Winter Wonderland For Your Feet with Davos Ice Soles

Do you dread winter? Or maybe you look forward to it like you did as a kid, praying every night to wake up to a snow day? Whichever camp you lean towards – hater or lover – what you wear on your feet to tackle the conditions can make all the difference.

There are 3 key components of winter shoes: Waterproofing, Slip Resistance, and Warmth.

Waterproof

Nobody wants wet, soggy socks and feet. Most leather shoes are water-resistant, but if you’re in a seriously wet environment with puddles and driving rain, you might want to consider an upgrade to a shoe that offers a waterproof membrane. 

When a lot of people think of waterproof, they think of sweaty feet. But with the right technology, your feet can stay dry from both rain and sweat. Did you know that sweat molecules are smaller than a water droplet?  The holes in Samuel Hubbard’s waterproof membrane are so small that a droplet of water can’t get through, but also large enough to let out molecules of sweat. — Viola! Dry feet. Allowing you to enjoy longer exposure to harsh conditions without losing body heat. Feel free to jump in puddles again!

See all our waterproof shoes and boots below.

 Slip Resistant

You’re walking down the sidewalk, minding your own business when you hit a patch of ice. What happens next is a combination of how slippery your sole is and your acrobatic prowess. If you’re wearing a DAVOS® Ice sole found in our Winter’s Day and Rainy Day Founder shoes, you’ll walk across the ice with ease and grace. The Davos® Ice Sole is made up of premium rubber, embedded with tiny crystals of silica. Silica never freezes, but in freezing conditions, it forms glass-like “spikes” to firmly grip any icy surface. 

Warmth

Feet have a huge impact on your overall body temperature. Compared to the rest of your body which has more muscle to generate heat, feet have specialized blood vessels, therefore leaving the toes susceptible to producing less warmth.

So, what’s the best way to keep your feet warm outside in winter conditions? For starters, pick the right socks. A light to medium weight breathable wool sock should do the trick. Don’t layer socks. It can cut off circulation and that will quickly cause cold feet.

Some would suggest buying an inner lining for boots and shoes. But why not go for built-in warmth found in lined footwear? At Samuel Hubbard, we line our winter boots with genuine Spanish shearling similar to lining found in fine European coats. “Toasty and warm” are the words most used by our customers to describe our lining in these boots and shoes: Winter’s Day, Early Winter, Snow Lodge, and Shear Alpine.

Trifecta

Live in arctic conditions? Or maybe you’re one of the haters and want to pretend winter doesn’t exist. You might think it would be hard to find footwear with all these elements, let alone a style you’d be proud to wear in public. Check out our Winter’s Day for a waterproof, shearling boot with a Davos Ice Sole! It’ll make even the most die-hard winter hater’s heart melt.