Best snow-shoeing boots?

thanks for that guys..

IMO, Andy has it correct about needing to size up. Medium wt. socks should be marginal at best for most folks at the temps he mentioned. Snug fit might be making it worse by reducing blood flow. I sized up two sizes and replaced the insole with a 1/4" wool felt insole. Good firm CCF might also work well. There is room for very thick socks or two pair of medium socks. I am considering getting a pair just one side up for less cold conditions. I like VBL socks to keep body moisture out of the shoe and have gotten used to the clammy feel of those next to my skin. Many other people prefer to use a light liner between skin and VBL … I'm confident that works OK also. Regarding icing … even with the VBL preventing moisture from the inside I get icing in the shoe uppers from snow working its way into the mesh fabric of trail runners. That is not much of an issue for a day trip or maybe even an overnight but it does happen beyond that duration. My theory about that is it's due to body heat being enough to melt snow that makes contact with the shoe and the moisture soaks in. A complete waterproof shoe cover (not just gaiters) solves that problem. Gortex lines shoes do not … moisture can accumulate in the fabric outside the gortex. Will Reitveid's articles about light wt winter footwear (available here on BPL) give the same message. Forty Below TR's would fill that need, NEOS overshoes also. A few years ago I saw some MYOG nylon boot covers at a NOLS presentation on winter camping … those folks have decades of long term winter camping experience. The thought that a goretex lining adds warmth has merit … which is why I avoid gortex except for weather cold enough to work with a VBL or wet conditions near freezing. Anything warmer than that and me feet get too warm.