It's amazing to me, that ~1 hour south of you, "winter boots" basically means something that will handle 4-6" of snow, 0º windchill, and slop and sleet at 15-20ºF most of the time.
Sure, we have those blasts, with windchills down below 0 and temps down below 0, like that one last winter with -50º windchill. But when it's that damn cold, I'm out for 3-5 minutes to take the dog out and back in the house. Waterproof hiking boots and wool socks handle in and out of warm buildings with < 15 minutes of exposure without a problem, even down to -10.
Beyond that of course, more dedicated boots are better and necessary.
Last edited by RevolverRob; 11-11-2019 at 12:48 PM.
These North Face boots who's model name (Baltoro?)escapes me, are the second pair that I rotate daily for work.
I am outside all winter in northern New England with them while grading and buying logs. Best description I have is they wear like ultra warm running shoes, being lightweight and waterproof.
Sorel boots tend to feel like clown shoes for me, their warmth no where near offsetting their clumsiness.
I picked up my first pair of Muck boots with a composite safety toe for this winter, but haven't worn them yet.
I am worried that the neoprene construction might trap too much moisture though.
Unless you are going to be standing in 6"+ of water all day, my advice would be to get a boot that offers more flex/breathability above the ankle, especially for the usual winter tasks like walking, shoveling, or snowshoeing.
It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun ― Mark Twight
I grew up in the upper Midwest, and Sorels were *the* winter boots to have.
A few years ago, on some forum, I casually recommended Sorels to someone for good snow boots. I was informed that they're made overseas now and are significantly lower quality than they used to be. Might not be a good option anymore, but I haven't lived anywhere with real winter in over a decade.
Last edited by perlslacker; 11-11-2019 at 12:53 PM.
We are supposed to get 8-10" here today, already have 6". At the risk of sounding like a musical, I have a pair of Ugg Butte boots that have been my goto snow boots for the last 5 years. They were expensive ($250ish?), but they are going on their 6th winter and show no signs of needing replacement. If I can't wear those, Muck Arctic Pros and Merino Wool socks. Although not very urban.
I like my Schnees for real cold and or snowy weather.