When it all comes to heading out and into the snow, the right pair of shoes are a must-have. Besides wanting your feet warm and dry, you also want to make sure you stay stable on your feet. But regular dress shoes or shoes made of cloth or canvas are not suited to walking on snow, since the snow penetrates into the shoe and causes discomfort.

Well, given that, what kind of shoes should I wear in the snow? In this article, I am going to tell you about the types of shoes that suit snowy conditions, whether they are nice or not, and provide you with all the warmth, comfort, and stability that you need while enjoying the snow.

1. Shoes Made of Leather or Faux Leather

Leather shoes are some of the best to protect your feet from the snow. Full grain and top grain leather are two types of leather that will keep snow out of your feet and are water resistant enough to be perfect for snowshoes.

Full grain leather shoes are made from full uncombed leather which is only mildly treated, such that they are extremely water resistant. In addition, you can also spray them with a weatherproofing product for extra protection. Full grain leather shoes, like from Asics and Nike, are many high quality shoes with the water resistant feature.

Weatherproof top grain leather shoes are also weaker than full grain but are such since they have been polished and sanded. Nevertheless, they are great at keeping snow and water out.

Faux leather shoes are a great choice if you’re looking for a more affordable option. The shoes are made of artificial materials that look like real leather and, when new, are just as protective as real leather shoes. But they might not last as long as real leather shoes.

To wrap it up, shoes made out of leather or faux leather are great shoes to protect your feet from snow. For best protection go with full grain leather or top grain. Faux is reasonably priced and offers good protection.

2. Shoes with Cozy Lining for Insulation

For walking in the snow, you need shoes to keep your feet warm and dry. Finding shoes with a cozy lining is the perfect way to achieve this. These shoes have fleece lining that traps the warmth of the feet created by them, making them close to your skin. This insulation keeps your feet warm while also preventing them from getting too wet, so you can spend more time walking in the snow.

Don't wear rain boots in the snow unless it's just a forethought. Snowy wet feet can be uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous. If your shoes get wet from the snow, you can purchase a shoe dryer to dry them up before you get out there again.

For those who like to walk in the snow, a wise investment is that of shoes with a cozy lining for insulation. Your feet will remain warm and dry, and with no discomfort you'll be able to enjoy the winter wonderland.

3. Shoes with Good Traction

If you are walking on snow, you need shoes with good traction to help you from slipping and falling. Your activity will dictate the type of traction you need. Rigid crampons work for snowshoes for mountain climbing. If you're walking on light ice and snow, microspikes are perfect, but that may not always be the case. For usage or everyday use, such as going to work or going to school search for shoes with rubber soles and deep treads. These will give you the stability you need on snow and ice. Gearing up for winter means picking shoes that have good traction to prevent any injuries and enjoy winter the best way possible.

4. Shoes made with Gore-Tex technology

If you need shoes with dry, damp, breathable feet, order something that has Gore-Tex technology. It’s designed to let sweat out while keeping water and snow out. It means your feet will always be dry and comfy throughout the day. While Gore-Tex shoes may be more expensive than your regular shoes, they are better. They will be durable and long-lasting, so you will get the best value for your money. Therefore, if you want your feet to be comfortable and dry, buy yourself some shoes that use Gore-Tex technology.

5. Waterproofed Shoes

To protect your feet from the rain or the snow, it is important to wear shoes that will keep them dry. The seams of most shoes tend to let in a lot of water so it’s suggested to purchase waterproof shoes, ideally full seams besides covering the whole shoe. Great for snowproofing, leather shoes can be sprayed with a weatherproof product and they can then be worn outside.

Water proof shoes are more suitable than water resistant ones as they can cope with long time of exposure to water. If you are looking for waterproof boots and do not want seams like on wellies, rubber is the best waterproof boot material that will prevent your feet from getting wet, even in the wettest of conditions.

Avoid cloth shoes because the water will soak up inside and leave your feet cold and heavy. The waterproof shoes will keep your feet dry and comfortable in any weather condition.

6. Shoes with Ankle Support

For hiking in the snow, shoes with ankle support are very important, even more than on trails with elevation gain. Ankle support comes for snow boots through the high shaft, but if you are into shoes, then you should make sure your shoes have a shaft above the regular shoes. It will come in handy when walking on steep trails in the snow. Choose boots that extend up over the ankles and create additional stability while walking on the snow if you have weak ankles.

Consider these features when looking for shoes with ankle support for hiking in the snow:

• High shaft extending beyond the regular shoes
• Strong ankle support
• Good traction on the sole
• Waterproof material to keep your feet dry
• Breathable material to prevent sweating and moisture buildup

By choosing shoes with ankle support, you can enjoy your hike in the snow with confidence and stability.

7. Shoes that are true-to-size

Choosing the right size of shoes to be worn while walking on snow is important. Walking can cause ill fit shoes to slip down into the shoes, preventing your stability. Doing so on snow is especially dangerous because there's already some level of instability to overcome in walking.

In order to avoid this, make sure to check whether the brand offers shoes that come in the right size. If you usually wear a size 42 shoe, then you are going to get size 42. On the other hand, if you intend to wear heavy Merino socks to keep your feet warm, you may want to think about ordering a pair that's half or one size bigger.

This can help you avoid slipping while walking on snow and falling by ensuring you have shoes that fit properly. Therefore, take some time to find the proper size before hitting the trails.