Sorel Men's Timberwolf Leather Boot

I have a pair of extreme heavy duty felt lined Sorel boots that I bought in Alaska in 1981. I used them to work a few seasons outdoors on the North Slope of the Brooks range. More then 30 years later I still have those Sorels (no doubt they will outlive me) and I now use them for snow blowing on the coldest Michigan days & nights. More recently I needed some boots that would be less cumbersome for cutting firewood out in the winter woods, but also comfortable and able to breath well enough to wear to my work place. I decided to give these Timberwolf Leather Snow Boots a try. I've been using them for a couple of months here in Michigan and I have to admit, I really like them. Not once have my feet been cold, even when working out in the snow all day, yet when I wear the boots indoors all day, they don't cause my feet to sweat either. I like the toe catch on the back of the boot that serves to support my other boot when pushing the boot off. It keeps the back of the boot from getting marred and prevents me from having to push on the heel of the boot. I've put these boots through some difficult outdoor punishment (if you ever dropped trees and trimmed them up out in the woods - you know what I mean) yet the boot exterior doesn't show it. It will take 30 years to prove if these are "made of the same stuff" as my felt lined Alasken Sorels but so far, they are heading in the right direction. Note: I am not being compensated in any way by Sorel or Amazon for this review. I bought these boots without any compensation from anyone except my paycheck :)

I haven't had a good snow boot since... ever? I'm not even sure I've had a BAD snow boot since I was a kid. Anyhow, I was looking for something presentable enough that I could wear them with khakis/cords/jeans to my office (very casual dress at my work), and that my feet wouldn't be soaked. By default I had been wearing Timberland work boots, since they were the closest thing I had to a snow boot... but they got soaked and leaked even with waterproof waxes. (I'm sure they probably have a "waterproof" boot, but mine was the regular work boot.)Anyhow, I bought these due to the good reviews and felt a little silly spending so much on them, but the review by the guy who does deliveries in the snow all day loving them got me and I bought. I'm so glad I did - had no idea such an INCREDIBLY comfortable boot existed! It seems like it's practically military-grade, like it'll last forever and I also had no idea that a thinsulate boot would add any serious level of warmth, but it sure does.This winter, even sledding with my little boy, my feet were warm, dry, and the padding inside is outstanding. I've walked from the top of Central Park to my apartment here in NYC (110 to around 20th street = 90 blocks = 4.5 miles), and they were as comfortable as walking shoes.Love 'em. If they fell apart after a few years, which I doubt, I'd buy 'em again.

I agree after getting these boots and wearing them for a while that they are about a half size too big, but this actually worked in my favor - let me explain. The foot bed under the insert is really hard (which is not totally unusual), and it would actually get a little cold from underneath, bleeding through the crappy insert in there. In that the boots were a bit roomy in the foot area, - bout a half a size larger is fair way to put it, there was enough room to put an additional gel insert, that is flat, in there. This does three things, it makes the shoes fit way better, it offers so much better cushion, AND I no longer feel any coolness coming from beneath the foot bed. Now there are awesome, they look great, have great traction, are lightweight, are really well made - will last a long time, and are very warm. Really like the sort of special forces - type look to them too. the "issues" might sound quite involved, but they are really not, and wouldn't let them deter you from getting these. - My recommendation is get your size and you may be able to add an additional insert to provide better cushion and warmth.

Pros:(1) Boots look great(2) Keeps feet warm and dry(3) Aside from the shoelaces, the rest of the boot feels well built. I get the feeling that it can take a beating.Cons:(1) Boots run half a size larger than normal(2) Shoelaces are atrocious. After two weeks of normal use the laces gave in. The shoe laces are not one piece. They are a insulated with some sort of quick drying material. Unfortunately, the insulation is very weak and does not hold up. The self destruction happened as I was tugging my laces for a tight fit. The friction between my tugging and the upper metal clamps caused the insulation to quickly deteriorate. Basically the metal clamps cut into the insulation and expose the inner shoelace.(3) I called Sorel to complain about the problem and they do not carry replacement shoelaces. The customer service representative recommended that I buy new shoe laces. That's unfortunate. You would think a reputable company would be able to solve such a cheap problem.(4) The metal mechanisms that hold the laces in place look tacky. I wish they were powder coated black so they would withstand discoloration from heavy usage and because it would look much cleaner and subtler.

I shopped around quite a bit for some good boots to get me to school in the cold Montreal winter. I finally got these and another brand and made a decision between the two. I liked the look of these (understated but not boring). After wearing them, all I can say is that these boots are incredibly warm (maybe a little bit too warm if you keep them on all day, inside like I do). They are weather proof and all around amazing. I gave them 4 stars because they don't tighten up around my ankle as tight as i'd like them to be. You have to really pull them tight, and make a double knot so that it doesn't come untied. The tread is also very slippery on ice. They are a bit stiff which makes them uncomfortable if you are wearing them for the entire day. Besides that, I couldn't be happier and I think they will last me a long time.