The Greatest Down Booties of 2024

How We Examined Down Booties

The GearJunkie squad makes use of down and synthetic-fill booties and socks on out of doors adventures year-round. We use them tenting and backpacking, on ski hut journeys, ski resort commutes, and for on a regular basis use in our chilly — typically freezing — mountain-based places of work and houses.

Our crew examined down and down-alternative booties and socks from the early fall to late winter in temps from -10 to 40 levels. We additionally used them for fall and winter tenting, après snowboarding, round the home, and extra.

Main the testing squad for down booties is GearJunkie contributor Meghan LaHatte. Having lived in one of many coldest areas of Colorado for the previous 5 years, LaHatte is not any stranger to chilly ft. After affected by a continual foot damage because of a nasty case of frostnip, she understands the significance of maintaining her ft effectively insulated each indoors and out. LaHatte examined these down booties on frigid canine walks, working in her residence workplace, tenting within the desert and transitioning into her ski boots on deep powder days. She will guarantee you that every one of those down booties had been put to the truest check in various climates and components.

All through our discipline checks and private expertise, we decided the very best down booties and socks based mostly on a wide range of metrics together with insulation worth, heat, sturdiness, consolation, assist, match, cuff peak, adjustability, traction, and high quality.

Past our checks, we additionally thought-about the preferred, award-worthy, revolutionary, sustainable, and legacy designs. These down booties and socks serve a variety of ft, functions, and budgets.

Purchaser’s Information: Find out how to Select Down Booties

Down Booties versus Down Socks

There are only some slight variations between down booties and down socks. Down booties are a sort of shoe, with an insulated physique, insulated sole, and a few kind of closure on the prime to seal in heat. They are often ankle-height to mid-calf-height as a way to insulate your complete foot.

Down socks are additionally absolutely insulated however might or might not have a sole and often don’t have snaps, closures, or different options. They’re purely for offering heat. Down socks additionally are typically made from lighter, lower-denier materials, as they’re used extra inside sleeping baggage moderately than strolling round a home or cabin.

Down booties are the most typical manner of insulating your ft in winter and are often extra versatile and sturdy, although we did embody a number of down socks on this listing as effectively. In case you plan on sporting your down booties outdoors and including some mileage to them, we propose shopping for a pair with a thicker sole and traction.

If you’re searching for down footwear, take into consideration the place you’ll be sporting the booties and the way a lot sturdiness you may want. Would you like an insulating slipper with a sturdy sole? Or would you like one thing with fewer shoe options, possibly to put on inside your sleeping bag?

Would you like a taller-height bootie or extra of a slipper type? This final one is choice. Down booties could be worn with or with out socks, however we propose a thinner and breathable sock for those who go along with. The booties themselves are heat sufficient that there isn’t a want to tug on a thick or 100% wool sock.

Supplies 

Our complete information contains all kinds of down bootie kinds, starting from varied kinds of soles, insulation, suits, and supplies. With so many several types of booties in the marketplace, it may be onerous to distinguish between what kinds are supposed to be worn inside, out, in a sleeping bag, as socks, and so on. It actually all boils all the way down to what sort of supplies the down booties are made from, and their supposed use. 

To assist information your course of find that good bootie kind for you, we’ve outlined the varied supplies and their functions beneath. 

Exterior Materials

The outside material of down booties is a crucial part to contemplate when searching for a pair. The outside material is what protects the general shoe from varied components and will help enhance the insulation skills of the inside as effectively. 

Most down booties are constructed with a nylon exterior. Nylon is an artificial materials made to be tear and waterproof. It’s usually light-weight, and breathable relying on the stitching. Nylon is used as a result of it’s versatile and will help the down booties preserve their finest insulation skills, thus maintaining your ft toasty heat. The Baffin CUSH Booty makes use of a bolstered nylon, making it each sturdy and water-resistant. 

Additionally, you will see down booties designed with a quilted higher, just like the Teva ReEMBER. Quilted exteriors preserve the insulation from shifting round an excessive amount of thus permitting the insulation to retain warmth even higher than earlier than. Take into consideration how heat your childhood quilt was as a child — principally the identical science! 

Most material exteriors of down booties have hydrophobic properties making them waterproof or waterproof. If you wish to garner extra data about these functions, preserve scrolling. 

Tread

In case you’ve scrolled by means of our listing of down bootie choices, you seemingly seen that a few of these merchandise have outsole tread whereas others have little to none. Tread units the bar on how a lot mileage you may get out of a pair of down booties. 

Booties with softer soles that lack tread ought to be worn indoors like a cabin or hut. You’ll be able to deal with these sneakers like your customary home slippers. Sure, you possibly can most likely run out within the driveway to fetch the paper in them, however you wouldn’t wish to hit the paths since they lack the arch assist or sturdiness to assist your ft on various terrain. Our selection for the very best tread-less possibility? The Montane Icarus Hut Boot Style Slippers carry out tremendous effectively for indoor use. 

Some down booties are constructed for exploring, just like the North Face Thermoball Traction Booties. These puppies have a thick rubber sole with added texture so you possibly can preserve your ft heat whereas stepping over snow, rocks, and out and in of your ski boots. Whereas the additional quantity of tread is right for out of doors use, they most likely wouldn’t be superb for sticking in your sleeping bag or kicking again in your residence because of the bulkiness. 

Total, when desirous about tread it is very important contemplate how and the place you’ll be rocking your down booties. Are you somebody on the lookout for a home slipper? Or are you going to hit the city in them for some après enjoyable? 

Insulation

Just like down jackets, the extent of heat of a down bootie largely is determined by its insulation. A down bootie with 800-fill goes to be a lot hotter than a down bootie with 600-fill. The most typical kind of fill we see utilized in down booties is both goose down or an artificial different.

Pure Down Insulation 

Comprised of goose or duck feathers, pure down works to insulate by means of the clumps of feathers creating pockets of sizzling air. It’s extremely efficient in maintaining the consumer’s ft heat and insulated, whereas nonetheless being light-weight and packable.

Nevertheless, pure down tends to be extra dear and will not be as ethically sourced as one would love. We are able to guarantee you that every one the down booties listed on this information come from corporations aiming to finish abuse within the down provide chain. 

Down additionally tends to lose its insulation skills when moist, and takes longer to dry. As a result of it’s made with feathers, it can be a bit tougher to clean because of the publicity to water inflicting it to lose some loftiness. Remember to examine your down booties’ care tag earlier than washing them to make sure their longevity. 

Made with a pure goose down, the Western Mountaineering Standard Down Booties had been a few of our favorites on this class. Due to the pure down, they’re extra packable and have a tendency to have a greater warmth-to-weight ratio than artificial choices. 

Artificial Insulation

Tending to be extra accessible in worth and availability, synthetic-stuffed booties are additionally an amazing possibility for somebody wanting to maintain their toes heat with out breaking the financial institution or worrying about animal byproducts. Typically the phrase “down” is related to an insulation materials however don’t let that confuse you.

Usually made with polyester or nylon supplies, artificial booties can present simply sufficient insulation and sturdiness so you possibly can keep snug out within the chilly. In addition they are typically light-weight, making them simply packable for any tour. 

When artificial insulation is uncovered to moisture, the warmth-factor nonetheless performs effectively and dries quicker than pure down. Nevertheless, artificial fill is inherently colder than pure down, so it is very important preserve that in thoughts when selecting your down booties and the place you’ll put on them. 

Our favourite synthetic-fill choices embody the Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Sock. Made with 100% polyester Primaloft, they stored our ft simply as heat as a few of the different pure down bootie choices and since they’re made with artificial insulation, they’re fairly priced for his or her sturdiness. 

The kind and thickness of the bootie lining in addition to the fabric and peak of the bootie can even issue into its heat and insulative skills.

Waterproofness Versus Water-Resistance

In case you’re planning on sporting your down booties in snow, rain, or sleet, you’ll positively wish to contemplate buying a pair that’s waterproof or waterproof. Lots of the choices listed on this information have various levels of water safety and a few greater than others. 

Waterproof booties are made with supplies and coatings that forestall any water or moisture from penetrating the material’s floor. Assume supplies like GORE-TEX or eVent which might be handled with coatings which might be hydrophobic and trigger water to bead proper off. Whereas we don’t have any waterproof down booties particularly listed on this information, we’d suggest the GooseFeet Gear Down Socks mixed with their Waterproof Over Booties for those who’ll be in additional moist environments whereas tenting.

Alternatively, many down bootie choices listed on this information are water-resistant, which means they’ll repel water or snow off their surfaces to a sure diploma. Supplies which might be water-resistant should not utterly impervious to water publicity, however ought to do the trick for those who’re strolling in mild rain or snow. Waterproof materials are usually made with artificial fibers like nylon after which handled with a liquid-repellent end, like DWR (sturdy water-repellent). The Sierra Designs Down Booties are our favourite waterproof down booties coated with DWR. 

Cuff Top

A down bootie’s cuff peak refers back to the peak or size of the higher portion of the booties that covers the ankle and decrease leg. Totally different cuff heights in down booties provide various ranges of protection and performance. The choices listed on this information have decrease ankle and mid leg protection choices, however there are a number of down bootie choices in the marketplace that present safety all the best way to the knee. 

Low or Ankle Cuff

Down booties with a low or ankle cuff present minimal protection, usually ending simply above the ankle bone. These booties are typically light-weight and provide a larger vary of movement. They’re appropriate for actions the place most mobility and breathability are desired, reminiscent of inside or in hotter climates. Nevertheless, their publicity offers much less heat and safety to the ankle space. Our selection for an ankle cuff down bootie is the Rab Down Hut Slipper.

Mid-Calf Cuff

Down booties with a mid-calf cuff lengthen greater up the leg, reaching effectively above the ankle. This cuff peak offers extra protection and insulation in comparison with ankle-length booties. Mid-calf booties are a preferred selection for each indoor and out of doors use, as they strike a steadiness between insulation, mobility, and flexibility. They provide some safety towards drafts and are appropriate for colder temperatures with out being too cumbersome. A lot of the booties we’ve listed are mid-calf, however amongst our favorites was the Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Sock.

Total, when contemplating cuff size in a pair of down booties, take into consideration how and the place you’ll be utilizing the sneakers probably the most. In case you’re shopping for down booties to be used in milder climates or simply to make use of round the home, a shorter cuff size would swimsuit you simply high-quality. In case you stay in a spot that sees colder, moist winters, you’ll most likely wish to snag a pair that has extra protection for those who’ll be out within the components extra continuously. 

Cuff Closure 

Together with cuff lengths, down booties use varied mechanisms to offer your ft and ankles with safety from particles, chilly breezes, snow, and different intrusive components. These cuff closures are typically elastic bands or adjustable drawstrings. 

Drawstring Closures

A number of of the down booties listed on this information make the most of a drawstring and toggle closure. Basically, an elastic twine is threaded by means of the cuff and could be tightened or loosened by adjusting the toggle lock. Drawstring closures are adjustable, permitting the consumer to customise their match in line with choice. Mostly this drawstring closure is present in mid-calf kinds just like the Baffin CUSH Booties, however the above-the-ankle Big Agnes Full Moon Camp Booties make the most of this engineering as effectively. 

Elastic Closures

Some down booties are designed with an elastic cuff closure that matches cosy across the ankle or decrease leg. The elasticity stretches and conforms to the wearer’s leg, thus offering a safe closure with none added bulk from toggles or strings. Elastic cuffs are easy and could be snug if the match is good. Nevertheless, if they’re too unfastened or tight, you’re restricted in adjustability. Our selection for a down bootie with an elastic closure? The Montane Icarus Hut Boot Style Slippers.

In case you can’t resolve between an elastic or drawstring closure, contemplate the way you’ll use your down booties and the way a lot added safety you like. In case you are on the lookout for one thing to put on casually or simply round camp, you’d most likely be happy with an elastic band closure. However for those who’re going to be utilizing your down booties whereas trudging by means of snow or completely outdoors, the added adjustability from a drawstring closure shall be your finest wager. 

Packability

In case you are planning on taking your down booties on excursions, street journeys, or in your suitcase the world over, you’ll positively wish to contemplate the shoe’s packability. A down bootie’s capability to compress in a backpack or duffel relies upon totally on its supplies and insulation kind. 

Down booties made with a pure down as a substitute of artificial are typically extra compressible than the latter. Nevertheless, artificial insulation could be simply as light-weight and packable if accomplished appropriately. Take into account grabbing a stuff sack to your down booties so you possibly can optimize the house in your baggage for different gear and clothes. This can even assist defend your different objects from any filth or moisture which may be on the soles of your booties from all of the adventuring.

When touring with down booties, ensure that to consider how its sole and traction have an effect on the shoe’s capability to suit inconspicuously in your bag. Down booties with a thicker sole and added traction shall be tougher to compress than these with out.

In case you are on the lookout for down booties which might be packable and prepared for any journey, the Rab Hot Socks are effectively compressible and light-weight. 

Weight

Together with packability, weight ought to be considered earlier than buying a pair of down booties. Most down booties are naturally agile, as they’re constructed with supplies that are typically nearly weightless. Our choices on this information vary from as little as 2 oz. as much as 17 oz.

In the end the deciding issue of a down bootie’s weight is its supplies. Down insulation, each artificial and pure, tends to be fairly light-weight when it’s dry. By way of exterior materials, the nylon and polyester supplies these down booties are constructed from are additionally conveniently light-weight.

What we discovered added weight to those varied down booties was the usage of tractioned soles. For instance, the North Face Thermoball Traction Booties have a thick rubber sole with added tread, inflicting these booties to return in at 17 oz. They nonetheless aren’t any heavier than a daily pair of shoes, however would nonetheless be fairly noticeable in your backpack on the pores and skin monitor to the hut. Nevertheless, with this added weight comes an added aspect of sturdiness and mileage. 

The down booties with out added or thick soles are the lightest on our listing. In case you are on the lookout for the lightest down booty possibility that shall be hardly noticeable in your pack, the GooseFeet Gear Down Socks or The North Face Summit Advanced Mountain Kit Sleeping Sock are the best way to go. 

A lot of the down booties on this listing are across the identical weight and will really feel featherlight in your backpack so don’t let this facet concern you an excessive amount of in your shopping for course of. 

Sustainability 

In case you care in regards to the planet and the place your merchandise come from, then it is very important know the way sustainably sourced your down booties are. 

When desirous about sustainability in down booties it is very important contemplate their down, manufacturing processes, and use of environmentally pleasant supplies. 

Many down booties on this information incorporate recycled supplies of their development. This may embody utilizing recycled materials for the outer shell or using recycled down insulation. Selecting booties constituted of recycled supplies helps scale back waste and reduce the environmental affect of the manufacturing course of. Moreover, you possibly can go for booties that use eco-friendly dyes and coatings of their manufacturing to forestall any hurt to the surroundings.

Our selection for sustainably made down booties are the Montane Icarus Hut Boot Style Slippers that are manufactured with 100% recycled supplies. 

Responsibly Sourced Down and Traceability

Whereas pure down constituted of chook feathers is a strong insulation materials, it’s simple for abuse to happen within the provide chain. Many out of doors corporations are making efforts to supply down ethically and supply transparency to shoppers. 

In case you are considering studying the place and the way the down in your booties is sourced, you possibly can! With the Allied Feather & Down’s TrackMyDown program, it’s simple to see the place the down in your booties got here from. 

Winner of a 2019 ISPO Gold Award, the TrackMyDown program offers detailed data on the supply of your bootie’s down feathers, together with the nation of origin, the provider, and the farms the place the birds had been raised. Clients also can view data on the standard of their down, together with the fill energy and the cleanliness of the fabric. Merely kind in your lot quantity (discovered in your down bootie’s dangle tag) and press enter. 

With out offering such instruments for transparency, abuse can develop into a part of the availability chain. Artificial booties are a good selection in case you are on the lookout for vegan choices, however for those who nonetheless need pure down booties the The North Face Summit Advanced Mountain Kit Sleeping Sock is a prime sustainable selection. 

Discovering Your Dimension

In contrast to sneakers, down bootie sizes are likely to fall on a scale, often between XS-XL. A letter dimension will then coordinate to sure U.S./U.Okay. males’s shoe sizes. Most booties are measured in unisex or males’s sizes, however some can have girls’s shoe sizes listed. The sizing and match can even fluctuate between manufacturers, so we suggest all the time double-checking earlier than making a purchase order.

Value

The value of down booties will fluctuate, however the associated fee is especially decided by the kind of insulation, stage of down fill, and supplies used. You’ll be able to anticipate to pay someplace between $70 and $100 for a high-quality, heat pair of booties. 

On this purchaser’s information we’ve a number of completely different choices for pricing. Our most budget-friendly choices are the Rab Down Hut Slipper ($65) and the Baffin CUSH Booty ($60). Different decently priced down booties on this price tier embody Rab Hot Socks ($70), and The North Face Thermoball Traction Booties ($69).

For our subsequent worth tier which incorporates down booties starting from $70 to $90, we suggest Sierra Designs Down Booties ($80), Big Agnes Full Moon Camp Booties ($70), Western Mountaineering Flash Down Booties ($77), Teva ReEMBER ($80), Montane Icarus Hut Boot Style Slippers ($90), and Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Sock ($75).

Some down booties are extremely customizable and have a sliding scale of worth relying on the way you design your pair. For instance, GooseFeet Gear Down Socks begin at $69 and might go as much as $97. In fact this all rides upon your preferences for down, fill, colours, supplies, and different add-ons. 

Our greater worth tier contains choices which might be round 100 bucks and as much as 400. The cheaper of those down booties are the Western Mountaineering Standard Down Booties ($105). At our highest worth level are The North Face Summit Advanced Mountain Kit Sleeping Sock ($400). 

Whether or not you’re prepared to spend so much or a bit on a pair of down booties, simply know that all the booties listed below are top quality and toasty heat.

FAQ

Down booties are a sort of footwear. To place it merely, their complete job is to offer insulating heat in the course of the winter months. Similar to a down jacket would preserve your core heat or puffy pants would preserve your legs heat, down booties preserve your ft heat.

You’ll generally see them worn in locations like winter huts, inside four-season tents, or on journeys for ski mountaineering, mountaineering, backcountry snowboarding and touring, winter tenting, and extra.

After a variety of put on, your down booties might should be washed. You are able to do so by spot cleansing, soaking, or machine washing on a delicate setting. Be certain to make use of a down-friendly or delicate detergent to maintain your booties of their finest form.

To dry, you’ll wish to ensure you use a low-heat or no-heat setting and add wool balls to the dryer basin as a way to assist break up clumps of moist down. We additionally prefer to set them out in a sunny place for a number of hours to make sure they’re absolutely dry earlier than packing them again up right into a stuff sack or storage.

After they’re dry, give them a number of shakes to fluff them again to their authentic loftiness. Correctly washing and caring to your down booties will assist enhance their longevity and preserve your ft heat on all of your upcoming adventures.

Many down booties are designed with a sure diploma of water-resistance and soles made to be used in harsher components like snow, ice and puddles. Nevertheless, some are made to be worn strictly inside or simply flippantly outdoor. Examine to see in case your down booties are made with hydrophobic materials or finishes earlier than you make snow angels on these moist winter days. 

Earlier than you put on your down booties out within the snow, additionally ensure that they’ve tractioned soles which might be thick sufficient to maintain your ft insulated while you’re strolling. It is usually vital to concentrate to the cuff closures in your down booties. In the event that they match snugly round your legs and ankles to forestall any moisture or snow from getting into your sneakers, you need to be good to go!

Carrying socks together with your down booties is completely as much as private choice. Resulting from their insulation and moisture wicking properties, down booties usually don’t should be paired with socks. Nevertheless, for those who suppose it will be extra snug, we suggest sporting a thinner sock made from wool or breathable artificial materials.

As all the time, keep away from sporting cotton socks together with your down booties. They’ll take up any sweat or moisture with out the flexibility to dry.

Sure! Lots of the down booties listed on this information had been designed to be worn in a sleeping bag. In case you are likely to get chilly ft whereas tenting, down booties are a comfortable answer with out taking over an excessive amount of house or stopping you from getting night time’s relaxation in your tent, automobile, or cabin.
Down booties which might be simply paired with a sleeping bag are usually known as down “socks.” They usually haven’t any stiff sole or rubber tread in order that your ft can transfer freely with out feeling too cumbersome in your sleeping bag. Our picks for these down socks embody the GooseFeet Gear Down Socks, Rab Hot Socks, and The North Face Summit Advanced Mountain Kit Sleeping Sock.

Due to their light-weight supplies and typical development of down insulation, down booties are extremely packable. This makes them superb for stashing in your backpack earlier than you hit the path, pores and skin monitor, or hop on a aircraft. Since they’re smaller in dimension, we suggest simply sliding them into an open spot in your baggage. Nevertheless, for those who actually wish to optimize the house in your bag, strive placing them in a stuff sack after which compressing out all the air. This may preserve your booties protected, and make them simpler to search out whenever you’re able to transition out of the ski boots. 

Take into account that down booties with added soles or tread shall be tougher to pack. So for those who’re planning on strictly utilizing your down booties within the hut or tent, we suggest buying a pair that doesn’t have these weighted development components.