Last updated on October 27th, 2022 at 03:48 pm
To make your winter hike more enjoyable, you might don a pair of snowshoes. However, many hikers wonder ‘can I wear snow boots with snowshoes?’ In short, yes, however we’ve put together this post to help you weigh the pros and cons.
Snow boots are a great option for snowshoe footwear. They provide warm and waterproof comfort. However, for longer hikes they may prove to be bulky, and bindings can squish your feet.
Benefits of Snow Boots for Snowshoeing
While hiking boots are better suited for longer treks, snow boots offer quite a few advantages. And, because snowshoes are quite accepting of many types of footwear, these can be a great option.
Waterproof and Warm
Firstly, the most important thing is that your snowshoe footwear keeps you safe.
So, a waterproof and warm pair of boots is paramount to all other factors.
As a result, snow boots can prove to be a fantastic option to make your trip safe and comfortable.
Tall Ankle Coverage
Furthermore, walking through gorgeous untouched snow is simple in a pair of snowshoes. However, even snowshoes sink a bit in deep loose snowfall.
So, to prevent cold, wet flakes from getting into your boots, tall ankle coverage is needed.
Fortunately, most winter boots provide a tall ankle shaft to keep out snow.
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Plus, you’ll find that it’s easier to tuck loose fitting pants into your boots if they’re taller.
Good Traction
Finally, a great attribute of snow boots is their traction. Overall, winter boots are designed to provide great traction on wintery pavement. As a result, snow boots grip well to footholds in snowshoes.
However, we’ve found some boots struggle to give you the grip needed to wield snowshoes.
Slippage over long hikes or uphill can be quite cumbersome with slippery soles. So, make sure your boots offer good tread.
Disadvantages of wearing Snow Boots
Unfortunately, even boots built for trudging in snow can have their downfalls. And, to help you weigh the pros and cons before your next journey, we expand on this further below.
Bulky Design
First, as we all know, snow boots can be a bit bulky. if you have a nice pair of Sorels, for instance, you may know the meaning of the word ‘trudge.’
By nature, many snow boots are made for slow walks or getting from point A to B. And, in this design can become an obstacle over long journey.
You may experience fatigue, awkwardness, and overall discomfort in these shoes if they are too bulky. However, you can use it for short distances, but this is their limit.
This is especially the case if there’s a lot of extra space in your boots for thick socks.
Lack of Ankle Stability
Hiking enthusiasts are no strangers to ankle injuries on the trails.
And, if you’re thinking of heading out on a pair of snowshoes, ankle stability is still just as important in winter.
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Unfortunately, snow boots are not ideal for this, and if you plan to snowshoe challenging paths, consider looking for better options.
We find that the excessive foot and ankle movement within snow boots offers a more difficult hike.
A stable ankle not only offers safety, it aids in a fluid stride and comfortable trekking.
With a snug pair of hiking boots, you’ll experience less fatigue over the winter snowshoe trails.
Feet May Overheat
Additionally, snowshoeing is a highly aerobic sport, and as per their design, snow boots are quite warm. Over many hours snowshoers may experience overheated feet.
This discomfort can ruin a trip and make your feet quite slippery with sweat. We’ve been there, and in these circumstances, our feet actually quickly become cold with the chilling sweat! It’s a lose lose really.
For the best results, choose warm but breathable shoes for hiking trips, and you will be thrilled with the result.
Snow Boots Tend to be Heavier
With bulkiness and added insulation, snow boots tend to run on the heavier side. And, as they are usually heavier than insulated hiking boots, snow boots can become tiring along the journey.
Choosing lighter boots will save you a lot of energy in the long run and bring a lot more pleasure from your hike.
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Snowshoe Bindings can be Limited
Finally, you may be lucky and have a set of boots that are of slim profile. And, Snowshoes are fantastic in their flexible bindings that accept a wide variety of footwear. However, some smaller snowshoes will be just too small for your snow boots.
Finally, we find that with the lack of structure in most snow boots, they’re prone to ‘over-fastening.’
Which, it turns out can cut off circulation and cause lack of sensation. Both of which make for an uncomfortable journey.
What Boots are Best for Snowshoeing
In short, we’ve found some snow boots are perfectly acceptable for for short or occasional trips.
However, their striking disadvantages may have you quickly considering different footwear if you’re likely to head out for longer hikes.
As a rule, the best boots for snowshoeing are those that have fantastic structure and flexibility to ease fatigue.
Therefore, a great pair of insulated hiking boots will be perfect for the journey. They just have it all!
For instance, most winter hiking boots:
- are lightweight
- keep feet warm
- are waterproof
- have great traction
- provide a good foothold
Overall, proper footwear will help keep your mind on nature, not on your boots.
Finally, if you’re looking for boots recommendations that will guarantee a great trip, we’ve found some fantastic options in our article on the Best Boots for Snowshoeing.
Suit Up and Get Outside
Hiking in the snow is such a peaceful way to experience nature and spend time with family and friends! And, snowshoeing is easy to learn and fun for everyone.
So, if you’re heading out onto the fresh powder, choose hiking boots that feel comfortable for long hikes. Because, after all, the key to a happy hike is happy feet.
And, heading out onto the trails in winter on a set of snowshoes can be quite the workout. So, embrace a nice set of hiking boots and get used to fun in the snow, because you’re about to have a great time!
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