Hiking enthusiasts know well to gear up with suitable hiking boots. But when it's snowy outside, a common question arises: Are hiking boots good for snow?

Hiking boots have immense traction and ankle support, among other qualities suitable for various terrain types. But many hikers look not to invest in snowshoes for the snowy season. Instead, use their hiking boots since they already have better traction and toughness. If you are looking to buy new hiking boots, consider if they are suitable for year-round weather.

While snow boots are built to be more effective, you can also use hiking boots to tread in the snow. However, not all hiking boots provide value in snowy conditions. They must have some vital qualities, such as being tall enough and having immense traction, to deem them a good choice for snow.

The effectiveness of hiking boots in snow varies, given the snow conditions. Hiking boots will do the job well, from a few scattered patches to a low coat of snow. But when the snow gets deeper and releases moisture, you might not maintain your balance because your hiking boots don't have enough traction. Your feet will also get wet due to a lack of insulation.

We are a couple of experienced hikers who have learned it the hard way about using hiking boots in the snow. We have put together this guide that discusses and analyzes the various aspects of hiking boots to see how and when you can use them in snow.

When Can You Use Hiking Boots in Winter?

You don't necessarily need snow boots to use in snowy conditions. If the snow patches are light and not too wet, you can get a satisfactory result using your hiking boots. They have traction-packed soles needed for hiking since the terrains can vary, and there is always a risk of slipping and hurting. The same sole also works on snow unless you are faced with thick layers.

It is also important for your hiking boots to be waterproof, as the melting snow will soak your feet. Some hiking boots are waterproof that can repel water for some time. You can get your boots water-proofed for better resistance or buy winter hiking boots with superb water resistance.

However, adding more elements to the boots to make them waterproof will make them stiffer and heavier, affecting your performance on the snow. Moreover, hiking boots in primarily made to offer traction on rigid surfaces instead of slippery ones. So, it is understandable they won't match the performance of snow boots.

These are some of the factors you must consider before using hiking boots in the snow. The lack of hiking boots is the snow boots' strength, making them the obvious choice for snowy conditions. Similarly, there are many other aspects of hiking boots that you should understand before using them in snow. Let's look at them below.

Hiking Boots vs. Snow Boots

Various aspects determine whether your hiking boots are suitable for snow. Let's see how each aspect compares between hiking boots and snow boots.

Sturdiness

Winter boots have immense sturdiness due to the demands of extreme weather conditions. The snow levels constantly change, so does the stress you put on your shoes. Therefore, winter shoes are stiffer and heavier, increasing their versatility in various conditions. However, due to being heavier and stiffer, these boots are more uncomfortable.

On the other hand, hiking boots are also sturdy, so the hikers can carry on without their boots wearing and tearing due to rough and rugged surfaces. Although not as tough and durable as snow boots, sturdiness is an essential quality in using the boots in the snow. This tips the scale in favor of hiking boots.

Traction

Traction is yet another massively important aspect of snow-friendly hiking boots, especially if you want to walk without slipping after every few steps. Snow boots have microspikes in the sole that penetrate and grip the surface tightly no matter how deep the snow is. It slows down your speed but is essential to stay up and move.

In comparison, hiking boots also offer traction. Since they are designed to grip the drier and rougher surfaces, the traction is, to an extent, suitable for bleak snow levels. So if you are going to use hiking boots in the snow, make sure the snow isn't too deep or too wet. While they don't penetrate the snow like the microspikes in snow boots, you still have better odds of not falling and hurting yourself.

Insulation

Frostbite is a common yet deadly condition. It is important to keep yourself warm to avoid your toes being frozen and bitten off. One way to do it is to keep the blood moving in your body through constant exercise or warm fluids. Fortunately, snow hiking boots are equipped with synthetic materials that maintain insulation, so the snow doesn't affect your feet. The insulation materials can be fixed or removable.

On the other hand, regular hiking boots don't have insulation since their primary purpose is not for use in snow. You must get hiking boots with insulation if you want to use them in snow.

Waterproofing

When there is snow, there is moisture. Not having waterproof boots is as deadly as not having insulation, as the water or moisture entering your boots can freeze your feet in snowy conditions. Cold feet slow down your blood circulation and can cause hypothermia and fever. It can also lead to frostbite, making matters severe. That's why snow boots are highly water-resistance, keeping your feet dry for extended periods.

Hiking boots are water repellant, but they do not keep your feet dry for long. The water eventually seeps through the top or seams, leaving your feet all wet and prone to the dangerous conditions we talked about earlier. However, hiking boots cannot be waterproof ultimately because they need to allow ventilation to keep your feet healthy in non-snowy conditions.

Ankle Support

Ankle support is one area where hiking boots have the edge. Hikers are usually climbing uneven surfaces with jagged rocks and soft soil. The ankle support keeps the feet high from behind, relieving some of the stress from the ankles, allowing the feet to stay in the best health for extended periods.

In comparison, snow boots don't have ankle support as they focus on providing stability on soft surfaces. While not crucial, having ankle support is a bonus if that will increase the foot height so snow doesn't enter the boots from the top. It will also help you move quickly by allowing you to lift your feet from the soft surface of the snow.

Accessories to Make Your Experience Better

What if you don't have hiking boots that have qualities like waterproofing, insulation, and high traction to make your experience in the snow a good one? Generally, people will tell you to buy snow hiking boots as the best solution. While that might be the best solution, we would hold off on that and look for alternatives methods to make our hiking boots adaptable to the snow requirements. You can pair some accessories with your standard hiking boots and make them more suitable for snow. Take a look at them below.

Wool Socks

There are several kinds of wool socks you can get on the market. While all of them are thick and better for keeping your feet warm, their level of thickness varies. However, wool socks are not waterproof. They only keep your feet warm, and the thickness will keep the cold and moisture out for a certain period. It is best to have an extra pair of wool socks if you are going out for long in deep snow.

Gaiters

Hikers use these excellent accessories to cover their legs from the ankles to the knees and protect them from mud and insects. But you can also use them to protect your legs from the knee-deep snow. It will help keep your legs dry and warm and protect them from sharply fallen bushes.

Crampons

Crampons are heavy-duty items that attach to the boots from belts and have large spikes beneath them. These were initially only used for ice climbing and hiking on icy mountains to increase the grip on the slippery terrain. They are typically used for snowy surfaces because their basic function is to improve traction. You can use them with your hiking boots if compatible with crampons.

Microspikes

These are the light version of crampons as they also have spikes and can be mounted on shoes. However, the spikes are smaller and don't dig into snow very well. These are best for use on hard-packed snow to improve traction. Microspikes are usually compatible with most hiking boots and feature a combination of chains and spikes to improve grip on the hard-packed and slippery ice.

Waterproof Hiking Boots

As we talked about earlier, waterproofing is one of the essential components that make hiking boots suitable for snow. Don't worry if you don't have waterproof boots. Even the waterproof ones start to soak water as they go through water, moisture, mud, etc. The good thing is that you can easily clean and waterproof your hiking shoes which is a cheap solution instead of buying new waterproof hiking boots.

Before cleaning or waterproofing your boots, there are a few steps you will want to take:

Remove the laces and take out the insoles. Doing this will make the process easier.

Wet the boot.

After the boot is wet entirely, clean the boots with the cleaning gel to remove dirt. If there is dirt on your shoe when waterproofing, it can compromise the waterproofing ability.

If your boot is filthy with stiff mud, a nylon brush will help you get that off.

After scrubbing off mud thoroughly, rinse the boot with clean water.

Follow washing off the mud by applying the waterproofing spray. Don't wait for the boot to dry. Spray the boot generously with a high-quality waterproofing spray by keeping it at a distance of five centimeters.

Dry any dripping substances with tissue paper and let them dry.