2 years ago I got my first pair of Sorel Caribou boots. Here's my detailed review setting out what I like and what I don't like. I also include more than a dozen photos.
I can’t believe I waited until 2 years ago to get a pair of Sorel Caribou boots.
I live in Vancouver, BC. I ski regularly. We get snow usually once or twice where we live. Yet, for many years, I hobbled around in the snow in totally inadequate footwear. That is until my wife went out and bought me a pair of Sorel Caribou boots for my birthday (which is well-timed in October just before winter arrives).
Actually, she had a pair well before me and she loved them. When it was my birthday time, my wish was for Sorels. She was awesome and bought them for me.
She ordered them online. I can’t remember if she bought them at Amazon or the Sorel website. Doesn’t matter. I have them and I love them.
Contents
What are these boots designed for?
In a nutshell – they keep your feet dry and warm.
They’re the perfect snow boot, whether sledding, slogging through the snow to work, shoveling snow, or heading to the slopes. If there’s any snow where I’m going, I wear my Sorel boots.
They’re also quite good as rain boots in cold weather. While the rubber doesn’t extend to the top of the boot, there’s sufficient rubber surface that unless you step into a huge puddle or deep mud, your feet will stay warm.
In fact, I often wear my Sorels in the cold rain because they’re better at keeping feet warm than more traditional rain boots like Hunter rain boots (which I also have and love).
I also wear my Sorels when it’s just plain freezing cold out – even if it’s dry. No other footwear I own or have ever tried keeps my feet as warm as these boots.
What do I like about Sorel Caribou boots?
Warm feet
This is my favorite benefit – these boots keep my feet warm and dry in snow and rain. The interior is a removable 9mm washable felt inner boot with Sherpa Pile snow cuff. This is the secret sauce for keeping feet warm. It’s also exceedingly comfortable. According to Sorel.com, these boots are rated to -40° Celsius. I’ve not yet tested them in those temperatures, but I’ve been in -20° Celsius with them and they kept my feet perfectly warm.
The tread
I love the rugged tread on these boots. Our driveway and street are very steep (we live on the side of a mountain). I can confidently walk down and up both with no problem.
Comfortable
I have wide feet yet these boots accommodate my feet very well. I’ve worn them for hours with no ache at all. The inner removable lining is soft and comfortable. The boots rise up enough to lace up snug and protect the entire foot and ankle.
Durable
I’ve had them for 2 full winters, worn them a lot and they’re as good as the day they arrived at our door. There’s no seam splitting, tears, leaks, or anything wrong with them. The inner lining is still fully intact. The tread is still as good and effective as when they were new. You can tell just feeling the tread and rubber boot portion that it’s very well made.
The rubber is a handcrafted waterproof vulcanized rubber shell with Sorel aero-track non-loading outsole dubaidesignweek.
The laces loop through stainless steel loops which are fairly large giving the laces plenty of space so that lacing them is very easy. I also like that the laces provided are very long so you have plenty of length for double bow knots. FYI, my laces haven’t needed replacing. They too are as good as the day my wife bought them for me. I don’t like it when laces rip on shoes because it’s hard to find replacement laces for shoes.
Here’s a close-up of the lace loops:
Look great
I love the look and design of these boots. They look hardcore because they are. I wear them with jeans usually and it’s a cool outdoor look. You can wear them with pants tucked in or out. Check them out:
Photo with Sorel Caribou boots with pants tucked in:
Photo of Sorel Caribou boots with jeans un-tucked:
What I don’t like about these boots?
I have two complaints
The laces: The laces, which are durable, strong, and plenty long, must be double-knotted. Otherwise, they come undone really easily. The lacing that comes with the boot is quite smooth so when you tie it in a single bow knot, they tend to slip loose. Double bow knots will do the job.
Heavy: It’s not really fair to voice this complaint because their heavy due to the durable rubber used for the tread which is very, very good in snow and ice. However, they are fairly heavy boots which are something to keep in mind. I’ve walked miles in them in the snow with no problem, but it’s not like wearing sneakers.
Overall
I love these boots. They’re worth every penny. I wear them all winter long in cold, wet, and snowy weather.
Buy Sorel boots here and here.
More Sorel Boot Photos
