Keen Terradora Wintershell
Women’s pick for footwear from the Fall/Winter 2018 Gear Guide.
The Wintershell staved off frozen toes on snowy hikes without excess bulk, making it a hot commodity among our female testers. One’s feet stayed warm down to 14°F on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, thanks to the boot’s 200 grams of charcoal bamboo insulation—made of renewable bamboo that’s been baked to a crisp (it maintains a similar level of warmth to traditional synthetic insulation). And although it’s warm, the Wintershell is the lightest boot here and dries quickly: “I broke through some ice and overtopped my boot. But by the time I set up camp two hours later, the boot felt dry and my feet were warm,” our tester says. (The water- proof membrane held up fine in normal wet conditions.)
THE DETAILS
The women’s-specific Wintershell has a narrower last, which secured our heels while snowshoeing uphill (use a gaiter; the cuff is a too low for deep snow). An EVA midsole held up under a 30-pound child carrier on Canada’s Avalon Peninsula, but one tester thought it was too thin for rough terrain. “I can sometimes feel roots and rocks under my feet,” she said after 250 miles in the Wintershell.
TRAIL CRED
“Most warm boots are bulky, but these are so nimble that I still wore them while driving and using a clutch,” says our Canadian tester.
Weight: 1 lb. 13 oz (w’s 7)
Sizes: Women’s 5-11
–
See more Footwear for Winter 2018
See the entire Winter Gear Guide
–