoes

Traditional vs. High Tech or "Urban"

Snowshoeing works for everyone! It's truly easy! Anyone can start right out and be an expert in 20 minutes. It's family and inter-generational-any collection of sizes, ages and interests enjoys snowshoeing together. You can go anywhere there's snow-no need for set tracks or even trails at all-just "set out". Almost any boots, clothing and budget will get you started in snowshoeing. It's enjoyable, restful, predictable, trustworthy, rhythmic, social, warm, aerobic-and the fastest growing winter activity in the country.

Background
Snowshoes are at least 6,000 to 10,000 years old, and appear to have crossed the Bering land bridge to us on the feet of both people and horses. Today's "traditional" snowshoe shapes reflect the refinements made during all of that time by people for whom having proper performance was always a most serious issue. Wood was bent to amazingly sophisticated shapes, upon which no one has improved to this day. Decking was hand laced (usually elk or caribou hide) because it was lighter than solid and let the snow back through.

Today
Recently there has been a spate of what is called "urban" snowshoes-mostly aluminum frames and solid synthetic decking. They've sold well with promises of being light, high tech and all you'd ever need. Hybrid versions in fact are extremely good for steep-ascent mountaineering and for running and racing-fields we choose not to enter. But, we believe almost ALL of today's snowshoe walking is done under the more normal conditions found in New England, the Midwest and the off-summit mountain areas of the west. For these on-and-off-trail condition, snowshoes that combine the best designs with the best of modern materials are going to give you the safest and most enjoyable of snowshoeing experiences.

After 30 years in the business and over fifty years of snowshoeing, here's a brief summary of how Country Ways has found various snowshoe genres compare:

·        Traditional
Many excellent designs, esp. Ojibwa, Alaskan, Huron and modified bearpaw. Wood allows pointed tails (& toes), is as strong as tubing, only slightly heavier, and can't fill with water and freeze. Rawhide lacing is not very strong and gets eaten. Neoprene lacing usually heavier, cannot be protected with varnish and wears away over time.

·        Urban
Shape is constrained by what bending machines can do to tubing (i.e: no pointed toes and only a few vestigial tails). Noisy and inherently slippery. The solid decking takes less handwork, is sometimes heavier than laced and doesn't let snow back through (heavier in use). No way to protect decking lacing or tabs which wear away over time-many makers sell re-decking kits. Most are "light" because they're small (low surface area=low flotation). The Large of a well-known urban shoe line has the same effective square inches of flotation as our Ojibwa Small (our Large has 75% more area than their Large)

·        Optimum
Each genre has its good points-why not combine them? Wood frames are strong, solid, quiet, have full-length traction edges and take ideal design shapes. It's worth it to us to hand lace and urethane coat our TechDeck Matrix System because it's incredibly light, strong, also high-traction, and darned good looking besides. After measuring weights and actual surface areas of most "back-country" urban shoes, our optimum Wilderness Series shoes are generally lighter overall than comparable urban versions per square inch of flotation. Average weights run about 6 ounces heavier per pair, yet for that you get 50-to-75% more flotation. That makes especially off-trail walking VERY much easier, less work, safer and more enjoyable. Might as well!

REMEMBER:

• Pointed Tails - ALWAYS have them.
• Rise of Toe - ALWAYS have a fair amount, with a gradual curve rather than an abrupt lift. 
• You can protect traditional frames and lacing forever with occasional varnish touch-ups. 
• Pick shoes and bindings which can be repaired in the woods with the tape and light line in your pocket.
• There is an unspoken agreement among traditional snowshoers that the new Lycra snowshoe "outfits" aren't actually necessary.

Picking Your Snowshoe Size

Roughly match snowshoe size to your body weight plus the weight of any pack.

As a rule, smaller shoes are easier to walk on. If close to a size break, choose larger shoes if you have long legs, wear a hefty pack, regularly break trail or have light, fluffy snow.

Choose smaller shoes for shorter legs, denser snow or packed trails (even if new snow covers the old tracks).

Bindings

Country Ways Modified H Style

Neoprene bindings are strong, always flexible (even when wet or cold), won't stretch, decay or be eaten by rodents. The unique, common sense mounting angle (works for any traditional snowshoe) gives extraordinary lateral control so your boot always aims the snowshoe.  This would be the binding we would recommend for your own personnel snowshoes.  The one disadvantage of this style is that it does not quickly adjust to other boot sizes.  If you want a binding that will adjust easily and quickly to many different boots try the Super 'A' or the Flexy.  You will, however, give up some control. Sold in pairs.

Country Ways Modified H fits up to men's boot size 13.

Country Ways Mountain H Bindings:

Extra over-the-toe neoprene front flap for long & steep descents in hills & mountains.

For Mountain H choose Regular - up to men's boot size 10.5, or Large - men's boot size 11 and up to 13.  Will add an additional $10.00 to the cost of a kit or finished pair.

Super A Style

A very popular and easy to use harness for traditional snowshoes!
The Super 'A' harness features:
Flexible, white nitrile - coated polyester harness to encompass your boot. 36' neoprene heel strap with nickel plated buckles for tight, non-slip heel fit. Rugged 5/8' nylon web strapping secured with T-buckle to secure the harness over the top of your boot.   Freeze-free performance.   Easy on and off  and excellent snowshoe tracking for frustration-free performance.Easy to follow mounting instructions are included.  We think you will like the performance this harness will give you!               

Fits up to size 13

Flexy Rubber Bindings: 

Currently Unavailable - Handily stretch to fit almost any type and size boot. Great for growing feet,  & multiple snowshoe users, very easy in and out!  this is the binding that comes standard with our children's snowshoes. Less lateral control than H's. Choose Small (children's and small women's boots), Large (to men's boot 10) or XLarge (up to men's 13).

Country Ways Lighting

Country Ways does a lot more than snowshoes! With over 35 years of making snowshoes and furniture, Country Ways has learned a great deal about making a quality product.  They brought that same commitment to quality when they started making table and wall lamps in 1995.  Here is some of what was learned:

They use only UL certified parts in their lamps, however, the finished lamp does not carry the UL listing, this is due to the high cost associated with this process.  Most specialty custom lighting you will see will not be UL certified.  Generally speaking only lamps made by manufacturers that can be sold by the thousands and tens-of-thousands of units can justify the cost of certification.

There are many choices when it comes to the cost and quality of parts that go into a lighting fixture.  Country Ways’ lamp sockets are brass, they use a heavy duty harp and saddle to secure the shade to the lamp.  In other words, they choose the lamp parts based not on how cheap they can get each of them, but on how they will look and perform now and in the future. 

Country Ways truly thinks of each of their lighting fixtures as a unique work of art.  Here's hoping you agree!