Bogs Neo-Classic Tall - Women's Review

As an extremely warm and durable rain boot, the Bogs Neo-Classic also functions well as an easy-on winter boot. The handles at the top of the shaft serve as a helpful way to get the boot over thick socks or simply help you put the boots on in a hurry. The sole is made of a BioGrip slip-resistant outsole that has incredible traction for icy, snowy, and muddy conditions. The upper shaft of the boot is a flexible neoprene, making it quite comfortable to walk in. The boots are lined with 5mm Neo-Tech waterproof insulation, which gives them their impressive temperature rating.

Weather Protection

While we were very fond of the easy-on handles at the top of the boot, they do slightly lower the flood height of the boot. However, the Bogs Neo-Classic Tall still comes in with a flood height of 11.5 inches, which is more than sufficient for a rain boot. The boot passed every waterproof test we did with flying colors, keeping our feet warm and dry in lakes, rivers, and even while submerged in bathtubs. We would happily slosh through snowy trails, cold puddles, or muddy streets in these boots without any worry of getting our socks wet.

The circumference at the mouth of the shaft is 14.5 inches, which is on the wider end of the spectrum. This makes the boot accessible to a wide variety of calf sizes, and will allow you to tuck your pants into the boot, thus protecting them from any spray of mud or water. The neoprene upper portion of the shaft is flexible without sacrificing weather protection. When submerged in water, the neoprene remained completely waterproof up to the bottom of the handles.

Comfort

The Bogs Neo-Classic boots come with a contoured eco EVA footbed that has gel cushioning, and we found this to be quite wonderful to walk on. It provides just enough cushion to make your feet happy, even when standing and walking in these boots all day. The neoprene shaft is quite flexible, which makes it feel soft on the legs, even when worn without socks (though we wouldn't recommend actually wearing any rain boots without socks for fear of sweat forming blisters and hot spots). The durable lower portion of the boot is fairly stiff, which provides ample protection from rocks, debris, or anything you might stub your toe on while working in a rugged environment.

While the boots have excellent cushion for your feet, they are slightly lacking in arch support. However, this was true for all the rain boots we tested, so if you have high arches that require support, we might suggest trying them on before committing to a size, in case you need to add arch support.

We were pleasantly surprised by the weight of these boots, as most boots with this much durability can be heavy. The Bogs Neo-Classics weigh in at 3.3 lb in a size 8, which is fairly light for such a rugged boot. This made walking longer distances in them much more pleasant. The boots also have a bit of extra material at the achilles, just above your heel. This helps keep your heel from slipping up in the boot as you walk, which we found helpful.

Traction

The traction of the Neo-Classics is well above average for a rain boot. We felt confident on snow, ice, mud, slick river rocks, and on slippery hills. There are big ridges in the soles that grip in snow particularly well. We put in many miles in these boots, on a wide variety of terrain, and barely saw any wear and tear in the soles.

The one difficult thing about having such a rugged boot with such a thick sole is that you often can't feel the ground at all beneath the boot. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing, as it allows your feet to be protected from rocks and sticks, but it can also make it more difficult to feel the ground, and thus you might lose your balance. We found the soles of these boots to be tough enough that our feet felt protected, but sensitive enough that we were confident we wouldn't lose our balance. You truly get the best of both worlds.

Warmth

With 5mm of Neo-Tech waterproof insulation, these boots are extremely warm. Bogs claims the boots keep you comfortable down to -58 degrees F. Though we were not able to test them in temperatures that low, we did test them in rain, blizzards, on icy trails, and in cold alpine lakes in the winter. We can say with utmost confidence that these boots will keep you warm in any environment you might encounter (well, maybe not while climbing Everest or walking to the South Pole - but you get the idea!).

The downside to the high warmth factor of these boots is that you might actually get too hot. We don't recommend wearing these boots in temperatures much higher than 40 degrees F, as your feet will probably start to sweat, and nobody likes sweaty feet. But if you live in a cold climate or find yourself slogging through snowstorms on a regular basis, the Bogs Neo-Classics are a solid option.

Style

Style is such a subjective metric, we have a tough time coming up with repeatable and dependable ways to test it. We base a lot of our style points on personal opinions, but also spend a significant amount of time seeking out other people's views on the product. When it came to the Bogs Neo-Classics, we did not give them a very high style score. The boots are big, clunky-looking, and pretty boring. They also aren't very versatile, as they don't pair great with dresses and more business-type outfits.

All that being said, there definitely exists a category of boots where style is not something you need to consider - and these boots might be in that category! These boots put function over fashion, and when it comes to function, they perform extremely well. So, if you are looking for a boot that functions exactly as advertised, but might not be what you select for a date night, then these will be perfect.

Should You Buy the Bogs Neo-Classics Tall?

While these boots come with a hefty price tag, we think they are well worth the purchase. In our experience, they are durable and dependable, and will last long enough to make it worth your money. If you live or work in a cold climate, these boots will be perfect. However, if you spend most of your time in warmer temperatures, these probably aren't the right rain boots for you.

What Other Rain Boots Should You Consider?

We also really loved the Muck Boot Arctic Sport II Mid as a good winter crossover rain boot. It has many similar qualities to the Bogs Neo-Classic, but without the handles.