Do warm, comfy, stylish, inexpensive, flat winter boots and shoes exist? Where?

October 16, 2010 1:28 PM

Looking for very warm, comfortable, inexpensive, stylish, low-heeled knee high boots or shoes for fall/winter. Also, good arch support needed. Help me wade through what's currently available.

I live in NYC, so I walk a lot. Whatever I wear has to be comfy enough to take me through the day, which often includes at least a mile or two of walking, and often more.

I'm ideally looking for flat knee-high boots (like these), but shoes are good to recommend if they cover the entire foot. Boots in other styles too, like equestrian, I also like. I have larger calves, so need a at least a 15" opening (and no mid-calf height boots, please!). My feet can get very cold in the fall/winter. I do try to wear thicker socks sometimes, but inhere lies another problem.

I have some tendonitis in my foot right now. Apparently, my arches are somewhat high and I've been compensating my whole life by walking too heavily on the balls of my feet. I've got insoles and another arch support insert on the way. The podiatrist cautioned against wearing anything too tight around my foot or risk worsening the bone spur/bump on the top of my foot. So the combination of insert plus thick sock may be too tight in most shoes. Which is why I'm hoping to find a naturally warmer shoe/boot. Is shearling lined worth it?

I'd like to keep them under $150 if at all possible, but suggest something higher if it's reasonable. Being able to try them on in a store is ideal, though online stores with free two-way shipping are okay too.

posted by cmgonzalez to shopping (13 answers total)

I have these Ugg Boots (I know, I know - UGG - just click, trust me) and they are supreme. I love them. Worth every single penny.
posted by Medieval Maven at 1:56 PM on October 16, 2010

Aquatalia Marvin K Spunky Riding Boots. Expensive, but they meet all your other criteria: flat, stylish, warm, accommodating of larger calves, and I can personally attest that they can be walked in comfortably for miles. I'm wearing them right now.

(Bonus: I got them a year ago, and with zero care they look exactly as good as they did the day I got them.)
posted by january at 2:06 PM on October 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Keens fit my 15" calves, are warm, comfortable and have great arch support.
Stylish is in the eye of the beholder...

http://www.zappos.com/keen-bern-high-boot-black
posted by Requiax at 2:09 PM on October 16, 2010

these are a bit more expensive but otherwise meet your criteria:

http://www.zappos.com/product/7653047/color/10005

(zappos in general is wonderful, and has a lot of flat, knee-high boots)
posted by thinkingwoman at 2:16 PM on October 16, 2010

I have sort of similar criteria for boots and I found these last year: Keen Bern High Boots. :sigh: Awesome boots.
posted by hecho de la basura at 2:32 PM on October 16, 2010

I was so excited when I saw this question so I could provide this answer:

Merrell Spire Peak Waterproof Boots

I bought my pair for much less on eBay, but even at full price, they would be totally worth it.
posted by lovelylucy at 3:11 PM on October 16, 2010 [6 favorites]

I had a pair of these and wore them into the ground. I loved them so much: Timberland Waterproof Lexiss. They're not lined, but I was almost never cold in them with a thin wool knee sock or wool tights. I have large calves, and these fit fine. I have high arches but don't usually worry about arch support, so I don't know whether they are good in that department. I think they do have removable insoles, though, which gives you a bit more flexibility.

Anyway, I would often walk to and from work (~1.5 miles each way) and all over Boston in these boots. Sometimes in the snow. They were fabulous, and right now I'm wondering why I haven't bought another pair.
posted by mskyle at 4:50 PM on October 16, 2010 [2 favorites]

Oh, also, Macy's and stores like that will often carry those Timberland boots (oddly, I've never seen them in a Timberland store). That's where I bought mine, at one of those three-day sales with coupons and things.
posted by mskyle at 4:53 PM on October 16, 2010

Those Merrell Spire boots look great. I can't find my size on eBay so I'm trying Zappos. I'm also a New Yorker looking for stylish but practical and comfortable (black) boots. And they're even waterproof!!
posted by Salamandrous at 7:21 AM on October 17, 2010

I've got a pair of the Merrell Spire boots and yup, they really are that good.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:44 AM on October 17, 2010

Hmm, seems like a lot of votes for the Merrell. I bought a pair of Merrell sandals this spring and wore them throughout the summer and early fall (along with 2 other things). I noticed that after about three months, the ankle straps had begun to fray and stretch out. I have them on the tightest hole, so I can't just make them tighter to compensate. I had a minor spill one morning when my foot turned while wearing them.

I don't quite trust in Merrell's quality after that. Especially if I'm going to fork over almost $200 (the sandals were $35 on sale). But I like the way they look, so I may give them a shot based on all the confidence here.
posted by cmgonzalez at 1:37 PM on October 18, 2010

I buy mostly Merrells, because they fit me, and they've usually been worth the money. One pair of boots gave out before they should and I returned them to the store where I got them (REI) for a full refund, as they agreed that shoes that expensive should last a long time. So maybe get them somewhere with a good return policy?
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:14 PM on October 19, 2010

They came!

(The Merrell Spire boots I ordered based on this thread).

They are so comfortable. I'm really psyched for them (hope they'll wear well).

cmgonzalez, I am greatly profiting from your askme. Thank you! :)
posted by Salamandrous at 5:37 PM on October 19, 2010