It’s coming. The slush. The snow. The ice. Depending on where you live, perhaps you’ve already had some of this weather already (or maybe you’re in sunny Florida and don’t have to worry about it at all). While visiting family in Boston I had the pleasure of seeing (and walking in) the snow with our first nor’easter of the year. I was excited to see it, envisioning fresh snowboard tracks in my near future. As I head back to Seattle, a place where we don’t get snow (rarely I should say), I’m looking forward to heading up to Mt. Rainier one of these weekends and trampling about in my Teva Forge Pro Winter Mid WP boots.
I received these boots last March to test out on my snowshoeing trips up to Mt. Rainier. My first impression of them was how sturdy and solid they were, excellent for hiking in the snow. When I wore them with my snowshoes, I was very happy with the support they provided, not to mention how they managed to keep my feet totally dry. The waterproof membrane did its’ job keeping water out from inside my shoe, even in the wet slush of the parking lot. I loathe wet feet post-winter hike, and always bring an extra pair of socks for the drive home. After I wore these, I’m happy to report my extra pair of socks stayed in my bag.
Just as important as keeping your feet dry is being sure you don’t slip on ice when hiking around in the winter. I still needed to be careful when I walked on hills, but the boots were able to strongly grip the mixed ice and dirt surface. I felt stable and secure as I explored the well trodden trails of Mt. Rainier. I only learned afterwards that the rubber sole of the boots have pods of various material including fiberglass that make the shoes extra grippy. With 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation, my feet were nice and toasty during my snowy outings.
The boots are remarkably comfortable as well, I was surprised at how easy it was to just slip them on and go. Oftentimes with boots it’s necessary to got through that painful breaking in process, which I always despise. The Forge Pro boots felt like I had a worn them for years from the first time I slipped them on.
I’m very pleased with these boots, I think Teva has excelled at creating a functional, warm, and dry winter boot with the comfort to boot. No pun intended. 🙂
Cost: $160
Perfect for: Snow hiking, snowshoeing, walking in winter conditions.