The deck is the main part of an aluminium snowshoe. The material used for decking arrives at factories in wide rolls. The material is unrolled and fed into a die stamper. This machine is mounted with razors in the shape of the shoe’s deck. The stamper is lowered and cuts the outline of the deck in one motion. A minimal amount of material is wasted as the dies are set so decks can be cut very closely together. The material is not recyclable and is the single biggest area of loss in the whole manufacturing process. The binding straps are cut with different dies but a very similar material is used. A heated die stamper is then used to press the manufacturer’s logo into the deck of the snowshoe. The logo is carved into the stamper and heat-sensitive ink is used to leave a permanent printed image on the shoe,
Workers then need to rivet the deck of the snowshoe to the frame. Some manufacturers do this by hand while others use machines. Plastic straps are fitted around the frame and hold the deck in place. Rivets are then punched through at several points along the frame to hold the deck securely. A cleat is then fixed to the bottom and a plastic pivot strap to the top of the deck. Aluminium snowshoes require no drying or curing as their wooden alternatives do. They are packaged and shipped straight to retailers.