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Sorel Glacier boots
Double boots for Arctic expeditions
Arctic Alaska, north shore in winter
Arctic expeditions, sled-hauling
$100-120 US
Double boots (sometimes called "pac boots") for extreme cold. Not for mountaineering, as they are too loose for use with crampons.
Sorel glacier boots, showing (from L to R) insulating footpad, insulating inner boot, insulating footpad #2, shell boot, Nike Skylon running shoe to show scale
When I first went to Iceland's Vatnajokull ice cap in Winter 2000 I tried crossing it, basically, as a mountaineer. I simply adapted all my winter-climibing gear and clothing to the ice cap environment. It didn't work; Lowa Denali double boots were great for ice climbs but were insanely painful, cold, and ineffective for day after day of sled-hauling. I didn't learn, though, and it wasn't till 2004 that I switched from mountaineering plastic boots to 'pac boots' for hauling sleds. Don't know where the term 'pac boots' comes from, but they work. Oh, how they work.
Sorel double (pac) boots are the best I've worn. In Iceland, where temperatures were relatively warm (rarely dropping below -10F), I wore the Bear model, rated to -40F. I normally wear a very simple foot system of a polypro liner sock, then a plastic bag (e.g. a shopping bag) as a vapor barrier liner, then a heavy wool sock, and with this system in Iceland my feet were normally fine in the Bear model..but still, inexplicably, on some days my toes were cold, even though it didn't approach the -40F temperature the boot is rated for. I have no idea how Sorel rates the boots. Still, it's clear the Glacier, rated to -100F, feels warmer than the Bear model. On Alaska's north shore last February, where ambient temperatures dropped into the -40's (F) the Glaciers kept me warm every day. Now, some mornings, i woke with feet colder than on others, and on some of these -40F days, my toes were a little chilly. That's OK. That's OK! Considering the environment I was in, and the mysteries still to be unraveled about human physiology, being a little chilly on occasion is a reasonable price of admission for the wonders of experiencing the Arctic in winter.
If you pair these boots with a decent sock system (as I've just described) and the PolarWrap/ToastyFeet footbeds I've also reviewed here on SummitJournal, you're going to be OK in Arctic Alaska in winter. That's saying something.
It's important to remember that I wore these boots outside all day, every day; there was no nipping inside for a warm-up. Still, they kept me warm. They're also comfortable; in fact probably the most comfortable outdoor footwear I've ever worn. The inner boot is very soft, and it sits on a thick pad, making the boots evern more comfortable. The Bear model's inner boot heel seams both blew out after about 100 miles of wear, but this hasn't happened with the Glacier's inner boots, which are a little more durable. For $100, this is a killer deal to keep your feet warm in deep cold environments. It'll take a lot to convince me to try a different manufacturer.
Before going to Alaska I sewed a white Tyvek cover on my Glaciers (snow camoflauge, to give me a little edge over polar bears...hey, I tried everything!), and these lasted about 20 of the 30 days. In the las 10 the boots took no heavy damage and still look relatively new. When I go back in December I'll see how they fare without the covers. They're well-constructed and I feel they'll hold up just fine. If you're going to the cold, and don't need to wear crampons (pac boots are too soft for them, but work well with snowshoes and some ski bindings), you'd be smart to pick Sorel Glaciers.