Most testing took place in Colorado, California, and Montana. These states aren't known to produce the greatest rainfall, but have ample waterways and places to measure the rigor of rain boots. From mountain landscapes to farmsteads to canyon country, these contenders became a part of daily life, walking the dogs, yard chores, taking out the trash, slogging through snow storms, and spending ample time walking in rivers and lakes. Through rain, snow, and creek-splashing, we tested in town, at the grocery store, in the desert, at the office, in the mountains, through rivers, and, of course, in the garden and nearby farms.
We started with the objective measurements, documented onto a single spreadsheet, such as all technical height and weight specs, materials used, and even manufacturer claims. We also read hundreds of customer reviews from top online retailers for more insight into what to look for and expect with each pair. We noted any odd smells, defects, or unique features each pair of boots displayed. We then took the boots into the field.
Each boot was worn on a roughly one mile hike, which helped determine traction, comfort, and durability ratings. We then performed a waterproof test - because what good is a rain boot, if it doesn't keep your feet dry? Unfortunately, not all the boots passed this test. We also performed a more quantitative warmth test, which involved an ice bucket, qualitative style tests, and generally kept track of how often we actually wanted to wear each pair of boots. The ones we found ourselves constantly reaching for, were generally the ones which ranked the highest.
Weather Protection
We took our boots one by one, through walkabouts in the snow, on wet pavement, up hills, and into rivers and creeks, noting how shaft height and circumference influenced our experience. To test waterproofing, we dipped each boot in water up to its flood height, and paid close attention to the inside of the boot. Any drops of water seeping in, and the boot has failed the waterproofing test. Unfortunately, we had two pairs fail this test fairly quickly. For a long-term waterproofing test, we headed to the lake and stood in the water for a LONG time. This test also helped us analyze any unique features, like nylon gussets or neoprene uppers, and ensure they were also waterproof. This test was also helpful with judging how warm and insulated the boots are, as the test was conducted in the fall, when the lake water was fairly chilly.
Comfort and Fit
We tried each pair of boots out of the box to see if they felt true to size, considering whether fit was adequate with thin socks as a baseline. Then, we began to wear them out and about, and on select days, we wore them all day no matter the errands or tasks. We even wore them while watching movies and driving. We paid attention to heel lift, hot spots, and the ease of stepping into and out of each boot. We wore boots barefoot and with thick socks in a range of temperatures. Lastly, we paid attention to the weight of the boots and whether they felt cumbersome to carry, move about in, or store at home, in the car, or a bag. We scored each factor (i.e. all-day wear, fit, and mobility), then calculated the average to conclude with an overall comfort score.
Traction
For this metric, we scored performance based on how each boot did in snowy/icy conditions, in a river environment, on dry/wet surfaces, and on a wet grassy or muddy incline. Purposefully trying to find points of slippage without risking injury was exciting, but we tried our best to be as consistent as possible. We also encountered a variety of flat surfaces such as gravel, rock slab, dirt, mellow hiking trails, and, of course, the urban asphalt, concrete, and linoleum tile or plastic playground slide. We scored the performance for each type of environment and then used the average as the basis for how each boot ranked in this category.
Warmth
For warmth, performance was scored on how well the boots kept our feet comfortable in the snow and river and throughout warmer temps of 50-80F. We also noticed if the boots made our feet sweaty after a day of wear, particularly during the warmer temperatures. For another test, we stood in a bucket of ice water for several minutes, and noted how quickly our feet seemed to feel the cold. In the snow, we critiqued insulation quality. While most boots are not designed for true winter conditions, we took advantage of the cold temperatures to see if we could find more differences between the pairs.
Wearability
A big factor in the wearability metric is how stylish the boot is. Thus, wearability is certainly the most subjective metric. We ranked each boot on its overall design, appeal, and versatility across our wardrobes. We asked ourselves what we felt the purpose of each design was. We took note of any added features and accessories to critique whether stylistic choices compromised the integrity of what the boot was fundamentally made for. Lastly, we paid attention to comments from friends and strangers and, of course, online review comments.
Durability
The most obvious way we test durability of a rain boot is simply by wearing it a lot. Some of these boots were part of our testing lineup last year, and thus have been worn by our lead tester for over a full year. For the newer models, we wore them on hikes, walked on loose talus, wore them to the climbing crag, slogged through muddy trails, and generally put as much use into them as we could, before evaluating their durability. Any cracks in the seams were noted, as well as scuffs, markings, or worn-down soles. Changes in the boot's performance over time is a big indicator of durability. Hopefully, a boot remains waterproof for at least the first full year of use. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and we make note of it when it happens.
In general, we found that the price of the boot positively correlated with how durable the boot was. We know that this isn't always the case when purchasing shoes, but in our tests, we found that to be true.
Conclusion
We try our best to be as meticulous and consistent as possible. As the years go by, we add and remove boots from our testing group, which is why our note-taking is critical to maintaining accurate comparisons. It's also great to see how things change over time. Nonetheless, we strive to bring you careful and genuine testimony of what these rain boots are all about.