Backpacker Magazine – Online Exclusive

Gear Review: Crescent Moon Over-Shoe Booties

Turn any shoe or boot into a fully insulated winter trekker with these over-shoe booties.

by: Joel Nyquist

Tags:
• Gear
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• Winter camping
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• Snowshoe
|

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Nothing ruins a snowshoe outing faster than cold feet. It doesn’t matter if your hands, head, and torso are toasty, if your toes feel like toesicles you’re going to be miserable. The Crescent Moon Over-Shoe Booties keep your feet warm in even the coldest temperatures, and provide more flexibility in footwear choices. Made of thick 6 mm neoprene, the booties slip on over almost any pair of shoes or boots you have.

With elastic straps on the bottom and a large Velcro strip at the back, the booties are easy to pull on and off. At a weight of just over 10 ounces, the Over-Shoe Booties are a great alternative to carrying a spare pair of boots.

I found I could wear my favorite three-season leather boots comfortably into 20°F weather, and when I wore the booties with my regular winter boots single digit temps were no problem. You can even pair them with gaiters and go snowshoeing in your running shoes!

Or bring them along in your pack and only put them on if you start to get cold. Try doing that with a single pair of boots! Instead of being tied to the one pair of footwear that you’re wearing, you now have options to dial in your level of warmth. (Note: You’re essentially putting a wetsuit over your boots. The breathability is nil, so don’t let your feet overheat and get sweaty.)

I have used these booties for the last nine months everywhere from Mt. Rainier to icy April Fourteeners in Colorado and snowy outings in Virginia, and loved being able to wear regular boots when needed, and then switch to fully insulated footwear when we hit the snow and put on the snowshoes.

Note: The straps on the bottom aren’t made for walking on dirt, but they work great for snowshoeing or even with crampons.



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