How To Choose Winter Boots for Men

With all of the options out there, it can be daunting to find the best winter boots to fit your needs. Narrowing down the selection as much as possible will help make the decision much easier and quicker. This article aims to explain the different styles of winter boots and their best uses, highlight design components for consideration, and help you narrow down your choices so you can pick the perfect boot for your needs. If you want to see our favorite boots, including our recommendations for different purposes, check out our complete review of winter boots for men.

Types of Winter Boots

The winter boots that we tested and reviewed broadly fit into a few different categories based on their design, features, and intent. Below we detail the ins and outs of each type.

Pac Boots

This category of winter boots includes footwear with big rubber soles, tons of insulation, and calf-height uppers. Their name comes from the Pac, or moccasin slipper, traditionally worn inside an outer boot layer with a rubber shell around the foot and tall leather uppers to protect the calf from deep snow. They are often comprised of a soft, insulated liner that slips inside of an outer waterproof shell, or an insulating layer fixed underneath a weather-resistant shell material.

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, they released the Sorel 1964 Premium T. Since then, many manufacturers have begun producing similar styles. Pac boots provide the best weather protection and warmth amongst many types of winter boots.

The major downside to Pac boots is that they are often bulky and clumsy. Also, they sometimes suffer from a sloppy fit that is hard to get snug. As such, they are best used for activities where dexterous footwork isn’t needed, and they are too heavy and bulky for winter hiking. These boots are great for casual use around town or for winter chores like chopping wood and shoveling.Purposes: Winter chores, snowmobiling and sledding, casual errands

Insulated Winter Hiking Boots

These boots are designed to keep your feet warm and dry on the trails all winter long. They fit much better than Pac boots, feeling more like a sneaker or summer hiking boots. They also have less insulation than Pac boots because your feet will naturally produce heat during activity. They use waterproof materials, but the uppers don’t reach as far up the calves, which helps you walk with more comfort and flexibility. And, they have high-traction soles to grip slippery trails and snowy surfaces. These boots are great for active winter activities like outdoor work and chores on dry surfaces, winter hikes, and general town use when the snow isn’t deep.

The main downside to winter hiking boots is that they compromise on warmth and weather protection to allow the user to walk with ease. So, these boots aren’t helpful in the most extreme winter climates or in snowy conditions while shoveling or sledding. For users in warmer winter climates where precipitation falls as rain as much as snow and where the snow doesn’t pile up deeply every winter, these could be an everyday boot. But for snowy winter climates, a taller and warmer boot is needed. If you’re looking for something for multi-day winter camping or hiking trips, you can read our review of mountaineering boots for more options on double-layer boots.

Slip-On Work Boots

Slip-on boots do not use a lacing system. They often have large handles or pull tabs to help get them on or a loose enough cuff that sliding a foot right in is an easy task. Slip-on boots are 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. The main advantage of slip-on boots is convenience.

Slip-on work boots are a long-time favorite for chores and dirty, wet jobs that require the utmost weather protection. They are simple, durable, and easily cleaned shell boots that are easy to put on and take off, and they allow the user to simply step into the boot, pants included. They are very protective and come with varying levels of warmth, depending on the thickness of insulation used in the shell. Because they are designed with slip-on convenience in mind, they often suffer from loose and baggy fits. Work-oriented slip-on boots aren’t very comfortable to walk in, and they don’t offer much precision.

Chelsea Boots

Chelsea boots are a specific style of leather slip-on boot that was popularized in London in the 1960s and have made a resurgence in recent years. These boots are stylish, and their leather outers provide decent weather resistance, but the elastic patch that allows the boots to expand to slip on easily and then retract for a snug fit also allows water to penetrate at very low heights. These boots will not protect your feet if you step into a puddle deeper than a few inches.

But if the weather is dry and cool instead of snowy and frigid, these boots provide enough protection. Our favorite part about these boots is that they can transition from looking stylish indoors and around the city to being relatively effective in colder winter climates. They can even be used for light-duty chores and outdoor work. Many users in cold urban climates wear these boots 90% of winter days.