Insulated winter boots or shoes with a wide toe box and firm footbed?

January 3, 2021 1:04 PM

Recommended winter walking footwear for cold feet and plantar fasciitis?

I am having trouble finding winter boots or shoes that are comfortable for long walks which are available in wide widths and have a good supportive base that works well with inserts or orthotics. My toes tend to get cold easily and I have plantar fasciitis so I need good arch support. From my searching there appears to be relatively few options for winter walking footwear which comes in a wide width. The L.L. Bean boots do but they don’t have a firm foot bed that seems to work well with inserts. I would like something with a little insulation because my toes tend to get quite cold. I am hoping to use the winter shoes or boots for walks of 1 to 2 hours. Ideally they would be water resistant or proof.

Any recommendations for insulated winter shoes or boots to look at or try?

posted by cycleback to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

The best winter boots I've owned are these (not the duck boots, not the chukka, not the ballard 2 -- just the normal 'Ballard'). Toasty, sturdy and waterproof. Most importantly for me, they have great traction on snow and ice. Unfortunately ,they changed the style and don't appear to make them anymore, but it looks like you can find them on Ebay etc.
posted by so fucking future at 1:27 PM on January 3, 2021

I don't have specific suggestions but try looking at waterproof hiking boots (or "winter hiking boots") instead of just winter boots, if you're not already.
posted by needs more cowbell at 1:35 PM on January 3, 2021

Keens run quite wide and have a lot of space in the toebox for thick socks. I love my Revels- they are winter hiking boots- and would suggest you try a pair. When I buy winter boots I always size up to be able to have room for socks and some air to heat up.

To be honest, even here in Alaska I usually just hike and walk around in my Bog neoprene-sided boots, which have lots of space and are warm and wind proof and fit my wide feet, but they probably don’t have the arch support you want. There would be lots of room for your inserts, though.
posted by charmedimsure at 1:41 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

Have you considered "trail runners" sized up from your normal shoe size to accommodate thick socks? That is what I use for my winter hiking setup, which although a very different use case might be something worth considering . If you need to be able to walk through deep slush, puddles, etc you could consider gore-tex or neoprene socks.
posted by ToddBurson at 1:49 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

I wanted to suggest Yak Trax or crampons with whatever shoes feel good on your feet. I've got some mild plantar fasciitis and am worried that my suboptimal hiking boots or winter boots will make things worse.
posted by mecran01 at 2:22 PM on January 3, 2021

@mecran: Microspikes would likely be the better option here as typically crampons are more suited for vertical (think mountaineering ) climbing. Microspikes would be ideal for more flat or hilly terrain, although I don't know where OP is walking - they would be appropriate for ice sheets or frozen snow on mountain/forest terrain for example but way overkill for icy sidewalks/pavement.
posted by ToddBurson at 3:10 PM on January 3, 2021

I bought these from Orthofeet. The treads are not particularly aggressive, though. However, the quality and price seem not completely out of line with "regular" shoes.
I need wide shoes, wider than E, and these are satisfactory. The soles are too stiff to bend from the heel to the front of the arch.

They also have actual boots.
posted by SemiSalt at 3:20 PM on January 3, 2021

I cannot say enough good things about Oboz. I believe that most of their styles come in wide sizes. I have an older version of the (women's) Bridger 7" Insulated Waterproof Boots and have used them as my everyday winter boot for two or three years now. They accommodate my orthotics and my feet only get cold if I'm outside and not moving for like an hour. (I can hike for an hour or two and not have any issues with cold feet.) Pre-COVID, I also used to wear them to work (very casual office!) and keep them on all day without my feet overheating. They are MAGICAL. Good luck!
posted by leftover_scrabble_rack at 4:48 PM on January 3, 2021