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The quest for the perfect Seattle winter boot

This is a quest I’ve been on since I arrived in my lovely city. While it may sound like a simple problem to solve, I assure you it is not.

• If the boot is super warm and fuzzy inside, it gets too hot for temperatures above 40 degrees.
• A classic rain boot has basically no insulation and poor support for walking long distances. Also, if your feet sweat, it’s like submerging your foot in a puddle all day. Gross.
• Beautiful leather boots can get ruined by the rain no matter how diligently you waterproof them. And lets be real, even if you waterproof the leather, you’ll still leak at the seams.
• A nice GoreTex hiking boot would get you what you need functionally…but will most likely fall short in the fashion arena.

On a personal note, I truly despise having cold, wet feet – circumstances which can totally ruin my day – so I’ve done a ton of research (*cough* retail therapy *cough*) to find the solution.

If it looks like a duck…

…it might be a Sperry Saltwater Duck Boot! Check out these little beauties.

And the best part…

There are so many fun color options and I had a really difficult time choosing which to order. I naturally gravitated towards patterns and lighter colors.

I really wanted to go for these light grey boots as the soles are Meg Blue and all…

Or these cool quilted green duck boots! Don’t they look so cozy?

Hello cute pattern…

I ended up going with the classic navy and brown just so they could truly go with everything.

There are  really so many varieties of duck boots…take a look!

Sizing

These duck boots run really large and I had to go down a whole size to find the right fit. My feet swam in the normal size and felt really sloppy – which just wouldn’t serve for the miles I walk. Once I went a full size down, they felt supportive and still allowed room for cozy socks.

Anywho…I recommend going down at least a half a size – maybe even a whole size.

Pro Tip – The Right Socks

Duck boots are lightly lined and the lower part of the boots are rubber, which means the boots are waterproof and cozy for most Seattle temperatures. It only gets a little weird if you walk outside a ton (like I do) when it gets super cold.

Rubber = not breathable. While the sweat factor isn’t as dramatic as a Wellie, it’s still rubber.

Ok…so that means rock the Smartwool socks, yes? But…not…cute.

Don’t worry! I have a solution.

1. Put on your thin Smartwools (or your performant sock of choice) and then pull on your leggings or skinny jeans.
2. Now put your fashion socks on over the Smartwools and your pants.  Make sure your pants are well tucked into your cute socks.
3. Slip into your duck boots and style your socks!

This trick has kept my feet warm, dry, and very cute these damp, chilly months.

A shameless plug for something I love

These boots are going to be my best friends for our late winter / early spring season – I don’t know how I’ve survived the last 6.5 years in Seattle without them.  So until the sun shines again, I will proudly traipse the wet sidewalks of this quirky, brilliant city in these boots!

If you live anywhere that rains frequently or snows on occasion, I think these would be trusty friends for you, too. Happy hunting!