Winter footwear?

[Paul_B]

When winter comes I've always worn pretty much what I usually wear at other times but with warmer socks. Do you wear different in winter?

I basically wear approach shoes when out and about. I wear them in town and for easy / short potters in dry weather. Hiking boots when it's likely to be wet in the hills. I'm in need of a new pair of approach shoes to replace the Salomon x ultra 3 gtx that's starting to die.

I've seen a pair of merrels for winter use. Basically the sole is the shoe equivalent of car winter compound tyres. There is insulation in the sole I think and in the body of the shoe too. I'm tempted because of a trip to Norway in December and basically shoes don't last long with me so switching with the weather might not be too bad an idea.

I'm just curious as to what changes to footwear you make for winter? For use in nature and built environment that is. Unless you wear the same for both that is.

This is curiosity.

 

[Tonyuk]

For work i still wear either shoes or dress boots, cheap-ish ones with a rubber sole + warm socks.

Out and up the hills just a good pair of boots and warm socks. In the really deep snow of last winter i added a pair of gaiters with the boots.

For Norway however you'll want some proper cold weather footwear, i recommend boots with a thermal liner, ideally removable so it can be dried easily. Size is important, i usually go up a size which gives me the ability to wear 2 pairs of socks and fit a better thicker insole in comfortably, you loose a lot of heat through the sole of a boot.

 

[Paul_B]

Looking at this.

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Merrell_Thermo_Freeze_WTPF_Walking_Shoes_UK_13_BlackBlack-(191128)

UK use but also casual use in Norway in December. I'll be skiing and might take hiking boots (UK 3/4 season) just in case needed.

 

[Broch]

Looking at this.

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Merrell_Thermo_Freeze_WTPF_Walking_Shoes_UK_13_BlackBlack-(191128)

UK use but also casual use in Norway in December. I'll be skiing and might take hiking boots (UK 3/4 season) just in case needed.

That would be useful; I could save money by getting both feet in one shoe

 

[Paul_B]

Try this instead, I'm not that big footed. I'm a 8.5 to 9 but should I get 9.5 fit extra thick socks?

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Merrell_Thermo_Freeze_WTPF_Walking_Shoes_UK_9_BlackBlack-(191119)

Sorry I haven't had a humour bypass I just couldn't think of anything remotely funny to say in reply.

 

[baggins]

for my various trips to a winter scandinavia, i swear by my pac boots. i have an old pair of seeland snow kings (not made any more), rubber bottom and leather shaft and a very grippy sole unit. Thy have a removable felt inner boot and enough space for extra socks. They are also very flexible, allowing the foot to move.
Warm shoes are fine if you are sticking to urban pavements, but if you are looking at going anywhere off piste, you will need to look at a higher boot an gaiters. You don't need to spend a fortune (go outdoors have some Meindl pac boots in at the moment for around £80).
look after your feet, especially in the cold. Toes can have a habit of falling off!

 

[Janne]

When snowy, I wear my trusted RedWing boots anno 1979, with an insulating extra insole ( sheeps skin) and woolen socks. No snow - oversize Clarks with woolen socks for the past years.
Need to get something new this March as the sole has delaminated on the British made Clarks. Too cold for them I guess.

When I lived in cold climate ( Sweden) I used those half long boots with a zip on the heel, with a raw rubber sole.
Made by German Bally I think? Excellent, but soles melted if you stepped in Diesel fuel.

 

[MikeLA]

Normal shoes for work what I Wear all year
Approach shoes for wood walks or wellies pretty much the same as all year merrells
Same hillwalking boots all year including Scottish winter hillwalking salomons

Just wear warmer socks or 2 thicker pairs

 

[Paul_B]

The seeland grizzly pac boots are available at uttings if you're a 7 or 13 size. There's another make sorel that do their own version of winter boot. Harkila too.

I've seen a few others for a lot less with rubber lower part and leather from ankle up.

I think the cheapest I've seen read something like £35.

 

[Paul_B]

Waterproof approach shoes with thicker socks in winter in civilised areas. Hiking boots in hills and on walks in the countryside are a Mammut 3/4 season boot. All leather with full tongue gusset, full grain leather and goretex membrane. The sole is a little slippy I think possibly worn. That's the trouble my shoes and boots are really on their way out.

 

[Robson Valley]

Wool socks, felt insoles to come out for drying. There's winter and then there's winter.
I had moose hide beaded mukluk made for me many years ago. Knee high.
An absolutle joy to run around in as -30C.

The snow is like sugar so waterproof isn't a priority. My street shoes are OK for trudging around the village.
It gets to be a habit to kick your shoes together when you come indoors to knock off the snowy chunks.

Colder, I can even go barefoot if I have to in a snowmobile boot from WindRiver.
The lower parts are waterproof and bonded to a really lumpy waterproof sole for traction.
Honestly, I don't think they work on skiis or snowshoes. My Size 12 are exactly 14" long (sasquatch).

I wore Greb Kodiak for many years hunting. Sorrel Felt Pacs are the Canadian classic.

Dakota, Baffin, Tolko and others make rated work boots down to -50C.

 

[Billy-o]

Muck boots are pretty warm. I kind of go polar this time of year and shift over to either Danners or just light trainers. I'd like some Sorrels one day, and big red checkered jacket and a fur lined hunting cap

 

[Janne]

Check out
Www.lemigo.pl

When I am in my boat in Norway in February/ March I use the Vermont model.
Not only incredibly warm, but comfy to walk in too.

Good quality. I have never slipped on ice wearing those.

I bought them in a work wear shop in Norway.
Am interested to buy those fleece clothes, so might send them an email.

 

[smogz]

But beware of the sizing on Lemigo. In EU size 43, ordered Lemigo 45. Still to small.

 

[Herman30]

Last winter I bought a pair of Grubs 8.5. Worst part of winter was over when I bought them so haven´t tried them yet in real cold = -20 C and colder. But these have a good grip on slippery surface.

 

[snappingturtle]

Meindl super perfekt alpine monsters!

 

[smogz]

I have muck boots medium hightt. Works great in cold weather. Also Viking are great and my wife swears by powerboots. From left, Viking, Muck boots, PowerBooks.

By the way it's -27 C here now

 

[Robson Valley]

There's cold and then there's really cold.
Many rubbers and synthetics turn into skates when it is honestly really cold.
Where will you go and what will you do?
Canadian Oil Patch -50C boots might save your toes.

 

[Paul_B]

Well it's been - 17°C where we're going end of the year. Getting warmer over today and tomorrow to about - 3°C. The coldest days this week only had windchill dropping down to - 24°C effective.

Not truly cold.

Read a good book about a Scottish journo who quit his job to live a year in alaskan wilderness. Left his young family behind in Scotland not knowing if they had enough money. He made it and his family made it too but only because a local (is it Athabascan) native took him under his care a bit. A tough old fella who taught this mad scot what he needed to know.

One of the things he taught was to forget about the UK bought, top spec outdoor kit. So the snow boots are good to the temperatures expected? Not a chance Everything underperformed. Fortunately he was pointed to local kit such as old us army cold weather boots. IIRC they're called rubber duckies or was it something to do with Mickey mouse boots. Apparently they looked like Mickey mouse boots in the early cartoons.

Interesting read for a Scottish late spring "wilderness" trip.

Of course Geilo in Norway (altitude I read somewhere was 798m but that seems high up somehow) isn't going to need that.

What I am thinking of is kit that could be used in UK winters to. I've been getting cold feet with my gtx lined trail shoes this winter so far. It's not even had many mornings below zero yet neither. Use is about town in UK and Norway. Or to get to UK hills in winter. A little on snow and below zero but mostly UK too. That's to get into the car to work or shops then easy walks in winter with no snow but perhaps ice patches or thin snow.

Something like these perhaps.

https://www.merrell.com/UK/en_GB/mo...ic-grip-MoabFstIceM&dwvar_26966M_color=J35793

Or

https://www.merrell.com/UK/en_GB/th...-grip-ThermoFreezeM&dwvar_34942M_color=J46535

https://www.merrell.com/UK/en_GB/moab-fst-ice-thermo/26948W.html?dwvar_26948W_color=J50028

https://www.merrell.com/UK/en_GB/th...erproof/29738M.html?dwvar_29738M_color=J06097

They all have membranes, insulation (about 200g) and an outsole made to work on wet ice better than normal UK sold outdoor shoes / mid boots. Also many more options but not to my usual tastes.

https://www.merrell.com/UK/en_GB/arctic-grip/?icid=mobile-homepage-primary1-Tremblant

 

[Janne]

Forget about windchill. It only applies to exposed areas, and nobody is exposing much in sub zero temperatures.
Removing moving air is the A and O .

If the windchill is -35 and you dress for that including a normal windbarrier, you will sweat like in a Sauna, which is dangerous.