Great snow boots for the cold weather astronomer

[Omaroo]

I was using a cheap-ish pair of "apres" boots made from nylon, and found that they still became damp and cold after a night walking around in the frosty dew. They were also ill-fitting and were sock-munchers - they pulled my socks down all the time, adding to the discomfort. My last pair also didn't last long.

I've been trying to source my old favourite brand of Canadian snow boot, "Sorel" here in Australia, but found that they are very expensive and the company is now defunct anyway. Sorel boots were used by all sorts of people who live and work in cold climates - and here in Australia they were used extensively by lift operators in the snow fields. Fleece-rimmed, with thick felt inner boots and sole liners, they have fully vulcanised rubber soles and sides reaching over the toes, with waterproof NuBuck leather uppers.

After a good deal of searching around, I came across a similar American brand "Western Chief", made by the Washington Shoe Company out of Seattle, WA. They are now being brought into the country here by a local distributor and retail out of Victoria (so far). These boots are in use by lift operators at Hotham and Buller. I called the new distributor (http://www.westernchief.com.au/) and spoke with a lovely lady called Elizabeth. Call her yourself (03-9572 3966) and ask her for prices and where to get them from, and really make sure that you mention me (from Ice In Space) - they are very reasonable. The "Nasqually" snow boot is only available in mens and womens sizes, but they have other types to suit children.

I'd just like to ask that prices are not discussed here on the forum, as I would be going against Elizabeth's wishes in having them displayed. We, as a "special" group of friends of the company, are being afforded some low-volume, very competitive pricing that we've been asked to keep private. If you'd like to know the price yourself, just PM myself or Dennis or better yet, call Elizabeth directly.

I'm by no means affiliated with this company, but would just like to pass the info on if you're interested. I know that Geoff (GTBanOwl) sells nylon apres-style boots which are more than adequate (and certainly better than the cheapies I had), but these are just the next level up and are designed to be used as proper work boots as well.

Their website in incomplete, but if these interest you, speak to Elizabeth - she's very helpful and pleasant.

A couple of photos of mine. Function way before form - and VERY comfy. Mine are US size 10 (Au size 9). She'll advise you on sizes to suit you. Mine are one size too big so that I could pull on an additional pair of thick socks.

[Dennis]

Thanks Chris, for the heads up and a very informative write up sharing your research and results – they look just the job for those cold nights.

Was one shoe size up enough to allow for thicker socks, as I definitely like to leave some space in my boots? I find the air warms up and keeps my feet warm whereas boots that are even slightly too tight seem to be less effective, perhaps even restricting circulation?
Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo]

Hi Dennis :)

Yes, I went for one size up so that I could don two pairs of socks simultaneously - and still leave a little room for warm air. As you say, tight boots are cold boots!

[Dennis]

Thanks Chris! Looks like I can look forward to warm tootsies at the Qld Astrofest and they looked rugged and outdoors’ish, for us craggy, hardy mountain men! LOL!

I'll mention your name when I call Elizabeth.

Cheers

Dennis

[astroron]

Chris did you mention iceinspace in your chat with Elizabeth?

[Omaroo]

Good on you Dennis - craggy indeed! LOL!

Just beware - they're as comfy as slippers - so you'll probably wear them around the house as well like I do. :lol:

[erick]

Not in the market just now, but they look good. If anyone is calling, you might tell her we may have a market for her. I would be grateful if you ask her if Melbournites can pickup and avoid freight charges? Thanks. Eric :)

[Omaroo]

Yes Ron - I said that I'd mention these to a couple of friends... they're fantastic for what we do.

[h0ughy]

look out here are the cardigan men...........

they look pretty good, so if i read this correctly, the shoe size of 10 ends up being an 11, the "inner boot" is your normal shoe size or the size of the matching boot, and you still wear socks with the inner boot?

[JohnG]

They look the part, I still have my 'Sorrel's from when I worked up in the snow, great boot. I use a spare pair of liners, with heavy socks, in the observatory, nice and light and warm on the feet. :)

Cheers

[astroron]

Thanks Chris:)I have a pair of the other boots you mentioned, the sole came away from the upper which I glued back on again, another problem besides them not liking moisture is where the rubber surround joins the upper they split because of the constant bending:(
I will be in touch with Elizabeth ASAP:thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Hi David :)

I gather that the inner boot is what the size is actually describing. You can buy felt inner boots on their own too. Rule of thumb is to tell Elizabeth what your Aussie shoe size is (she can verify it by having you measure your foot length while standing on a ruler) and whatever US shoe size that ends up being, just order the next size up. This way you can fit really thick socks and have a little room. :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

This looks like the model Chris writes about:

http://www.westernchief.com/product_info.php/cPath/58_88/products_id/73

Nisqually Sno-Paks are built to keep your feet comfortable down to -40F and durable to last season after season.
• Deluxe Sno-Pak
• Full Grain Nubuck Leather Upper
• Removable Wool Felt Liner
• Wool Fleece Cuff
• Waterproof Soles w/ Steel Shank
• Natural Rubber Bottoms
• Air-Grip Sole for sure footed traction
• Thermolite Insulation
• Comfort rated to –40 °F

Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo]

:thumbsup: These look pretty solid, without being inflexible Ron. They're not quite as stiff as some of the Sorrel models, which I think makes them a little better suited for my use.

[Omaroo]

That's them Dennis - and don't the Americans get shoes cheaply! LOL! I guess that the market is huge, and they don't have to be shipped around the world first.

[Dennis]

The steel shank in the waterproof soles is likely to minimize flexure and thus reduce the risk of splitting the soles?

Cheers

Dennis

PS – my old Scarpa Fitzroy mountaineering boots have a full length steel shank and this does not transmit the cold to the inner.

[astroron]

I have ordered mine :D
Here's to "Warm Feet":thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Hi Eric - yep, pickup from the store! Give her a call and she'll give you a location. :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

Hi Guys

As a precaution against obtaining an incorrect size, I sent the attached photo to Elizabeth to indicate my foot size. You might want to do something similar, but using your foot.:whistle::lol:

Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo]

Same size foot as me Dennis - sure it's not mine??? :mad2:

Looks like you're going to end with a pair of 10's! :lol:

[Dennis]

Hi Chris

I went to a sports store today with a thick pair of hiking socks in hand and found that although I could get into a size 10 US running shoe, it was a little tight, especially on the width as I have a wide foot (4E). Actually, my wife calls them hooves!

So, I ordered a US size 11, purely for the width comfort and I will live with the longer length as I really don’t enjoy shoes/boots that are too tight.

If anyone else is going to order these for astro camps in the next few weeks, get your skates on as I think that Elizabeth will be away for 2 or 3 weeks shortly.

As you said Chris, Elizabeth was lovely to speak with and very helpful.

Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo]

Good to hear Dennis :) I look forward to your thoughts on them. I had mine on Satuday night for a rather over-optimistic viewing session. No stars, rain and drizzle - and toasty comfort. :thumbsup:

[astroron]

I concur with what Dennis said about Elizabeth:)
I now await the delivery of my boots some time this week:D
I hope to wear them at the Ten Chain Hill opening night next Saturday:prey::prey::astron:
PS See Cambroon 20/06/09 thread for details on the above opening night.

[Greenswale]

I grabbed a pair of these boots before Elizabeth headed off. A couple of points:

Elizabeth is tremendously helpful.
The boots are very well priced, and appear perfect for stargazers use.
The stitching thread is fairly light, suggesting that the boots are best kept for light use.
The upper material does not 'heal' where the thread passes through. I applied generous amounts of snow seal to the uppers, paying particular attention to the stitching, to reduce the chance of water entering.
And best of all, Elizabeth is off for a trip to the Simpson Desert, including the Hay River. Now, that is a winner!!

[Omaroo]

Good to hear :)

I concur with everything you say. They're not a heavyweight boot like some of the Sorel models, but then again, they're priced very well and are certainly brilliant for our purpose. Elizabeth is great to deal with.

[dannat]

i didn't make it - their on hols for about 3wks

[astroron]

I got mine a couple of days ago, but no observing since because of lousy weather.

[Dennis]

Hi fellow Nisquallians!

Mine arrived Friday morning and I eagerly tried them on – sheer bliss!:)

As mentioned previously, I was in a quandary; should I order US size 10 or 11? In the end I went for 11 based upon trying running shoes of size 10 and 11 with thick hiking socks the day before I placed the order.

The 11’s are certainly slightly too big in length and I suspect that an ideal size for me would have been 10½ although my 4E wide feet comfortably fill up the width of the 11’s. My wide fitting feet and painful experience with footwear has taught me to err on the side of slightly too large, unless you can try them on. If the full width of the 10’s were the same as the 11’s then arguably, the 10’s might have done but I didn’t want to risk a return.:shrug:

In terms of boots, I am more used to wearing stiff hill walking and mountaineering boots so it was quite a novel experience to encounter the delightful, enveloping softness of the Nisqually’s. I wore them inside for a couple of hours and they kind of “disappeared” as they were so comfortable. They are a very easy boot to wear, although you do notice their size and presence!

My feet were very cosy with the thick hiking socks, inner felt liners and the soft leather outer of the boots. In terms of getting your feet in, you can either put the felt inner on your foot then insert the combo into the boot, or leave the felt inner inside the boot and slip your socked foot inside the combo – either way worked fine for me.

In terms of waterproofing, the sole/rand/lower upper is a sealed/bonded unit, with the leather/upper upper stitching at some 7-9cms above ground level so in theory, I reckon that you should be able to splash around in shallow water and keep your feet dry. Long, wet grass may wet the leather uppers so certainly some leather waterproofing treatment would be good, if not just to keep the soft uppers in good condition.

Compared to après ski boots which I saw retailing in the ski shops in Brisbane at around the $60-$70 mark, there is no comparison in terms of build and material quality, so these boots really do seem to represent good value for money. They look tough.:thumbsup:

I’m still getting used to the fact that the sole is soft and bends compared to my stiffened sole mountaineering boots, but that is just what I have been used to.

So, thanks again Chris for finding the Nisqually’s; it is terrific to have a pair of sturdy, comfortable, warm and cosy boots that should last many, many seasons.:thumbsup:

Cheers

Dennis

[astroron]

I am with you Dennis,my Boots are just a little bit to long,. I went for the Size eleven American ten aussie I would have liked a half size smaller:(
But it lookes like another pair of socks will fill up the gap:D
At least my feet will be just that extra bit warmer:thumbsup:

[Dennis]

Hi Ron

Mine won’t accommodate 2 pair of socks, although I’m sure if it drops to negative temperatures again at the Qld Astrofest, I just might chop off my toes to fit that extra pair! LOL!

If your boots are “uncomfortably” too big, maybe see if some other big foot in your circle of local astro friends would like to purchase them and then you order the next size down to replace them?

Like you, I definitely like my toes to move in my shoes – cramped toes are no fun!

Cheers

Dennis

[astroron]

Hi Dennis, I think I can put up with the extra bit of room as I don't think I'll mind an extra pair of socks as I have a bit of circulation problem in my right foot which seems to get cold even though my left foot is nice and warm, so hopefully the extra room for another pair of socks will be a help:D

[Omaroo]

LOL! Good on you fellas - and thanks for the write-up Dennis :) Chop your toes off... :lol:

Being snow rather than hiking boots, the softer sole works better to mold around slippery underfoot terrain to obtain decent purchase. They're really a glorified pair of galoshes in this regard!

I'm glad you like them - I love mine. Comfy, comfy, comfy! :D

Go Nasqually!

[Dennis]

Hi fellow Nisquallians

Another fabulous feature of these boots is that you can remove your socked foot and felt inner together, from the outer boot and then pad around the kitchen making hot drinks with toast and jam, using the inners as comfy slippers!:thumbsup:

This is an unexpected bonus for me, as previously I de-booted outdoors and padded around in socks indoors, to be greeted by cool boots outside the back door!:(

Whoopee – warm feet all night!:)

Cheers

Dennis

[coldspace]

How much is a pair of these boots sent up to Brisbane?

Regards Matt

[Dennis]

Hi Matt

Hah, you just caught me indoors brewing a cuppa with the 'scope purring away outside!

The postage costs were $22.00 so it wasn’t cheap but boy, has it been worth it for my 1st night out tonight.

If you put out a “Brisbane Nisqually boot purchase” post on the Forum you may be able to attract a few other interested people and this might make the postage a little cheaper?:shrug:

Cheers

Dennis

[coldspace]

Thanks for that Dennis.

Regards Matt

[Dennis]

Hi Matt

Hmm, I thought the price had been listed in a previous post but upon checking, I couldn’t find it?

Anyhow, mine cost $xx.xx for the boots + the $22.00 postage. You can pay via direct bank transfer or credit card (+2.5% for cards I think).

I believe the shop is closed/on hols until around 13th July?

Cheers

Dennis

PS – if you want to view my pair before you buy, PM me to arrange a suitable date/time.

[coldspace]

I will give them a call and get a pair, thanks for the offer about checking them out but all will be good as I will send them a photo of my foot next to a ruler like you did.



Regards Matt

[erick]

OK, I'm going to knock on their door to get a pair. My el-cheapo Apres Ski boots are warm but the inside is already breaking through to a very uncomfortable heel. :sadeyes:

[coldspace]

PM received Chris via Dennis.
Adjustment made.

Regards Matt.

[Omaroo]

Thanks guys for your adjustment.

I'd just like to ask that prices are not discussed here on the forum, as I would be going against Elizabeth's wishes in having them displayed. We, as a "special" group of friends of the company, are being afforded some low-volume, very competitive pricing that we've been asked to keep private. If you'd like to know the price yourself, just PM myself or Dennis or better yet, call Elizabeth directly.

I thank you for your cooperation. :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

As I crawled into bed last night around midnight, my wife commented on how warm my feet were compared to previous sessions – a testimony to these boots and their removable inners. I can see myself getting replacement inners as no doubt mine will be worn out soon with all the usage they are going to get!

I also noticed (on the item tag) that the boots use Thinsulate (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Thinsulate_Insulation/Homepage/)as an insulating material which has excellent thermal properties.

Cheers

Dennis

[erick]

Went to see Elizabeth late today and have come away with a nice pair of size 12s (US). She was very helpful and very pleasant. They look great and are fine with one pair of Explorer socks on. Size 12 is snug to a little big. Size 11 was tight.

I'll slap lots of leather conditioner on this weekend to seal up the threads and to waterproof the leather.

Great - I recommend to anyone. Just call Elizabeth and she will look after you! :thumbsup: