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I would say the answer is somewhat subjective, and in order to make a fair assessment you will need to invest some time. Carrying a 30-pound pack up and down hills with a week's worth of food and gear produces different stresses on your feet and joints than a water bottle and rain jacket. The fit may seem less perfect if the material between your toes starts ...

Overshoes When the boots' warmth is not enough, you can use overshoes. Basically, it's nothing more than a sack made of cloth , which you put over your boot and fasten somehow: This helps you in two ways: It creates an air pocket around your boot, reducing heat loss. The snow now melts not on your boot, but on the overshoe, drastically increasing the ...

I'm not aware of any boots for your specific need, but there may be some other options using a larger size boot. Preferably you should have little if any pressure from your toes against the front of your boot. For me, the solution to a loose boot has been to add a second insole which keeps a laced boot snug at the ankle while leaving the toes with room to ...

The best qualities of caving footware are actually easy to clean (especially now with WNS concerns) easy to walk/crawl in (must fit well and now slide around) keep your feet warm durable (caves eat clothing) Watertight shoes hold water in just was well as they keep water out, and in a wet cave water will get in. First get yourself a pair of 3mm ...

For snowier conditions, it is common in the ultra community to take an old pair of shoes and screw in a number of metal hex screws into the sole from the bottom leaving enough of the screw proud to stick into the snow. I've never had to try it myself but I'm reliably informed it works a treat.

As stated by Graham in his comment, I would recommend using ice traction device like this one or this one. It will provide you with the missing grip in winter. You should definitely keep using your running shoes because they are still better suited for running even in winter conditions.

as far as the issue of warmth - they do make special five-finger, wool socks for the VFF that fit perfectly with the shoes. I've combined these and they work great in cold weather. the only time i ever had a bad experience in my VFF was walking several miles on asphalt. trails with rocks, streams, mossy paths - no problem.

I am a big fan of the low ankle water resistant Salomon fell-running shoes. The Gore-Tex allows moisture and sweat to escape rapidly, and when worn with wicking socks they actually work well to keep your feet dry and sweat-free. I do most of my hiking in Scotland, which is on a par with New Zealand for precipitation - I would definitely recommend water ...

Think about whether it really matters if your feet stay dry. Will this be in warm enough weather when trenchfoot and frostbite are not problems? If so, the simplest answer may be to let the feet get wet. Wet or damp feet by themselves is not really a problem. I do most of my hiking in New England where it can rain any time on short notice, and soggy ...

I tried using regular shoes (hiking or running) but unfortunately those shoes are not that good in conserving your foot warm and they contain little or no insulation. I do not recommend at all, using regular shoes in winter because of the risk of getting a frost bite. Skiing: I do not think that you can use the same shoe for skiing and snow ...

I avoid water-resistant shoes for hiking since they trap moisture (your sweat) in as well as out. Kinda depends on hiking style, too - if you're ultralighting then you'd probably want trail-running shoes that breath and dry quickly as you walk. See Ray J.'s advice. They're light enough that people often carry a second pair. Another factor is weather - a ...

What sort of snow conditions are you running in? For dry, powdery snow, the best option is a pair running shoes that have aggressive tread (search for "trail running shoes"), but in wet, icy snow, metal screws or spikes will give you the extra grip you're looking for. I can't think of anything that will help more than it will hurt on icy pavement other than ...

When hiking for multiple days you will likely encounter scenarios that you will get wet feet regardless of the footwear you are using. My experience with Goretex footwear is the same as most fellow hikers I know: Goretex footwear can delay your feet getting wet but it cannot prevent it altogether. The important question is: What is your strategy once your ...

Keep them dry; if your feet perspire a lot, have a dry set of socks to change into. Never cotton socks 2 layers of socks is very good; a light inner layer of something that wicks moisture very well (Coolmax, Smartwool, etc), and then a heavier sock (I like some of the LL Bean fleece socks). Goretex, plastic bags, etc can trap a lot of moisture, which can ...

My criteria for winter shoes/boots are pretty simple: 3/4 or higher cuff to reduce the chance of snow getting in Goretex to keep water out A Vibram sole to keep traction on ice A thicker sole than usual to avoid the cold ground When I try the shoes on at the store I wear thick wool socks (if you wear a sock liner then bring that too). I usually go ...