Cold weather Boots

[barryasmith]

Guys

I am looking at Cold Weather boots.

Meindl Solden:

http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/Mens_Boots.html

Olang Explorer:

http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Olang_Explorer_Mens_Snow_Boots.html


Anyone got any experience of either? I like the sound of the Explorers as they have a wool liner but have not heard of the brand before.

Thanks

Barry

 

[some like it cold]

Any other reccomendations people have for winter snow boots would be great. going to canada in jan and my wife and i need a good pair of winter boots (obviously each not one to share that'd be silly)

sorry if you think im hijaking the the thread

 

[coln18]

im off on the arctic exped in feb, and im going with the sorrel caribou

Colin...

 

[Old Bones]

Some Like it Cold - have you thought about buying your boots in country? My Canadian cousins rave about MEC
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...older_id=2534374302734207&bmUID=1259274356104, and you could email them before you go. There are bound to be other shops near to where you'll be flying in as well.

In fact, if they have a recommendation, please let us know..if anyone should know what the best boot for winter is, it will be the Canadians!

 

[timtastic]

I got some winter boots from lidl last week they seem really good warm and waterproof and really cheap

 

[BushEd]

sorel caribous are incredibly warm. get a cheap(ish) pair off american ebay.

 

[Rumcajs]

If there is anyone that know something about winter boots it's definitelly Lundhags.
You can find them here:
http://shop.lundhags.se/

 

[Dogoak]

I use Sorel's, I've had them about 8 years and I've never had wet or cold feet so I can highly recommend them. They are Canadian so it may be worth buying if you're over there.

 

[Chris the Cat]

I too am on the Arctic trip.
This time I am using German army surplus mountain boots ( like the Lowas )
One and a half sizes too big to allowe for double socks and room! ( Mistake I made first time around was to take boots that 'fit ' in the uk,and so were too tight in the Arctic= cold feet!
Cheers.
Chris.

 

[The Cumbrian]

When I worked in Antarctica we were all issued with Sorels. No-one got cold feet.

 

[bikething]

I'm interested in this as I'm off to see Mors Kochanski in Canada in March

Is there anywhere in the UK (preferably South West) that keeps a selection of cold weather boots that I can try on? - I always have trouble finding boots that fit right..

I see a few people advising to buy the boots 'in country' at the destination... won't that cause problems with going straight 'on expedition' without having a chance to break the boots in first??

 

[deenewcastle]

Not sure where you are Bikething but I think Snow + Rock in Filton Bristol stock Sorrel boots. Always worth giving them a call if it's not too far from you.

 

[gerryg]

Guys

I am looking at Cold Weather boots.

Meindl Solden:

http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/Mens_Boots.html

Olang Explorer:

http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Olang_Explorer_Mens_Snow_Boots.html


Anyone got any experience of either? I like the sound of the Explorers as they have a wool liner but have not heard of the brand before.

Thanks

Barry

Barry,

I hope you enjoy your trip to Canada, The Great White North. For winter boots I have tried lots of stuff over the years and last year I finally figured it all out (at least for me). To me the weight of the boot is important as many winter boots are warm but weigh a ton (tonne) ...Mors says 1 Kg on your feet is the same as 5 kg in your pack.

So for most winter days, hiking camping and general getting around I wear Keen Growlers. They are light, very warm ( to -25c) , breathable yet very waterproof and the tread is amazing. I loved these boots so much I bought the summer version of them as well as the lower cut summer version.

For when the snow gets deeper and/or it gets colder Steger Mukluks are the ultimate winter boot. There is some good information on this at the Winter Trekking forum you may find useful. The other articles on winter clothing are very good too.

Good luck on your Canadian expedition and keep those feet warm, gerry

 

[forestwalker]

I've use Nokian winter boots the last decade. They are basically rubber wellies with a felt liner (removable in one model, not in another; the removable version is better for wilderness trips). Tretorn has a similar model, with without the squared off "ski-binding" sole. Both of these are quite reasonably priced (about SEK 1000), and if sized for plenty of socks (2 pairs of thick socks is what I use) then -40 C is quite ok. Getting an extra set of liners is a good idea, btw.

One note; being waterproof they will collect dampness inside them, so you must be religious about taking the liners out to dry them, and trying to get the water out if the boot proper as well. OTOH, some slushy overflow when crossing a creek is no problem, and they would be very useable in UK winters.

The Stegers are reputedly very, very good (and on my christmas/lottery winning list), but not ideal of it you encounter liquid water.

I also made a pair of traditional mukluks (based on the pattern in Connovers "Snow Walkers Companion"), sized to fit outside socks and Nokian felt liners. Very warm, very comfy, but not compatible with any ski binding I have ever seen. For dry cold a traditional sami boot (see below) is ideal; I love mine when the temp goes below -15 C.

 

[susi]

We used these:

http://www.sievi.com/index.php?sivu...ts&PHPSESSID=5533bc37e7b3c2e6198bd79a54444ac2

The sole is soft rubber, which helps grip on the ice. The drawstring is useful to stop stuff falling inside, and the linings are warm and fluffy. Best boots I've ever used in snow/ice/cold weather.

 

[caliban]

Talking of felt liners, has anyone ever tried felt Valenki? I'm just wondering if they legendary Russian boots are actually any good.

 

[susi]

Just had a pair of these arrive today, will try them out at the weekend. Seem well put together. A bit dissappointing to find they're made in China, but even the quality brands are now. Guess we only have ourselves to blame


http://www.icebug.se/Product.aspx?m=468

 

[gunnix]

This is good quality: http://shop.lundhags.se/

Winter shoes should have:

- room for the toes to move (air -> insulation)
- room under the foot to put thick filt inner soles
- every lining should be loose, so you can take them out and be able to dry them
- they should be big, to accomodate the inner lining and two pairs of socks (one thin and one thick)
-Have insulative soles

If it will be really cold you don't need waterresistant boots, as everything stays dry. But if it's around freezing you need boots that are waterproof, at least on the lower part as seen in the Lundhags.

Short anecdote:
This winter I had Crocs (without holes) with me on my trip to Jokkmokk Sami market. I planned to use them as camp shoes (I always take two pair of footwear in winter), but I ended up using them walking around on the market as well as I found them to be warmer then my swedish army boots... I had a filt sole, and two pairs of socks in my boots but the Crocs were warmer (with the same socks, no filt sole). I concluded that the Crocs were of lighter weight material having more air trapped inside, very insulating, while the sole of my boots was hard and with less air, making them less insulating. The difference was quite big..

@Forestwalker: Nice sami boots!

 

[pete79]

I wear Baffin boots all winter. They're warmer than warm. Lots of people where I live swear by "Bunny" boots (large, white, rubber and ridiculous, but keep your feet warm), but I personally feel that if you're going to wear them, you may as well invest in a red nose and blue afro wig to complete the picture.

 

[Wolfie]

I have a pair of the Meidel Solden and found them to be (on the whole) a good pair of boots for a good price.

I wore them on a wolf tracking expedition to Poland in February. I always get cold feet during the winter but these boots kept me warm in temps down to -18 even when standing still.

I only had two problems.
1) - The boots are snow proof but not waterproof. In snow this was not a problem but on one occasion my foot went through the ice into the marsh underneath. One foot got wet in sub zero conditions but even then my foot stayed warm as long as I kept moving.

2) - The inner boot did get damp due to condensation forming on the inside of the rubber outer boot. We were doing a lot of walking and so this may not be a problem in normal camp conditions.

Having said this, the inner boot is removable and so it was fairly easy to dry them out overnight.

I would recommend them especially if you are only going to be using them once a year.