Submitted by tinytrees11 t3_10lzwdt in BuyItForLife

What the title says. I'm looking for BIFL women's boots, preferably leather. They must be able to keep me warm at -30C and can handle snow/ice. I'm looking for as many brand suggestions as possible, but they must be available in Canada so I can go to the store and try them on. I prefer Chelsea style, but lace up is good too. Please no all-rubber boots like Hunter, or stuff made in China, Bangladesh, etc. I can go up to 600 CAD, but prefer somewhere in the range of 400-500 CAD. TIA!

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Quail-a-lot t1_j6040gs wrote

Baffin is Canadian. Some models are made in Canada and some are not. They have a couple of Chelsea styles. A more traditional boot option is CanadaWest, which are still made in Manitoba but I personally would not find them warm enough at that temp. You might still look into them for the fall and spring though! Or if you have antifreeze for blood.

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tinytrees11 OP t1_j604yl5 wrote

I did find lots of styles for Canada West in stores close to my place, and they look so good! What a bummer they aren't suitable for very cold temps. They remind me a lot of Red Wing boots, which I really wanted until I found out they're not insulated.

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zombienudist t1_j60hr6x wrote

They do make insulated versions of some of their boots like the 2829 but those are men's. You can find Canada west boots for very cheap on clearance too so might want to try them with a pair of good wool socks as that might be enough depending on how much time you are spending outside in them.

My wife bought a pair of these a couple months ago and loves them but they have quite a few models to check out

https://wilsontack.com/product/ldsromeo_dirtybrown/

At full price they are a good deal but that price is stupid low. So even if something is not being made right now you can sometimes find it on clearance if you do a search online for it.

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tinytrees11 OP t1_j60kg96 wrote

If I get the insulated version, will those be warm enough? There's a store close to me that sells a good selection of Canada West, and they have insulated Romeos and insulated Moorbys. Both are marked women's and they have large lugs so I think they would be suitable for ice/snow.

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zombienudist t1_j60mn16 wrote

That depends on what you are doing and for how long. Personally I wouldn't wear a pair of insulated boots unless I am onside in the cold for long periods of time. So my real winter/snow boots are insulated but none of the other boots I wear are. If I need to I will add a thick wool socks on colder days. But I am in Southern Ontario so I would likely only see temps down to -20 regularly. You said -30 so you might be spending more time outside where you need more insulation.

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tinytrees11 OP t1_j60oe18 wrote

These are for outside walking in a city. I do a lot of walking outside because I don't have a car, so I need something that looks nice, is comfortable, and can handle cold weather. I was looking into insulated ones because I want to avoid buying boots that are just a thin piece of leather separating my foot from the outside.

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Angelaira74 t1_j60pik5 wrote

I always bought payless shoes when I lived in Canada and sprayed waterproofing spray on them. I would get the fleece lined ones and wear them all winter then get another pair the next year. We tried all kinds and none lasted due to the salt.

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Logical_Challenge540 t1_j614irn wrote

For winter I got Keen, specifically, Betty ran 3 seasons and still waterproof. Their site mentions if fit small or no, and it is pretty correct. Check reviews, some of their models changed location and are not that good. Also, saw that there are physical shops in Canada as well.

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tovasshi t1_j61tlr5 wrote

Manitobah Mukluks.

Their newer models are made in China, but their traditional stuff is hand-made in Canada by artisans. Their traditional style stuff is generally good for -32.

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Kidan6 t1_j63z4fm wrote

Women's winter boots are a rough one. They're often built to be stylish, and so neither warm nor durable. Your ask is further complicated by the fact that leather isn't a great winter option, since salt destroys it.
Baffin is a great brand, and make solid and warm boots. Manitoba is a popular option for people who live in genuinely cold places.
UGG Adirondak boots are leather and warm. Only time will tell if they're built for life.
Pajar make great winter boots, if you can find some Made in Canada. The Made in China stuff is cheap and crap

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