20 Best Winter Boots For Boston (2023 Updated)

I have put these boots through the ringer. These boots only come in whole sizes, so before my review I’ll answer the question that most people with half sizes (like me) ask: if, for example, you wear a size 9.

5, order the size 9. I ordered these boots last year around this time, and I think they are amazing. The rubber is extremely soft so they feel comfortable. But the softness does not mean sacrificing durability.

I’ve walked through thorn trees, multifloral rose, and 4″ honeysuckle stumps that would normally puncture leather boots. I have some puncture marks around the arches, but they have yet to go all the way through.

It’s almost like the rubber is self healing like an archery target. The hydroshield coating is very functional in shedding water, but once you put these into mud, the water does not bead up quite as much.

That’s OK, it’s an aesthetic issue. That same coating has kept my boots from checking,and cracking, even putting them in the back of my truck last summer. This is the first pair of boots that did NOT end up with those cracks that all my other rubber boots have had.

Oh yes, and they are still water proof after a year, top to bottom. Even the neoprene uppers, which had some snags from brush, stayed dry inside. I wore these into rocky creek beds, and the tread helped keep my feet in place, even on moss.

The thing that really separated these boots from my others is comfort. They are about 16″ high, but you can roll the calf down to about 10″. They are as comfortable to walk in down hill or up. The cushion keeps the fabric from sawing away at the sides of your leg, and they are even comfortable bare-foot.

The inside stitching, though tough, is soft enough that it never annoyed my skin, and I’ve yet to get blisters after the miles I’d put in. These will never be as comfortable as your leather Danners, but they are probably as comfortable as a rubber boot can be.

Can’t wait for my two year review.

I am blown away by their comfort, warmth, and flattering looks. They also seem to have a good grip in winter weather (though I am yet to test them in pure icy conditions, which we tend to get in Ottawa).

But even in the current conditions, I was slipping left and right in my old Lowa boots and Adirondacks keep me stable and feeling safe. I was worried about the reviews saying that they fit small and are narrow in the toe box.

Not at all. I am size 8 in all shoes except for running/hiking/and winter boots where I take size 9. And I have wide feet. These boots are quite roomy for me. The lacing works very well too and keeps my foot in place.

This is not the case for all boots. The weight is LIGHT. Someone commented that they are heavy – I strongly disagree and wish I knew what kind of “feather weight” winter footware they were using for comparison! I am very happy with this purchase and highly recommend these boots for urban and nature adventures!.

I’ve had these boots for a couple of months now but I had been waiting to post a review until I felt confident. These boots are excellent. For perspective, I mostly wear Vibram Five Fingers (size 39) in the summer, so I am used to minimalist footwear already, and used to my toes having plenty of room and the soles of my shoes being flexible.

I’ve been looking for a good warm shoe for a while. I purchased the Wine boots, the new version with the zipper, in size 39. 5 after reading the recommendation to size up. Size: If I could have tried the shoes on first in a store, I may have gone with my regular size 39.

They are a little longer than I’d prefer and do have a tendency to rub my heel a little. The heel rubbing can be alleviated by thick socks or wearing pants/leggings that tuck in to the boots and provide a buffer.

I also think I finally developed a little callous. That said, the toe box is a little narrower than I expected, having not tried the Xero brand before, and I wouldn’t want it any narrower, so the 39.

5 is maybe still best. Sole: The sole is excellently flexible, and the shoe’s upper moves well with it. My ankle isn’t held stiff like in “regular” boots. Warmth: My feet are always cold. I have been shocked at how well these shoes keep me warm.

I have left the optional insoles in and my tires are very cozy when I’m wearing the shoes inside or if I’m walking/hiking outside. If I have to stand still outside on cold ground, my feet will eventually get cold, but it takes longer than I’ve experienced with other shoes, and when I get moving again, my feet warm up, which is not a common experience for me! Like other people have said, the boots are shorter in person than the impression the photos give.

They’rea couplee inches lower than mid-calf for me (I’m about 5’7”). I personally am glad they aren’t talk like riding boots. Some people have mentioned folding the top over. I’m my experience, the zipper makes this impossible.

I read a review that said they’re comfy enough to hike in right away. I took my time to build up a callous on short walks or I’d have gotten a blister on my heel because of the length being a bit too long for me.

Be aware and don’t necessarily plan on not having to have a break in period. The color is beautiful. I usually would go for a neutral like black/brown, or, given the choice of purple, I’d pick purple.

But this Wine color called to me and I do not regret it. They might not “match” all my outfits, but I love them so much I will wear them with anything. If you’ve been hemming and hawing over these boots, DO IT.

I’ve read a number of reviews commenting on the narrowness of your women’s shoes and have also struggled to find Xero shoes in women’s that fit me. The Mika is no exception; the size-up (9. 5) that I bought is way too long (heel slopping around) and also somehow too narrow (the outside of my foot pokes out over the side of the footbed and looks awful, and the toe area crunches my toes in the width).

I also bought my regular size (9) to try, and that one fits in the heel and everywhere else, but REALLY crunches my toes inward like a more traditional shoe. I have WIDE feet, and would prefer to not always buy the men’s version.

I have purchased many of your shoes (men’s style) for my active/casual life, and I would love to support your women’s styles that are a bit more traditionally feminine, but the sizing just doesn’t follow.

Please, please, please, please! stop advising people who want women’s wide shoes to always buy the men’s version. Only works for the active/casual style footwear, or for people who prefer a more gender neutral style to begin with.

Please, please, please make a wide women’s line, for all of your women’s styles, or at least the ones that definitely don’t have a stylistically equivalent men’s shoe.

Over the last year or so, I bought a few pairs of Xero flat sole shoes of various styles and colors; and what I’ve discovered about these shoes is that they are more comfortable and natural to walk in.

The human foot, bones, and muscle structure, were not designed for us to walk about on this earth with our heels elevated above our toes in an unnatural way. An extreme example of which would be women’s super high heeled pumps.

These unnatural shoes shrink the calf muscle over time, scrunch the toes to an unnatural pointed front section, and have no doubt caused a good percentage of the fairer *** to experience foot pain, falls, and sprained ankles; and for what? An old country and western song had it right when a female singer praised her man by singing the lyrics: “… high heels or sneakers, he don’t give a damn; my baby loves me just the way that I am …!”As a male wearer of Xero shoes on a part time basis, my non-Xero shoes and sneakers with a slightly elevated heel, now feel unnatural when I switch back to them for work (with non-slip soles), or when I choose to wear high heeled western style riding boots.

Those high heels were for a reason, to keep the heel from slipping out of the stirrups, and for other suitable and practical purposes such as motorcycle riding, and of course, just to look really cool, or vain.

So please, hear me; there is no judgment to high heeled wearers, either men or women; feel free to wear your high heeled fashionable shoes as you see fit; but keep in mind that Xero Shoes with their typical more foot friendly flat soles, being more healthy and therapeutic; will treat your feet to a better more natural posture and rehabilitate your calf muscles and all those little foot bones and connections, particularly after a long haul in those really cool looking heeled shoes that can be murderous and tortuous to our feet.

Closing question: have you ever seen a friend wearing flat sole flip flops sporting a few really bad blisters immediately after wearing a cool pair of high heeled shoes? I rest my case … do yourself and your feet a favor … try a pair of flat sole Xero shoes; methinks thou shalt not be disappointed! – submitted by: Mark Oresic, Ocean County, NJ, USA.

I’m a 56-year-old hiker, not a trail runner, and these were my first zero-drop footware. The tl;dr version: I liked them well enough to order a three-season hiking shoe from Xero as well. I walk an average of four miles a day on steep and often rocky terrain, and I’ve worn these in all wintery conditions, up to 15 miles at a stretch.

THE GOOD – Durability: 500 trail miles in, the stitching is all intact, and the waterproofing still holds up. Looks as if I’ll get another winter out of them! – Comfort: I forget I have them on most of the time, except when I step on a sharp stone, which can cause a twinge of discomfort.

No blisters (but then I had already been walking a lot in more conventional shoes) – Sturdy enough to work fine with yaktrax. I’ve walked many miles in yaktrax with no discomfort – Work well with my heavy, old-fashioned showshoes – Waterproofing lasts up to four miles in very wet snow – Keep feet warm down to about 10F/-12C.

Below that temperature you need to keep your speed up and/or have extra-warm socks. And they’re comfortable up into the mid-50s – Affordability is great compared to other ultralight products. I feel like the company understands that not all outdoor enthusiasts are affluent THE NOT-SO-GOOD – Traction isn’t great on ice and very slippery snow.

You do need to have yaktrax or similar – They were a little tight, and I should’ve ordered a half-size larger than my usual (despite the order form saying I could order my usual size). Generally not noticeable unless I’m descending a steep slope, when they pinch my toes.

(I do have great big honking big toes. ) – You will never look cool in them. Sorry. CONCLUSION I am not a very a brand-loyal person, but I may be sticking with Xero shoes for a while unless the prices really go up – I don’t like paying more than $100 for something that’s unlikely to last more than 800 miles.

Fundamentally, I just love being in closer contact with the ground – I’m a geology and wildflower nerd, so the ground is where a lot of my attention is focused when I’m outdoors. And I like scrambling up steep slopes so it’s great not feeling like I have lead weights on my feet.

I received these boots in early fall and didn’t get a chance to try them out until our first big snowfall today. I love the Frost color and design and the fluffy interior makes it feel like your foot is settling into a cloudy cushion.

Granted, it’s only my first time wearing them, but tor the first day, they were waterproof. I am curious how long that will last. I plan to spray them with waterproof repellant later on, but hoping they will last out this winter without having to do that.

Walking through Brooklyn streets, they felt really cushiony with just a pair of regular thickness socks. Every time I walked in the slush and hit a patch that was starting to ice up beneath the wetness, however, my foot would slide just enough to teach me to walk more cautiously, so I’ll need more time to see how the soles grip onto icy parts this winter.

My one con is sizing. Before buying the shoes, I called in to see if I should get my regular size 8 or size up as I sometimes like more wiggle room, and after reading the reviews, I wasn’t sure. I was recommended to go with 8 based on how many of my other Xero shoes fit.

When I received them, they fit just right, but felt like my toes were quite near the front edge and touching the top. I tried what another reviewer said, to tie it tighter near the ankle to keep your foot from sliding forward and that seemed to help.

Walking around the house, I was waffling a bit as to whether I should exchange them, but since I was planning to wear my normal socks and not thicker wool ones, I decided to keep them. Walking in the snow and on the sidewalks, I didn’t notice my toes bothering me at all.

I wore the boots all day long in school (I’m a teacher) and they were still comfy. There would be occasional moments when walking in hallways and just about the room that I did notice that my toes felt they were hitting the front edge.

Not enough to really bother me, but I’ll consider bringing a change of shoes for next time.

They are true to size and very light. Waterproof in snow and light puddles. Insulation is comfortable enough for a two hours car ride to the mountain and several hours on the mountain. Traction is good on icy sidewalks.

They look about twice as heavy as they feel. With salt on the sidewalks I did not see any obvious discoloration on the leather like you would with some other boots. Moderate arches, I did not need a custom footbed, was able to wear them for a good six plus hours first day without pain.

I laced them up all the way to the top. Using stock laces that came with the boots.

I wear Saucony shoes and these fit similar. Initially they weren’t wide enough but the leather let go after the 3rd wear and they fit great now. I am very happy with them. Coldest I’ve had them is about -12C and I had no issues.

The grip is pretty good. Not the best but definitely nothing to complain about. I was expecting a better “waterproofing” but the only time I noticed water getting through was after the boots sat and the snow thawed and soaked in.

In the elements this has not been a problem at all. The insoles are deceivingly comfortable. Out of the box I was skeptical but, like the width, they break in FAST and are quite nice (I’m 210lbs). I’m happy with these so far.

I think they will likely max out around -15C. Maybe -20 with some quality wool socks. I recommend them with the caveat that I wear them as is, out of the box. I can’t speak to anyone who might need orthotics/ modifications.

I use this in Montreal to drive to work. As a pair of shoes these are stylish and very confortable on my feet. As a pair of winter boot my feet get cold at -15 C inside my car, while I wait to the heating warm up the car.

The grip is the worst, not good grip in the snow or ice walking on the sidewalk or the parking lot. My first experience with HH and let me wanting. Fits a bit narrow so I got half size up. I wouldn’t buy again.

These boots do live upto the description. They do keep your feet very warm as my feet get really cold. They are very waterproof I’ve walked through the forest where its been really muddy and wet and not abit of water has come through.

They are also very easy to clean. Very happy with these boots.

I bought these for a recent ski trip and I (almost) haven’t taken them off since. They are very warm, comfy, grip well in snow and ice, are waterproof etc etc – and I get a lot of comments on them (they are quite chunky so make a bit of a statement).

I love them, they do the job I bought them for perfectly.

I am a 9. 5 and this fit true to size, although there was not any room for a cushioned sock, so I would have sized up if I kept them. I wanted to like them, they are attractive and the side zipper was really appealing.

I returned them because: 1) I was comparing this boot to the Oboz Andesite Mid Insulated Boots, and those felt warmer, and more comfortable out of the box 2) The side zip i expected to potentially rub on my ankle.

It didn’t; it was designed well in that respect. But the zip I also expected to (when unzipped) allow me to remove my foot. It does not, you still need to unlace the boots 3) The insulation on the boot can be felt in between the leather and the inside.

But it seems less thick near the toes, which is where my feel tend to be cold in the winter. That, plus walking around in them vs the Oboz, my toes felt warmer in the Oboz. Last, (& just FYI, because it’s always hard to know from online pictures) the color of this boot is exactly as it appears on the REI website, like a dark tan.

Hope this is helpful.

I was wary about buying hiking boots online but I’d heard great things about Danner and really wanted to try them for my next pair. The sizing is perfect, not too wide and my narrow heels doesn’t slip.

I love the boot height, which will be great for ankle support when hiking. They’ve become my go-to boot since they arrived, so certainly versatile. Minor points are that the laces are slightly long, but nothing a double bow can’t handle.

Like someone reviewing the men’s version, I’m not sure what the point of the side zipper is. I unlace from the top two eyelets, so maybe the side zip helps with not needing to loosen the entire boot, but apart from that, J don’t have any complaints.

You’ll never want to take these off!.

This boot it terrific for snowy and icy days, but a few comments: 1. The side zip doesn’t allow you to take the boot off without undoing the laces (unless it is laced very loosely), and the laces will fall off the top hooks anyway.

So think of the zip as helping you to more quickly lace them up rather than making them into slip-on / slip-off shoes. 2. The fabric fold inside the zipper can feel a little uncomfortable on your inner ankle.

If I were walking several miles then I imagine it would start to rub and cause blisters. It is fine for shorter walks in the snow 3. The sole is super-sticky on snow and ice. I watched friends slip all over the place and I was rock solid 4.

The boots are *very* warm. Great for walking outside, but they may become a little too warm if you are inside a well heated room. 5. They are just higher than the ankle, and so won’t stop snow from getting into your boot if you are trudging through 8+ inches of fresh snow.

unless you were a gaiter. 6. They are really attractive (I have them in brown suede with red laces) – I get lots of positive comments. Altogether, these are great boots and perfect for what I was seeking.

But don’t convince yourself that these are good long-distance hiking boots – the fabric fold will be a little too uncomfortable.

Bought these and have been wearing them to get them broken in. I’m now getting some impressions. 1. + They seem like they will remain waterproof which is one thing i was looking for so that’s good. 2.

– The sole liners are pretty poor. Like most shoes anymore, they are basically flat on the inside. Little arch support so I had to go spend another $50 to get quality arch supports. 3. – They rub on the top of my ankles so that is somewhat of an aggravation if I do much walking.

4. + They seem like they will be warm and with 400 gm of Thinsulate I hope that they are. 5. – The outer soles pick up lots of mud so need to clean and take off before I come in the house.

Was a little sceptical, reading the reviews. I compared lots of boots and needed a warm winter set without breaking the bank. Have been breaking these in and am pretty surprised, definitely pleased. I bought them large, and probably shouldn’t have, on third month of breaking them in.

I was a little concerned because I felt a little pressure on the toes and they had an overall stiffness at first. After a few weeks they started to loosen up a bit. Makes room for thicker wool socks.

I’ve always gotten blisters breaking in new shoes, no blisters or chafing. Pros: Excellent boot for the price, if you’re looking for a good boot that won’t cost half your housing costs, these will work.

Haven’t tested in really cold weather or waterproof-ness but sure they will work out well. Planning on treating the leather before wet weather hits. Good tread pattern for snow and ice. First set of lace hooks helps lace up, they lock a bit while you tighten up to top.

Give them a chance to break in, they loosen up a bit and are really comfortable after a month or two. As boots go, they feel really good and definitely a warm boot! Cons: If you want to buy American, stay away.

These are clearly tagged Made in China. Take the insoles out and throw them away, they are almost flat. Get a good insole with an arch support and they are way more comfortable and feel perfect. The lace hooks are plastic, I have read reviews of them breaking.

If you’re aware of that and treat them accordingly, should be fine. A bit on the heavy side, but hey, they are BOOTS.

I’m a very outdoorsy guy who lives in northern NH and have a second home in northern Canada and so spend an awful lot of time outdoors in cold weather. This is my second pair of these Snowrunners and I own or have owned numerous other winter footwear.

IMHO these are just as perfect as a winter boot could be regardless of the price. In really deep snow I just put on gaiters, as these are just so so so much more comfortable and easy to walk in than pac boots.

Four hundred grams of Thinsulate seems to be the sweet spot in terms of amount of insulation for winter boots: 200 or comparable amounts that are used in most “winter” boots and shoes just isn’t enough except to run from the car to the house or store; over 400 is bulky and overkill for most uses other than icefishing or sedentary snowmobiling.

These boots have substantial long-wearing grippy soles and the leather/fabric upper sheds water and slush. I do recommend treating the leather when the boots are still new, as it can become wet and mushing when the boots are older, though the membrane liner still keeps your feet dry.

Having worn my previous pair for winter backpacking hikes in the Whites, for working in the winter woods, and for daily use, I have been very impressed with how well-made they have been. Highly recommend.