Cold feet on a winter morning are rarely just cold. They are usually damp as well, from snow that got in at the ankle or from sweat that had nowhere to go. Keep them dry and most of the warmth takes care of itself.
Why cold feet are usually wet feet
The American Podiatric Medical Association notes that damp, sweaty feet chill more easily, and that even a warm boot with thick socks can leave feet sweating. Mayo Clinic adds that the risk of frostbite rises when cold comes together with wet and wind.
The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health lists frostbite and trench foot among the illnesses that come with working in the cold. You do not need a job outdoors to learn the lesson: moisture is the thing to manage.
Socks first: fit, moisture and a spare pair
Start with socks that fit. Mayo Clinic advises socks and sock liners that fit well, wick moisture away from the skin and insulate. A sock that bunches under the arch or slides down into the boot makes a cold spot and a sore one.
Then pack a spare pair. NIOSH tells people who work in the cold to carry extra socks, and Mayo Clinic says to change out of wet socks as soon as you can. A dry pair in a coat pocket weighs almost nothing and turns a miserable afternoon into an ordinary one.
What to look for in a winter boot
The APMA puts it plainly: do not walk through snow and ice in summer shoes such as sneakers, sandals or flip-flops, and choose winter footwear that keeps your feet warm, dry and supported. NIOSH advises boots that are waterproof and insulated, and in good condition, since cracks and tears let in water and cold.
Fit matters here as much as in any shoe. The APMA says footwear should fit properly right away. With winter boots, that means trying them on with the socks you will actually wear in January, not the thin pair you had on in the store.
Our men’s and women’s snow boots are high lace-ups with a thick insulated lining and a plush collar at the ankle. They come in men’s sizes 7 to 16 and women’s 5.5 to 12, in five colors each, and like the rest of our shoes they are cut wide at the front.
Lacing without cutting off the warmth
Warmth reaches your feet through your blood, and anything that squeezes slows it down. NIOSH makes the point about clothing in general: tight clothing reduces circulation, and warm blood needs to reach the hands and feet.
Laces are where boots most often end up too tight. Pull them snug enough to hold your heel, then ease off across the top of the foot. If your toes feel squeezed after a few minutes of walking, loosen the laces before you blame the boot.
Two thick pairs of socks crammed into one boot can do the same harm. If your socks fill the boot so fully that your toes cannot move, you are losing warmth, not gaining it.
A day outside
Shoveling the drive is short and hard work, and your feet sweat inside the boots while your hands freeze. Take a break indoors halfway through and check your socks. If they are damp, change them before you go back out.
The commute is the opposite problem: long spells of standing still at a stop or on a platform. Keep moving your toes, and keep the spare pair of socks in your bag for the walk home.
For a winter walk, dress in loose layers as NIOSH advises, and turn back while your feet are still warm rather than once they are cold.
After you come in
Take the boots off at the door so they have the evening to dry out, and put on dry socks straight away. A boot that starts the morning damp starts the day cold.
Mayo Clinic notes that people with diabetes or poor blood flow face a higher risk from the cold. If that is you, ask your doctor how to look after your feet through the winter.
Tomorrow the boots go back on dry, the socks go on clean, and the spare pair goes back in your pocket.