Footwear choice for snow/icey weather

[filcon]

We have all recently endured the snow and icy conditions for the past month. Now is maybe the time to assess the footwear choice for snow/icey weather.
My own preference was my Derwent Muck boots, good grip, dry and very warm, quick and easy to put on.
Interested to hear from others their choice and performance.
Phil

 

[hiho]

certinaly aint safety boots as i've been on me backside three times in them...
using the german paraboots atm when at home

 

[Toddy]

Don't laugh I've got six pairs of hiking boots, two pair of wellies, a pair of duck boots and the only ones that kept me on my feet throughout this icy skating rink of the past couple of weeks are a pair of those wee fleece lined boots that the grannies wear in Winter.
Like these ones (found this link on google, mine say Silvia on the sole)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WARM-THERMAL-...ing_Menswear_MensShoes_GL?hash=item439b238702

They're meant to keep the fragile elderlies on their feet, they don't slip in the ice , they're warm, they're comfortable, they're dry, and I got them in a size 3
Worth every penny I paid for them.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[w00dsmoke]

Nice one Toddy!

I have...
1. genuine Canadian mucklucks. Warmest so far and comfiest but the worst thing in the wet.
2. Old pair of KSB's... Awesome but low cut. Not much insulation for the cold. I really would love an old but new pair of these in a 45...esp the Anatomically directed design ones I had years ago...
3. Kamik snow boots...great in snow but cack in the wet or off snow as no grip.
4. Mountain snow boots-posh ski make similar to sorrells. Clumpy but great on snow but really poor for walking distances in.
5. Brasher boots...oh dear. Comfy butfar too floppy in the wet and too low.
6. Grubbs stalker boots, awesome boots, best alround vibram sole ever on a welly type boot. Very cold without Toddy type homemade felt insoles felt insoles.
7. Pro boots. Warm, good grip, but floppy when wet.
8. Lowa Mountain boots, very warm, dry, good sole unit. Reasonably high boot for a mountain boot. Very comfy. Not worn them long enough to make a good judgement on them. Hopefully they'll be the best so far!

 

[British Red]

Don't laugh

Too late

They're meant to keep the fragile elderlies on their feet

Sounds like they worked too!

Nothing beats crampons on ice. Did I have any in Lincolnshire when walking on packed ice? Did I chuff . Where did I end up? On my......

My steel toecapped firemans boots were damn all good nor were my KSBs. Best were my Grubbs Stalkers but still not enough grip.

Golf spikes would have been better!

 

[johnnytheboy]

If i'm out and about I always wear wellies, Le Cham ones with neoprene

http://www.thewellyshop.com/Wellies/Insulated-Wellies/Le-Chameau-Vierzonord-Extreme/p-108-109-157/

Round town i just wear Timberland boots, they are waterproof and and seriously hard wearing, my last pair went for about 10 years, its a shame they have stopped doing the brown leather ones though

http://www.timberlandonline.co.uk/o...=PS_mns6inbts&start=4&source=search&color=713



Toddy, fashion goes round in cirles, its the same thing my wife wears but because they have a "label" on them they charge through the nose

http://slickheels.com.au/Classic_Short_Ugg_Boots_Black.aspx?c=GBP

 

[Toddy]

Years ago I slipped on ice in the Avon gorge and landed on my situpon. I did it at least a dozen times before I got up from the riverside and off that path.
The result was a broken tailbone and a week later two slipped discs and a nipped sciatic nerve, trying to save that broken tailbone any more damage.

I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.
I'll wear the granny boots in the ice, even if it does feel very odd when my eighty year old auntie compliments my footwear

Fun's fun, but the hell wi' nonsense

We used to get rubber crampons that fitted over ordinary shoes for this type of weather. Haven't seen them in a long while, they were very useful iirc.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[johnnytheboy]

Avon gorge is a horrible place, its either icey or your up to your ears in mud!!!

 

[Toddy]

Yeah, but that mud is perfect potting clay , and you can see the salmon and trout lying in the shallows and there are kingfishers down there too
I know it took a long while for me to go back down after everything healed. Just no' funny.

cheers,
M

 

[filcon]

I agree with British Red about the Fireman wellies (oh its great to say as its now firefighter). Having worn them for 32 year,yes they are mince and they are getting returned for good in 18 weeks.

Interested In the German Paras(thinking of getting a pair) , my pal bought a pair of Australian ex Army boots which look great but poor on grip.

Got 3-4 pairs of Karrimor boots which were too much hassle, also snow boots from Lidl which were alright. The neoprene wellies were just tickety boo though.

Phil

 

[Celt_Ginger]

Years ago I slipped on ice in the Avon gorge and landed on my situpon. I did it at least a dozen times before I got up from the riverside and off that path.
The result was a broken tailbone and a week later two slipped discs and a nipped sciatic nerve, trying to save that broken tailbone any more damage.

I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.
I'll wear the granny boots in the ice, even if it does feel very odd when my eighty year old auntie compliments my footwear

Fun's fun, but the hell wi' nonsense

We used to get rubber crampons that fitted over ordinary shoes for this type of weather. Haven't seen them in a long while, they were very useful iirc.
cheers,
Toddy

Try here
http://www.blacktoe.co.uk/ice Grips/ice grips.htm

 

[susi]

On ice:

Icebug Vadun BuGrip 2.0 with carbide studs (their website seems to be down right now, but here is another link).

http://www.varuste.net/tuotetiedot2.asp?_prodid=31946&nimi=Icebug+Vadun+BUGrip+2.0


In snow:

Sievi Arktis:

http://www.sievi.com/index.php?sivu...ts&PHPSESSID=aba252ea3b506a2263ad1521fd253b32

 

[Toddy]

Those Blacktoe rubber grips look useful thanks for the link
Very posh compared to the old ones which were really just a stretchy rubber grid with a springy edge.
I think HWMBLT might find some of those new ones a good idea too.

Susi those Icebug's look ideal Sizes are too big for me, the Lady Snow is small enough however

Incidentally, the boots I'm wearing have no studs, just very fine grooves in a thin rubbery sole. I'm just using them on solid ice paths, walking through the snow and over half thawed slush though, I haven't tried up hills or rocks on them.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[susi]

Susi those Icebug's look ideal Sizes are too big for me,

Don't worry! Icebug do them in smaller sizes, it's just that the "Varuste" site only sells them down to a 40. I'll keep and eye on the Icebug website and let you know when it's back up (seems their domain subscription lapsed at the end of last year, no doubt they'll be back next week, once someone realises )

The only negative side for me though, was that all the marketing material tell how the boots are Swedish, but once the parcel arrives, the label tells that they're "designed in Sweden", but manufactured in China

 

[hiraeth]

Years ago I slipped on ice in the Avon gorge and landed on my situpon. I did it at least a dozen times before I got up from the riverside and off that path.
The result was a broken tailbone and a week later two slipped discs and a nipped sciatic nerve, trying to save that broken tailbone any more damage.

I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.
I'll wear the granny boots in the ice, even if it does feel very odd when my eighty year old auntie compliments my footwear

Fun's fun, but the hell wi' nonsense

We used to get rubber crampons that fitted over ordinary shoes for this type of weather. Haven't seen them in a long while, they were very useful iirc.

cheers,
Toddy

Were they like these ones www.icegrips.co.uk wore very similar last week and was very impressed .

 

[bikething]

When we were kids, (back in the days when you still had to go to school when it snowed ) we used to wear a pair of cheapy sports socks OUTSIDE our shoes for walking along the pavements...

used to work quite well as I recall, but the socks didn't last too long

 

[susi]

back in the days when you still had to go to school when it snowed

Phew!

Kids get one concession here in winter if it drops below -25°C....they don't have to go outside at break time.

 

[Wallenstein]

These got a decent review at Ourdoors Magic... Icebug MRs are trail-running shoes with carbide steel nubbins on the sole to grip the ice.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/5867

 

[Cael Nu Mara]

http://www.bushwear.co.uk/styles.php?ProductID=202208&ClassID=33

I started wearing these about a year ago when we went on "holiday" to churchill. I still wear them for when im on the flat, but not when its wet. If its raining/not that cold/going up steep bits. I wear these http://www.blackislander.co.uk/clothing/about-us.asp?pageid=15



Sam

 

[mr dazzler]

I've had no problems with my swedish army boots, best I've ever used.