In this article, we have reviewed the best winter boots for orthotics. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
Contents
A survey conducted by the American Podiatrists Medical Association a few years ago uncovered a shocking fact – 77% of American’s have suffered from one or the other kind of foot pain[1].
Orthotics are shoe or heel inserts that are specifically designed and custom made for correcting foot pain, foot deformities, providing ankle support, helping the foot function better, and reducing the risk of injury[2].
Doctors recommend orthotics for several feet related problems such as arthritis, back pain, bunions, flat feet, hammertoes, heel spurs, over or under pronation, plantar fasciitis, and diabetic neuropathy, which can further lead to pressure ulcers, cankers, and sores.
Winter weather can often lead to worsening foot pain, because cold weather contracts the tissues in your joints and therefore puts pressure on your nerve ending[3].
Secondly, most winter boots are improperly designed with high heels, which are especially bad for your knees and ankle.
To avoid these problems, you should consider wearing custom orthotics that help give the right support to your feet. But to install custom orthotics, you need shoes that have replaceable insoles.
Hence, we have selected the best winter boots for orthotics, that have removable insoles and comfortable, warm lining inside the shoe. Let’s check them all here.
Our Top Choice – Columbia Women’s Snow Winter Boots
The Columbia Women's ICE Maiden II Snow Boot, Black, Grey, 5 B US is our top choice for Best Winter Boots For Orthotics, because of the following reasons:
- Removable insoles
- Insulating inner lining.
- Waterproof upper made from a mixture of leather and textile.
- Omni-grip advanced traction rubber outsole.
- Superior and snug fit due to the lace-up closure style.
Best Winter Boots For Orthotics
#1 Columbia Women’s Snow Winter Boots
The Columbia snow boots are one of the best winter boots for orthotics as they have a removable insole that can be replaced by an orthotic insole. An orthotic insole is necessary to correct biomechanical foot issues such as walking, standing, or running.
Features and Benefits
- Suitable For Cold Conditions: The inner lining present in these boots is made up of unique insulating material that keeps the user’s feet warm and dry. The waterproof upper also contributes to keeping the user’s feet dry and comfy in extremely cold conditions.
- Durable Upper: The upper shell for these winter boots is crafted from a mixture of leather and textile fabric. This mixture makes these boots durable and resilient to harsh weather conditions. These boots also have a lightweight midsole for absorbing the impact of any shock to the feet.
- Solid Outsole: The outsole for these boots is made from Omni-grip advanced traction rubber. This rubber outsole provides non-slip movement to the user and excellent grip and traction on different types of terrain.
- Superior Fit: These winter boots have a lace-up closure type, providing the users with an adjustable and snug fit. These laces maintain a solid grip on the user’s feet, making their experience pleasant and convenient.
Why should you buy it?
These shoes have a removable insole which can be replaced with an orthotic insole, which can be used to correct foot issues. People suffering from plantar fasciitis will find these shoes helpful.
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#2 WHITIN Men’s Cold Weather Boots
These cold weather boots have a solid welt construction. A welt is a narrow strip of leather that runs around the shoes’ perimeter, binding the outsole and the boots’ upper shell. It is often considered a hallmark of top-quality stitching and built.
Features and Benefits
- Removable Insole: The insole present in these boots is replaceable, due to which the users can separately install special medical insoles. People who are struggling to maintain a proper posture while standing or walking can install orthotic insoles.
- Rubber Outsole: These boots also have a slip-resistant rubber outsole. The rubber outsole is slip-resistant as it has unique deep lugs and grooves on it, which provides excellent traction to the user. These boots can be used to walk in the snow or ice due to this outsole.
- Water Resistant: The upper of these boots is not completely waterproof, but it is water-resistant, which means that it repels the water from entering inside these boots. The outer cover is made from top-grain shell nubuck leather fabric, making these boots resistant to wear and tear.
- Lace-Up Closure: People who use these boots get a comfortable and non-slip fitting due to these boots’ lace-up closure style.
Why should you buy it?
Users should buy these boots as they have a solid welt construction. Welt construction provides extra durability to the boots and enhances their endurance. These boots are ideal for intense activities such as trekking, climbing, camping, and so on.
#3 UGG Women’s Classic Winter Boots
The UGG classic winter boots are comfortable and appealing to the users as their inner lining is made from genuine sheep wool. Genuine sheep wool keeps the feet warmer than artificial wool.
Features and Benefits
- Insole: They have a UGG pure wool insole with soft cushioning inside, although this insole is removable so that any user with any feet related issue can install an orthotic insole in these boots.
- Knit Upper: The upper shell or cover of these boots is hand knit. Its fabric contains 50% wool and 50% Acrylic. This mixture of wool and acrylic provides an ideal insulating material. This knit upper keeps the feet of the user warm during colder conditions.
- Treadlite Outsole: These winter boots have a Treadlite outsole. A Treadlite outsole offers increased cushioning, better traction, and flexibility to the user. It is a supremely lightweight and ultra-durable outsole. They have 20% better traction and last 25% longer in comparison to traditional EVA soles.
- Nylon Binding: These boots have a nylon binding closure system with wooden buttons. This style differs from the traditional style as it is less time-consuming and convenient for the users.
Why should you buy it?
These winter boots have a Treadlite outsole. This Treadlite outsole is more long-lasting and provides better traction to the user than a traditional EVA outsole. It is an essential feature for people who have low mobility or stability, such as the elderly.
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#4 EYUSHIJIA Men’s Snow Boots
These winter boots are one of the best winter boots for orthotics as they have a removable and washable insole. The users can replace the sole present inside with special medical orthotic insoles.
Features and Benefits
- Warm lining: Inner lining in these boots have extra padding with an insulating material. This padding is also done in the footbed to keep the feet warm and fuzzy at all times.
- Rubber Toe Cap: The shoe or the toe box’s metatarsal region has a unique rubber cap. This rubber cap protects the user’s feet from any kind of external damage such as rolling or falling objects like rocks, wood, ice, and so on.
- Rubber Outsole: The rubber outsole present in these boots makes them ergonomic and functional. The user gets optimal trail traction on different surfaces, making these boots ideal for hiking and trekking.
- Hydroshield Upper: The upper shell of the boots have a special Hydroshield membrane coating. This coating prevents the shoes from absorbing water or dew in the cold weather. People living in cold regions can use these boots as they are virtually waterproof.
Why should you buy it?
These boots are suitable for people who participate in hiking due to their rubber outsole. These rubber outsoles provide optimal trail grip to the user on all kinds of surfaces.
#5 Sorel Men’s Winter Boots
The Sorel Winter boots have a grippy handcrafted outsole, and this outsole is made from unique waterproof vulcanized rubber. It also has a herringbone pattern, which provides extra traction and stability to the user in icy conditions.
Features and Benefits
- Removable Insole: Winter boots have a removable and washable insole to ensure that the people suffering from some kind of feet related issue can insert orthotic insoles, which are helpful for them.
- Warm: The users’ feet remain warm and fuzzy due to the special insulating microfleece lining, which keeps the feet warm even when the temperature drops.
- Waterproof: They are ideal for winter weather conditions as the upper of these boots is made from high-quality suede leather. This leather is waterproof and reliable, due to which these boots can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
- Comfortable: These boots have a soft and comfortable insole covered with a microfleece top cover. This top cover ensures that the user has a convenient experience all day long, even in cold regions.
Why should you buy it?
People should buy these boots as they have a warm insulating inner lining. This inner lining is essential for the people who live in colder regions as it prevents them from hypothermia.
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#6 Columbia Women’s Snow Boots
The Columbia snow boots are ideal for winter and snowy conditions as they have a textile upper with a waterproof and breathable membrane. These features help to keep the feet of the user dry and warm across all types of weather.
Features and Benefits
- Removable Insole: The insole inside these shoes is removable. People with different orthotic conditions such as flat feet, plantar fasciitis, etc., can use other orthotic insoles in these shoes.
- Warm: The users get high tech insulation when they wear these boots. They have an Omni-heat thermal reflective lining. It traps the body’s heat and keeps it inside the boots, also keeping the user warm.
- Quilted Design: Their quilted design provides the users with a perfect combination of style and convenience. These boots have a quilted style ankle and heel. This protects the users from rolling their heels and ankles on slippery surfaces.
- Advanced Traction: The Omni-grip advanced traction rubber outsole present in these boots makes these boots very versatile and ideal for different types of surfaces. People who are involved in outdoor adventure activities find these boots to be really useful.
Why should you buy it?
People who have flat feet can benefit from these boots as they can install special insoles that provide ample support and cushioning to the user’s midfoot area.
#7 Sorel Women’s Out ‘N About Plus Tall Boots
The Columbia snow boots are ideal for winter and snowy conditions as they have a textile upper with a waterproof and breathable membrane. These features help to keep the feet of the user dry and warm across all types of weather.
Features and Benefits
- Removable Insole: The footbed of the shoe is made from EVA and is lined with microfleece for additional warmth. It can be removed to place a custom orthotic insole as per your need.
- Shaft: The shaft of the shoe measures approximately 7.5 inches. It is a tall boot, that gives protection to your leg nearly upto the knees. The top cover is fleece lined as well.
- Waterproof: The shoe has a seam-sealed construction, which lets your feet be dry even in rainy and sleety conditions.
- Insulation: 100g insulation is provided in the shoe for protection from cold weather. While the shoes are not temperature rated, many customers mentioned that they were good for keeping your feet warm in sub-zero conditions as well.
- Midsole: The midsole is constructed from vulcanized rubber, which makes the shoe very supportive, especially for ankle and ball of foot pain.
Why should you buy it?
Apart from a removable insole, the shoe has an excellent midsole made from vulcanized rubber that makes it very supportive for ankle problems. The 100g insulation and fleece lining inside the shoe ensure that your feet will remain warm even in sub-zero temperatures.
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Buyer’s Guide: Best Winter Boots For Orthotics
Orthotic or Removable Insole
Orthotic or removable insoles are necessary for the best winter boots for orthotics as generally, the traditional boots have firm and rigid insoles that cannot be removed.
Due to this reason, people with special conditions such as plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and so on require special insoles that cater to their needs.
In the boots mentioned above, the user can simply remove the insole and install their customized medical insoles that suits their needs.
Warm Lining
People living in colder regions or the people who have to go out in the extreme cold during the winter require a special insulating feature in their boots.
Usually, these boots have a unique inner lining made from an insulating material. This material often traps the heat emitted from the user’s body and keeps them warm and fuzzy.
This feature often helps people avoid hypothermia and other such problems that can happen due to exposure to extreme cold.
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Advanced Outsole
Cold weather requires the boots to have a thick sole, and a thick sole helps the users to maintain balance and stability of the user.
The outsoles with different traction patterns such as deep grooves or lugs enhance the grip on any surface, whether it is icy or wet.
People who have to traverse snowy terrain regularly find these boots helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Winter Boots For Orthotics
Q: Are boots bad for plantar fasciitis?
No, boots are not bad for plantar fasciitis, although a patient suffering from plantar fasciitis must avoid wearing boots that have high heels.
A pair of flats or shoes that are unsupportive can be easily converted into shoe ideal for plantar fasciitis with the help of a slip-on insole. These insoles are specially designed to treat plantar fasciitis and can be easily installed inside any shoe with a removable insole.
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Q: Which type of soles are best for walking on ice?
Plastic or leather soles are the worst material for soles for walking on ice. These materials have a very high tendency of slipping on wet and slippery surfaces.
This feature can seriously injure or hurt users. Rubber outsoles are considered the best on wet and slippery surfaces because of their high traction capabilities.
Q: Are insoles or Orthotics the same?
No, they are not precisely the same thing, but they are similar. As orthotics are similar to inserts but the main point of distinction is that orthotics are custom made.
They are custom-made to treat special feet related problems such as flat feet or plantar fasciitis. Insoles are general inserts that are put inside of shoes and boots to provide the users with a comfortable and soft footbed.
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Conclusion
Don’t compromise on style and protection if your feet are in bad shape. Get a winter boot in this list with removable insoles from this list and replace it with any type of orthotic that’s good for your feet’s health.
In our opinion, the Columbia Women's ICE Maiden II Snow Boot, Black, Grey, 5 B US is the best choice among the various options that we have considered, because they have a removable insole that can be replaced by an orthotic insole. An orthotic insole is necessary to correct biomechanical foot issues such as walking, standing, or running.
The WHITIN Men's Mid Soft Toe Leather Insulated Work Boots Construction Rubber Sole Roofing Waterproof Size 8.5 for Outdoor Hiking Winter Snow Most Best Comfortable Lightweight Comfort Comfy Black 42 is our next best choice because these cold weather boots have a solid welt construction. A welt is a narrow strip of leather that runs around the shoes’ perimeter, binding the outsole and the boots’ upper shell. It is often considered a hallmark of top-quality stitching and built.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the EYUSHIJIA Men's Outdoor Waterproof Snow Boots Hiking Shoes, which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
References:
[1] https://www.apma.org/files/APMA2014TodaysPodiatristSurveyAllFindings.pdf
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/bone-health/orthotics#diagnosis
