<pre><code> I hope this post finds you well. I am currently a third year student at the University of Ottawa in Canada, and if any of you have sent your kids off to college in really cold and snowy places, I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions or recommendations regarding decent and effective winter/snow boots. I know it’s a little early to be thinking about winter, but I am trying to plan ahead.
I have spent the last two winters with drenched, freezing feet because all of the boots I bought turned out to be useless. They all leaked horribly. These weren't cheap boots from Target. They were supposedly "heavy duty" snow boots from L.L. Bean and Kamik. I would think, for what I paid for them, they should have kept my feet warm and dry, but no such luck. Every single day, I endured drenched socks and frozen feet. My feet got soaked within minutes of leaving my apartment and stayed soaked and freezing all day. I spent eight to nine hours a day sitting in class with soaking wet boots and socks. To make it even worse, many of the rooms in which I had class had no heat. It was just unbearable. I couldn't concentrate in class. When I got home, I had to spend almost my entire evening thawing my feet. I bundled myself up in blankets and sat with my feet on my heater for hours. I caught a terrible cold both winters. Sometimes, I just stayed home and didn't go to class because I couldn't bear it. I am desperate for a pair of boots that will actually do what they are supposed to do and keep my feet warm and dry. :'(
My dad says I have to either live with it or transfer to a warm weather school. He warned me not to go here and told me that no boots could withstand Canada's horrible winters. I really hope that he's wrong because I love the school, but I don't think I can handle yet another winter of drenched, freezing feet. Any suggestions or recommendations regarding decent and effective winter/snow boots would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
<p>There are lots of boot options. Lacrosse Burley and alpha burley rubber boot series. Schnees rubber bottoms and leather uppers, uppers will need to be waterproofed. Purchase a Peet long tube boot dryer and dry out the perspiration inside the boots every night.
There is no reason to have issue with leaking boots. If they are wetting out because of perspiration you may be wearing to heavy a sock or a sock that isn’t wicking properly.
It is a next to impossible situation to be going from very cold outside to warm inside without having your feet sweat. Can you wear a small backpack and have a light pair of shoes or sneakers in there? Take the boots off upon getting to class and put the light shoes on.
The source of the wetness is either leaking or perspiration. The leaking is a boot issue. The perspiration is a boot fit, sock issue.</p>
<p>Sorel boots. You can get them at a discount from Sierra trading post. They are water proof and can withstand very low temperature. My older kid had hers for 4 years. She went to school in Ithaca.</p>
<p>I got my kids silk under garments to keep warm. They layered up with sweaters and scarves. Most of their out wears were water proof, especially around neck and sleeves. Check out sports and ski wears.</p>
<p>Also get wool socks such as Wigwam. They sell them at camping stores, army/navy stores, sporting goods stores, or Bob’s (check the label that they are wool). Cotton kills.</p>
<p>Sorels. This thread seems a little improbable, however. Wouldn’t a third year student have asked some classmates or neighbors? It’s just not that hard to find functional winter footwear in Ottawa. The student is attending one of the two universities located in Canada’s capital city.</p>
<p>What do the locals wear? When I moved to northern NH from Ohio many years ago, I looked at what the locals had on their feet. I bought Sorels and I still have them. Very warm.</p>
<p>Socks are important too. I can’t wear wool, so I have polar fleece socks that I wear when it’s freezing. They are very cozy warm too.</p>
<p>Are you walking through deep snow? Maybe you need taller boots (I agree with the Sorrels) or gaiters to keep the snow out. Look around and see what everyone else is doing. I am sure there are plenty of places in Ontario to buy good boots.</p>
<p>" I spent eight to nine hours a day sitting in class with soaking wet boots and socks. To make it even worse, many of the rooms in which I had class had no heat. It was just unbearable. I couldn’t concentrate in class. When I got home, I had to spend almost my entire evening thawing my feet. I bundled myself up in blankets and sat with my feet on my heater for hours. I caught a terrible cold both winters. Sometimes, I just stayed home and didn’t go to class because I couldn’t bear it"</p>
<p>“My dad says I have to either live with it or transfer to a warm weather school. He warned me not to go here and told me that no boots could withstand Canada’s horrible winters.”</p>
<p>Really? Canadian schools in cold climates don’t have heat in their classrooms? All evening thawing your feet? Can’t imagine how people survive in Canada, as no boots can withstand the winter? Yeah…right.</p>
<p>Yeah this seems improbable to me too. For one thing, when it’s really cold your feet don’t get wet unless you’re wearing short boots and walking in deep snow, thereby getting snow inside your boots. The cold, dry snow brushes right off the outside of your boots. I’m outdoors for at least an hour every day and I spend most of the winter in Uggs, which are warm but not at all waterproof. It’s only in the spring, when the snow starts to melt and you’re walking in slush, that you need waterproof boots. At that point I personally switch to Hunters with good thick socks.</p>
<p>Ah those Canadians are tough, they don’t need no stinking heat. They don’t need boots either, which is why the OP doesn’t ask them. They walk around in their bare feet.</p>
<p>LOL, busdriver. I have lots of family in Canada, and was in fact in Ottawa visiting some of them last Christmas. Some of my younger relatives are even college students there! They all seemed to have functional outdoor clothing, including boots, heavy coats, hats and gloves.</p>
<p>I swear by the Sorel boots, mine have lasted at least fifteen years and still keep my feet toasty warm and dry. They aren’t beautiful but they work! </p>
<p>Gotta love it…this is the OP’s first and only post on this forum.</p>
<p>Ellery…ask your friends what kinds of boots they have been wearing for the last three years. My bet is Sorels and Beans boots will come up more than once.</p>
<p>BTW…I also find it excessively hard to believe that the buildings had NO heat in the winter.</p>
<p>In my experience in the northern U.S. (which is close to what it’s like in Canada), the snow was generally dry and fluffy. And walkways on college campuses are cleared when it snows. </p>
<p>I can’t imagine how you had cold, wet feet with Beans boots (which ones do you have). I have had those too and they kept my feet toasty and warm.</p>
<p>Or if that is too dorky, put the plastic bags over your feet, then out them in your boots.
Bread bags work well, we dont have plastic grocery bags here.</p>
<p>Which LLBean boots did you get? The rubber “duck” boots are great, can be purchased with insulation or lambswool lining, and do not leak unless the snow is higher than they are. “Fashionable” leather boots are not waterproof.</p>
<p>Sorels are also great, as noted above.</p>
<p>LLBean is always fully refundable, just mail them back with a letter in any shape.</p>
<p>Also, especially with waterproof boots, the socks should not be cotton or moisture holding, or feet will sweat and wet feet develop inside.</p>
