Size, fittings, traction, water proof or water repellent, flexibility, height, warmth, rubber bottom, price, colour and quality are some of the things to remember while picking kids snow boots.

As the winter season is knocking at the door the wardrobe in every house need to get altered. The woollen clothes are making their way out from the stored boxes; the rugs, blankets are coming out of the way from a few months deep undisturbed sleep especially in the region where there is enough of summer season and the region where it moderately remains the same weather condition throughout the year, the winter clothes often make small appearances!

But when you are talking about winter wardrobe, apart from the same old clothes there is always a space of new ones, especially for toddlers and kids. The must have apart from the jumpers, jackets, heavy woollen sweaters, fur clothes are the shoes and boots. As a parent you probably won’t allow your child to get sleepy on the snow covered icy street especially in the region where the streets are covered in thick snow throughout the winter or whether you have decided to take your family on a hiking trip in snow covered mountain.

Read More: 7 Awesome Tips to Survive Winter Pregnancy

Difference between snow boots and winter boots

A snow boot is a type of boot which is generally waterproof or water resistant; the boot almost has a high side keeping snow from entering the boot and a rubber sole to keep water out. While the winter boot will like a snow boot, have good insulation built inside of it to keep the foot warm during cold weather. Though most of the winter boots will also be water proof or have minimum water repellent feature but it is always advised to wear a separate snow gaiter in the deep snow. Snow boots are not exactly same as winter boot, they are not just made for crunching through the snow, and they are also designed to be worn in the extreme wet condition.

Read More: 11 Effective Home Remedies to Treat Cracked Feet in Kids

Why it is necessary to wear snow boots

When it comes to winter, one must need to choose his footwear carefully and wisely. Wearing unsuitable footwear in this season can lead to cold feet and unwanted falls. Especially the children must have to wear snow boots. Snow boots are necessary in the snow clad area. Where you can’t step out from the house in normal shoe, if you do that you probably or more precisely you have an unwanted fall. And as for the kids they are apple of parent’s eyes, you can’t shut them indoors, while they can play with the snow and all but as a parent u need to careful about their well-being. So the snow boots are must in every household during winters.

Read More: Winter Safety Tips for Kids

While picking up a good snow boots for kids you need to keep remember 11 things before buying. These are as follows:

11 Things to Keep in Mind While Picking Kids Snow Boots

Size

The first and foremost thing while picking up a snow boot matters is its size.  We generally opt for a larger size while we always intend to wear with it socks because they slip on, they are generally made slightly larger to allow you to get your foot in comfortably. You may be tempted to go a size larger to accommodate thick socks, but this isn’t necessary. Usually, it is fine to buy the size you would normally wear, but it’s always best to try on first and especially as it matters for toddlers and kids. Picking up the right size is most important factor.

Fittings

The second important thing that matters is the fittings of the snow boots. Snow boots that are too tight will lead to circulation issues and will leave your kids with colder feet. Always fit snow boots while you are making your child wears the socks that you intend to wear and make sure their feet have enough room to wiggle your toes comfortably. The boot should not be so tight that there is pain or discomfort, but this part of the boot will stretch with use so a snug fit here is important. As the kid walk in new boots, the heel of his foot must rise up away from the sole of the boot just a little bit.

Traction

The third important factor is the traction on the sole of a boot. There are three types of traction devices: crampons, coiled devices and spiked devices. But it totally depends on what activity your kids are going to do. If they are up for a hiking you’ll want to stick with semi-rigid to rigid crampons made from either steel or stainless steel – aluminium crampons tend to wear out quickly in rocky terrain.

However, if you’re looking for something to simply carry you over a slick surface without fear of bumbling around like a Benny Hill character, then you should look for a lighter device, like yaktrax or micro spikes from kahtoola. Crampons are mostly for intense outdoor activities. Coiled devices are the most basic and inexpensive option, working with nearly any sort of boot. Spike devices are similarly basic, but provide a slight step up in quality from the coiled option, featuring half-inch long metal spikes for increased traction.

Water proof or water repellent

The must need feature of a snow boot is its water repellent capacity. This feature creates differences between a snow boot and winter boot. Without a waterproof feature the boots are useless in deep snow. And one can use them in rainy season too. Keeping your feet dry is crucial in cold conditions.

Flexibility

It is need to consider how easily the snow boots are to get on and off. Especially the kids are very reluctant to wear heavier shoe for a long time. They might throw tantrums and if you are taking your kids for a hiking trip there are many break includes, so the flexibility of the boot is one of the main factor.

Height

The snow boots often stand 11 or 12 inches high. The taller the boot, the warmer it will keep your ankles. They will also let in less snow as you hike or snowshoe. However, the taller and bulkier the boot, the heavier it is. 12 inch boots are fine for short walks, but a five mile hike will be extremely fatiguing. The kids won’t feel comfortable in it. Your best option in this case may be an insulated hiking boot, maybe 7 or 8 inches tall.

Warmth

There are several boot manufacturers that offer warmth ratings for their products. For example, sorel’s rates their caribou winter boots as being capable of maintaining warmth in temperatures as low as -40 degrees fahrenheit. This information, however, should be taken with the understanding that not all boots will perform to the exact specifications of their ratings. Things like health, activity, even clothing and how much a person perspires will be important factors in determining overall warmth. Note that not all manufacturers provide a temperature rating.

Rubber bottom

Most snow boots have a rubber bottom. The rubber bottom of the boot not only provides 100% waterproof protection, but also makes cleaning up the boot and drying it (no small consideration if you use the boot every day) a snap. In general, if you spend day after day wandering around in the mud during the winter (such as doing construction work), be sure to get a rubber bottom boot. Sorel caribou boots and other rubber bottom sorel boots are the most popular boot of this type.

Price

How much you want to spend on the snow boots depends on what activity you want your kids to do. If you want to use the snow boots just in the driveway  then it will be advised to get an regular one, or if you have a plan to use it on a hiking trip then you are advised to invest a bit more.

Colour

The one important factor is the colour of the boots. Usually the snow boots are much not fancier but you don’t want to give a dull look to your children get up. Look for a much dark and attractive colour

Quality

The last factor and probably the important factor is the quality of the boot.  The more comfortable the footwear is the much happier the kid is and his feet. Beside this, the kids grow up much faster, and it is advised to invest in good quality boot then later when your kids are not get on to this you can always hands down those to his siblings o cousin or a friends kid.

The best snow boots for kids are -Kamik Snowbug4 Insulated Boot. Arctiv 8 Nordic Knee-High Winter Snow Boots. Cat & Jack Boys’ Kian Sherpa Lined Cold Weather Winter Boots. CIOR Fantiny winter snow boots. Girls’ Araceli Short Suede Winter Boots. Sorel Kids’ Yoot PAC.  Hobibear Kids Winter Snow Boots. Kamik Kids’ Snowbug4 Snow Boot. Columbia Youth Powderbug plus II Snow Boot, in India there is variety of option from Clarks and crocs etc.

You can choose the footwear both offline and online. There are several websites present now days and you can take your kids to the store too. But you probably need to hurry up before the winter. As in winter the demand for these types of things grow up very fast and you probably didn’t get the right size or suitable colour or anything that you look for. You have to keep the above mentioned point on your mind and you will find it easier to shopping. So let aside your worries and enjoy your day out with your kids. Happy shopping!!