Cut three similarly sized rectangles in your plywood, big enough to step on when wearing boots. Round off the corners with sandpaper so there won’t be sharp edges to catch on your expensive parka.
Step 2: Drill
Drill one ½-inch hole in the middle of one end of all three boards for the rope to feed through.
Step 3: Create the Grip
Place a screw through two washers and drill through the inside of a cane tip into the middle of one of the boards, securely tightening it down to the board. Repeat on each board. The screws will stick through the plywood by about a ¼ inch or so, which is ok because they can help grip the ice and snow. (Phillips screws are ideal because the small "hole" on the screw head can help secure the metal spike tips of your tripod’s feet.) At this point, you may want to spray laquer on the wood to increase the longevity of the snowshoes.
Step 4: Tie together
Thread rope through the hole you’ve made on one board and tie a knot to secure it. The rope threads through the "middle" board without a knot, so it’s easily adjustable when placing in the snow. Thread into final board and tie another knot.
Step 5: Hit the snow
To use, place the boards on the snow where you think the feet should go and step on them firmly to press them into the snow underneath. The excess rope should be laying on top of the snow, making it easy to remove the boards later on. Extend the tripod legs with your spreader locks loose and place the spike tips into each rubber cane tip. Tighten the pod legs and locks and then test the tripod to be sure the snowshoes are solidly set. You are now ready to balance the head, load up and shoot without fear of the rig sinking into the snow in the middle of your shot.
Your Guide
Will Holloway
Owner, Iron Horse America-Video/Media
Will Holloway owns Iron Horse America-Video/Media, a small production firm near Seattle. He specializes in action sports photography, martial arts choreography and transportation industry documentaries. He has a full post-production facility and travels worldwide on shooting assignments. He has done feature work and is a Steadicam operator.
Will Says Keep In Mind... Anyone who has ever hiked into some deep snow to shoot video or film knows that it’s often easier to simply shoot handheld when the prospect of leveling a tripod in the seemingly bottomless white stuff is the alternative. There are generally two ways to get a "stable" tripod in deep snow: a) Dig three holes down to the solid ground and then connect the holes with dug-out channels for the tripod’s spreader, or b) If the snow is too deep to find solid ground, you stamp your feet and pack the snow around where the tripod feet will go until it is icy enough to not likely collapse under the weight of the rig on its small metal feet. Both methods are time consuming and fail to give great results.
However, with 4 or 5 bucks worth of parts, a few simple tools and about 30 minutes of effort, you can easily make a trio of snowshoes for your tripod. Note: For those of you shooting in warmer climates, these shoes also work well in deep, dry sand.
Tools and Parts
Saber Saw
Power Drill with ½-inch bit and a screw driver attachment for Phillips head screws
¾-inch thick scrap plywood, about 1 foot by 18 inches
3 rubber cane tips, available in 4 packs at drug stores for about $3
3 heavy gauge Phillips head wood screws, 1½-inches long, with a pair of small washers for each screw
2 yards of heavy nylon rope
Sandpaper or a powered sander
Spray laquer (optional)
Iron Horse America
6812 196th St SW
Lynnwood, WA 98036
ph.425.673.0165 services@ihavideo.com
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