In Minnesota, where winters are brutal, Sorel boots were once the standard boot that every one (men, ladies, kids) wore to ward off frostbite.  While still an adequate boot in many respects, they are no longer the standard by which other boots are measured by.  While there are some positives about the boot, there are also many negatives.  The positives are the relatively lower cost compared to other high-tech boots (much superior to Sorel), the tough leather uppers, the 10" uppers that keep out snow even in deep snow conditions, and the removable pack insulator.  The negatives unfortunately now outweigh the positives: the boot is extremely slippery on ice despite the deep tread design, the rubber lowers are subject to cuts and tears from sticks, and the lowers will crease and eventually tear at those crease lines over time.  The lowers are rubberized, so they do not wick sweat and keep feet dry.  If your feet sweat a lot, this is not the boot for you, as the packs will absorb the sweat, and can actually freeze to the rubber bottoms in below zero conditions. The boot is not water-proof.  It can be made nearly water-proof by oiling and greasing the seams and leather uppers.  Finally, they are bulky and heavy compared to the high tech counterparts.  In the end analysis, this boot cannot match up with the thinsulate high-tech boots offered by other manufacturers.  Personally, I'd not buy another set of these boots, but rather save a few extra dollars and get a water-proof 1200 gram thinsulate boot that is light-weight, and wicks sweat.  Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Rocky Boots, among others are good places to look.  Sorel did not keep up with technology.  They once owned the boot business, but no longer.  Their failure to make advancements in their boot designs relegated them and their products to second rate.

konedog