REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Comfortable
Great performance across the board
REASONS TO AVOID
Questionable construction quality
Limited styles
Columbia Bugaboot III Review
These affordable boots nearly match the performance of the best models but without straining your wallet
The Bugaboot makes for easy transition from hiking, errands, and driving in the winter months.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
RELATED: The Best Winter Boots for Men
Our Verdict
The Columbia Bugaboot III is a solid all-around performer that nearly matches the performance of the best boots but at a lower price, earning it an award for impressive value. The first thing you'll notice when putting these boots on is their perfect fit and comfort, thanks to soft insulation and a microfleece lining. With plenty of loft throughout the boot and a thick shell material, these boots are also very warm and provide protection from water. The soles have good traction for most surface conditions and easily transition between tasks. The boot also features quality components, though we noticed one construction flaw that gives us pause. Considering their low price, the Bugaboot offers excellent value for those who need a fully-featured winter boot. Our review of winter boots for men will show you how it fares versus competing products.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Columbia Bugaboot III | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for Your Buck |  Best Overall Winter Boot |  Best Winter Hiking Boot | ||
| Price | $107.26 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $118.93 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $103.51 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $59.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $66 List $65.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | With good performance across the board, these lower priced boots deliver great value | These boots perform great across the board, earning top accolades for being so well-rounded | This boot makes winter walks comfortable and secure, but it isn't a great option for deep snow | A very comfortable boot at the most affordable price | An inexpensive option for winter errands and home use |
| Rating Categories | Columbia Bugaboot III | The North Face Chil... | Merrell Thermo Chil... | Kamik Nation Plus | Nortiv 8 Insulated |
| Warmth (25%) | |||||
| Weather Protection (25%) | |||||
| Comfort and Fit (20%) | |||||
| Traction (15%) | |||||
| Quality of Construction (15%) | |||||
| Specifications | Columbia Bugaboot III | The North Face Chil... | Merrell Thermo Chil... | Kamik Nation Plus | Nortiv 8 Insulated |
| Measured Weight | 3.43 lbs (size 11) | 3.58 lbs (size 11) | 2.74 lbs (size 13) | 4.05 lbs (size 11) | 2.92 lbs (size 11) |
| Measured Shaft Height | 7.0" | 8.0" | 7.5" | 10.0" | 4.5" |
| Maximum Puddle Depth | 7.2" | 7.2" | 6.5" | 6.25" | 5.5" |
| Fit Details | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size |
| Appropriate Activity | Hiking, town, chores, errands | Town, errands | Hiking, town | Town, chores, errands | Hiking, town |
| Lining/Insulation | 200g synthetic | 400g Heatseeker Eco | 200g M Select | 200B 3M Thinsulate | 200g Thinsulate |
| Upper Material | Waterproof leather | Waterproof leather & suede | Waterproof polyurethane-coated leather and mesh | Waterproof suede | Waterproof leather |
| Toe Box | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Outsole | Omni-Grip rubber | Surface Control rubber | Rubber | Rubber | Non slip rubber |
| Company Claimed Cold Weather Rating | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | -25 F |
| Animal Products | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sizes Available | 7 - 17 | 7 - 14 | 7 - 15 | 7 - 14 | 6.5-15 |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Columbia Bugaboot III is very comfortable to wear and provides a high level of warmth. Other than that, they don't excel above the rest of the field, but they don't come up short in any metric, either. For the price, they are definitely a winter boot that should be on your short list.
Performance Comparison
The Columbia has solid grip for hikes in the snow.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
Warmth
With plenty of high-quality synthetic insulation, these boots provide much more warmth than we expected — especially given the price. We wore these boots in frigid early-season conditions in the Colorado Rockies, and our feet never got cold. The thick rubber around the foot and burly leather upper also help keep cold snow and water from infiltrating and making your feet cold.
Historically, Pac boots with thick, removable felt liners provided the most warmth. However, winter boots are using modern synthetic insulation to create lighter, warmer footwear. This boot uses 200-gram synthetic insulation throughout the foot and shaft to keep the foot warm without adding too much weight.
A combination of warmth, weather resistantance, and comfort make this a great winter boot choice.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
Weather Protection
The Bugaboot III offers pretty good weather protection, with just over seven inches of puddle depth before water seeps in at the tongue. We did not experience any water penetration below this threshold, despite complaints of the seam between the leather and rubber being somewhat loose.
The shaft of the Bugaboot III is 7 inches high, measured from the top of the heel to the top of the boot. This height is very effective when the boot is fully laced up in dry powder snow or trekking through the woods. The shaft is also tall enough for shoveling the driveway after a snowfall, taking out the trash in driving snowstorms, driving to the ski resort on a powder day, or hitting the sledding hill on a snow day from school. These boots offer plenty of weather resistance for 90% of users and typical winter conditions that don't get too crazy.
The Bugaboot is waterproof to just over 7 inches.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
Comfort and Fit
These boots are downright comfortable, and immediately after putting on the Bugaboot III, you'll feel like you never want to wear another snow boot. The thick but soft synthetic insulation and fleece lining are contoured to envelop the foot and take up extra space. This creates a cozy feeling and prevents the foot from sliding around and causing blisters. Over time, these soft padded areas will mold to the shape of your foot and create a custom fit which is a nice perk. The boot also has a thick and padded sole, which makes it comfortable for walking long distances.
Since the boots are so comfortable, we wore them on long walks in the winter and throughout the city on errands. The foot strike of the sole has a nice heel-to-toe motion, and the cushioning handles rough terrain and rocks nicely. The flexible upper shaft allows for movement and agility but still provides support to the ankle. We were impressed with the comfort and fit of these winter boots.
The Bugaboot III lacing allows for a nice snug fit without pinching.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
Traction
The Bugaboot III has great traction, with more than enough for snowy errands around town and shoveling the driveway. The ratio of positive to negative space on the sole is nearly equal, and the lugs are sharp enough to bite into most rough surfaces. The rubber is soft and sticky enough to grab dry urban surfaces without a hitch.
We wish the tread on this boot was a little deeper, which would help performance in deep snow. That said, the tread around the edge of the sole is the sharpest, which bites into powder with no problem. We never had a problem with the tread of these boots, except in the deepest snow drifts. For most users and most conditions, these have plenty of traction to keep you feeling safe and sticky.
The Bugaboot does well on most surfaces but suffers in deeper snow.
Quality of Construction
With high-quality components, these boots promise a decent lifetime. The soft interior insulation will undoubtedly pack out at some point since they started to mold to our feet throughout our testing period. The sole features relatively soft rubber, but since they'll spend most of their life walking on snow and ice, we don't expect the soles to wear out before the leather uppers do. During the regular use, we didn't see any significant wear on the soles.
One point of weakness appears to be the seam between the rubber shell around the foot and the leather upper above it. The leather is sewn on with solid stitching, but is very stiff, and some overlapping leather sticks out over the rubber foot shell, which shows poor tailoring and production. In some places, the leather is flush, but it overlaps and sticks out in others. This material can catch on external objects and pull the stitching apart. This is the only weakness we've seen in these boots, and it could have been an anomaly of the particular pair we tested.
We noticed construction inconsistencies where the rubber meets the leather upper.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
Should You Buy the Columbia Bugaboot III?
With solid performance across the board and a lower price tag than any other high-end option, these boots are a great value and come highly recommended. Anyone who spends a lot of time in snowy and cold winter climates and wants to save some money should give these boots serious consideration. Even if budget isn't a strong consideration, the Bugaboot is a cozy, comfortable, and practical option, making it an excellent winter boot for most users.
The Bugaboot is agile and comfortable when it comes to clearing fresh snow.
Credit: Travis Reddinger
What Other Winter Boots Should You Consider?
The Bugaboot III is very similar to the best overall winter boot, The North Face Chilkat V 400, but scores just a little bit lower. That said, it all depends on where your priorities lie. The Bugaboot is more comfortable and has similar warmth, but the Chilkat offers burlier traction and weather protection. If you are enticed by the comfort of the Bugaboot and want something similarly cozy but more stylish, we love the UGG Butte for its furry lining. Finally, if you are on a super tight budget and want something even cheaper — and are willing to compromise a bit in terms of comfort — the Kamik Nation Plus is a time-tested winter boot at a great price. It's surpassed by more modern designs but is still one to consider for the budget-minded.
—Jeff Dobronyi and Travis Reddinger
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