Bogs: The Ultimate Footwear for Cold and Wet Weather

A few weeks into our stay in West Virginia, I had a meltdown. I had only brought two pairs of shoes and a few pairs of socks. On one cold rainy day, both pairs of shoes and all of my socks were soaked.

There was no way to avoid the elements. Several times a day, we had to cross the grassy often muddy terrain to go from camper to log house to the temporary office in the storage shed. It was a tradeoff for living on the side of mountain in a camper during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We decided it was time to invest in some weatherproof footwear to get us through each day. We landed on Bogs. I had previously owned a pair for nearly 10 years, so we knew they would be durable.

I bought that first pair, the Tillamook Bay, when we were living in Michigan. These slip-on ankle-height boots were great for trudging through the snow. I kept them when we moved to New York. It took awhile, but the rubber soles finally became uneven from about eight years of sidewalk wear.

For West Virginia, we each bought a pair of Bogs. Our goal were simple – keep our feet dry in West Virginia while providing a style that could work back in New York City. We weren’t going for style first. Utility was most important. However, we wanted them to be passable back in Manhattan too.

I bought the Sauvie Slip-on. It’s a regular sneaker-height shoe that easily slips on and off. I was amazed at its effectiveness in keeping out water, despite being a low-top. I was even able to walk the creekbed without getting my feet wet. The tread has been versatile too. It’s plenty of grip to go through just about any type of terrain.

I’ve started wearing them again in the city after the first snow. They easily take on city slush, and I’ve still yet to hit a puddle so deep that my feet get wet here either.

Sarah opted for the Kicker Rain Chelsea. These are ankle-high boots. They were great at protecting the feet from the wet weather too and have a more urban look. The bottoms are slick, so not quite as good on outdoor terrain. The trade-off is that they are great for the concrete of the city.

We thought about a children’s version for Neve, but ended up going with Crocs. The Crocs Kids’ Handle it Rain Boot were a great choice. They kept our little one’s feet dry and warm. They were also light and pliable, so she could run around with ease.

We would definitely recommend the Bogs for the ultimate weatherproof footwear. You simply cannot beat the quality and design in construction. If your aim is to keep the feet warm and dry, Bogs will not fail you.