What to Look for in Winter Camping and Hiking Boots

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Wade Thiel

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Wade divides his time among various outdoor activities in both urban and rural environments. An adventurer by nature, he is always up for a challenging hike, fun hunt, or day out on the water with friends and family. When he isn’t enjoying the outdoors, he’s writing, reading, or tinkering with motorcycles and cars.

Getting a good pair of winter boots for hiking or camping is a must if you plan to be outside when the weather turns cold. But what pair of boots should you get?

There are plenty of great pairs of winter boots. Rather than list a bunch of boots, we thought it best to point out what to look for. Once you know what to look for, it’s a lot easier to find the right pair of boots for you. Here’s what you need to look for.

Waterproof Materials

Men's snow boots standing on snow outdoors
Image from Getty

Waterproofing is probably the most important part of a good winter boot. Winter brings snow and snow can make your feet wet. If your feet get wet, you’re looking at frostbite very quickly. That means at all costs, you need to keep your feet dry.

Look for waterproof boots when shopping. Stay away from water-resistant boots. These do okay, but they will get wet at some point and then your feet will get really cold very quickly.

Removable Interior

Another thing to think about is the inside of the boot. While the interior doesn’t need to be removable, it makes washing the boots and keeping them nice a whole heck of a lot easier. Even if just the bottom part of the boot comes out and not the whole interior, you’re better off. It lets you dry your boots properly and wash them easily when they need it.

Plenty of Insulation

tall Heavy Snow Boots
Image from Getty

This one is kind of obvious. During the cold months, you need well-insulated boots. The amount of insulation depends on the location you’ll be hiking and camping in. Does it get below freezing? If so, you’ll need boots ready to take on those temperatures.

Generally, I like to go a little on the less insulation side of things. Why? Because my feet tend to sweat and then get cold. If I have less insulation, then I don’t sweat as bad. Also, you can always supplement with thicker socks or foot warmers if it’s really cold.

The Right Height

If you’re trudging through high snow, you’ll need a higher boot than simply walking through a couple of inches. I like boots that go up at least six inches on your ankle. If you know the snow will be deep, wear taller boots. As a general rule, taller boots are usually the way to go.


Looking to stay warm at the campsite? Explore Camping World’s selection of fire pits to keep your toes toasty.

What to look for in winter camping and hiking boots

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