Why are snow shoes used for walking in really deep snow?

Answer 1

Snowshoes are often depicted as being similar to tennis-racquets. Their larger surface area - compared to regular boots - spreads out the wearer's weight over a greater area, putting less pressure on the snow. You can see how this works by putting a small stone (about two square inches in surface area) onto some fresh snow. The chances are that it will sink into the snow to some depth - pressing the snow more tightly as it goes down. If you put the same stone onto a piece of cardboard about four or five times the area of the stone - say about 3 inches by 3, and you will see that it doesn't sink as much, if it skins at all.
The area of the snowshoe is about nine or ten times the area of the foot, so the weight of the wearer is spread over nine or ten times the area of the snow. The weight of a 200 pound man on snowshoes is distributed at about 20 pounds per foot area rather than 200 pounds per foot area of the same man without snowshoes.
it helps because it has a large area so it will have small/less pressure
Because when you walk with just shoes there isn't as much surface area as snow shoes therefore you fall into it. But with snow shoes your bodyweight is spread out.
Snow shoes work better in deep snow because they spread out your weight more evenly on the snow so your feet do not sink into the snow when you walk through it.

Answer 2

Snowshoes spread your weight over a larger area, making it more difficult to sink through snow.

You will sink in most snow if you stand in one place long enough, snowshoes or not, but if you only move occasionally, you won't sink.

An example would be to push a sharpened pencil through sand; he sharp point will move through the sand easily.

An unsharpened pencil with a flat end will also move through the Sand, but greater force is needed.

Answer 3

Snowshoes have a larger surface area and therefore do not sink into the snow as easily.