How to Pick Appropriate Winter Footwear

In the northern climes we have to think about what we stick on our feet when we brave the snow, ice, sleet and rain. Gone are the days of the ugly buckle-up galoshes we were stuck wearing as we trudged to school and home again. High tech and a few simple rules can help keep your feet warm and avoid an uncomfortable walk or even a painful, dangerous fall.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Make sure your footwear fits properly. It's no fun to be slogging through snow or mud only to have one of your shoes get sucked right off your foot!

2. Smooth, slick soles are out! Wear shoes with rubber treads on the soles, the thicker the better. Waffle-stomping hiking boots are made that way for a reason. They grab the ground.

3. Slushy, icy and slippery weather should be an automatic no-heels day. Carry a small bag for your office heels and wear another, more appropriate pair of shoes for navigating the wintry terrain.

4. An alternative to Number 3: keep one or two pairs of dress shoes or heels at the office. Use one of those drawers that usually fill up with unused and unread papers. Then wear appropriate boots or shoes as you trek to and from work.

5. Ever watch the mountaineers make their way up snow-covered mountain sides with crampons that grip the snow and ice? Well, check out products like Yaktrax, which can be easily clamped to the bottoms of your shoes to give you better traction during the winter. They're sort of like putting chains on your car tires.

6. If you're going to be outside for any length of time, make sure your feet stay warm. Footwear should be water proof and at least ankle-high for extended stays outside. There's nothing worse than frozen toes.