Bulgarian designer Petar Dimitrov has designed a pair of lightweight inflatable snowshoes that can be packed into two bags .
The Pocket shoes surround the wearers’ feet in an inflated tubular area, which aids them “float” across the snow whilst making sure the footwear stays lightweight.
Produced by Dimitrov’s business Modest Foot, the footwear are made of an outer layer of coated synthetic material Cordura – each dress in-resistant and waterproof – and an inner bladder of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) plastic.
Relevant story: Audi Carbon Ski by Audi Notion Design and style Munich
The snowshoes have been created to be universally compatible with all footwear, and incorporate stainless steel powder-coated crampons that buckle to the bottom of the wearer’s own shoe to help grip the snow and ice. A raised lip at the toe of the sneakers aids provide leverage while climbing steep inclines.
Collectively the snowshoes weigh just over a kilo. As they are each smaller sized and lighter than traditional designs, they can be deflated and folded down into two carry bags – total with a mini pump for inflating.
The designer came up with the thought following obtaining himself caught in the wilderness in deep snow, during a ski session. With several of the present patterns on the market place bulky and heavy, Dimitrov made a decision to create an different that would be light-weight and handy to carry.
Connected story: Christopher Raeburn transforms a daily life raft into brightly coloured coats
The first inflatable prototypes were sent out to the ISPO Brand New Awards, and produced it to the final of the Progressive Items category.
Snowshoes set
Because then the footwear have been field-examined by the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Group, and approved by the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, who pronounced them “comfy and secure although walking on snow”, “light” and “ergonomic”.
Snowshoes evolution
Dimitrov founded Tiny Foot four many years in the past, and is at the moment in search of funding by way of a Kickstarter campaign to carry the product to marketplace.
Other innovative sport-shoe design covered by Dezeen incorporate the Swiss Barefoot Company’s more powerful-than-steel foot gloves, trainers created making use of recycled plastic harvested from the ocean, and the world’s first knitted football boot by Adidas.
