The Best Shoes For ICY Pavements (UPDATED)

The Best Shoes For ICY Pavements (UPDATED)

Best Shoes for Slippery Pavements

best-shoes-for-icy-pavements

Best Shoes for Icy Pavements UK Rating Link
Salomon Men's Quest 4d 3 GTX 4.5/5 Buy Here
Merrell Men's Coldpack 4.4/5 Buy Here
Salomon Men’s X Ultra Winter / Pioneer 4.5/5 Buy Here
Lowa Womens Alba Taurus 4.3/5 Buy Here
Merrell Thermo Rhea Tall Waterproof 4.7/5 Buy Here
Timberland Women’s White Ledge Mid Waterproof Ankle Boots 4.5/5 Buy Here

Let's face it, here in the UK it can be absolutely freezing sometimes, icy pavements are a common sight, and we've all seen someone take a tumble at some point in our infamous icy cold weather.

But cold temperatures aside, the other challenge posed by winter weather comes when it's time to move around. Whether you’re going down the shops or walking to school, snowy ground and icy floors can cause you to slip up (pun intended!).

However, if you simply can't live without the outdoors, having a nice pair of slip-resistant shoes for tricky surfaces goes a long way to enhance your safety while walking.
Luckily, the market offers walking shoes specifically designed for the slippery ground that defines wintry conditions. These not only focus on your safety but also your comfort and overall practicality to ensure you remain satisfied at all times. So, if you’re planning to get outside more during the winter months, the following are the best shoes and boots for icy pavements that we've tested.

Shoes for Icy Pavements - What to Look For

icy-pavements-shoes-what-to-look-for Grip should be at the top of your priorities when shopping around for winter shoes to help you remain stable on the icy ground. The best shoes for icy pavements maximise ice and snow traction on the outsole.
Generally, a Vibram Rubber outsole provides you with the ideal grip and durability on slippery situations, although additional features are necessary to deliver the best performance.
For instance, manufacturers pair a rubber outsole with moulded lug treads, gaiter hooks, as well as arctic grip technology to guarantee total safety when walking on icy pavements. Furthermore, Carbide Tip Studs on the outsole is another feature that enhances your stability on slippery surfaces. For the best traction and superior durability, you want to look for an aero-track vulcanised rubber outsole on the shoes you’re thinking of buying.

Should Shoes for Icy Surfaces be Waterproof/Water-resistant?

The other important feature to look for in a snowshoe is the ability to keep water out. Any good winter boot should be waterproof, if not water-resistant. Both snow and ice melt into water that can get inside your shoes while walking. When the wetness gets to your feet, it can cause infection, irritation, and even lead to frostbite if left for an extended duration. As such, the best walking shoes for icy pavements must be waterproof if you are to remain comfortable walking in such conditions. Some of the materials manufacturers use to waterproof winter boots include PU, PVC, Neoprene, rubber, and leather. Gore-Tex is a popular material because it offers a great balance between water-resistance and breathability, on top of remaining durable down the line.

Is Insulation Necessary in Winter Shoes?

During the winter season, temperatures easily drop to sub-zero degrees! Trying to keep your feet warm in such low temperatures while wearing ordinary shoes is just not possible.
Insulation serves to keep your feet toasty and cosy while shielding them against hypothermia in super cold temperatures.
There are various types and levels of insulation applied to winter shoes. To know the best fit for the underlying conditions, check the temperature rating on the shoes, as well as the grams measured of insulation. You can choose to go with Thinuslate insulation from at least 200g if the weather is colder. Alternatively, some companies line their products with fleece or sheep wool to deliver excellent warmth inside for your feet.

Comfort & Blister Resistance

Comfort is something you can never compromise when searching for a pair of shoes, especially when you have to walk for hours on streets and pavements covered with ice and snow.
The shoes you decide to wear should provide you with maximum comfort to ensure you get around more effortlessly.
Arch support is a crucial feature that offers the necessary support to enable you to walk for long distances without straining your hips, toes, or ankles.

Best Footwear for Icy Pavements - Reviews

reviews
Best Shoes for Icy Pavements UK Rating Link
Salomon Men's Quest 4d 3 GTX 4.5/5 Buy Here
Merrell Men's Coldpack 4.4/5 Buy Here
Salomon Men’s X Ultra Winter / Pioneer 4.5/5 Buy Here
Lowa Womens Alba Taurus 4.3/5 Buy Here
Merrell Thermo Rhea Tall Waterproof 4.7/5 Buy Here
Timberland Women’s White Ledge Mid Waterproof Ankle Boots 4.5/5 Buy Here

Salomon Men's Quest 4d 3 GTX

SALOMON-Men's-Quest-4d-3-GTX-High-Rise-Hiking-Boots Salomon is an infamous brand in the UK Outdoors market, renowned across the UK for manufacturing quality outdoor footwear meant for walking in cold and icy conditions. The Salomon Mens Quest Gore-Tex Shoe is an exciting offering from the manufacturer and uses a mix of top production technology to deliver superior performance on slippery surfaces.
This shoe boasts a high traction outsole to keep you upright when navigating icy pavements and offers the necessary support to guarantee your comfort even after hours of walking.

The Salomon Quest comes with an optimal design featuring a practical lacing system, making it easy to slide your foot inside the shoe. Its adjustable fit allows you to achieve the most comfortable fit. Thanks to the Gore-Tex material used, the shoe is waterproof and this helps to protect your feet from the snow and ice when walking in wintry conditions. Protection for your feet is also enhanced with the inclusion of a toe-cap, which prevents injury when you bump into something.

The leather upper adds some level of durability while offering decent padding for your comfort. Inside the shoes is a 4D advanced chassis that helps to guide your foot, as well as reduce fatigue on those long-distance walks.

You also get an EVA foam in the midsole to cushion your foot when trudging on hard surfaces. The Quest is a very stable shoe that allows you to remain on your two feet even in the most slippery circumstances.
You can credit this to the highly modelled rubber outsole, which offers unrivalled traction for effortless walking on all kinds of surfaces.

This is why these shoes have a wide variety of applications. Aside from walking on icy pavements, the Salomon Quests offer excellent performance during hiking, running, skiing, travelling, and a range of similar winter sports.

Their lightweight design ensures that you won’t struggle with fatigue even after hours of use. The only downside is that they are not the most durable shoes on the market. Other than that, these are some of the best shoes for icy pavements you can buy. 

Merrell Men's Coldpack Ice+ Moc Waterproof Boot

Merrell-Men's-Coldpack-Ice+-Moc-Waterproof-Snow-Boot The Coldpack Ice+ shoes from Merrell feature a nice low-cut design that improves the practicality of walking in icy conditions. This not only helps to make it a lightweight shoe but also offers enhanced mobility for your ankles, ensuring that you’re more agile on the slippery terrain.
The shoe impresses with a stylish design that manages to keep it simple yet modern. It will fit in seamlessly on your casual weekend walks at the park and even on your morning commute to work.

A Nubuck leather outer upper helps to give the Coldpack a hardwearing performance that should prove long-lasting down the line. This does a great job of protecting your feet while keeping the shoe from absorbing water.

As such, your feet remain warm and comfortable throughout the walk. High insulation and desiccant textile used inside allow you to remain comfortable in the cold conditions.

This increases the warmth inside the shoe, as well as enables your feet to remain dry all day long. A mesh upper allows for breathability so that your feet don’t get suffocated after hours of wearing the Coldpacks.
The outsole is made out of Vibram Arctic Grip to offer high traction of icy pavements. This means you can look forward to staying on your twos even when the surfaces get extra slippery.

Since there is no lacing involved, wearing these shoes is a fast and easy affair; you only need to slide your foot inside! The fit is pretty snug and available for different foot sizes. On the downside, the low-cut profile of the shoe makes it easy for water molecules and other debris to find their way inside the shoe from the top.

To prevent this, you want to pair the Merrell Coldpack Ice+ snowshoes with a long pair of trousers.

Salomon Men’s X Ultra Winter

SALOMON-Men's-X-Ultra-Mid-Winter-CSWP-Snow This is another great pair of hiking boots from Salomon that will serve you diligently on tricky surfaces. The Ultra X Winter CS boots ensure that you never lose your footing when walking on icy pavements.
This is because they are manufactured using advanced Contragrip technology on the outsole.
The result is incomparable high-traction on the outsole, enhancing stability and safety when walking or running in slippery winter conditions. Leather material is used on the shoe’s upper to make for durable performance in tough conditions. This also comes with water-resisting properties to shield your feet from the elements while ensuring they remain warm and dry.
You also get Thinsulate inside the boot, which helps to retain heat well inside to guard your feet against the cold external temperatures.
Although the shoes offer long-lasting service, you will need a couple of wearing cycles to break into them. This means the fit will be a little bit tight at first but it gets more comfortable after a couple of days.

On the bright side, the Ultra X Winter boots are lightweight and won’t weigh you down even if you have to wear them for the whole day. They are also comfortable to wear, which is a credit to the foam cushioning in the midsole. This is also breathable to ensure that your feet don’t get too stuffy and suffocated.

Furthermore, the front lacing system allows you a comfortable time when getting into the shoes, as well as improves the fit. Lastly, a moulded heel pad and gaiter hook are incorporated into the design to improve the performance on snowy and icy surfaces. Not to mention that you get a 2-year warranty when you buy the Salomons X Ultra Winters, proving that you’re obtaining value for your money! 

Lowa Alba II GTX Ws

Lowa-Women's-Alba-Ii-GTX-Ws-High-Rise-Hiking-Shoes The Alba II GTX Ws are just one in a line of impressive technical shoes you can count on in the winter weather. If fashion is what you’re looking for, these might just be the best shoes for icy pavements you can get.
The innovative combination of a split-leather exterior, faux-fur trim, and a Gore-Tex lining allows you to use this boot throughout the winter, whether you’re strolling around town or tromping the tricky mountainous trails.

The shoe rises to a height of 11” and comes with a waterproof zipper, making it pretty easy to slip in and out of. Its front laces are functional and help you to secure the fit before heading for the road. They don’t need constant adjustment when you’re walking; this will only be necessary when you want to add some layers underneath. Inside the shoe is a soft and durable fabric that lets you remain comfortable even when wearing the Alba IIs without socks.

 

You won’t struggle to walk in wet situations when you have these shoes on. They offer great protection against snow and ice on pavements, thanks to the waterproof Gore-Tex material used in the design.

This ensures that you have dry feet and warm feet when you have to walk in ice and snowmelt puddles. The outsole is designed for slip resistance in winter conditions while the rubber compound used greatly mixes superior grip with durability and flexibility.

Add this to the supportive insole and you end up with comfortable walking shoes that you can wear all day long. Overall, this is a boot that you can do anything and go anywhere with, and the best part is that you don’t have to compromise your sense of style when wearing them. 

Merrell Thermo Rhea Tall Waterproof

Merrell-Thermo-Rhea-Tall-Waterproof-Hiking-Boots For women looking to step out in the winter season without losing their sense of fashion, look no further than the Merrell Thermo Rhea Tall boots.
This is a high-quality pair of waterproof boots that will prove practical when walking on icy pavements.

This winter shoe boasts sturdy construction, featuring full-grain leather for the outer material. This means you will enjoy durable performance over time without worrying about premature damage. The shoes are also constructed to be waterproof, helping to protect your feet from the biting winter cold and ice.

Meanwhile, their high-top design allows your lower leg to remain warm, cosy, and safe from the elements. The only problem is that the Thermo Rheas are not very breathable. So, if your feet tend to get sweaty, you might have an uncomfortable time wearing these boots over long spells.

You’ll like the feeling of warmth inside the shoes, which will come in handy when the temperatures drop to sub-zero degrees.
This is thanks to the 200g gram of Primaloft Gold Series insulation meant to provide you with unrivaled comfort. When you add this to the conductor fleece linings, as well as the leather upper, you won’t have to worry about the elements no matter how much it snows.

Another great thing about these shoes is that they fit true to size. This is enhanced by the secure lacing system to allow you to achieve the best fit when wearing the Thermo Rhea boots.

The rubber outsole also features deep lugs to provide you with excellent grip when walking on slippery pavements. This should allow you to avoid the risk of slipping and falling, as well as the resulting injury. 

Conclusion

Moving around during the winter season can be a tricky affair. The ice and snow covering the ground poses a great risk to your wellbeing as it exposes you to slipping and falling.

To avoid this, you need a pair of shoes that offers maximum grip to keep you upright no matter how slippery it gets. The article above considers the best boots and shoes for icy pavements for those who want to venture outside during winter.

FAQ

How Tall Should My Shoes for Walking on Ice be?

The appropriate shoes for walking on ice can come with a high top, mid-top, or low top, depending on which style suits you best. Nevertheless, the height may also be determined by the depth of snow you intend to walk through. If you’ll be walking on a pavement with just a few inches of snow and some melting ice, then a low top boot will work just fine for you.

However, if it’s been precipitating heavily and the roads are lined with a foot of snow, then you should opt for a mid or high-top shoe. This is because you will need to prevent the wetness from getting inside, which won’t be possible with a low-cut pair of shoes. The high-top design does a great job of keeping the snow at bay and also comes with a fastener to tighten the shaft so that all the wetness does not find its way inside the shoe.

What is the Best Type of Insulation for Shoes for Walking on Icy Roads?

Insulation is a necessary feature in winter shoes, especially if you wish to remain comfortable while walking in cold conditions. It retains body heat well inside the shoe to help you remain warm and toasty at all times. Some of the most common types of insulation to look out for include Primaloft and Thinsulate. Also, remember to check the temperature rating, as well as the weight of insulation when searching for a pair that will keep your feet warm when it’s freezing.

 

What Makes Shoes for Walking on Icy Pavements Durable?

Durability is a big deal for shoes meant to walk on icy surfaces. If the shoe is cheaply made, it can result in all sorts of problems and put you at risk of injury. Furthermore, there is a cost implication, in that you’ll keep spending money on repairing the damaged shoe or replacing it after just a few cycles of use. When it comes to shoe-making, some materials are more long-lasting than others, and these are what you should look out for during shopping.
For instance, leather is preferred for a pair of shoes where durability is important.

Aside from being hardwearing, the material offers some degree of water-resistance, although this will have to be reinforced with some sort of coating in winter shoes. Synthetic leather is also an alternative you can opt for, but this tends to crack more easily and is relatively less comfortable compared to its natural counterpart. Other than the material, other features to look out for when gauging durability in a winter shoe include the outsole, as well as the seams.

The outsole is usually the first area of the boot that shows symptoms of wear and tear given that it is in direct contact with the ground and elements during walking, hence bears most of the brunt. A damaged outsole exposes the inner to the elements and puts your feet at risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

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