How to Choose the Best Winter Boots

Purchasing something as simple as a pair of winter boots might not seem like it needs to garner much attention or be overly thought out. But by putting the extra effort to learn about the product that will be keeping your feet warm, comfortable and safe, you'll be able to spend less time thinking about your feet and more time enjoying the winter. The category of winter boots is a very broad one, with both subtle and drastic differences between models. We gathered up ten of the most popular and highly rated winter boot models for men and compared them to give you the best information with which to make your buying decision.

Our testing team spent many weeks in these boots in all sorts of conditions, and then scored each model on their Warmth, Water Resistance, Fit and Comfort, Traction, and Ease of Use. You can head over to our full Winter Boot Review to see how the different models scored and which ones won our top awards, or keep reading for some tips to keep in mind when selecting your next pair.

Types of Winter Boots

While we could divide and sub-divide the different types of winter boots out there until each model was in its own category, we have found it easier to break them into three main types. Read on to discover which type will best fit your needs.

Pac Boots

Pac boots are a modern day incarnation of the mukluk and kamik boots that were developed by the Inuit to survive the harsh conditions of the Arctic. A pac boot by definition is comprised of a soft and flexible inner boot liner that slips inside of an outer waterproof over boot, much like a ski or snowboard boot. Pac boots are notoriously warm thanks to the thick insulation used in the inner boot, and are quite waterproof as a result of the leather or rubber exterior used for the outer boot. Sorel is the brand that catapulted the pac boot into the modern lexicon, when they introduced their now famous Caribou model in 1962. Two years later saw the release of the Sorel 1964 Premium T, and since then many manufacturers have begun producing similar styles. Pac boots are generally lightweight for their warmth, are comfortable, and are well protected from water and snow. The inner boot design does make for a less secure fit, and they are typically a clumsier walking boot than a single-layered hiking boot. We like this type of boot for short excursions to the grocery store, heading out to the sledding hill, or for more sedentary outdoor activities like snowmobiling and sleigh rides.

Slip-On Boots

Slip-on boots are defined as being any boot that does not use a lacing system to secure the boot. They often have large handles or pull tabs to help get them on, or a loose enough cuff that sliding a foot right into the boot is an easy task. Slip-on boots can be made out of many materials, including rubber, neoprene, leather, textile or sheepskin. They may or may not be insulated depending on the application the boot is designed for, and may have varying degrees of water resistance and walking comfort in favor of the convenience that comes with not having to lace your boots up every time you need to go outside.

Insulated Winter Hiking Boots

This category showcases any boot that is single-layer, meaning that it has no removable liner, are insulated against the cold, and have a means of lacing that allows for a secure fit. Unlike pac boots and slip-on models, winter hiking boots are meant to walk over longer distances, so they need to have a good fit without any side-to-side slip. What makes these boots different from their summertime hiking boot counterparts is that the materials used for the outer need to be more impervious to wetness as they will be under constant exposure on wintry hikes, and they need to be much better insulated than summer boots where daytime temperatures are much higher. Because of the application many people intend to use their boots for, namely walking in deep snow, insulated winter hiking boots need to have a higher than usual cuff height to keep snow and slush from getting over the top and inside the boot. These are good boots for day trips, but are generally unsuitable for overnight camping in winter conditions because of the inadequate insulation and difficulty in drying. Dedicated double-layer mountaineering boots are best for this purpose. If you're looking for something for multi-day winter camping or hiking trips, you can read our Mountaineering Boot Review for more options on double-layer boots.

How to Choose Winter Boots

With many models to choose from that are all insulated, water resistant and cozy, most consumers will find that any of the ten models we reviewed will get them through winter comfortably, but this is a broad category and there are many other good boots out there that we did not have a chance to review first hand. So here are some helpful things to look at when considering new winter footwear.

Applications

What do you need to accomplish while wearing your boots? If you only need to don a pair of waterproofed insulated kicks to make brief trips into the winter wonderland in order to shovel the drive, pick something up from the market or get to work in, then your options are broad, and you will likely be happy wearing any type of winter boot. That being said, there are enough choices and differences that there is bound to be a boot style that fill fit your intended applications best, and it is nice to keep your options open so that when you think to yourself, "You know, I wouldn't mind trying out snowshoeing this weekend," you have a pair of boots that can function without having to go shopping again.

Pac style boots are convenient and easy to use, and they are a durable, budget-friendly option that work well for most day-to-day activities that people require a boot for. Slip-on boots are simple, with no moving parts or liners to return to the outer boot, and are the most convenient style to use, though often this convenience comes at the price of walking comfort and reduced insulation. Insulated hiking boots will have the best comfort over long distances thanks to a more supportive midsole and good lacing systems.

Sizing and Fit

Those with specific foot shapes, namely wide or high volume feet, will want to look at the Keen Summit County III and the Columbia Bugaboot Plus III Omni-Heat, as they have a wider last and fit broader and higher volume feet more comfortably. The Adidas Outdoor Terrex Conrax CP and the Vasque Snowburban Ultradry fit true to size and felt perfect for an average foot, while The North Face Chilkat IIwere small for their size and fit tight for anything but a very low volume foot.

When sizing your boots, consider what you want it to be used for. A loose boot will offer great warmth and comfort but will not have good long distance comfort for walking. Conversely, our favorite winter hiking boots, like the Vasque Snowburban Ultradry, have a snug fit and a supportive sole to take you far along the trail in comfort, but are less insulated to account for the tighter fit. In either case, we want our boots to allow for comfort but not constriction. Tight boots will lead to circulation issues and colder feeling toes. Size your boots appropriately using the socks you intend to use, and make sure you have enough room in the toe box to wiggle your toes around. Warm feet are happy feet, and a pair of well-fitting winter boots will make you a lot happier person.

Insulation

We choose winter boots over regular boots for their insulation. To keep feet warm in cold temperatures, the boots needs to have some insulating material to trap heat inside them. Insulation combined with an exterior waterproofing material will result in a quality piece of footwear that will excel in both wet and cold environments.


The different models that we reviewed have two general types of insulation: synthetic fiber insulation and neoprene. Neoprene, which is used only in our Editors' Choice award winner, the Bogs Classic Ultra Mid, is the same textile used in cold weather fishing gloves and wetsuits for SCUBA and surfing. Neoprene is warm, very durable, and will not pack out and lose its insulating properties over time. In tight fitting neoprene garments there is often a clammy feeling as the neoprene does not breathe well, though when used in the looser fitting Bogs boots, we did not have those issues. It is not the warmest material though, so it is most appropriate for moderate climates and wet weather.

Synthetic insulation is made of spun plasticized fibers that are then integrated into the boot lining. Much like the synthetic insulation used in puffy jackets and sleeping bags, the insulation is most effective at trapping heat when allowed to expand and "loft." This loft gives pac boots like the Kamik Nation Plus a soft and cushiony feel, as the room between the outer boot and liner allows the Thinsulate insulation to fully loft; however, this leads to a looser fit. The amount of insulation used and how it is sewn into the inside of the boot will also have a bearing on fit and warmth. If the insulation is tightly packed, it might feel just as warm as a boot that used much less insulation but allows it to loft up. Synthetic insulation feels softer and provides more cushion than neoprene, but it is not as effective once it gets wet.

A unique insulation method used in the Columbia Bugaboot Plus III Omni-Heat is the use of the Omni-Heat fabric, a reflective metallic lining that reflects more body heat back into the boot. While uncommon, this lining allowed the Bugaboot to insulate well with only 200 grams of additional synthetic insulation.

Water Resistance

Keeping the interiors of winter boots dry is important because insulation looses effectiveness once wet, and cold wet feet are an unwanted discomfort. Boot makers use two ways of protecting the foot from outside moisture. The boot can be made using inherently waterproof materials like treated leather or rubber, and can also be constructed using a thin waterproof membrane not unlike a rain jacket that is sewn into the interior lining of the boot. Using fully waterproof materials like neoprene and rubber will keep water out, but often at the cost of breathability. This outer shell may need to be periodically treated to keep them shedding water as well as when they were brand new, especially if they use an animal leather to exclude water.


Boots that incorporate a waterproof/breathable membrane ensure that water coming in from the outside will never reach the wearer's foot. While this may be true, attention must still be given to the outer materials, since waterlogged fabrics will inhibit the transference of perspiration from the inside of the boot, resulting in a feeling of coldness and dampness akin to the boot having let in water. So, even if the boot has such a lining, like the Vasque Snowburban Ultradry, treating the leather outer with waterproofing agents at regular intervals will keep the boot performing as it should.

Lacing

The type of laces used will have an impact on the fit of the boot. Pac boots with many lacing eyelets allow for a comfortable fit but are difficult to tightly lace over the top of the foot. Winter hiking models often use speed lacing eyelets over the top of the foot for a quick and secure fit, and then lacing hooks above that let you customize the security around the ankle. The Adidas Outdoor Terrex Conrax CP was the only model that we tested that used a modern quick-lacing system with a thin cord and a small toggle for fast and easy tightening. While these systems are fast and efficient, they don't always hold up as long as traditional lacing systems and are difficult to replace when broken.

Weight

A final consideration in your purchase should be the weight of the boot. All winter boots will be heavier than a pair of running shoes, but there was some variability and noticeable differences in the weight of the different models we tested. TheSalomon Toundra Mid WP was one of the lightest models that we tested, at only 1.5 pounds per boot. Conversely, the Bogs Classic Ultra Mid weighed almost 2.5 pounds each. That one pound difference might not seem like much when shoveling the driveway for 20 minutes, but if you spend the whole day out in your boots, or if you're getting on in years, then you'll appreciate having a lighter boot. So keep weight in mind particularly when choosing a pair of winter hikers.