Winter Boots

cathleenc · #21 10/28/08, 10:01 PM

Sorels. Get the ones rated to -40. LOVE THEM! And so easy to slip in and out of (just don't untie/tie them each time - leave them tied but loosely)

I also love LaCrosse boots - I have a stretchy rubber pair I use for non-winter barn boots and they absolutely rock.

ErinP · #22 10/28/08, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathleenc

Sorels. Get the ones rated to -40. LOVE THEM! And so easy to slip in and out of (just don't untie/tie them each time - leave them tied but loosely)

LOL
Good point. I didn't even pay attention to which ones I linked! (-100, for anyone that didn't look)
Mine are only around -40, also. They have two liners.
Twenty years ago, Gore-Tex was a "revolutionary, new material" btw.

Quint · #23 10/29/08, 04:58 AM

For moderately cold weather I've worn Matterhorns for well over 10 years now. They're the 10 inch waterproof variety with thinsulate and a composite safety toe and shank so they don't conduct the cold. Outstanding boots. Rugged as all get out and comfortable.

When it gets obscenely cold I switch to LaCrosse Pac style boots. I've had those almost as long as the Matterhorns and they've held up quite well. They don't get nearly as much use though. I think mine are rated to like 80 below or something and they were quite reasonably priced. My only gripes with these is that mine are pretty short. If they had another 3 inches or so of height they'd be more useful. If you have water go over the tops you're in trouble. They go from good to useless when they get wet.

Another boot I've had really good luck with is the US military bunny boots. They're really good when it's cold and I think they handle water better than the LaCrosse ones that I have. If you get the bunny boots wet you can still keep your feet relatively warm. The Lacrosse boots don't for some reason. Not too expensive either. Mine were new (bata's) and I think I paid something on the order of 40 bucks for them.

sammyd · #24 10/29/08, 05:15 AM

I have been very happy with the 30 or so dollar ones I bought at WalMart years ago. They are rubber, about knee high and have a felt liner.
I like the total rubber design as it is really waterproof as opposed to some other high dollar boots I have owned that made that promise and fell short.
I wear them deer hunting and for chore boots.

insocal · #25 10/29/08, 03:28 PM

My winter boots in CO were Sorel Caribous, and they did really well for me in NE OR when I first got out of school and was mucking around with a lot of cattle and horses.

fishhead · #26 10/29/08, 03:47 PM

I had a pair of Rockys that felt great on my feet. I got them from Sportsman's Guide.

Last winter I tried a pair of 2,000 gram Guide Gear boots. They felt okay and I walked over 100 miles in them last winter but the lace hooks were too tight and I eventually broke one so I sent them back for a full refund.

This winter I'm going to find a nice pair of Rockys again.

I had a pair of Danners but they hit my heel wrong so I exchanged them for a larger size. They also hit wrong so I gave the almost new $150 pair away on Freecycle. It was like they didn't have a heel cup or something.

DianeWV · #27 10/29/08, 06:24 PM

Georgia Boots.

bluetick · #28 10/29/08, 08:23 PM

I agree with some others here - Muck boots and Sorel. My Muck boots are the low cut kind and I wear them in all but snow. The Sorel boots keep my feet nice and warm and dry in snow.

My biggest problem is ice and traveling a slope to the barn and back. I bought ice cleats that fit over the bottoms of my boots, and have been so much safer! Check out http://campmor.com for boots and ice cleats.

bloogrssgrl · #29 10/29/08, 10:09 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this thread and all the replies!

I suffer terribly from cold toes and fingers in the winter and I'm always looking for a better, warmer boot (and glove!).

Quint · #30 10/30/08, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhead

Last winter I tried a pair of 2,000 gram Guide Gear boots. They felt okay and I walked over 100 miles in them last winter but the lace hooks were too tight and I eventually broke one so I sent them back for a full refund.

I avoid lace hooks like the plague. If you use them in the timber or other rough environments the little metal C shaped hooks crush closed. You can't get your boots off without a screwdriver or a pair of pliers. I've got a pair of redwings in the closet that were notorious for doing that.

I like the D shaped eyes. They lace fast and tight and you can't crush them.

Another thing to watch when you buy boots is the laces. Rarely do boots come with long enough laces in my opinion and finding quality long laces can be difficult. I found some really good ones at a boot repair place over a decade ago and bought every one he had in stock. Very stiff and tightly woven. They hold really well, don't attract seeds or burrs, hold a knot, don't rot and wear a very long time. I'm on my last pair now and I dread having to find new ones. I'll probably just end up using paracord.

michiganfarmer · #31 10/30/08, 07:09 AM

I buy leather boots from redwing, or wolverine that have thinsulate, and gortex. I wear them all year. I apply some water proofing to the leather on occasion. They keep the wetness out and my feet warm while Im truging through the woods tapping trees in knee deep snow, and arent to hot in th esummer. The leather protects my feet from injury when IM welding, or walking throuhg the scrap metal pile looking for repair material, and it handles the cow manure very well.