Sorel Helen of Tundra Boots

Helen of Tundra Women’s Boots

~Leesa

Sorel has long been a well known name in rugged outdoor footwear. Recently, they have expanded their lines to include some more ‘fashionable’ cold weather boots. Here’s what Sorel has to say about the Helen of Tundra style:

Helen of Tundra provides a serious shield against the cold in a fashionably modern style.

Combining full-grain leather with soft felted wool, the waterproof upper features a full-front zipper for a snug fit that’s quick to put on and easy to kick off. For insulation, 100g Thinsulate™ and a 3mm felt lining provide a simpler one-piece construction that offers serious warmth in environments both urban and wild.

FEATURES:

* Seam-sealed waterproof construction

* Waterproof full-grain leather upper

* Handcrafted waterproof vulcanized rubber shell with herringbone outsole.

* Full front YKK zip closure

* Imported

I’ve been wearing these boots for the last month; walking the dogs, day hikes, checking out the ice on the lake for ice fishing, shoveling the driveway, to work, the store and just about everywhere else. We’ve had a good amount of snow and cold and these boots seem to fit the job. They are advertised as being appropriate for both urban and wild wear. I’ve definitely used them both in fun outdoor activities, and more day to day wear.

The boots have performed great in deep snow – which this winter is a very good thing. The boots come to just about 2″ below my knee, so I could walk through the deep snow without snow coming over the top. With even a mid-weight pair of socks, my feet stay warm, without overheating. A huge plus in icy Maine is the traction that these boots provide. The tread on the bottom of the boot is not super aggressive looking, with its ‘Z’ pattern. I was pleasantly surprised on my first walk across icy cement that I didn’t slip at all. A few years back I fell in the same spot, and broke my tailbone. That is one experience I do not want to EVER repeat. While walking across the frozen lakes near my home, I also felt that I had good traction, and didn’t lose my footing. While walking up an incline that had icy spots, I did walk carefully, but had minimal sliding. Between careful foot placement, and the boots grippy outsole, I made it without any painful encounters with the ground.

Tread on bottom of Sorel Helen of Tundra boots

Tread pattern on bottom of Helen of Tundra boots.

We had a week of extremely cold and windy weather. At – 12 F, and -25 considering the wind chill, these boots were a life saver – or foot saver as the case may be. I wore them every time I went outside. If I knew I was going to be outside for any length of time, I wore a liner sock and a heavy weight sock, and my feet stayed warm. They also didn’t perspire, which is one of the things that heavy duty boots sometimes cause – and that I really dislike. During that week, I also wore them to work. They are nice enough looking that I didn’t feel out of place, and actually received quite a few compliments on them. Once my room warmed up, I’d slide the boots off, and slide on a pair of dress shoes. Some days, I wished I could just leave the boots on as they were so much more comfortable. I like that the insulating layers, both the 100g Thinsulate, and the 3mm felt lining stays in the boot. I’ve always found trying to put an insulation layer back in a pair of boots to be frustrating.

The boots zip down the front making it easy to take them off even when they are wet and snowy. I usually wear my pants on the inside to keep them dry. The metal zipper slides easily, yet does not slide down unintentionally. The strap and buckle that wraps around the upper ankle area is decorative and does not get in the way of the performance of the boot in any way. The ‘furry’ parts have stayed fairly clean, which is pretty amazing given the amount of time I’ve worn them. A quick wipe with a wet cloth has cleaned off any dark spots that have appeared from contact with dirt while outdoors. I have stepped into ankle deep water while walking across a thin sheet of ice, that had icy cold water beneath the surface. When my foot went through the ice, the water came up to about my ankle. I am happy to say that although my foot stayed in the water for about 30 seconds (while I figured out a safe place to put it, and keep my balance) no water leaked into the boot.

I plan on continuing my use of these boots, and will update this review in about a month. Winter is far from over, so I will be looking at the durability and performance over time.

Update 2/28/10

For the last month, these boots have either been on my feet, or close by. We’ve had some cold snowy weather that has made these boots my best friends. I’ve worn them out hiking, to and from snowshoeing, out on the ice watching the kids ice fish, around town, and to and from work. They seem to work just as well with snow pants as they do a casual skirt or pants. I live in Maine, where for the most part, the dress code is casual. The boots looks are just one highlight – their functionality is even more impressive.

Warm and dry… What more do you want in a pair of boots? Traction? Durability? Well, these Sorel’s have all of that. My feet stay dry – even when walking through a few inches of standing water, and I don’t slip and slide, even when that standing water is standing on 14″ of ice. One of the many things I like about these boots is the way they ‘feel’ on my feet. They are close fitting enough to not ‘clomp’ when I walk, but room enough for a few layers of socks, and my pant leg to fit inside. So far, they have held up extremely well, as I would hope after only one season of wear. The are easy to clean off, and look good still. When I wear them out to do errands or to work, I really appreciate the tread pattern even more. They don’t hold clumps of snow or dirt, so going indoors does not make it necessary to take them off right away. I plan on wearing them until winter finally gives up its grip here in Maine, and will put them right back on when winter returns. They have been a pleasure to wear and review!

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