What Is the History on Snow Boots?

Snow boots are heavier than winter boots and are fashioned to keep feet warm and dry in heavy snow and wet weather. Snow boots in various forms are as old as snow and they come in as many varieties as snowflakes.

Snow Boots are 53 Centuries Old

1. Archaeologists calculate that Otzi, the iceman that hikers found in 1991 in the Alps between Austria and Italy, is at least 53 centuries old. He was wearing a primitive version of snow boots which were waterproof and wide with bearskin soles. The top panels were made of deer hide and the netting made of tree bark. He had stuffed soft grass around the foot and in the shoe and the grass worked like modern socks.

Native Americans Made Snow Boots

2. Like Otzi, Stone Age people made their boots from animal hides and lined them with grass to keep their feet warm. As the years and the snow continued, Native Americans of North America perfected the art of making snow boots. Native American tribes including Cree, Ojibiwa, and Sioux used the same natural skins and furs that they used to make their clothing to design fur snow boots with unique bead patterns and colors.
Ballet Dancers Wear Mukluks
3. Canadian and Alaskan natives including the Inuit and Yupik crafted snow boots of moose hide, seal skin or reindeer skin which they called mukluks. Today any soft boot designed for cold weather is called a mukluk and modern designs often resemble high top athletic shoes.

From Slippers to Snow Boots

4. The evolution of snow boats kept pace with the evolution of the United States. The worlds of the outdoors, sports, business, and the public arena opened up for women when they graduated from slippers to snow boots.

Ugg Boots Are Ugly But Useful

5. Ug is Australian slang for ugly, and UGG Boots are a popular snow boot originating in Australia that are sturdy and durable for outdoor wear. Soft Australian Merino sheepskins give the boots a snug and warm winter fit, and they are cool and dry in the summer. Pilots wore fleece lined FUGs--flying Uggs--boots to keep their feet warm during World War I, and in the 1930s Australian sheep farmers wore Uggs to keep warm and dry in the fields. In the 1960s Australian surfers started wearing Ugg boots to keep their feet warm after wave riding, and modern Australians wear Ugg boots inside during the winter.

Oprah Owns UGGs

6. An American company called UGG Australia also manufactures Ugg boots and they are popular with ordinary people and celebrities like Oprah and Paris Hilton. Modern snow boots come in as many shapes, sizes, and features as the people who wear them. They feature waterproof seams, sealed uppers, moisture proof lining, faux fur collars, and state of the art insulation and rubber.

Snow Boots