Update on warm walkable winter boots - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Update on warm walkable winter boots

JAileen

Veteran

I asked everyone for advice for warm walkable winter boots.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....nter-boots

After valuable input from Suz and Joy, I got a different Merrell, with a special ice grabbing sole.

I ended up keeping the Santana in my normal size, and the ice grabbing Merrell in 1/2 size larger than normal. It helped that REI was having a big sale, and both were around 30 percent off.

https://www.rei.com/product/10.....#038;ev11=

https://www.rei.com/product/10.....ots-womens

It snowed off and on this weekend. I wore the Santanas birding on Sunday and they were perfect - warm and easy to walk in. Yesterday I wore the Santanas again. Today our street was very icy. The snow had compacted, melted and refroze. The city has only plowed it once in the last 22 years. I wore the Merrells and did not slip even once. The sole really works!

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from JAileen

ClaraT

Veteran

I'm glad you found boots that work. I like the look of the Sanatanas! Careful on the ice.

JAileen

Veteran

Clara, I liked the look of the Santanas, too. They are kind of retro looking. I wouldn't have kept them if they weren't comfy, though. They come with two pairs of laces. The green aren't teal in real life, more forest green. I changed to the grey laces.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Really great to hear! I tried those Santanas on and really like the style but the fit was off for me. As for the Merrells, believe it or not they were not enough for me today on our ice! I didn't fall, but I definitely slid. The ice was terrible. Another snow day for the kids because of ice, not snow!

JAileen

Veteran

Suz, you're going to laugh, but they called a snow day yesterday for 6-8 inches of snow. - pause for laughter- The reason is the school buses can't navigate. I think a lot of kids went skiing!

L'Abeille

Veteran

I'm following all these snow boot posts with interest because now that I am getting more serious about exercising, my walking-outdoors requirements for boots have changed. As I discovered the first time I headed out from work for a lunchtime walk in the Waterfowl Park, only to realize, right, we may have sidewalk ploughs in New Brunswick but they don't do the trails: ready for calf-deep snow in your work pants and leather boots? And then last week the sun-warmed packed ice. And now today I'm housebound with an ice storm that's downed power lines throughout the province. I don't think any footwear is safe on this stuff.

So far it is watchful expectancy (since I DO already own a lot of boots, and boots suited for snow, just not super-supportive ones for long walks). But, I think I am starting to crave a pair of mukluks. And then one of my patients showed up in a pair yesterday--she said they cost (about how much I expected, more than I usually spend on footwear) but they are wonderfully comfortable and she wears them daily. (But, she is a farmer, unlike me.)

Anyway I have just been to the Manitobah Mukluks site and discovered theirs have a Vibram sole too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Guess what? Six inches is way more snow than I have here now! We get ice and slush (at least this year) far more than snow; LisaP's in snow country. It's true that some years our snow is really deep, but not this year or last. So you have greater need than I do for the true snow boot!

Anonymous

I'm following along with interest too. We have had some unseasonably mild temps the past week - snow melting etc - and I wanted to get out and take advantage of some warmth and sun ...but realized I didn't have the right footwear for walking in wet icy snowy conditions. I don't care what the boots look like, I just need to make sure the grip is such that I won't slip. I've turned into an old lady and am terrified of falling and breaking a wrist, an arm or an ankle. Anyways, the minute I get home from a week-long business trip I take tomorrow, I will be out trying on waterproof hikers. And maybe investing in those crampon shoe things too. Next you know I'll be taking along a firm stick and wearing a birding hat.

JAileen

Veteran

L'Abeille, while it's true the new ice sole is Vibram, not all Vibram soles are the new ice sole. This year only these brands have it:
Merrell, Sperry, Saucony, Hush Puppies, CAT, and Wolverine

Suz, I forgot north of the lake has less snow than south. Our snow totals are dwarfed by the ski resorts near us. They've had something like 8 feet of new snow this week.

Lisa, while I was home yesterday prepping for a colonoscopy I bought another birding hat. If you need any suggestions, let me know.

L'Abeille

Veteran

Really Jaileen? Which resorts are you near? We too have had very little snow so far this winter. We have to drive 8-10 hours anyway to reach a decent ski resort (mountain). We usually go to Quebec or Maine but are thinking of going further afield this year.

JAileen

Veteran

L'Abeille, I'm near Lake Tahoe, so Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows and Mt Rose. Squaw Valley has had 97 inches this past week, while Alpine Meadows had 100 inches, and Mt Rose 83 inches. Mt Rose is closest, about, 30 minutes away, and their season total is 461 inches, or 38 feet. This is a far cry from the past several years when everyone was making snow. At South Lake Tahoe they have so much snow they've run out of places to put it.

Anonymous

I'm one step away - I tell ya

JAileen

Veteran

Lisa, doesn't you daughter work for North Face? This is the hat I bought. I have the same hat in a color I'm not really fond of, but the fleece is super soft. I have a couple of the fleece jackets (Denali) and they're amazingly soft. The jackets have to be layered under a shell because they're no good in wind, but the fleece up by my neck feels so good.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

Oh, I love both pairs of boots. And I like that hat a lot, too. We haven't really had much weather cold enough for hats this year so far, but February is generally our worst winter month. Last year we visited our daughter in Wisconsin in February so I got to wear all my cute winter clothes.
And you're a birder too! We need to share our birding clothes as they come up.

JAileen

Veteran

TG, when it comes to actual temperatures, it probably hasn't been that cold here, but with wind and standing in the snow, I certainly get chilled birding. My son moved to Minnesota and I compare our weather to theirs all the time. This past week we've been colder, getting snow whereas they had rain. Several weeks ago they had -20F. We haven't been anywhere near that, thankfully. Even the ski resorts here haven't been that cold. A few got below zero, but just barely.

As to birding clothes, I really pile it on. These new boots will help. I have Sorels which are definitely warm but cumbersome. Last Sunday we were at a county park with probably around 2 feet of snow. With waterproof pants over my jeans and long underwear, the Santanas, an arctic coat and warm hat and gloves, I was fine. I also got this fleece lined hat. The visor is great for sunny days.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Joy

Veteran

J Aileen, thank you for the update. I bought a lined Smartwool hat with ear flaps at a consignment store in Steamboat Springs for the cold, but your new hat looks even better. Does the visor cut your vision?

JAileen

Veteran

Joy, your new hat sounds nice and warm. The visor on my hat helps my vision, keeping the sun out of my eyes. Also, when I'm birding I can't wear sunglasses. I would have to keep taking them off and on.

rachylou

Veteran

Excellent reviews!

Joy

Veteran

I use binoculars with my glasses and sun glasses although it is a pain but having good peripheral vision is important to me.

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

Oh, I like that hat (for birding)! I have a credit at REI and I'll have to go take a look online.

JAileen

Veteran

Rachy, thanks!

Joy, wearing sunglasses can defeat the good binoculars or scope that provide more light to the eye, especially when trying to ID a bird. Sometimes we're trying to distinguish one from another, when the difference might something tiny like an eye ring. So in general, sunglasses aren't a problem, but when details matter, they can be. I had lasik years ago and no longer wear glasses, and the difference for me is tremendous. The tradeoff is that I have a hard time reading the bird book or phone app without my reading glasses.

TG, the REI hat is great. Patagonia has a similar one that is very nice too, but runs smaller. I gave my husband gear for Christmas, and the hat and an REI down jacket were instant hits.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

JAileen

Veteran

Joy, I should add that I'm not a particularly good birder. My husband is. I go along for the ride. I can spot things, but I'm no good at telling one from another where the difference is minuscule, such as the eye ring. I'm excellent compared to the average person (the SA at REI didn't know what a bluebird was, for example), but lousy compared to good birders. It's all relative.