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Stay sure-footed and free from frosty toes, with our pick of top-rated footwear
Winter never fails to surprise us. One moment it’s mild and manageable, the next you’re contending with icy pavements and freezing rain. When the cold sets in, your choice of footwear can make or break your ability to navigate the season comfortably, with the best men’s snow boots offering extra warmth and grip when the temperature drops.
Forget flimsy trainers and clunky wellies – winter demands something sturdier. Don’t be fooled by the term ‘snow boot’, though – you don’t need waist-high snow drifts or Arctic conditions to justify owning a pair.
These boots are built for more than just the white stuff, combining water-resistant or waterproof uppers, grippy lugged outsoles, and, often, a touch of insulation to keep your feet warm and dry.
From heavy-duty duck boots to classic weatherised work boots, the snow boots category covers a range of styles to suit every need. With so much on offer, however, finding the right pair can be daunting.
To make life easier, we’ve tested some of the best styles on the market, highlighting options to suit every budget and purpose. Scroll on to find out which designs have been dubbed the best men’s snow boots this year.
Admittedly, it’s not easy to test snow boots in actual snow here in the UK, due to its glaring absence. However, our tester in Northumberland is never short of cold, wet and muddy conditions in which to trudge around.
If a boot is grippy enough to get some purchase on a muddy Cheviot hill path or a wet, cobbled street, it will happily cope with whatever a British winter might throw our way. Each pair of boots tested was worn extensively in typical seasonal conditions, to see how they performed. Only boots that offered a good mix of comfort, durability, warmth and grip would do, so, those that couldn’t meet all of these requirements didn’t make the cut.
Value for money was also taken into consideration. If a particular boot had a big price tag, it would need to be justified by its durability, the quality of its materials and the craftsmanship on display.
Paddy Maddison is a freelance consumer journalist with a passion for the great outdoors. He specialises in review features covering men’s outdoor clothing, footwear and gear. He prioritises products that use sturdy, reliable and sustainable materials that keep you safe and warm, without breaking the bank.
Sorel’s caribou is the definitive snow boot. It’s insulated, waterproof, fleecy on the inside, rubberised on the toe, and nice and high for trudging through the powder. This pair is the benchmark for all other snow boots and winter boots, and boasts the added bonus of looking great.
The caribou is very much a cold-weather boot. This isn’t a piece of footwear you’re going to be able to rotate throughout the year – it’s really only suitable for the darkest depths of winter. As such, it has a cosy shearling collar, insulated felt liner (removable for easy washing), and a heavily lugged outsole for maximum grip.
It’s most at home in heavy snow but equally useful in mud, rain, cold and general winter conditions.
These cosy snow boots from Trespass may not be made from high-end leather, nor are they Goodyear welted, but they’re warm, comfortable, rubberised where it matters, and about as waterproof as you can get for less than £40. Nothing flashy, but if you’re seeking something cheap and cheerful for the occasional snowy school run or dog walk, they’re hard to fault.
One thing to note is these boots are quite stiff, which is largely because of the rubberised lower portion. As a result, they can rub during longer walks. To combat this, we’d suggest going up a half size from your usual and wearing them with a pair (or two) of thick socks.
If you’re looking for a comfortable sneaker boot to keep you warm during winter walks, this (admittedly quite unusual-looking) option from Adidas might fit the bill. It has a dual closure system, which consists of an inner quick-lace cord and an outer zip-up flap. Together, they create a solid barrier against the wet and cold, with a Gore-Tex membrane helping to seal out the worst of the weather.
These are extremely warm boots that perform well in wet and muddy conditions, thanks, in part, to the deep, aggressively patterned lugs to the outsole, enabling the shoe to bite into mud and snow for traction. The springy foam midsole is excellent for comfort, and, while it doesn’t provide enough support for serious hiking, it’s perfect for everything else.
For us, the only downsides are the rather large terrex branding to the sides, and the price tag. If neither of those things bother you, this is one of the best options out there.
Warm, waterproof, supremely comfortable and as grippy as they come – in terms of sheer winter-readiness, it’s impossible to fault these Primaloft-insulated snow boots from American boot brand Danner. We’ve spent several winters trudging around various Alpine ski resorts in these boots, which have seen their fair share of muddy British fields and icy footpaths, too, and they’ve never put a foot wrong.
One of the details that makes the Arctic 600 unique is the waterproof zipper that features on the inside of each boot. This makes getting the boots on and off incredibly easy, which is appreciated when your fingers are tender from the cold or you’re in a hurry to get out of the house.
However, the major selling point is the comfort. This boot is one of the most comfortable we’ve tested. The gusseted tongue is soft and padded, and it hugs the foot gently when the laces are pulled tight. The insulated padding inside adds to this feeling, resulting in a warm and cushy boot that’s perfect for traipsing around during unpleasant weather.
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty winter boot for the coldest of weather but don’t want to feel like you’re dragging around a pair of bricks, this style is an excellent option. Generously insulated (they even have a reflective foil lining) and designed with the American brand’s signature outdry waterproofing technology, these boots keep feet warm and dry, while managing to remain surprisingly lightweight.
We loved how agile they felt, especially during long walks. These boots are also equipped with a grippy sole that performs well on slippery terrain. However, while they are adept at keeping your feet dry, they could benefit from a slightly roomier toebox, to accommodate thick socks. If you’re in between sizes, we’d recommend sizing up.
Keen’s revel IV mid polar boots are made for winter adventures. Designed to handle icy trails and snow-covered paths, these boots feature a grippy sole that kept our tester sure-footed on even the most treacherous Northumbrian winter terrain. The boots also remained warm and dry, thanks to Keen’s proprietary insulation and waterproofing.
Comfort is where these boots truly shine, though. Finding footwear that fits can be a real struggle for those with wide feet, so the roominess of the revel IV polar is a welcome change from the norm. There’s plenty of space for thicker socks but the lacing system does a great job of locking the foot in tight, to prevent slipping or rubbing during long walks. In fact, our tester found these boots to be comfortable right out of the box – no lengthy break-in period required. The only downside is the slightly bulky silhouette, which might not be to everyone’s taste.
American heritage brand Red Wing is famous for tough-as-nails work boots. In fact, last year, we featured the brand’s super grippy roughneck boots in this very article. With that in mind, imagine our joy when we found out Red Wing was updating the roughneck to make it even more suited to cold, icy and snowy conditions. Enter: the Norway moc toe boot.
The Norway retains the casual charm of its predecessor, but adds a number of winter-ready updates. There’s a Vibram TC4+ outsole for superior traction on ice, a water-resistant oro-russet leather, a Norwegian storm-welt construction for maximum durability, and an extra-cushy insole for out-of-the-box comfort. If you’re a style-conscious individual who doesn’t get on with the usual bulky snow boot suspects, this is the option you’ve been waiting for.
Snow boots aren’t the comfiest things in the world but when we slipped our feet into Mountain Warehouse’s Arctic snow boots, oh boy, did we enjoy them. Tested in the Norwegian mountains, these boots kept our feet warm, toasty and, best of all, dry.
There’s a really soft lining on the inside, which kept our feet cosy. The only real issue is these boots aren’t the grippiest. We had a few falls on particularly icy days, so, watch your step if you opt for these.
They are a lot cheaper than some of the competition, however, and, for the price, they’ll do the job. They look pretty stylish, to boot, with no maximalist functional hooks and ribs that will cause you to look away in disgust.
Known primarily for its ultra-cushioned running shoes, Hoka brings the same level of comfort and cushiness to these hiking boots. First thing’s first: the anacapa 2 makes no claim to be a winter-specific boot, but we’ve found it to perform extremely well in slippery winter conditions… as long as it’s paired with some nice merino socks for insulation.
We were particularly impressed by the lightweight design – a rarity in the world of winter boots. The cushioning feels more like a running shoe than a hiking boot, making this style ideal for those who prioritise comfort. While they don’t have the rugged aesthetic of traditional snow boots, the understated design is perfect for those who prefer a cleaner look, and it enables the boots to fit neatly into a variety of settings. If you’re looking for a do-it-all boot you can simply put on and forget about, this is a great option that will take you through the cold season and beyond.
A true icon in the world of winter footwear, the Danner mountain light Gore-Tex boots combine vintage mountaineering style with modern performance. These boots are handmade in the USA and boast premium leather uppers, a Gore-Tex lining for waterproofing, and Vibram soles, for excellent traction.
While they’re not the warmest option for deep snow or extreme cold, they’re perfect for drier winter days or as a stylish everyday boot. Our tester noted how the leather softened beautifully over time (although the break-in period is rather unpleasant), moulding to the shape of the foot for a personalised fit. Expensive? Yes, eye-wateringly so, but they’re beautifully built, designed to last for many years, and the stitchdown construction means they can be resoled again and again. A hefty initial outlay, sure, but you might find yourself burning through multiple pairs of lesser boots in the time it takes to wear out a single pair of these.
Sorel’s caribou boot is the original and best when it comes to footwear for heavy snow. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the white stuff, it’s a difficult one to beat. However, if you’re looking for something more versatile to get you through the cold and wet UK winter, we’d highly recommend Danner’s Arctic 600 as a nice toasty option, or Red Wing’s Norway, for something a little more casual.
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