Best winter boots?

[bradley]

My flimsy pair of H&M shoes have finally come apart, so I'm looking for long-lasting, warm and comfortable winter boots... any suggestions? Right now I walk about 2 miles a day. (I put this in transportation because walking is a method of transportation, right?)

[jacob]

How much winter do you need to handle? 20F, 0F, -20F, -40F?

How much snow? 5", 10", 20"?

Is 2M your expected upper range?

[bradley]

They'd need to handle 10ºF with 5" of snow... at an upper range of 2-3 miles/day, not counting a weekly 2-mile walk for groceries.

I've tried looking online at various hiking websites, etc. but I could never get a good sense of what adequately matched what I needed (well-made, durable, warm, comfortable).

[billc]

http://www.batesfootwear.com/US/en

http://www.sorel.com/home

http://www.baffin.com/

http://www.irishsetterboots.com/

Bates are lighter insulation but easier to walk in. Sorel and Baffin are heavier insulation - Baffin probably a better quality though Sorels are nice too. Irish Setter probably in between Bates and the other two in terms of insulation, depending on what boot you choose.

Toughest part of buying boots is the sizing. They don't always run the same as your regular shoes.