€ How to combat cold feet in winter
Imagine a scene where you're exploring a picturesque winter landscape. Your feet are comfortably warm, and your shoes offer excellent grip despite the presence of snow and ice. That's what such an experience should be like.
Winter escapades and snowshoe hikes have the potential to instill a sense of excitement. However, the discomfort caused by cold feet can often tarnish what could have been a pleasant outing. Wet or numb toes can quickly transform your appreciation of winter. Yet all this can be avoided with the right winter hiking equipment. In addition to the choice of clothing, the type of footwear plays a crucial role. This is where winter hiking boots come in.
What type of winter boots?
Winter boots are not all the same; on the contrary, they come in a wide range of models designed for a variety of uses. The range encompasses footwear suitable for walking on open trails, moderate winter hiking in the wilderness, as well as demanding winter expeditions involving heavy backpacks, in remote areas and off the beaten track.
A distinctive feature is the ability to combine these boots with snowshoes. Winter hiking boots designed for this purpose generally feature a sturdy upper to prevent snowshoe straps from exerting pressure on the foot. An important feature may also be a reinforced heel welt, or an attachment point specially designed for snowshoes, preventing the strap from slipping backwards.
What should I look for in a winter shoe?
Winter boots differ from conventional hiking boots in several key respects. Here are the four most notable:
Design and upper height:
As mentioned above, winter boots are generally characterized by a high upper that extends well above the ankle. This design offers several important advantages:
A high upper prevents snow infiltration inside the shoe.
It provides better ankle support, which is essential to prevent twisting on snow-covered trails. In addition, a solid shoe facilitates lateral walking on snow and stabilizes the use of snowshoes.
These design features contribute to the efficiency and comfort of winter footwear, while ensuring adequate protection in demanding winter conditions.
The outer part of a shoe is called the upper, and in the context of winter hiking boots, leather is often favored as the main material. Leather is exceptionally resistant, able to cope with sharp ice crystals and the abrasion of snowshoe straps. That's why leather winter boots are the first option for demanding hiking and trekking adventures during this season.
For slightly lighter winter boots, intended for moderate outdoor use, synthetic inserts are often integrated into the upper, complementing the leather sections. These fabric-like materials are lighter, more flexible and highly breathable. Sturdy fibers such as polyamide also guarantee the durability and wear-resistance of these materials.
Whether made of leather or synthetic materials, the upper of a winter boot must invariably be waterproof. This is usually achieved by means of an integrated membrane, such as Gore-Tex or other waterproof membranes. In addition to being waterproof, this membrane offers adequate breathability, facilitating the evacuation of perspiration. This is all the more crucial in winter, when wet feet mean cold feet in low-temperature conditions.
To maintain reliable, constant protection against moisture, it's essential to regularly maintain and waterproof winter boots.
To keep your feet warm in winter, you need to insulate them
There are various ways to keep feet warm in winter boots:
Winter boots with linings are often the initial choice of many people. In fact, linings offer a wide range of options for keeping out the cold. These range from plush sheepskin to a thick lining combined with a waterproof membrane.
Some winter boots include an insulating layer between the upper and the lining, designed to prevent the ingress of cold, such as G-Loft.
The addition of insulating material under the midsole, at the ball of the foot, can also be an effective approach.
Finally, the design of the insole plays a crucial role, with a merino wool insole, for example, helping to maintain warmth while limiting odors.
These various techniques aim to ensure optimum thermal comfort during winter adventures, guaranteeing warm, pleasant feet despite the icy conditions.
Winter boots need a high-performance grip
The outsoles of winter hiking boots feature a distinctive profile, embellished with nails and studs that dig into the snow. Occasionally, additional particles, such as glass fibers or minerals, are incorporated into the rubber sole. These particles, resembling tiny spikes, enhance grip when hiking on snow and ice. In addition, the rubber composition must be adjusted to maintain flexibility at cold temperatures and avoid hardening.
These sole characteristics also have an impact on the midsole. For shoes designed for snowy hiking or snowshoe trails, the midsole tends to be stiffer. This rigidity proves advantageous on snow-covered surfaces, enabling precise transfer of body weight and stable, controlled stepping.
Choosing the right size and fit for your winter boots
When buying winter boots, it's vital not to choose a size that's too small. Indeed, if boots are too narrow (or if laces are too tight), this impedes blood circulation in the feet, contributing to faster cooling. That's why we recommend winter hiking boots that arehalf a size to a size larger than your usual shoe size.
Winter hiking boots are characterized by a wider last to guarantee sufficient space at the sides. However, it's important not to go overboard with side room. Excessively wide shoes can make it difficult to bury the soles in the snow, or to provide the stability needed when using snowshoes. Finding the right balance between comfort and fit is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable winter hiking experience.
A good pair of socks also plays a role in preventing cold feet
In addition to footwear, socks play an equally vital role in keeping feet warm. They play a crucial role in the fit, moisture management and insulation of hiking boots.
Winter hiking socks made from a blend of merino wool and synthetic fibers deliver the best results. Wool maintains warmth and, to a certain extent, performance even in wet conditions. Synthetic fibers, on the other hand, help wick moisture away from the foot and outwards, maintaining a dry, comfortable environment. See our selection of socks at AlpinStore!
To this you can add accessories to prevent your feet from getting too cold
In addition to choosing the right shoes and socks, these tips can also help keep your feet dry and warm:
Gaiters: These play a key role in preventing snow and water from seeping into boots, thus ensuring that heat is retained in the feet. See our selection of gaiters at AlpinStore!
Insulating insoles: Incorporating an additional thin insulating layer (potentially with a reflective aluminum coating) under the sole can prevent cold from penetrating the feet from below, especially at low temperatures. However, it's vital that your footwear offers sufficient space to accommodate these insoles. Boots that fit too snugly can reduce blood circulation to the feet, causing them to become chilled. What's more, a cut that's too narrow alters the proper fit of the boot, potentially causing blisters by disrupting the precise fit at the heel.
Heated soles: In very cold weather conditions, the use of heated insoles can keep feet feeling warm throughout the winter.
Footcare products: Applying a warming foot balm before or after an outing can help stimulate blood circulation, contributing to a feeling of increased warmth and comfort.
By following these tips, in addition to wearing the right shoes and socks, you can maximize your thermal comfort and enjoyment of outdoor winter activities.
In conclusion, if you have the right products, you can drastically reduce the risk of cold feet.
First and foremost, make sure your footwear has adequate insulation. We offer a range of models specially designed to meet a variety of thermal conditions. Thanks to this, you'll be able to fully enjoy your outdoor activities while staying comfortably warm, even during the wintry months.
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Noé NIVAULT, Buyer at AlpinStore Practical: hiking, cycling, running, crossfit See our favorite products at the bottom of this article, as well as our selection of winter footwear at AlpinStore! |
