Just bought a pair of surplus usgi snoew shoes. I dont know shit about snow shoes really.

1980s magnesium type. NSN: 8465-00-965-2174

Inspected and found that the cable is worn completely through in one spot. Shoes still seem to bear weight ok in a brief test. Found the TM. Manual

Manual isnt much help in the way of a pmcs neither is it helpful in the repair and maintenance section.

Im inclined to error on the side of caution, and send back, but again i dont know shit about snow shows.

Would you be ok with this?


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Get money back.   Buy something modern with ice cleats and full panel floatation.


I gave my mil issue type ones away to a friend that likes them for rabbit hunting.  He busted one of his mil types.  Now he has a spare.

Cause they were cheap and workable and i found cheap is hard to find for a guy thats 6'2" 220lbs.

They can also be used for a fire using the magnesium I hear.

Yeah there are alot of user reviews that say you can scrape of magnesium flakes to help start a fire. I havent tried it but if it works its Kinda a neat idea as side ability in a winter emergancy



So the general consensus i am getting is the fraying of the cable makes these fooked and i should send back for refund or exchange?

No expert  on this, but looks to me like using wire-ties to "isolate" the zone around the break, in a circular pattern, would give some additional life to the item.  Use wire-ties to secure existing junctions of woven wires around the break.

I think wire would do pretty well in a pinch for a while. Maybe 550 cord too.


That said. these are going back. Not in the condition advertised...


Thanks for the advise all.

Send them back if it is easy.

Up here in Rural AK i would just fix it myself with aircraft wire.

I got myself a NOS pair and a pair of N1B mukluks after having to trudge through deep Maine snow like an idiot last spring.

Used them for the first time down here in CT after a good snow this past December. I'd never snowshoed before, and I really ended up enjoying it. So much in fact I bought my daughter a pair and mukluks for Christmas too, and she likes them as well.

They're relatively cheap, and they've worked well for me for the few times I've taken them out in the woods. Wish we got more heavy snow to go out and use them in. I never realized how much mobility you gain with snowshoes. Can't go wrong with a set of snowshoes and mukluks for $100.