The Seven Best Snow Boots to Fight Slushy, Wet Winter Weather

After more than 700 days without significant snowfall, New York City was blanketed in white in January, just as the 2024 Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted. It was a welcome development for footwear makers: Sales of cold- and all-weather boots in 2023 were down 18% from 2022, according to Beth Goldstein of consumer research company Circana. “Winter and snow boots and rain boots saw the biggest declines,” she says, “while cold-weather casual boots outperformed.”

Milder falls and winters are reshaping the snow boot industry, says Nora Kleinewillinghoefer, a partner in the consumer practice of consulting firm Kearney. “This climatic shift seems to delay consumer purchases,” she says, “and is steering the market towards lighter, versatile styles rather than traditional heavy-duty boots.”