Boots?

I've never seen so many boots in shoe stores. It's crazy. Looks like any heal and any style, goes. Anyone buying boots this year for self or others? I hope to get my daughter a pair of snow boots, but it's tough to pick them our without her. They're so picky.

I finally went out a couple of weeks ago to buy myself new boots. I have several old pairs, but they all leak. Now that our winters are so slushy and wet, they just won't do (one pair is over 20 years old!) I hate shopping for shoes/boots, because my feet are in constant pain in anything but sandals or slippers. But I researched online, and came up with a few possibilities, then took the list to several stores. Not one of those pairs worked for me. Most were too stiff and caused excruciating pain for my ankle. Finally one of the salesclerks brought me a boot. She said, "it's not chic, and it's not even close to what you were looking for, but just try it." Well, it was fairly ugly at first glance (and slightly out of my price range), but I didn't want to hurt her feelings, especially after she told me that she had a pair and loved them. So I tried it on and immediately felt like I never wanted to take them off. They were SO comfortable. I can't recall ever having a pair of boots so comfortable. Waterproof, lightweight, and temp-rated to -40 (later while researching them, I found users who wore them in the far north!)

Anyway, I bought them, and LOVE THEM so much I don't know how I'll ever put my feet in another pair of boots. They're so warm, I can wear light socks even in -21 snowy weather here and not feel a thing. And so easy to slip on and off. The perfect boot for me! Worth every cent.

They're called Bogs...mine are the "classic mid hibiscus chocolate" (you can also buy the higher boots) and though I thought they were ugly at first glance, now I think they're the most beautiful boots in the world! (But I don't think too many others will see them that way.)

http://www.bogsfootwear.com/details.cfm/product/women-classic-mid-with-handles-hibiscus-classic

Cool EagleH. I didn't they would be warmers. What is the liner made of?

Do you walk far in them..ie. over half an hr. in them often.
For the past 2 winters I've been casually looking for warm, walkable and non-leaky high boots. Vancouver at the foot of the mountains area, does not get much snow. maybe 3-4 cms. snowfall once a year and that's it. But we do get lots of rainy days, prolonged hrs. and hrs. of rain. We just head up to the local mountains for real deep gorgeous snow.

I've been shocked about the pricing of dress high winter boots. I find it interesting that the style of a tight boot around the leg with a zipper is the rage now. Like it was when we were in our teens in the 1970's.

I didn't know how much the prices had climbed in the past 4 years. I do have a pair now which I love, but they are getting worn out..and look a tad too scuzzy to wear with a dress coat.

My mom gave me her old Uggs -- not the high ones they wear in LA (in the summer yet, which I'll never understand) but the low ones that tie. They are the _warmest_ AND most comfortable boots I've ever had! Hard to find though and pricey but last forever. They're sheepskin, furry inside and actually meant to be worn without socks, which is hard for me because my feet are almost always cold. They work in Chicago winter weather really well. I can never find warm boots in Maryland, which I also don't understand because it snows and is very damp to boot (pardon the pun).
They are walkable and non-leaky but you're supposed to spray on the leatehr protector.

Orchid, these might be the perfect boot - or maybe the higher version of it. I don't know how to explain them; try this link, it has good info on the construction of the inner lining:

http://www.bogsfootwear.com/mt.cfm

I wear these everywhere now. We haven't done much outdoor walking lately, but I have walked around several malls, for about 2 hours each time. And I've walked back from one of the malls in very cold, slushy weather. My feet stayed dry and comfortable. I find that just a light pair of bamboo socks works best, anything else seems to get too warm. These are 3-season boots, fall, winter, spring. Too warm for summer. They're not dressy, I wouldn't wear them with a dress, but I have another dressy high pair that I bought back in the 80's that still fit fine.

It has been snowing here for days. The plow cleared out our parking space yesterday afternoon, but the snow is thigh deep again! I should have bought waders! And the transit strike started at midnight last night, so things are very chaotic here today.

I'm really in need of boots this year...my Rockboots were too small and I decided I had had enough of pinching my toes. I got a really neat pair of boots that I found on ebay...brand new, cute, waterproof 'to boot' and they fit me lengthwise, not width (even tho' I got a W, they are too narrow). I got them for $49 (I think the original price was well over $100). of course they are now sitting here, staring at me, reminding of my "big foot syndrome" and I still don't have boots to deal with the snow. Guess it is a good thing I sit behind the computer most of the time, eh?

I'd love to hear what others are wearing!

We went to our church's 55+ Christmas luncheon today. I sat beside an 84 year old woman who's also having trouble with boots this year. I showed her mine, and she wants a pair for herself. She's so elegant and dignified, and these boots are so clunky and UNdignified, that it made me laugh to think of her wearing them. But she showed them to her husband and he agreed they'd be perfect for her. I still can't picture it.

Never tried Bogs. I've a pair of Naturalizers. I like those.
I generally get Naturalizer shoes because I have trouble with
my feet unless I wear this type or Air-Nike Sneakers. I've seen
Bogs in the stores. Hey whatever works!

I just walked home from the mall. It's about -8 out there (Celsius), lots of snow and slush. My feet were very comfy, thin pair of socks and they were still too warm!

I loved and wore many types of boots when living in Chicago area, but here in Nevada not much use for them.

I do have a couple pair for dress, a cowoy boot made of some kind of snake skin, and one for what I call grunt work, kind of like muck-luck lineds boots.

I have seen some really gorgeous ones however lately in my catalogs, just gorgeous and not as expensive as I thought they would be either.

EH
I googled the Bogs boots, and they seem to exist mostly in Canada. They also mostly seem to have a camouflage pattern, except for a high black pair. Are they pile lined? Are they meant as hunting boots mostly?

The salesclerk who sold me my Bogs told me that they started out as 3-season children's boots, designed to carry them through the cooler wet weather of fall, the slushy snow of winter and spring puddles. They are not lined, but whatever material it is, it's very snug yet flexible and cushiony - a real treat for my feet, which have terrible problems with ordinary shoes.

I guess the parents, especially the mothers, were so impressed that they starting demanding their own Bogs. While the boys and men's boots do have a camouflage pattern, the women's and girls have flowers. Mine are hibiscus.

You couldn't describe these as "gorgeous" or dressy by any stretch of the imagination, but they're great for slogging through slush. They'd be good for walking in the woods, hunting, farming, anything that involves walking through wetlands. They're not for everyone. But now you couldn't pay me to trade them for anything else.

According to their website, Bogs originally come from Oregon.

Eagle,
I think you just convinced me to look into those Bogs. The end
result of getting wet, cold feet is not a fun place to be. If I
go hiking with my neighbor again, I want dry, warm feet! That's for sure! Bogs here I come!