The North Face Chilkat V 400 Review

The Chilkat V 400 performed well in every one of our testing metrics compared to other top-rated winter boots. They achieved this by blending the attributes of Pac and winter hiking boots by providing warmth and weather resistance while also delivering a comfortable fit with grippy soles.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Chilkat V 400 kept us warm on most cold winter days by using synthetic insulation to seal in heat and a high shaft to keep cold air from entering the boot. The sole is relatively thick and effectively insulates the feet from the frozen ground. It does all of this in a remarkably light package, providing the best warmth-to-weight ratio in our test by far.

Other boots may be warmer, but considering that the Chilkat is sleek and low-profile, has a moderate shaft height, and is a comfortable fit, we are impressed by the warmth these boots deliver. If you live in the coldest winter climates, you may experience a day or two that overpowers these boots, but they are plenty warm for most users. They are also much less expensive than other boots that provide just a bit more warmth.

Weather Protection

The Chilkat V 400 has great weather protection for all but the most brutal winter storms and the deepest snow. A rubber shell around the foot and a waterproof upper, lined with a proprietary membrane, keeps water out of the boot up to the tongue seam, which sits at 7 inches. We can't remember the last time we stepped in a puddle deeper than seven inches in the wintertime, but our testers did make sure to wear their pants over their boots when walking in deep snow to keep the powder from making its way inside.

Other boots in our review have higher cuffs and tongues to allow deeper submersion into water without filling up the boot. If you frequently find yourself in deep snow or deep water, like during stream crossings when snowshoeing, hiking, and hunting, you might need a boot with a higher shaft. For the winter conditions that most users will face, these boots provide plenty of weather protection and water resistance. During our submersion testing, they did not allow any water into the boot's interior until we went over the seven-inch mark.

Comfort and Fit

The Chilkat is extremely comfortable with a fleece lining that is soft against socked or bare feet, and the insulation compacts gently to cradle your paws in comfort. The fit is spot-on for those with narrow to average feet, and the boots are true to size in length. Most other Pac boots have a wide and roomy forefoot that makes the fit feel loose and sloppy. The Chilkat has a narrower toe box that fits more like a hiking boot and doesn't feel clunky and awkward.

The fit of these boots feels like a mix between a large Pac boot and a snug hiking boot. The calf section is flexible to allow for plenty of comfort on long walks, and the foot feels supported by the footbed despite plenty of insulation in the vicinity. Our testers reached for this boot day after day in the winter, largely because of how comfortable and well-fitting it is. It truly offers comfort that rivals some of the best hiking boots we've reviewed.

Traction

The Chilkat V 400 has an aggressive lug design that is more akin to a hiking boot than a Pac boot. The lugs aren't deep, but they are sharp and angular, with plenty of room between lugs to absorb rough objects on the trail. The rubber is softer for a solid grip on cold surfaces and doesn't get hard after prolonged time outside. A brake pad at the heel with multiple straight and angular lugs can also grab ground irregularities in a last-ditch effort to prevent a slip from becoming a fall.

These boots handled every condition we threw at them, from steep dirt trails thinly covered with a dusting of snow to deep powder in the driveway to firmly packed snow in parking lots. We trust these boots with our knees on the snowiest and most slippery days.

Quality of Construction

We are impressed by the construction quality of the Chilkat after all of our testing. A rubber shell around the foot and a thick leather upper with a strong nylon tongue are assembled with tight stitching. Large-diameter threads with redundant stitching ensure the panels stay sewn together even if a couple of threads are cut. We also like the metal eyelets that the thick laces are threaded through and are happy to see there is no plastic to become brittle and break.

Our experience tells us that this boot's soft synthetic insulation and lining will pack down over time, making them even more comfortable and contoured to the user's foot shape. However, this will also slightly decrease the insulation's warming power and ability to fend off the cold. We have also seen similar padded footbeds and heel cups develop holes from wear as heels are slammed into the boot and pulled out forcefully over and over, but this is only speculation based on experience.

Should You Buy The North Face Chilkat V 400?

The Chilkat V 400 is a high-performance boot that delivers excellent comfort, great warmth, and plenty of weather protection at a great price. It also has excellent traction and is built to last, making it the total package for a winter boot. Certain users will want a boot that excels in a specific performance metric for use in niche tasks, but this is the best choice if you want one winter boot to do it all. These boots also cost less than most of the competition, which is great news for consumers looking for a new quality pair. They are comfortable and durable and truly a well-rounded option. There are warmer boots to be had, but more warmth and protection generally cost a lot more, and these are more than adequate for the typical user. No other boot in our lineup performed as well across the board at such an attractive price, the hallmark balance of true value. This makes our job easy, as we can recommend these boots to users on a budget and those who are willing to pay any amount to get the best boots. They are a great value.

What Other Winter Boots Should You Consider?

If you won't be doing activities and prioritize winter chores over hobbies, the Muck Boot Arctic Sport Mid is the better choice. With a waterproof design and rubber shell, it can get mucky with the best of them while keeping you warm enough. If your temperatures will be below zero with a high number of hours in the cold, the Baffin Impact might be the better option for sheer warmth even though it lacks the precision and smaller size required for driving and other activities. If you hope to hike or the snow won't be deep, the budget-friendly Merrell Thermo Chill Mid is worth looking at. While it isn't a good chore boot, it is the better hiking or walking option with great comfort and weather resistance.