ShoeMe

October 25, 2023 9:58 AM

What kind of winter shoe is right for me?

We are spending the winter in Vermont and upstate NY. I expect a lot of cold rain and some snow. My shoe wardrobe of Skechers GoWalks and plastic slides are probably not going to work. I also have a lot of sensory issues around shoes.

Happy to hear general experience with what features I might specifically want to look for/avoid, or links to recommendations (or anti-recommendations).

Needs:
- Grip! I have a bad knee and I am fat and middle-aged.
- Dry. Hate a wet sock.
- Not too high? My primary concern is a street slush-and-puddles shoe, not a romping-in-snow shoe (though I guess I might want something for that too), and I don't want it rubbing on my lower calf or deal with tucking in pants etc.
- Not too hot! This is my big concern, that all the sherpa/fauxfur-lined boots will become excruciatingly hot once I get in the car/go into a store etc.
- Easy-on. I need a zip or slip; decorative laces are fine but one of my knees doesn't do any of the angles required to extensively secure a shoe.

Fashion: eh. Maybe not monstrously ugly, nondescript is fine. If they're accidentally cute that's cool.

Giant feet: women's US size 11

posted by Lyn Never to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total)

I think it’s kind of an expectation that you will own at least one pair of Bean Boots if you live in New England.
posted by rockindata at 10:04 AM on October 25, 2023

There are MANY options for Bean Boots. It’s probably worth going to a physical L.L. Bean store to try out different configurations to see what works for you.
posted by rockindata at 10:09 AM on October 25, 2023

We are Los Angeles people who sent our kid to college in a place with full winter and it seems the solution is Blundstones. They go up to 11 in women's. Kid Blah has been wearing his for 3 years in cold rain/snow/slush, and that pair is still going strong.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:11 AM on October 25, 2023

I live in Chicago where it gets plenty snowy and slushy, and I've got dogs so sometimes I'm out multiple times a day in all weather.

I own and have owned many styles of winter boot over the years. What do I preferentially grab again and again though? My Teva Ember mids. They are EASY on/off, comfy, warm (enough), wet resistant (enough), and don't make me have to go through a whole production just to get outside. I love them. There are "better" boots for almost every individual metric, but for me these are the good-enoughest at every element that they become the best winter shoe overall.

Looks like Teva has knocked out a few more variants on the shoe since I got mine, including ones with a grippier sole.
posted by phunniemee at 10:21 AM on October 25, 2023

Speaking as a woman with size 11 feet who lives in Toronto, I think you probably want Blundstones.

- They have a rubber sole with plenty of grip in my experience. I have taken them hiking, etc.
- I have never had a pair spring a leak in the past 15+ years.
- They come up to ankle height (taller than my short socks, shorter than my tall socks).
- You can get a shearling insole if you want, but the regular insoles are non-fluffy.
- They slip on and off pretty easily.
- I think they look good. They are certainly very popular. They come in a few colours and toe shapes that you can choose from.

I wear mine year round, and they typically last me 5+ years. The toe box is wide enough for me - they are one of few pairs of shoes I have worn that are entirely comfortable.
posted by hepta at 10:25 AM on October 25, 2023

Regardless of what you end up getting for a boot, definitely get YakTrax, Stabilicers, or some other kind of winter traction device - absolute game changers for walking on ice or packed snow.
posted by mskyle at 10:28 AM on October 25, 2023

I just went through the "okay, yeah my old bus-commuting-through-slush boots really do need replacement after mumblety years" thing, with requirements very similar to yours. I did not end up with the classic Bean Boot but did end up at LL Bean more generally, and there were many good options! I ended up with a Velcro option if that might work for you, but there are definitely slide-ons and zip-ups, many of them more classically boot-like than this.
posted by Stacey at 10:45 AM on October 25, 2023

Sorel!! Love them. I spent several winters in the Rochester NY area and lived in Sorels (and honestly, lined Crocs for quick outings, they're surprisingly good in snow).
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:57 AM on October 25, 2023

I don't have these exact boots but something similar, and this type would be perfect for your situation: Keen Greta Chelsea. My most reliable winter boots have been Keen and Sorel.
posted by beyond_pink at 11:57 AM on October 25, 2023

I’ve worn these Bogs winter low rain boots in Minnesota for the past 5 years, and they’re still going strong. The insulation is not crazy warm but perfectly fine for running errands or waiting at the bus stop (I wear my insulated snow boots on sub-zero days). You can put them on and take them off without using your hands. There’s no crazy heel to risk twisting your ankle on. Yaktrax ice spikes fit on them OK but not amazingly (I prefer to use them on my winter hiking boots). I am also a size 11.
posted by Maarika at 1:35 PM on October 25, 2023

Try looking into waterproof trail runners. They're in essence running shoes with better grip so they're light and easy to walk in. They aren't going to be warm, although the waterproof ones won't be as breathable as regular trail runners, so that'll all depend on the socks you're wearing.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:53 PM on October 25, 2023

Now that I live in a place with 8 months of rain, I've switched to sneakers with uppers made of Gore-tex aka waterproof trail runners. This link is to the REI Outlet's current availability of all such shoes just to give you a sense of the styles, and you can always buy a pair of men's shoes with sizing adjusted accordingly. If you don't mind keeping your shoelaces a bit loose and especially if you have a relatively long handled shoehorn, sneakers could work as slip-ons for you. Random tip for shoe horn purchases, most Korean and Japanese grocery stores will carry them in the housewares/misc section.
posted by spamandkimchi at 2:09 PM on October 25, 2023

My one problem with shoe horns is that they always eventually crack. That is until I spotted a metal one at a local shoe repair place and had to buy it. It's about 1mm thick and solid, that sucker is never cracking.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:30 PM on October 25, 2023

LL Bean StormChaser or Bogs. Both come in step-in varieties.
posted by GrimmblyTuna at 6:08 PM on October 25, 2023

I, a problematic foot person, have had great luck with Merrell boots.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:58 PM on October 25, 2023

Danner & Merrell boots. I've been happy with the waterproofing. I haven't noticed indoor overheating, but my feet run cool, and I wear wool-blend socks, mostly Sockwells, which help with temperature regulation in all seasons. I did install Lock Laces to reduce fooling about.

Upstate NY wintery "street slush" draws unholy strength from everests of plowed snow; I think you do need a more traditional snow/hiking type boot in your wardrobe this year. Blundstone boots are great, but Chelsea boots in slick NE conditions demand ankles of steel.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:12 PM on October 25, 2023

I'm going to make the case that having the right socks is nearly as important as having the right boot. With the "wrong" sock your feet will potentially be sweaty, cold, and damp even in the "right" shoe*. If you can tolerate wool, wool socks increase the probability of foot comfort. They can turn hiking boots into winter boots in more light to moderate winter conditions. They reduce the chance of feet getting over heated. And some boots may fit better, or be more comfortable in socks with more or less cushion/ padding.

IMHO Darn Tough socks are the best.

*No sock is going to save you from this monstrosity though.
posted by oceano at 9:35 PM on October 25, 2023

I injured both knees last winter, torquing the joint on snow and ice. Keens has boots, ex. I worked at LLBean a while back, and got a an older model of Storm Chasers. I love them, even though a certain Bad Girl ate the zipper on one. Comfortable, flexible, traction, warmth, keeps water out. There are low models and a clog. Everybody deals with needing warm feet outside and not being too sweaty inside. I'm not sure there's a happy medium. Cold feet cause me way too much misery, so I like warmer boots and make sure there's room for good wool socks.

Darn tough wool socks - get at least 3 pair of the same style because 1 will get lost and some will be in the wash. These Blundies are hella cute but might require break-in time. I have the Bean Boots. They're not my favorite.

Consider a pair of taller boots in case of deeper snow and wanting to be outside.

If you have not lived in places that get cold while still having that cozy New England penetrating dampness, the adage that there's no bad weather, only inadequate gear is not wrong. Wool sweaters and socks. I gained weight and wool sweaters are harder to find, so I shopped ebay and thrift shops. A fleece vest goes under lots of stuff. You get a lot of use out of a fleece jacket or wool cardigan and a rain shell; you can wear them separately or together. And a warm coat because sometimes there's such a thing as bad weather. You might consider an insulated parka that could accommodate a fleece or sweater. Get long underwear and/or fleece tights and loose pants. I have a couple cute waffle knit tops to layer under sweaters, and, of course, turtlenecks.
posted by theora55 at 11:26 AM on October 26, 2023