We hike and snowshoe all winter using our regular hiking boots. This is how we do it.

We have good hiking boots – vibram-type soles, leather and goretex, a gusseted tongue, proper bootlaces, and good coverage above the ankles. These are boots we can backpack in, climb up steep slopes, do long days in the alpine, and so on.

The industry distinguishes between backpacking boots and hiking boots. Ours are closer to the backpacking type, but they are not what the industry calls Winter Trekking boots – all leather double stitched with liners for winter warmth. We may get some of these if we plan an extended cold-climate trek, but we find that our regular boots work fine with some at-home measures.

• We try to use our older boots for winter hiking and snowshoeing. Wet boots fall apart faster so we keep our best boots for the spring wherever we can.
• After every winter outing, we put our boots in a boot dryer

• At the start of the season we repair and treat our boots. Shoe Goo goes into all the cracks. Dubbin goes onto all leather. We use a light spray waterproofer on the non-leather areas.

• We wear gaiters which cover the top part of our boots.

Stores sell “winter boots,” but almost all of these are unsuitable for winter hiking or snowshoeing. They may be warm, but they usually are too soft for anything but flat walks. We need sturdy and stable boots equivalent to summer hiking boots. So, we treat our boots, wear gaiters, and properly dry out boots after winter outings. We have been able to keep our oldest boots still in service and continue to hike all year round.