J
jmaurelius
December 17, 2012
Excellent for what they're made for
First off, kudos to Amazon Fulfillment Services! I ordered these boots 5 days ago. The projected delivery window was for sometime over the next 5 days starting tomorrow. They arrived this morning, a day early. That was with the Free Shipping option yet. This is the second time in a row that Amazon beat their own delivery projections. Terrific service! Maybe they're advocates of the business maxim: Under-promise and over-deliver.As to the boots themselves. A couple of points on earlier reviews: As a caveat, I haven't worn them in severe weather yet but our forecast is for about 10" of snow this week so they'll get a workout. I purchased them, as others have, as convenient, quick slip-ons for brief outdoor duty like snow shoveling, walking to the store in miserable winter weather (here in Wisconsin), etc. Apparently, this is the kind of use they're designed for, not for mountain climbing, jogging, or extended indoor wear. As such, they appear to be perfect for the task.Size: I normally wear 11 1/2 - 12 shoe. I ordered size 13 boot. Fits perfect with normal, not insulated, socks. As noted below, they come with a thin removable insole which I left in. As others stated, given their likely usage, if you did have them a size too big it might be a virtue since they'd accommodate a thicker insulated insole thus providing even greater warmth along with a better fit.Insulation: The interior of the boot is lightly padded and lined with a thin, soft, fleece-type material. Very comfortable and warm. Included in the boot is a removable Thermolite insole. It's quite thin, maybe 1/8" with a fabric surface similar to the rest of the boot's interior. A tag says the boot is rated to -10ºF "under normal activity", however you might define that.Feel: Heavy-duty with a very stiff sole. These things appear very rugged with deeply cleated, thick, heavy rubber soles. They do not bend like a regular shoe. They are a bit stiff. I don't have a problem with that since I don't plan to jog in them. Seems more a testimony to their durability than a liability. I used to work on a farm. Seems like they'd be ideal there. As to one reviewer's comment that they could feel "the rocks on the base of my feet", I actually walked on some rocks to check them out. Well, yes, you could feel that you were walking on rocks no differently than you would in any other boot. The feel was not uncomfortable or even mildly irritating. The rocks were less noticeable than they would be in street shoes. Certainly less so than in athletic trainers, tennis shoes, etc. I'd say the feel is about comparable to a hiking boot, if you're familiar with those. Felt like I could walk on rocks all day and it wouldn't be a problem.Bottom line: These boots seem designed for a very specific use: occasional, easy-on, easy-off, relatively short-term wear in cold, wet, snowy, sloshy, messy outdoor conditions. As such, they seem perfectly designed. Given that, and the fact that I had priced similar options at 2x-3x the price of these Northside's, I'd say they're a terrific value. I'd purchase them again.Lastly, I am curious to see how the soles grip on ice or slippery surfaces. Soon as I find out, I'll append to this review.
✔ Verified Purchase
Good value
Bought as quick slip on shoes for taking the dog outside.PROS: seem well made and rugged, waterproof lower half, soft on the inside and fit as would be expected. I wear a 9 1/2 so got these in a 10 so they could slip on and off easily - mission accomplished.CONS: They are pretty stiff so not sure how ling I could wear them if walking or working outside. Again, luckily for me these are just for quick trips outside with the dog. Also, the lining on the bottom inside of the shoe was loose from the start. So it practically comes out every time I take them off. Will have to consider gluing them in place otherwise it will probably get annoying.Overall a good value for the purpose they are intended. If you want more of a walking boot or work boot I'd look elsewhere, but for quick slip on yet warm and rugged...these are good.UPDATE 10/12...went on a campout this weekend with the kids at a YMCA camp and threw these into the back of the truck just to have something easy to slip on in the middle of the night. I ended up wearing them most all of the weekend, and we did A LOT of walking. No serious hiking and they still don't fit snug enough or have the support for anything like that, but I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they were. The first few times I wore them around the house they seemed way too stiff, but they broke in quickly. They run big (had to wear two pairs of socks for them not to slip off) so take that into consideration when ordering.
✔ Verified Purchase
Quality shoes and supplier that goes the extra mile.
The shoes arrived on time from the supplier. This supplier is someone that you can trust. Love the shoes, perfect fit. Thank you for going the extra mile in getting the shoes shipped during your transition from one warehouse to your new one.
✔ Verified Purchase
Great winter slip-on or camp shoe.
I bought the Northside Men's Dawson Winter Shoe to use as a camp shoe for fall and winter camping. While at deer camp this year I was frustrated at having to put on and lace up my boots every time I needed to make a quick trip from the cabin to the truck or go outside to check something. When I returned home, I saw these shoes advertised for Black Friday sale from a local outfitter. Since the store sold out, I decided to buy from Amazon.The weather was cold and icy and there were times when I went outside in my slippers and almost fell. I really needed a slip-on shoe with a rugged sole that could handle ice and snow. If I wore boots without lacing them up, I ended up tripping on the laces or damaging the laces while snagging them. I just received these shoes yesterday and tried them out. I am satisfied that these shoes make walking on ice an easy chore. No risk of slipping or getting my feet soaked.The size runs true. I don't know why so many reviewers said these shoes run small. I would have chosen size 12.5 but for this type of winter shoe, better to go a half size up instead of down. The size 13 gives me plenty of room for the extra thick wool socks that I like to wear in winter.Cons: The shoes are a bit bulky and not so streamlined. They feel a bit clumsy when I first put them on but the practicality of this shoe is outweighed by that minor fashion faux pas. I quickly adjusted to the feel and I really like them. I noticed that even when I put the shoes on the wrong foot, they are still surprisingly wearable. If in the middle of the night I accidentally put the left shoe on the right foot and vice versa, I won't need to take the time to switch the shoes and I can just forge ahead with whatever I need to do.The shoes are warm, stable and well constructed. They are not bad looking at all and the finger loops are a bonus. I have seen nearly identical shoes under a different brand selling for three times the price I paid for these. These shoes are a great value and a great addition to my camp gear.
✔ Verified Purchase
