The humble snow boot has historically been footwear for low-action winter pastimes such as tobogganing, igloo-making, ice fishing and snowman construction. These boots, often ill-fitting and slippery-soled, are effective for little more than shuffling uphill while pulling a sled.
As such, I have eschewed snow boots for a decade. But this year Timberland (www.timberland.com) changed my mind. The company's pricey Rime Ridge boot pulls characteristics from technical wintertime footwear as well as from the snow boot.
At $190, the boots are not something most people will buy for tromping around the yard. You'll want to use the Rime Ridges for snowshoeing, hiking and even easy mountaineering in deep snow.
The fit is such that they can pull off adventurous tasks. On my foot, the boot hugged and cradled, fitting more akin to a running shoe than a Moon Boot. This is thanks in part to its fancy BOA lacing system, a ratcheting network of cords that pull tight across the front foot at the twist of a knob.
The boot has a Gore-Tex membrane, making it waterproof. A cushy helping of 3M Thinsulate is stuffed in for warmth.
A nice extra feature is the closure along the boot's top collar, which lets you seal off the foot from above via an elasticized cord to keep snow out.
