Molded snowshoe with pliable heel contact area

A snowshoe, comprising:

• a molded snowshoe body, defining a flotation surface and having an open area in a forward portion of the body,
• a boot binding connected to the snowshoe body so as to allow pitch pivoting of the snowshoe body relative to the boot binding so that a forward end of the boot binding can swing down into the open area during part of the user's gait,
• the molded snowshoe body having an open heel area in a heel strike region located below a heel of a user's boot when the boot in secured in the binding, and
• a soft heel strike insert secured to the molded snowshoe body and suspended across the open heel area and serving as a flotation surface along with the molded snowshoe body, the heel strike insert being of a flexible material, softer and more flexible than the snowshoe body, so as to deform vertically when weight of a user is engaged against the heel strike insert through the user's boot heel,
• whereby the soft heel strike insert reduces noise and increases comfort when a user's heel strikes the snowshoe during the user's gait.