Reply #6: Style, comfort AND function are mutually exclusive in winter boots. [View All]

For a boot to be any good it has to keep your feet warm and dry. Warm requires some insulation which makes the boot fat (See the US Army Mickey Mouse boot for example). Dry requires some sort of barrier to prevent water from entering the boot (And at the same time permit your foot to release sweat). Another factor is surface area on the ground, the more surface area at the bottom of the boot the more grip it will have on any ice or snow patch (anther factor boots tend to be "big").

Thus what type of compromise with style are you willing to make? In recent years I have been using overboots with tennis shoes with Neos overboot in winter (In bad weather I switch to my old Army Mickey Mouse Boots), warm, dry but makes your feet look like you are a clown).

http://www.onlinebootstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=obs&Category_Code=NEOSovershoes
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=73550&prmenbr=226
http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayHome?siteID=5%2At5lkTnZI8-m%2FznLf8MmS7oD%2A76nATCIw
http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?adv=19793&dir_id=1137&pf_id=150Es&group_id=1162&cat_id=324&cktst=true&subcat_id=1