SnowContact : des semelles de chaussure pour la neige

SnowContact soles: made for snow

This winter, snowy trails are yours for the taking. It’s not always easy to know what to wear on walks or hikes on snowy ground, with options ranging from snow boots, to winter shoes, to snowshoes. Why not try SnowContact soles?

You wouldn’t drive through snow with summer tires, for fear of stalling or skidding. Walking on snow with regular hiking boots is a bit similar. Indeed, summer hiking shoes are made primarily for warm weather and are not as well suited to cold and snowy terrains. This explains the halting steps people take during the colder months… This is why we invented SnowContact soles. These soles provide grip and traction, helping you walk on cold or snowy ground.

SnowContact: soles that offer grip and traction

Thanks to SnowContact technology, Quechua designed a new kind of sole to ensure maximum traction during your hikes on snowy terrain. By consulting with snowshoe enthusiasts, Quechua teams identified the need for a special type of sole that could provide traction even on snow.
Made for winter hiking with or without snowshoes, shoes that come with SnowContact soles are designed to provide impeccable performance on any surface, even the most slippery, such as snow or ice.

TRACTION: A PRIORITY

How do we get soles that are less slippery, with better traction?
On icy surfaces or very hard snow, one can sometimes slip, as in the case of aquaplaning when driving. SnowContact soles are the product of hard work on the part of Decathlon’s Research and Development team.

Thanks to our chemistry experts, we have optimized the composition of the rubber by fine-tuning each component. The properties of rubber allow the soles to mould to the ground, thus increasing traction. Meanwhile, grooves reinforce this effect and allow water to drain more easily between the soles and the snowy or icy ground. SnowContact soles are thus more effective than regular soles on snow and other cold surfaces.

WHY GRIP IS IMPORTANT ON SLOPES

Shoe soles can come with lugs that are more or less prominent. The bigger these lugs (generally between 2.5 mm and 5 mm), the better your ability to progress on a slope. Empty space between lugs promotes grip. It is therefore important to consider the expected elevation gain in order to select the shoes with the most appropriate soles for your needs. This way, you will enjoy a safe hike.

WHAT ABOUT ICE?

SnowContact soles will always be better for walking on ice than regular soles, but they are not designed for it. The best option for walking safely on ice: ice cleats or spikes for winter shoes, which shouldn’t be confused with mountaineering crampons. Just like putting chains on car tires, you can wear crampons over your shoes in order to walk on ice. You can find a whole array of them to help you adapt to different terrains.

WINTER SHOES OR BOOTS: WHICH TO PICK?

If you plan on walking or hiking through snow, you should be properly equipped! Whether you prefer winter shoes or boots, you’ll stay warm and dry for many hours with your feet in the snow. Indeed, both are made with breathable and waterproof membranes. We also test the static comfort temperature (when standing still), as well as the dynamic comfort temperature (during exertion). In practice, both types of shoe will keep you comfortable anywhere from -5 °C to -20 °C in some cases. Winter hikes, here we come!

WINTER HIKES ON SLOPED TERRAIN

If you’re setting out on a multi-kilometer hike on foot or in snowshoes, you should ideally wear shoes that are made for walking on snow. They will better support your ankles and make you more comfortable. When walking up or down a slope, your feet will be more stable.

Shoes
SNOWSHOEING

What shoes should you wear when snowshoeing? Some shoes have reinforcements at the toe box and at the heel. These are very useful for snowshoeing. When snowshoes are fitted to your shoes, these reinforcements will guarantee increased comfort while avoiding pressure on your toes and at your heels.

Snowshoes
WINTER STROLLS OVER LOW ELEVATION

If playing in the snow or going on leisurely strolls on flat terrain with your family is more your style, opt for a pair of winter boots. Higher than winter shoes, they cover more of your calf and keep snow from getting in. Plus, their added flexibility will make you feel like you’re wearing slippers.

Winter boots

The “SnowContact” certification. Once developed, the soles were put through several tests to validate their design. We performed long-term terrain tests, tests on ice rinks and in the lab. To that end, we worked with a certification unit at Quechua. When we first created the “traction” test, we selected a representative sample of snow hiking shoes on the market. Through a variety of tests on ice rinks, as well as observation tests, and perception questionnaires, we were able to establish the threshold parameters for determining whether our soles meet safety requirements. We also perform a traction test on a frozen sheet in the lab. Sensors allow us to evaluate the reliability of the soles being tested. If the soles fulfil all the requirements, they are given the SnowContact label.