Snowshoeing involves the use of special footwear for walking over snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person's foot doesn't sink completely into the snow, a quality called "flotation"

Traditional snowshoes have a hardwood frame with lacings. Modern snowshoes are made of a single piece of plastic attached to the foot to spread the weight. In addition to distributing the weight, snowshoes are generally raised at the toe for maneuverability.

They must not accumulate snow, hence the latticework, and they require bindings to attach them to the feet. While today they are mainly used for recreation, in the past they were essential tools for fur traders, trappers and anyone whose life or living depended on the ability to get around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall.

Even today, snowshoes are necessary equipment for forest rangers and others who must be able to get around areas inaccessible to motorized vehicles when the snow is deep.

Source: Wikipedia