WATCH BEFORE BUYING SOREL CARIBOU BOOTS 2018
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- - Review And Test Of The Sorel Caribou Wool Liner Cold Weather Boots. The Result Might Be Surprising To You, So Watch This Before Buying.
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Welcome To Survival-Russia. One of the very best Outdoors and Survival related communities on UA-cam, and yes, It's a pretty good Channel too :)
My name is Lars. I'm From Denmark but I live in Rural Russia now. I live at a Homestead in wild nature surrounded by a huge forest.
On The Survival-Russia channel we do all things related to the Outdoors Lifestyle. I share my thoughts and experiences on Survival Techniques for the woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere. the Reality of Survival. I share Techniques and ways of the Siberian Tribesmen and the Russian Longhunters of the older days. Things not shown outside of Russia very much.
On this Channel we also do Off-Road driving, Vehicle builds, Metal Detecting, all things Outdoors basically. Enjoy!
It may have cost you a bit of money but the thousands this video is gonna save those who watch it is priceless
Ya, they used to be good when they were made in my hometown in Canada. Not any more!!
Sad but true. Had them as my first Snowboarding boots (before there were specialised Snowboarding boots produced). Best boots i ever had. Nowadays i just hear negative reviews.
Like with all such products, it's best to have them made where they are used the most. I bet those were some fine Canadian craftsmen that used to put them together.
Yep, allot of my friends used to work at the plant. The biggest change when the changed was the felt liner. They used to be think with wool. Now they are a thin recycled material crap!!@@mmdirtyworkz
Are you in Kitchener? Small world indeed!
It is so, Kaufmans@@Druetty
You are 100% right with your review. As a Canadian, I do own a pair of SOREL boots, not the same as you, but what we call here ”Snowmobile Boots”…they are knee high and don’t have that fancy white wool top. However, my experience is the very same as yours. But before you throw them out, try the following…buy for a few dollars inlays that are available in any size and can be trimmed with scissors to fit your needs. These felt inlays have aluminum foil on both sides. 1.) Remove your felt liners from the boot. 2.) Insert the aluminum-felt-inlays. 3.) Put your felt liners back in place. You will feel a big difference since the cold comes through the sole and is cut off by the bottom layer of aluminum and the aluminum on top; will reflect your body heat back at you. (These inlays are very cheap ($ 3.-) but could be produced if needed with a piece of felt and some aluminum foil and a bit of glue.) Good luck, Pat from Ontario, Canada. (PS. Not the production (made in China) is the problem....cheap production is the problem.)
I was going to say liners too when i was in the Canadian forces we used mesh liners in our mucklucks ror a pocket of air it worked
@@donabbott5432 Well...we also could use these: ganosales.tv/products/grabber-toe-warmers
I find those insoles with the foil caused my feet to get damp. The best thing I've tried so far, is the "sheep's wool" insoles from Mountain Wearhouse. They're not much more expensive that the felt/foil ones, but they're the best purchase I've made for my feet. I've used them in everything from unlined work boots, up to -80Celsius work boots & they changed my life. I've never used them in anything colder than -35Celsius, though. My job entailed being on ladders in the winter, for a few hours/day, and my felt still felt great. One thing I also started doing, was putting my feet in plastic grocery bags, then a wool sock. It kept my socks/boots moisture free, although you'll have to wash your feet at the end of the day, at the very least. For multi-day trips outside, I wouldn't recommend.
@@redpanda1971 So you are saying, the aluminium foil make your feet damp, but rapping them in plastic bags all day is fine? Well, give me time to figure that one out. LOL (I hope for your family's (partner's) sake, that you are taking at least one shower per day (end of the day) LOL)
@@PatrickBoening The crucial difference is the bags kept my socks/liners from getting damp. That's what was causing my feet to get so cold. Once I stopped that from happening, even my clammy feet would stay warm. That was for working days, where I could come home, clean my feet & be warm & dry. I doubt it's a good idea for multi-day trips, although I got the idea from the vapour-barrier socks I've seen for sale.
I burst out laughing 😂 at the “they do one thing really well, they hold onto the cold really well” love it!
I picked up a pair of baffin control max awhile back , rated to minus 70c. Have been in -25c to -30c on average 8hrs every time with only a single pair of socks and these things are great. Great channel friend, aways a pleasure to watch from Canada!
I used my old Canadian made Sorels in December 1996 in record low temperature of -48 celcius in 70 mile house Canada. I still have those boots. The new ones are garbage.
I must say I agree :)
Ya, I wear my Mukluks that are made from my Kukom (Grandma in Cree) and they are absolutely amazing. Truly made from scratch by a Traditional First Nations elder.
@@SurvivalRussia One day, I'll send you a pair and a Canadian Armed Forces 82 pattern Extreme Cold Winter Parka. You will not be disappointed!
Yeah I have the Canadian made as well. They're like a Tank!
Ever since they were sold to Columbia in 2000 the quality has been on the decline. Sorel is no longer a Canadian company unfortunately. My old felt packs from the 90’s were warm even down to -40c just sitting around ice fishing. My feet were never cold. Sorry you had to learn the hard way Lars. Cheers from Canada.
Put those things on eBay, as seen on Survival Russia Channel Lars. That €130 is not lost yet!
That's why I prefer channels without sponsor's!
Sorel's have become an urban fashion asserory - made in China.
I find the same thing with most of the products from Timberland and now even LL Bean is moving that way. Sad.
@@TheOtherBill . I'm in Denmark, mate. I don't know LL Bean. But I used to own a pair of Timberland's, good quality - but then again that was 20 years ago, I think. Sad to hear they went down that path too. These days I'm very cautious when acquiring any gear. I will rather pay more to buy local or original made - it usually pay in the long run. Also there is the political aspects; without going into details - let's just say I'm no fan of globalism - or buying from regimes who doesn't want our lifestyle.
*sponsors
and *Sorels
No apostrophe allowed to make a plural form. Wtf dude. It´s not rocket science.
@@TheOtherBill I know, I have a pair of Standard Black Leather Timberlands that I wore in the winter. -40°C they still held strong. Unfortunately now I heard they ate getting crappy. Very unfortunate.
@@martialme84 'No apostrophe allowed to make a plural form.' It's 'No apostrophe needed to make a plural form'.
Hi Lars - Thats disappointing - I use similar style boots (LL Bean Maine pack boot) but I replace the sole insulation with Alpaca wool insoles. The other thing I learned (and I'm sure you know this already) is don't wear 2 pairs of socks. I wear single Alpaca wool socks and leave space for my feet to move around. Tight boots = cold feet :) If you want to try some Alpaca insoles and socks let me know your size and I'll send you some. My friend owns the Alpaca farm and makes all the socks etc in Alberta, Canada. Best wishes Michael
@Stanz Skinz I'm reluctant to post a link on Lar's video out of respect. If you message me directly I'd be happy to oblige.
I have an old pair of Baffin boots which are similar. My feet used to get cold until I added a thick wool insole underneath the liner. I wear one pair of heavy socks and the boots are warm now..
I never had a problem using 2 pairs of socks. Not as long as they are wool, and the boots are big enough. This is why I ordered these 1 size bigger then I normally use :) I can't refuse that offer Mike! I will be happy to try the socks. I use size 43 EUR or Size 10 US.
CHEEP DONE Lars, between soule in leather...... somebody have forgotten how to make boots, do you remember the old skiing pjäxor from the 1960-ties with dubble shoe strings and place for at least two pare socks over the thin one's. .. don't remember that I was freezing then. But they was done in this climat for this climat, (the climat we have then)! Merry Christmas BarbroSweden
@@barbroevanderlindquist4128 he's from Denmark, they don't really ski a lot :) But yes, old school nordic shoes are the best.
Hi Lars. I have had a great success with my Canadian "Baffin" boots. I recently bought a pair for my wife as well because of that success. While speaking with the manager of the store she said without our asking, "just forget about Sorel boots." The Baffin boots are superior in every way. The feet don't lie. Thanks for another great video. The best to you and your family.
Another vote here for Baffin, @survivalrussia. I had great success with them in the North Dakota oilfield down to -40⁰.
I wrote in the other video that Sorel is no longer a Canadian company, their trademark has been sold to a third party and the Canadian factories have been shut down.
The problem is that these Sorel trademarked boots are not built for the Canadian winter, they are more of a fashion line now and are pretty much useless for what the vintage Sorels were meant for.
Columbia bought Sorel a decade ago.
Then which boot you advise for long-lasting and waterproof?
Lars, although my patriotism is taking a beating here, I have to say, you are right. Here in Canada, we've been wearing those boots since the begining of time.
Here's what we've been doing. Remove the felt liner, install a felt insole with reflective aluminum facing upwards. Put the liner back in.It will usually fix the problem.
Another solution is use "reflectix" cut to size and foil side up, voila.
Another honest review. Thanks. Cheers
My old green bottom Sorels I bnb ought in the 1980's had about 15mm thick wool liners, were warm & made in Canada.
I have a new pair like yours. They didnt even keep my feet warm up in the Selkirk mountains. About a foot of snow at the time and just above zero deg-s. Put on an old pair of military mucklucks. Feet toasty wsrm after about 10 minutes in them. Much thicker rubber sole and had a real wool foot liner and resl merino wool sock. Not wster proof either. So i gave the sorels to a friend that lives down in southern california. His weather hardly ever gets down past 30 F. Glad it was not just me. Stay warm, stay safe.
Those boots will keep your feet cold and fresh in summer.
Lol...man indeed
Lars, as several other Canadians have mentioned, these boots were the standard for extreme cold in Canada, when they were actually made in Canada. I have routinely camped and snowshoed with my old pair at -40C overnight, but I bought mine in 1999...
Try Baffin Boots. They use a waffled sole to trap air as a cold barrier. The ones I have, and many of their other models are rated to -145 F. Warmest boots I have ever owned. I work as a photographer, which sometimes requires sitting still outside in extreme weather for 4-8 hours at a time. Expensive but worth it.
Thank you.
I had the same experience with sorrel boots. (same liner and similar shoe) I bought them for hunting in Germany which is mostly sitting in the forest at around 0 Celsius. These boots are garbage! I replaced them with viking icefighter boots wich are very warm and less expensive. They might be a good alternative, if availiable in Russia. Or Valenkys JHowever, thanks for your honest Review.
It might prevent some people from wasting their money too.
I hope you manage to resolve your boot issue, Lars.
The companies which provide false or misleading marketing details should be named and shamed.
In an environment such as yours they could be putting your life at risk.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful scenery with us, it's magnificent
Regards from S Africa
Clive
I’m from western Canada, and have a pair of these Sorell’s. The older ones used to be good, but I think these are made in China. Also, I take out the liner, and put in a flat wool liner, then put the liner back in overtop. This makes the sole warmer, and softer.
Pac boots are really best for slightly above and below freezing, their main advantage is being able to deal with slush and some standing water at those temperature ranges. When it gets much colder than -5 they tend to suffer as the rubber conducts the heat out of your feet. I have an older pair of Kamik pac boots (Canadian made pair) that are pretty good, but I added wool felt insoles under the liners and another set inside the liners so I have three layers of wool felt between my feet and the rubber sole. That works well. When it is really cold I wear canvas mucklucks that have wool felt liners, much better in really cold conditions as they breath unlike pac boots.
There's so much trash on the internet and I definitely have an addiction to UA-cam and hate that I waste so much time on here. Every once in a while, though, you find a gem like this channel. How many of us could ever hope to learn so much about a different culture that is so far away in such a friendly and personal way? There really are good and reasonable people in every corner of the world who just enjoy paying attention to the simple things in life and sharing their modest experience with other people. If there's any hope for humanity, it's just your average human being.
Hi Lars, been a mountaineer, been offshore sailor. When its cold I wear boiled wool mitts and socks. Even when wet they still keep you warm, from the UK I can only find them from Austria or Switzerland they are worth the money hard wearing and not too expensive. Thanks for sharing
I agree, Dachstein boiled wool is the standard for wool. I have a new manufactured Dachstein army sweater and it's my go to winter woolly. The Dachstein boiled wool socks and mittens are glorious. Merino wool done properly.
Thank you so much for your very well thought out and honest opinions Lars. I have the utmost respect for your honesty, integrity, and knowledge of the outdoors and the quality of the equipment needed. So sorry for your bad experience from a well respected company that has decided to take shortcuts with their quality of workmanship and design. It will probably cost them in the long run. Disappointed customers are very difficult if not impossible to get back. Thanks for doing what you do my friend.
I love the fact we can always count on an honest opinion from you Lars. When you pushed on the sole of the boot it really deflected a lot as if they were thin and made of some funky material. I suspect the sole material is much of the problem.....maybe conducting the cold with little or no resistance to it.
I have purchased winter products from a company called Klim. USA born and raised and used their products during ice finishing and snowmobiling in Minnesota and Colorado. To my knowledge their products are manufactured in Idaho.
Thank goodness I saw this review! I just ordered these boots and when they get here they are going right back! Thank you so much for the honest review.
Did you decide to send the boots back still?
Lars, just for giggles, why not take out the liners, wear your wool socks and put on a real wool foot wrap. If it’s better, you know the liners are the culprit. Then it might be worth getting wool liners. Also, a real wool footbed added to it might help. I love Ganka Airsole mesh liners. Military grade. Warm dry feet. Put them in almost all of my boots, except for my Muck boots. If you can’t get those mesh liners in Russia, PM me your address and foot size. Nothing worse than spending good money on a bad product. Take care.
I noticed the soles are to thin as well! But at least you can remove the inner boots to dry them, which is a great advantage if you're out camping..
I’ll try my best to shed light on your boots from a Canadian perspective. Those boots are a classic design that’s been around a long time and the way we use them, at least in my area witch is Northern Ontario is they are worn in cold and slushy conditions when leaving the house to go shopping or drive to work etc... when conditions are “slushy” it is not that cold. No one would ever were those to go ice fishing at -20 for example. Sorel Glaciers would be more appropriate for that. There is a trick we would do when I was a young boy to add warmth to those boots. We would take the foam from packaged meat wash and cut it out to fit and line the bottom of the boot like an insole, it was a good cold barrier. Hope this helps for your disappointment, your simply using them in the wrong application.
Well the old Caribou boots were not not cold, and I see a lot of guys here in the comments having used them in cold weather like I did. If they are made for slush, the please explain me why Sorel rate them at -40F :) Thank you for the tip, but I have no plans on trying to make these boots work, because they wont.
Survival Russia well I can tell you -40 for those boots in my experience with them is a miss representation of there capabilities! But we all know the marketing world can be, shall we say entertaining?
@@OpenAirOutdoors Bud, they should be used for hardcore Canadian Weather, now they are sissy boots. Why don't you buy a new pair and see how warm they are. :)
Those are a pretty light boot for super cold weather. However, you can get your monies worth from them by inserting a mesh style insert that creates an air gap between your felt liner and the rubber sole. This space allows the moisture somewhere to go instead of inside your felt liner. this air gap will increase the amount of cold you can wear them in by a HUGE FACTOR. Good luck.
Thank-you for doing this! I have an older pair of Sorel Caribou (made in Canada) that I had used for Search and Rescue operations 25 - 20 years ago and they kept my feet warm and dry for hours in Northern Idaho deep snow. My puppies chewed up the tongues and pull tabs in the back, so I was looking for a new pair, but now I plan to take my old ones to the shoe shop and have them repaired. This is the fourth brand that I know of that was sold to China and completely ruined. So disappointed.
Got a pair during my Snowmaking/lift ops days in Montana. First of all these won't take you down to -40 without some modification.
1. Don't wear multiple pairs of socks over each other. Just find a nice heavy weight wool pair of socks and that'll be enough.
2. Buy a felt insole. I found that after buying a 6.00$ felt insole and putting it inside the boot underneath the liner the warmth dramatically increased.
3. Snoseal the leather. Buy you a 7.00 can of Snoseal and a 2.00 hair dryer from your local goodwill and waterproof the leather. This'll mean you can be outside in wet snow all day and never get wet.
I WAS thinking about buying these boots ... until I watched your video. Thank you! ... I enjoy your review’s very much. You covered everything I needed to know. I like your style and the fact that you actually use all the gear that you review ... and you don’t review something you’ve only just taken straight out of a box while you sit in your comfortable house. I have subscribed. Your channel is very interesting and informative. Thank you for these high quality videos and reviews.
Lars,
I know folks who love Sorel boots and others that are like you very disappointed in them for the same reason. I found a brand of boot by "Muck" company that I swear by. I use their Chore boot 18 inch. 100% water proof and temp rated for zero degrees F to +85 F. I too bought my boots a full size bigger and I put a very thick military felt insole in them. I winter camp and have been out far below zero and stayed very warm. I live in northern New York so It gets pretty cold. these are the best thing I could find in comparison to the military vapor barer (mickey mouse) boots I used in Alaska.
Completely agreed, I have Sorels here in Alaska also. Currently -16c, they're good for about forty minutes outside, no more, after that they're uncomfortable. Old Sorels were very good, the newer Chinese made ones, not so good.
The might not be the best boots. However, at least the over-sizing allow for some remedial actions. Summary of what has already been mentioned:
1) Add double 100% wool insoles (try to get 7-10 mm thickness). Most cold always comes from ground.
2) Always wear wool socks
3) Replace liner with wool liner without cutton.
For deep cold and wet: Bunny boots
For dry deep cold: Canadian army mukluks with shearling liner (3+ sizes larger)
Both are great to -40 degrees and beyond.
I reached the same conclusion with those sorels aswell Lars. A boot that has really impressed me for severe cold(-40C) is the Irish Setter elk hunters with thinsulate. I have two pairs that are the kangaroo leather and I have had no issues down to minus 42.
They are made for city dwellers for sure(the Sorels)
Try to put the wool insoles that you received with the wool socks inside the boot and then put the liner in on top of the wool insole, gives you an extra layer of wool to protect against the cold
I solved the cold feet problem. I moved from Michigan to Florida. It does get down into the low to mid 20's, Jan-
Feb, Mar, here in the NW Panhandle of Florida.
I had a pair of Sorel pac boots I bought in the mid 1970s. I used them for work and play until I replaced them in 2010. Naturally I bought Sorel boots again but in the Maverick. Same design just taller leather uppers for the deeper snow of the high country. First time I wore them I knew they weren’t as warm or the sole as thick. I’m a little disappointed but they will do and if they last as long as the originals, well ... I guess I’ll be dead and it won’t matter.
I had a pair of Sorel "Glacier" [I think] boots back in the mid-90s. Back then, Sorel boots were considered great quality cold weather footwear. My Sorel boots kept my feet very warm over the course of a nearly week-long trip winter trip in the far northern Minnesota wilderness. Last winter I looked into getting anther pair of Sorels, but noticed very bad reviews of the boots everywhere I looked! Apparently Sorel used to be a Canadian owned company, but had since been sold to Columbia Sportswear. What surprises me is that Sorels have gone to crap as part of Columbia. The last I knew, Columbia still made good quality clothing.
>The last I knew, Columbia still made good quality clothing.
Columbia etc. are all made in China crap these days. If you want great quality buy from smaller manufacturers that are owned and run by people who actually use them. Good example is Finnish Savotta, who make amazing products, not clothes though, but great quality amazing stuff. Expensive yes, but they last.
@@NorthernContrarian I guess that the last time that I bought something substantial from Columbia that seemed to be of pretty good quality was about 20 years ago! Yeah, sounds like they sold out to the temptation to move production to China and go cheap. I completely agree about the small company thing. I'm probably going to buy a pair of handmade moose hide mukluks from a small company based in Ely, Minnesota, USA.
Thanks for the heads up. Was just looking for reviews before I ordered some. Saved me some cash
I have a pair of frontier sorrels from 1986, yeah, that long. The boots themselves are great, but it is very difficult to find ten mm wool felt liners like it originally came with. As for how I have had them so long? I never spared the dubbin .
Ohhh dubbin... You just brought back childhood memories of my dad putting that stuff on my boots. I had actually completely forgot about it, I should see if I can find some.
What a lot of people don't seem to understand is that temperature ratings are subjective. This applies to sleeping bags as well. That being said , we all know that when things get scored out quality can suffer.
Very interesting Lars. Temperature rating on boots are not often accurate. I suffer with cold feet because of bad circulation. About 10 years ago I bought a cheap pair of snow pack boots from Walmart (a huge supermarket in Canada and the US). I paid about $40CDN for them. I have never had cold feet in them even when hiking in minus 30C and ice-fishing for 6 hours at -20C on a wind swept lake. One thing I would say though is that the soles were very thick, from my foot to floor about 2" and the soles were fairly thick, stiff rubber. I suspect that the Sorel Caribou lets your feet get cold because of way too little insulation between the ground and your foot. I have just bought some quite expensive Dakota snow paks rated at -50C....if we every get snow and low temps this winter I will do a review on them.
I expect if you were walking on frozen ground and not snow you would be even colder. We have a lot of experience trading with china and having NZ products made in china. The Chinese generally make exactly what you tell them to or more specifically what you pay for . Sorrel may have only paid the Chinese $10 a pair to make them or less. Nearly all of our merino clothing is made in china and is of equal quality to NZ made stuff . We just send the raw product to china and specify exactly what you want. The point is if the boots are not up to scratch the blame probably lies with sorrel not the Chinese.
Their is a myth around that if its made in the USA or europe it must be better quality, If you are looking for a country that make quality stuff probably the korean,s are somewhere near the top.
Thats true. But not full. Chinese themslves sometines just do not fully understand, what do they make products for. How the conditions could be. Also very liberal standarts for substances and materials manufacturing.
I agree with you totally. Yours is the contention I made in my post 10 minutes ago.
@@outpost2996 China has a wide variety of terrain from tropical jungles to deserts to Himalayan mountains. Field testing should not be a problem.
Huntarama you’re kind of an idiot, I must say. Sorel has been made by Canadians in Canada for their entire history and were made properly for that country and those temperatures. I know when everything was made in USA it was he highest quality and sought out around the world for that reason. America had white European workers with a strong work ethic and high quality control standards. Not to mention unions. Canada May have been similar. China has no regulations or unions and it is all slave labor.
@@outpost2996, No normally the Chinese have no clue about the needs of the end-customer. However, as already said. With clear instruction, careful quality inspection and a reasonable price the Chinese can make amazing things. Unfortunately many western comapnies fail on all 3 step when outsourcing.
Thanks to your videos, I'm beginning to see Siberia in a different light. It's beautiful! You're right about those Sorrels, they're cold! I had to add an extra wool felt insole to make them usable. I'm in Montana.
Yes sir! I had a pair from the 90’s and I loved them for hunting. But they eventually gave up after many years of use. So a few years ago I tried the Muck brand Arctic Sport boot and now are my favorite winter boot! The only downside to these particular boots is I went with steel toes (cause I run a tow truck) and my toes get cold if I sit in the stand for hours on end, however they are completely awesome for the sole purpose I bought them for, working in the ditch!!!!!👍🏻
Oh yeah. Steel caps in frost is not that awesome :)
But were they comfortable? I'd think the only thing worse are boots that hurt your feet.
Quite comfy but being cold kind of makes the fir irrelevant LOL
I have steel toe snow boots for my snow removal business. With wool socks and my feet get cold. Such crap products here in canada. All from china. It is sad.
I think I prefer my feet to be uncomfortable to turning black and falling off .
+Aidan S You might want to try composite-toe boots. Steel toes transmit much more heat/cold owing to the nature of the materials.
@@blobby273 are you ok? You sound like an emo
All leather, especially moccasins, are the best below -15 or so. Mainly because you use your toes a lot while moving, but also because the soft material and large size allows you to adjust how much insulation you use. If you put a second wool insole in it will help a lot when sitting around.
Pac boots are best for wet snow, anything above -15 or so. You still want room for your toes to wiggle and good circulation, a test is to stand on a steep hill and ensure your toes aren't touching the end. If the bottoms are thin you are pretty much out of luck because you'll suck up all the cold from the snow. Having to put in three insoles might work, but seems ridiculous.
Unfortunate really, these companies could get someone frozen feet or even a trip to the morgue. Same goes for sleeping bags, apart from the top few companies, -40 is really only good for 0 or -10 for cheaper bags.
When I moved to interior Alaska 30+ years ago, the Sorel Caribou was probably the most common cold weather boot seen worn during the winter. I had a pair of Sorel Arrowhons and Black Bears at the time and wore them several winters without any problems. Sorels were THE shit back in the day when they were owned and manufactured by Kauffman. When the Sorel name was bought out by Columbia they started turning out garbage.
I now have a pair of Kamik Canadians that are rated for -40* F that so far have been pretty comfortable from the 20*s F down to about -30* F. But I modified them by adding wool felt insoles to increase the separation of the foot and the cold ground. There's still plenty of space inside to accommodate a thick pair of wool military mountain socks and a thin synthetic liner sock or nylon dress sock to allow for uninhibited circulation.
For drop-dead reliability and warmth in extreme cold, nothing beats the US military bunny boots, especially if you are going to be out on a sno-go and there's a good chance you are going to find yourself traveling through slushy overflow. The bunny boot will keep your feet dry and even if they get wet inside, the water quickly warms up to body temperature with some physical activity. The big downside to bunny boots is they don't breathe, requiring a jug of foot powder and several sock changes a day to keep your toes from becoming prunes.
The best commercial extreme cold weather boot today is Baffin. Followed very closely by the LaCrosse Iceman series. The LaCrosse boots are what the Kauffman Sorels used to be. Baffin has taken advantage of new technology and materials. Both breathe well, keeping your feet dry and you can swap out liners when they start getting damp.
I use additional heavy felt drop-in inserts in next-size-up snow boots, with "SmartWool" socks when temps get down to 30 below. SmartWool is so comfortable, you'll never wear any other socks in Winter.
It's fun to run outside, find the moon and say. " That is the same moon that Lars is looking at!". Many ice fishermen rely on their boots. I bet they are sorry that they got rid of their old boots. Hours of standing on the ice. Burrrrr! 10 AM and loooong shadows!
I have noticed a decline in overall boot quality over last 5 years. I can't find work boots from any manufacturer that don't fall apart. I spent $250+ cad on Dakota brand boots (used to be good brand) which said "built for extreme cold" on them. They were huge winter work boots, I called them "moon boots", -30c they turned rock hard and cracked allowing melted snow in and smelling like death from bacteria.
Your correct if it's made to the best specifications Chinese made things work,but if the seller goes for lowest cost for max profit then the quality and value suck.
I don't know. Ive used them in -40° F, in Alaska for years and love them.
Most people complaining have never or will never be in something that cold. Maybe there's a better boot out there....i don't know. As for me, I like them. I also like this person's video and review because it's honest.
As said, the old ones worked, the new ones do not, obviously.
Greetings Lars, I have Sorels and I have had them for over 15 years, mine came with Vibram soles which are one of the the best in the business, the liner came with a thick insole that is lined with aluminum that you could slide in and out to dry , I never had a problem with cold temps, but at that time they were made in South Africa, sorry I mean Canada.
Hi Lars. Funny, I'm watching the video and all the advertisements are for boots. I had in 1992 Hi Tec hiking shues and they made it 10 years as my all seasons only shues - in 2003 I gave them the deserved retirement and they was still fine. Made by Hi Tec ( I believe Canadian company) they was awesome quality. Nowadays I can barely make it through one season and I don't walk +/- 10 km dayli as I did back then. In minus 16 I will be better off with snickers.
What I have found by researching are this version of Sorel Caribou are not made to the same standards of the old version and there are a lot of complaints that the rubber soon cracks. Unfortunately there is a fashion trend here to wear these boots on the high street, perhaps cheaper materials are now used in their construction. I can say that Sorel Intrepid Explorer Boots are expedition rated and of excellent quality but cost $300 CDN. Cabelas used to make a boot called the Trans Alaskan...these were a popular choice for dog sled racers and were often seen worn by competitors on the Iditarod and Yukon Quest Races. Baffin make some good boots, Baffin Apex, Baffin Snow Monster and Baffin Shackleton all get good reviews but are expensive.
Hello Lars, I was going to buy a pair for my father it’s not as cold in Ireland as it is in your lovely part of the world, thanks to you I will not be buying the sorels now, great review 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻regards Paul
For Ireland they might work. They worked OK down to about -10c or so.
Hello Lars, Ive been watching your channel for a while now.
I have a pair of old Lacrosse winter boots that keep me warm here in New England USA. They are very big on me. I am a size US 10 1/2 but the boots are only size US 9! I dont think that they build boots like they used to, they are never as warm, breathable and comfortable as old boots.
Cheep liners. Old sorals liners were all wool and had a 1/2 inch sole pice under neath.
Thank you for being so blunt and truthful during your videos, especially when commenting on some of the various products that you buy and use in the fields. I had a pair of the Sorel boots with the removable liners a few years ago, but I never fell in love with them. I bought them for the perceived level of quality of materials and construction methods, but I was disappointed also.
Sorels are okay for -40, but just for the time it takes to check your mailbox. Bunny boots were the only thing I ever used that did the job at -40 and below. Today it’s Baffin boots that people seem to like. I haven’t had a chance to try them in extreme cold. I’ve got some $14 boots from Walmart that keep me warm down to -10 c.
Grew up wearing sorels and never had any problems and lots of people where i live like them
Hmm - I have the Sorel boots but with a different leather (Nubuk) - actually I used them up to -14° staying at one place (>6h hunting) and while walking. The inserts should not get wet from sweat of the feet. If this happens, the boot get cold in no time. I used a layer of felt with a thin alu layer inside to get the sole separated from the felt insert. I also use 2 wool socks - one thin + a plastic bag + a thick one above. That keeps the sweat away from the boot insert. That works fine for so far.....
I actually own two pairs of the Canadian made Caribou's and they are AWSOME still. I did purchase them before Kaufman closed and they are standing up spectacularly still! Warm as the day I bought them. It's almost a pleasure to have to go outside to shovel, as I know I'm going to be warm and dry! I'm sorry Columbia didn't carry on with the quality, that the Kaufman family had built up a reputation for in Sorels. I was a supervisor at the factory that made them, and I can see with my own eyes that your liners aren't very good. The liners in mine were very thick and obviously way warmer than what you have there. Maybe I'll post a video so we can compare the old ones and the differences so people can see with their own eyes. It may help others from making a bad purchase, on a boot that traditionally had a good reputation.
Yes, the old ones like I had in 90's were good.
I own a pair of sorel glacier boots that are supposed to be good to negative 72 c and my feet start to get cold around the minus 25 c. Back when the boots were made in Canada the same boot was good to minus 40 c and beyond. Since sorel started to make everything in China the quality of the boot and the company have not been the same.
Lars please do a follow up on the solution and what boots will you buy next
thanks
Will do :)
I have them. If you can find the Military mucklucks with the double wool liners get them they do work very well. The soles wear out but they are good.
I have an old pair of those boots that I just dug out of the garage. They're close to 20 years old and have Bighorn Sorel Kaufman 'Made in Canada' printed on them. I've only used them a few times since it rarely snows where I live, but they kept my feet warm and dry and are still in great shape. Maybe now that they're 'Made in China', the quality has gone down, or maybe even the older ones wouldn't be warm in Siberia.
JMHI : I've been wearing Chippewa for decades. Pricey back in the day, and nowadays as well..... but, warm, comfortable, and the only thing I've replaced over the years are the laces and inserts. Still waiting for the Vibram soles to wear out ! Worth every nickel.
I grew up in Minnesota back in the 70's and 80's. These boot's were not bad back then, but I switched to government issued Mickey Mouse boot's. Ice fishing at -30 fahrenheit will really put your gear to the test!
I have a pair of old, similar design LaCrosse Buckmaster boots. Like the old Sorrels they are exceptionally well made, durable, and waterproof. I have Thinsulate liners and wool felt liners plus two different thicknesses of multi-layer "arctic" insoles, as well as plain felt insoles. I wear the same boots from ~90F down to 0F (temperature range in my region) by switching out liners, the insoles under them, and the material and quantity of my socks. I see this style of boot as more of a "boot system" that can be tuned to the conditions, like a sleeping system. I know you don't want to mess with these Sorrels but just adding a reflective insole under the liners makes an enormous difference in cold comfort, to my feet about 20F worth.
I have Baffin Boots, which are commonly used here in Alaska and the insulation in them is designed to not be compressed. Thus you wear small thin socks, if you compress the insulation it doesn't work as well. Never had Sorel, but perhaps its insulation is similar.
Check the sorel glacier xt . This model of Sorel are really warm . 2 thick insoles inside , 1 thick sock and 1 thick sole on the boot .
Interesting channel :) Never owned Sorel boots but took a plunge and tried some Kamik boots about two years ago, they are rated to -40C and tested them from -22 to -26C with windchill from -38C to -42C and had to be careful not to sweat too much in them because they tended to leave my feet too toasty warm and was wearing only Darn Tough merino wool socks (micro crew hiker socks) during that time lol. As far as i can tell Kamiks are still made in Canada.
Hi Lars,
I agree with you on the Sorel boots. I used them back in the 70s.
The problem is that your feet sweat in them, soaking the felt liner with sweat. There is no place for the moisture to go. Then when you stop, you freeze. The old ones made in the USA did have thicker soles and cleats on them.
The only way I made them work was by having two sets of liners and drying out one of the liners every night in the house by the wood stove with dry heat.
Out in the woods, they are horrible.
I have a pair of pack boots from the 80s that you wear barefoot. At the bottom of the liners are a pair of plastic mesh inserts.
Your sweat goes down into these inserts .......and freezes. When this happens, you pull out the plastic inserts, slap them together and knock off the ice. Then put them back and go again. I do not know if they are still in production or not.
If I were shopping for pack boots, I would look at Wiggy's brand from Grand Junction, Colorado USA.
My Lamilite Leather boots from them are fantastic and my Wiggy's sleeping bag is awesome. So I'm sure that their pack boots are also very good. All of their products work on the principle of moving the moisture away from your body. That is key.
I'm an Australian and only experienced below 0 degrees once and it was only -1 degree. We were hunting feral goats in the Flinders Rangers and i woke up in our tent with 5 men in it and my nose was frozen. I couldn't imagine - 15 let alone -50.
I stopped burying Sorels when they stopped making them in Canada over 10 years ago. They were a good boot before.
when made in Canada these boots were amazing
Lars. Great that you give us real world test info. Now for follow up , give your BEST WINTER BOOT RECOMMENDATION. Thanks Lars. Good stuff
Most of the negative reviews on Sorel's web site are from people that use them under difficult weather conditions and found the soles cracking after with 2 to 3 years of use...I went over to LL Bean and got myself a solid Maine built boot that comes with an incredible warranty!
Not really, most stuff from China is crap. MAJOR companies might be getting good product from China, but most is knock off of the good ol' stuff. In the US they said the job was going to China because the labor was cheaper - the price went up, the quality went down and the pockets got fatter.
Thank You for an honest review and the awesome frost views!!
Go to Payless to get your footwear. I have a pair of Airwalk boots, and with a good pair of socks will keep my feet warm down to 0 °F (-18 °C) I had them a few years and a couple months ago I noticed they felt funny and when I took them off I noticed one of them burst apart at a seam. Using my Victorinox I was able to stitch it back together using a strand from paracord and they work fine.
I also have a pair of Peruvian jungle boots I got from Sportsman's Guide that I wear when working in a forest, and they work well enough in wet snow.
Wolverine boots just got recommended by Popular Mechanics so if you got $210 give them a try.
Thanks for the honest review (as always) Lars. I was going to purchase a pair of Sorels during the holiday sales...I will pass now and look elsewhere.
Thank you :) Check this site. A bit expensive but Made in Montana :) schnees.com/schnees-boots/
I’ve really been reading reviews and wracking my mind all day on whether I should buy these boots or not. I can only focus on the low rate reviews which all seem to express common concerns. I suppose I’ll just keep looking
Yeah, me too. I need some proper boots because I will be travelling to Russia next year and many boots don't seem fit for that.
The fact is Leather conducts the Cold and hangs on to it, The Sorel Caribou XT's Have Nylon shafts so they warm up faster than the leather boots and the cold has less effect on the warmth of the boots, The Sorel Glacier XT's are the same but are much more heavy duty so they are even warmer, If you want warm feet in winter "Don't" wear Leather boots because leather is made up from millions of Air pockets and once it gets cold it stays Cold, Hope that helps.
Nice to see the SRV sitting in the driveway!
I wear Baffin rubber boots (hunter) all winter on the farm in the Canadian prairie, you can feel the ground through the bottom but i dont remember being uncomfortably cold.
I bought these for the style they are awesome and comfortable I live in Park City Utah we get plenty of snow temp usually never below -14 C fahrenheit -25 C Cheers
Lars , thanks for your honest review and saving us the heartache, my feet seem to stay cold in the winter, I always wear wool socks, it helps. When I was in the ARMY we wore what were called " mickey mouse " boots the white ones were warmer than the black ones
What a genuine and thorough review! Thank you and I hope you'll some warm boots soon!
Wear sweat through socks?Put a boot pad under the liner. That will make a difference. That is what I do.
I have a pair of Schnee’s pac boots that are made in Bozeman Montana and they are great in extreme cold weather. I can sit in my deer stand or still hunt and never got cold feet. They are expensive, I think I paid $ 300.00 US for them 8 or so years ago, but they work great and well worth the money. Take care.
I have looked a Schnee's boots :) They look like great boots for sure.
I have even gone so far as to get larger boats and double the liners in the boots. this works for a little longer but not all day. I'm out west up near the Canadian line and see deep snows. thanks for the review. with the technology we have today, this is inexcusable. I had no idea they were now made in China.
I use my sorels as winter slippers when going outside to get wood etc. They fit OK but the heel slips a bit and socks migrate. For serious tromping around the woods I use Bata brand surplus bunny boots or Merrill’s.
Always the truth from Lars. Awesomeness is Survival Russia , Addicted to this awesome channel. Florida USA