Snow Boot Round Up

Is it just me, or is this weather completely out of control? This is the millionth time it has snowed this winter. Ok, I might be exaggerating a bit, but seriously, I've had a upgrade my entire winter wardrobe to deal with the cold and snow. In upgrading, I had to upgrade my winter weather footwear. Check out the boots I considered, and see what I ended up purchasing...


Requirements:
Waterproof
Warm
Not crazy expensive

The contenders: 
Sorel - Caribou Boot
L.L. Bean - Bean Boots
Hunter - Packable Boot  (Winner)



Sorel - Women's Caribou Boot   $140

Sorel specializes in winter boots, and the Caribou is their most popular boot. I was originally drawn to the Caribou because it looks a little like boots Katie Holmes wore here, and let's be honest, all things Katie Holmes are fabulous. 

Things I liked about this boot is that they have a wool-blend lining that would keep my feet super warm when the temperature drops below freezing, and that the sole looks like it would give good traction on the ice. The wooly liner is removable, but even without it, it is still a winter boot at the end of the day. 

L.L. Bean - Women's Bean Boots   $109

L.L. Bean, one of the great American companies based out of Maine. The Bean boot is a classic for the preppy New England set, and I especially like the color combination of the tan with navy. At $109, these boots are slightly cheaper than the Sorel and Hunter boots, and for $20 more, you can get their thinsulate lined Bean boot. Like the Sorel boot, this is primarily a winter boot and the sole looks like it gives decent traction on ice. Also worth noting, for about $20, L.L Beans sells stabilizers you can attach to the sole (believe these work with non-L.L Beans boots too) to provide even better traction on ice.



Hunter - Packable Boot  $140

The British company Hunter Boot Ltd. has been churning out "wellies" as the Brits call them for over 150 years. Countless celebrities own a pair of Hunter boots, and so do almost every girl in NYC. At $140, the Hunter Packable Boot is vastly more expensive than the cheap rain boots you can find here in the City, but I figured they would be more durable at that price point.

I want to note that the classic Hunter boot (pictured above) is a lot stiffer and thicker than the packable, but I like the packable because they are lighter, and I hate trekking through town with clunky, heavy boots. Some rain boots are so heavy that I feel like I'm wearing Sketcher's Shape Ups!

Another plus with the Hunter boots, and what ultimately swayed me to purchase these, is that there are several different liners that go with them. I felt like even though I'm spending $140, it's like I'm getting two boots - a rain boot that I can wear in warmer weather, and a snow boot that I can wear with liners in the cold. Lastly, I went with the navy color, and have worn them (and loved them) all over town. The only downside is that they're not the best on ice, but without stabilizers, I don't think any of these boots are that great on ice.