Danner Mountain 600 Weatherized | £184
BEST FOR Aspiring hipsters looking for a fashionable walking boot
Same great boot, just a touch warmer, the Mountain 600 insulated builds on the success of the original Mountain 600 walking boot and offers further cold weather versatility.
We've used these for cold winter camps and hikes in the snow and the subtly integrated 200g layer of Primaloft Gold keeps your feet warm without adding too much weight or bulk. Despite the waterproof membrane and insulation our feet didn't feel too sweaty when wearing these.
As with the standard Mountain 600 this is quite a roomy boot as well as having a supple upper and flexible sole, meaning it's built for all day comfort rather than precision over technical terrain.
It wouldn't be fair to talk about the Mountain 600 without mentioning the damn good looks, the Mountain 600 are just about as hipster as you can get without resorting to imitation 'faux' hiking boots.
Keen Targhee High Lace | £130
BEST FOR People who want a reliable everyday boot for the harshest of climates
These boots are reminiscent of something a trucker on the Alaskan ice roads might wear, that's not to say they're bad just that they have a distinctly utilitarian look and feel about them, especially in the black colourway.
Like some of the other boots on this page they take a tried and tested design and add insulation, but the Targhee High Lace goes a step further raising the ankle height an inch or two for full coverage in deep snow and maximum warmth.
Heading to the polar regions? The Targhee High boots are equipped with enough insulation to keep your feet warm down to an astonishing -32 degrees C, making them a workaday option for those that spend a lot of time outdoors, for milder days they're maybe a touch too warm.
We love the standard Targhee walking boots and the High Lace shares much of the same DNA, so in terms of performance on the trails you really can't go wrong.
Merrell Thermo Rogue Tall | £180
BEST FOR Cold weather hikers looking for a fast and light boot
Innovations in hiking footwear don't exactly come thick and fast but Merrell have gone full futuristic with their new Thermo Rogue. Rather than taking an existing walking boot and filling it with insulation Merrell have opted to make a bespoke winter warrior available in mid and knee ticklingly tall options.
The sole has been tuned with Vibram Arctic Grip Dura, a groundbreaking technology designed for serious grip on ice and snow, and we've found that this works better than any other type of sole we've used in these tricky conditions.
More technological feats come from Primaloft's space age Aerogel Insulation. Initially used by NASA in spacesuits, Aerogel is humanity's best-known insulator, the lightest solid ever discovered and has the lowest thermal conductivity of any known substance, but there are some caveats, it isn't very breathable and breaks down in moisture.
Primaloft have overcome a few of these limitations in its release of Aerogel to the masses and the Merrell Thermo Rogue is one of only a handful of boots in the world to use it. Early impressions are good, the Thermo Rogue doesn't feel any less breathable than its counterparts and certainly feels as warm to wear, time, and use in milder weather will tell whether the lack of breathability becomes an issue.
A few hikers (including us) have reported soreness around the ankles due to pressure from either the eyelet or tongue, if you have problems you can partially alleviate this by using thicker socks or loosening off the lacing and I'm sure Merrell will be busy working on a fix in the meantime.
If you like to be at the cutting edge of design and innovation the Thermo Rogue might be the walking boot for you, it's also worth checking out Inov-8's new graphene hiking boot, which we'll be reviewing soon, or buying both for maximum hikers' pub bragging rights.
Keen Terradorra Wintershell | £125
BEST FOR Everyday adventures in winter wonderlands
Built specifically for winter adventures, the Terradorra Wintershell features a women's specific fit and a sole tuned for slick, icy conditions. Your feet stay warm and dry thanks to a waterproof membrane and 200g of KEEN.WARM insulation but the boots are still lightweight and athletic for maximum performance whatever adventure you choose.
And if snowshoeing is your chosen adventure then you're in luck as the rubber outsoles are fully compatible. These are great boots for weeks away in the Alps frolicking in the pristine white snow and we think they look fantastic too.
