I wore a similar Doc Marten shoe years ago, and decided to get a new pair. When researching, I really liked the classic 8053 design (might even be the same design I wore before). Then, I noticed this SNOW version... water resistant, special sole designed for traction in snow and ice, and an added interior lining, and so I thought, these seem like good improvements for only a few bucks more in price. But I couldn't find many reviews...so I am sharing my feedback! First - right to the point - these seem to be really nicely made shoes. I've now owned these shoes for a week - it has been snowing, wet, and cold outside. I've worn them every day, so I feel I have a good baseline experience. 1) Fit - I ordered my standard size - and these fit perfectly. Not too big, not too small. No real need for break-in either, and I'm sure they will only wear better the longer I own them. Very happy. 2) Comfort - Very comfortable! I really enjoy the shoe, and feel it has a comfortable padding and just a little bit of arch support. No, it's not an athletic shoe, but you shouldn’t expect them to be like that kind of shoe, but for this type of shoe, I am very happy. Note that these shoes, by design, are a little heavier than your normal shoe. I don't find this to be an issue, nor really noticeable when I wear them, but I felt you should know. (All Doc Marten shoes are this way). Frankly, the weight is a key part of the design, helping keep you grounded, so I wouldn't change a thing. 3) Looks - This is subjective, but I'll share my 2 cents. See the picture - that's what you get. In my opinion, these shoes have a good look when worn with jeans or pants in the winter. Dressier than athletic shoes, for sure, but still casual and comfortable. I need to note that the brown leather is exactly as shown in the pictures. That is, because this is the SNOW version, they use a water-resistant version of their leather upper, it's a solid, dark brown color. While the 'normal' version of the 8053 Doc Marten Shoe comes in a lighter brown leather with what I would almost call a 'patina' to it, this brown is not the same. It's darker, and again, solid. I just wanted to share this because I wasn't sure if the pictures were accurate. They are. That said, it's a nice look. I'd prefer the 'traditional' brown leather look, but I understand that this color is part of the decision to get the weatherproofing. SNOW version differences - Okay, so this is what you need to know - again, per the shoe description, there are three different 'upgrades', to the SNOW version of this shoe. I will review each in detail: 1) Water resistant upper leather - So again, the leather is a darker, solid color. This works great because, if you ever see brown leather shoes when they are wet, they turn a darker shade of brown. These shoes don't do that, because, hey, they are already darker! As far as actual water protection goes, while I have not waded through a creek or anything, I have been in rain and show and my feet have stayed dry and warm! Also, after getting wet, once they dry again, there is literally zero change in the color or look of the leather so far. So I think the water resistant feature seems to be working as designed. Happy with this! Shoe traction - It's clear when looking at the bottom of this shoe what Doc Marten did - the tread pattern is different, and the bottom sides of the tread use a slightly different rubber with some 'sipes' on them that is designed to help in cold and snowy conditions. (It's actually very similar to automotive tire design, if you want to research that). Anyway, bottom line, it works! I have experienced zero traction issues walking in snow and ice... zero. How much better are they better than Docs without this feature, I can't say, but I CAN say that they seem to do the job as designed. Interior Lining - I was worried about this, because I didn't know how thick the lining would be. Would it be too warm, fuzzy, etc. Never fear, the interior lining is actually quite thin, just enough to add a layer of winter protection, and help keep your feet warm, but not so much that it changes the wearing experience. You wouldn't know it had a lining when wearing them, except perhaps, they are a little bit softer and a little bit warmer than normal Docs. And in my opinion, that's perfect! Conclusion: So, if you want to go mountain climbing, this isn't that shoe. What this shoe is, however, is a slightly upgraded version of the traditional Doc Martens 8053 shoe design, with changes made for those who will be wearing them in cold winter weather. For me, these will be winter shoes, worn from October to April every year. Where I live, we have snow and ice most of the winter, therefore it's a clear decision for me to choose the SNOW version of this shoe. Now if you don't live in a snowy climate, this is not the shoe for you, but then again, you probably are not shopping the SNOW version of this shoe anyway. Overall highly recommended!
