Cold-Footed Husband Says Growler Boots Are Warm

These Trailhead Growler Boots from Keen pass the warmth test of a fussy husband.

He went in search of boots with the following requirements.He didnt want them to have hooks instead of eyelets for the laces. He wanted them to be more flexible than most boots. Above all, he wanted them to be warm so that he could wear them while doing his paper route.Unless the snow is very deep he doesnt like how restrictive and clumsy boots are when getting in and out of the car dozens of times on every days route. And they had to work with our limited budget. This is what he came home with.

Actually, I hadnt heard of Keen boots, but they make a lot of different models, including sandals and water shoes, low and high-top boots, and several mid-height such as these.

These Keen boots have so many features Im not sure I would know what to say about some of them.
- They claim the Keen Dry feature, with a waterproof yet breathable membrane, and hubby says that they have kept his feet really dry. They are supposed to be ok, even in snow.
- They have dual climate rubber soles which claims that the tread will harden in really cold weather for better traction. Well have to add an update about this.
- They have 200g KEEN.Warminsulation, supposedly good to minus 25 degrees F. (Minus 32 degrees C). And they are supposed to have a thermal shield in the foot bed. We sure havent had any really cold weather yet, but so far hes had warm feet.

The heel has some bumpers across it for protection from scuffs, and the toe is totally covered with rubber. There is a loop sewed into the heel counter to help you pull them on (or to get caught on things?) There is a loop on the tongue that the laces go through to keep it from slipping sideways., and it is an attached tongue for added weatherproofing.

Here are the things he likes a lot
- They really are flexible.He says that they feel more like sneakers than boots, and hes really happy with that.
- The lace is threaded through loops of nylon webbing.There are no hooks at the top.Personally, I like hooks, but he specifically did not want any.He says that the laces slide easily in the loops, and they are easy to open wide enough to get off and on without any trouble. He says that he can pull on the laces at the top and tighten the whole thing.He knows that you SHOULD pull each section tight from the bottom up, but doesnt want to take the time.I dont know if this method will put too much stress on those loops, but so far so good.

So far, he doesnt like
- the loop on the top of the tongue.He says it does catch on things and is in the way when he ties them.
- As you can see, the toe is kind of odd and bulbous. Most of this companys shoes are made this way. I guess the idea is to give you plenty of room. But hes not sure that he likes the way they feel.

These come in one color- black with gray trim.

Retail price is $125, but he talked the store down to $112.

http://www.keenfootwear.com