FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

If a new pair of warm, winter boots are on your list of things to buy for yourself or other family member, be sure to shop with both warmth and comfort in mind. I have been responsible for purchasing two pair in the past two weeks, one pair for my husband and one pair for my thirteen-year-old son. My husband's were the easiest to buy, as he wanted the exact same pair he already owned but had seen better days, so sizing would not be an issue at all, as long as we would be able to find the same pair. A quick search online from the same store he had bought the first pair two years ago, and they were ordered and on their way.

Now, if my son's boots had been as easy to purchase as my husband's boots had been, I would not have been about to pull out my hair in frustration a few days ago. With hunting season fast approaching in our neck of the woods, and my son's feet having grown three, yes three full sizes since last season, we needed to find a pair and soon. We headed to the one and only sporting goods store in our local area after school on Friday. My older son had informed me that they had boots with 2000 grams of Thinsulate for less than one hundred dollars. Upon arriving at the store, we found the boots he had told us about, but the problem was the Thinsulate was 200, not 2000. This might be ok in a warmer area, but not in the north where we live and not sitting in a stand for hours at a time. Feet can become cold fast when not in motion. I also wanted him to be able to wear these boots throughout the upcoming winter months for activities such as ice fishing.

Seeing as we were at the store, we figured we might as well look at what else they had available, sure that we would be able to find something. In the size twelve that we needed, he did find two boots that looked like they would be appropriate for his needs. The first pair was a brand we had never heard of, but they were made of leather uppers and had an 800-gram Thinsulate lining. Not quite as high as we were looking for, but with a good pair of wool socks, we figured they would work. They were so hard to pull on, as the tongue area was sewn in a way that was suppose to help keep the boots waterproof. The problem was that the manufacturer had not taken into account the width of a foot. He got the boot on, but it was a struggle, and they were not that comfortable once they were on.

The other boot was a brand we both liked, and that we were familiar with their sizing, Rocky. The only problem with these boots was again the low Thinsulate rating. We knew when we headed out shopping that we wanted at least a 1200-gram Thinsulate lining. Somewhat disappointed, we headed home. I did end up getting him a pair that met all of our wants and needs though. I ordered them online, a pair of Rocky's in a style similar to the pair he tried on but with a much higher Thinsulate rating. They should be here today or tomorrow and my only regret is that I did not order them the same day I ordered my husbands. Though after placing his order, a ten-dollar coupon had arrived in my email good towards my next purchase, which I applied to my sons order, effectively paying for the cost of shipping. To find a comfortable, warm pair of Rocky boots for yourself or family member, just type in 'Rocky Boot' in the search box here at CothingStoreOnline.com for a huge selection from which you are sure to find the perfect pair.