Hey, Trek! Where do you go? Bill and I haven't snowshoed in forever because of the traffic going up toward Truckee. We used to hike up to the bowl by Castle Peak and glissade down if it had powder (tough in find in the Sierras). If we can go someplace without the weekend ski traffic, we'll be there! We even have a Mountain Smith sled to haul a boat load of snacks.

Roadie Gal has it right. Poles are great and you want aggressive crampons if you are going off trail and doing anything steep. Best to climb or descend perpendicular to the contour lines so you don't slide, twist and pull stuff.

Do some reading on the net or maybe REI. Shoes are specific to weight (including gear) and terrain. If you have groomed trails to run you'll want small running specific shoes but if you're like us and go off trail looking for adventure you'll want bigger with more flotation.

I don't know if all shoes are this way today, but right and left specific shoes are much more comfy for walking.

Waterproof hiking boots and gators keep your tootsies happier longer.