Get outside and go snowshoeing!

KENT — For those who enjoy exercising outdoors and aren’t inclined to join a gym, winter can be a tough season to get a workout.

Snowshoeing offers one alternative to the winter doldrums, and this has been a particularly good year for it, with the deep snow coating area fields and hills.  

This winter sport is in some ways a combination of hiking and cross-country skiing. Not a lot of specialized gear is involved, just the snowshoes and a set of poles. The shoes themselves have evolved over the years. They’re no longer the large and cumbersome wooden contraptions seen in old movies and photos. The new lightweight models are made of straps and steel and usually have “teeth� on their undersides, to grip the snow.

But of course, while they’re not expensive, they still require a bit of an investment (especially for families who want to try the sport together).

For those who just want to give it a try, rentals are available at Backcountry Outfitters in Kent.

The store’s co-owner, Anne McAndrew, is an avid hiker and said she finds that using snowshoes allows her to do the same hikes in winter that she would do in summer.

“When you get out and try snowshoeing, you’ll find that wintertime can be just as enjoyable as summertime,� she said. “This is such a wonderful time to be outside in New England.�

Snowshoes work by redistributing the body’s weight over a larger surface area. They’re actually designed to mimic the way a rabbit’s foot works. In a large amount of snow, they won’t suspend the user entirely above the snow level, but they will prevent sinking all the way down into the drifts.

McAndrew said Backcountry has been renting the shoes not just to outdoor enthusiasts but also to people who want them for uses as simple as getting household chores done (such as taking out the garbage in the snow).

“If you can walk, you can snowshoe,� McAndrew said. “It’s really easy to do.�

Snowshoeing can be an excellent workout, she added. Snowshoers have to lift their legs higher than they would if walking normally, and the workout generally raises the heart rate significantly.

“It’s about being able to go places you otherwise wouldn’t be able to go,� McAndrew said, adding that anyone who goes snowshoeing should remember to dress properly for the weather, with warm socks, a hat and multiple layers.

Snowshoe rentals are $20 a day at Backcountry, or $75 for a week and $125 for the season. Poles are extra, but ski poles can be used instead.  

The store is open six days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.