Vegan Winter Boots Strong Enough for Rain, Slush & Show

Need some vegan fashion advice? We’ve got you covered.

This post is about “functional” boots: the ones more suited to a day out in the snow, or a trekking expedition through a slushy downtown core after it’s supposedly been ploughed. Fortunately, even with the more utilitarian vegan boots out there, a fair amount of aesthetic charm still holds sway, and the heavy-duty boots are just as attractive as the fancy ones in their own way.

A great resource for vegan shoes is Planet Shoes. While they carry an extensive array of shoes and boots in countless styles, a huge plus is that they have a splendidly large vegan section to choose from: Just type “vegan” into their search bar, and you are taken to the dedicated VEGAN section of their website! Let the happy dancing begin! There are shoes and boots for men, women and children available, in styles to suit all tastes, so be sure to check out their boot selection when you’re scouting around for both warmth and comfort this season. I’m rather fond of the Earth Lodge Vegan Boots on there, but since I already have my winter gear, I’ll just gaze adoringly at my screen and admire from afar.

VeganCuts co-founder, Jill, swears by her winter boots from Planet Shoes. Jill has the Patagonia Fiona Quilted High Women’s Boots, and in her own words: “On their second winter season they still look and feel like new. They keep my toes warm, have cushy, padded soles, and keep out any water from rain or slush.” Don’t they sound gorgeous? This is a perfect example of a good vegan winter boot that is designed to keep toes warm in crazy-cold weather, but are still beautiful to look at.

My partner and I both purchased our vegan hardcore winter boots at Payless Shoes a couple of years ago, and despite the lower price tag, they’ve endured remarkably well. For me, the test of a good winter boot is whether it keeps my feet from getting frostbitten when I’ve been dragged on a late December three-hour hike through the forests of rural Quebec… and I have to say, these boots held up far better than some others I’ve had that were twice their price or more, and I emerged from that sojourn with dry, toasty toes. The styles that my guy and I have aren’t currently carried, but they were of the Payless “Predictions” line: synthetic, with faux fur and microfibre insulation.

With all the cruelty-free boot options available online, I’ve no doubt you’ll be able to find boots to keep you warm and cozy in the depths of winter. Happy shopping!