McLEAN, VA — From sleek, suede snow clogs to tall, fuzzy boots, the options for your feet when it’s cold and snowy have increased exponentially, according to SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the national, not-for-profit trade association that represents snow sports manufacturers. What once was designed only to be practical is still practical–more than ever, in fact. Thanks to new technology, it’s lighter, warmer and safer. And now boots and other winter footwear can frequently be seen leading the fashion parade.

And many of the newest styles have soul, er, sole. Ever since Bill Bowerman used a waffle iron to make the first running shoes, designers have been tinkering with the bottoms of shoes to make them perform better. Treads that would make your snow tires envious grace the bottoms of many winter footwear offerings, making them the only way to get around on foot when city sidewalks freeze or for tramping around snowy playgrounds.

No longer bulky and heavy, new styles utilize high-tech fabrics for waterproofing and warmth. Thinsulate and Gore-Tex compliment more traditional materials such as shearling and waterproof leather to make the range of winter footwear a broad one. From simply looking good on the street and snuggling into apres ski, to winter hiking and snowshoeing, there is something for every person and every purpose.

"High performance technology is now translated to everyday winter shoes," explains Jenny Lamott, footwear category manager for Salomon North America. "With our new winter footwear, we’ve addressed motion fit and comfort needs so that the cold-weather athlete can spend hours in their boots during any activity without the bulk and weight traditionally associated with winter boots."

Winter Footwear Highlights for 2002-03

Salomon: For the coming season, Salomon offers two new boots: the Snow Trek, which offers maximum thermal protection, addresses essential performance needs, and adds top comfort and fit technologies for winter warriors and enthusiasts alike; and the Gage, a recreational boot focused on comfort and warmth with added progressive style accents.

The Snow Trek borrows technology from Salomon’s snowboard and mountaineering boots. An autofit removable inner bootie with Thinsulate, which is also found in Salomon’s snowboard boots and the ProThermic technical ice climbing boots, keeps feet warm and toasty in frosty weather, while a molded custom fit ensures ultimate comfort, warmth and performance. The internal wingsole and lacing system allows the bootie and shell to perform as an integrated system, providing a snug fit without overexertion. A SealTech waterproof coating offers an ultra- lightweight and low profile waterproofing system that mimics a rubber shell without the weight or stiffness. The Snow Trek comes fully equipped with Salomon’s advanced chassis technology, a three-layer sole system tuned specifically to terrain and activity needs. A memo-strap, internal lacing system and molded custom fit also ensure optimal fit.

For winter 2002-03, Salomon also introduces a new grip technology to address specific powder and ice issues. Polar Grip, found in the Snow Trek, is designed for maximum bite on soft snow and features large surface area lugs, which provide optimal grip on hard snow and ice, ensuring solid footing in even the most slippery circumstances.

The new Gage is a midcut, cozy boot perfect for trudging around in powder or kicking back after snow activities. A waterproof brushed leather upper, SealTech coating and microfleece lining offer severe weather protection and warmth, while a one-pull low profile Kevlar lacing system and lightweight drop-in PU midsole provide a sure and comfortable fit. The Gage’s new tech-casual design fits easily into any winter playground environment.

Other winter footwear in the fall/winter 2002 collection include: the Snowbow GTX, a high-end recreational boot for everyday use; and the Snowdog, which offers winter boot technology at an affordable price.

Merrell: For winter 2002-03, Merrell builds upon the success of its inventive, growth-oriented line, Aftersport, with the launch of three new series and is also expanding its core categories, Winter Hiking and Multi-Sport. In addition, Junior/Infant sizes are new for the kids’ collection, along with a selection of popular adult styles.

In the Aftersport collection, Merrell offers the World, Duet and Primo. The World group is a casual men’s line with an interesting likeness of the globe on the sole and uppers that are designed to appeal to the younger consumer. The Duet series is designed to appeal to a younger female audience and features Merrell’s unique minimalist sole constructed of two completely separate "pods." The Primo group is a faster women’s category with boldly stitched seams and athletic profiles.

In addition to the three new series, Merrell will offer new selections to its men’s and women’s Topo lines and introduce the Orbit Moc, an updated version of the highly successfully Winter Moc. Heel counter accents have been added to the platform, utilizing Merrell’s proprietary Reflex sole.

For winter hiking, Merrell offers the new Winterra, a waterproof winter hiking boot with a Vibram sole and a combination of Polartec 200 and Thinsulate 400 insulation surrounded by a waterproof bootie rated to -20° F. The Ice Rider, in the Multi-Sport category, is an insulated, higher-cut winter boot with wide-ranging capabilities.

In the Junior/Infants collection, patterns now include Jungle Mocs and the Sprint Blast. In Kids’/Youth, Merrell adds the Orbit Moc, the World, the Duet, the Primo and the Topo in boys and girls styles.

The North Face: The Chilkats Series is The North Face’s newest winter offering. Four styles are designed to meet everyday winter needs, constructed with the same technical precision but topped with unique closure systems. The men’s and women’s Chilkats are a lace-up style boot that offers rust proof hardware and a locking hook to secure laces in place, and also includes a D-ring gaiter attachment. The Chilkats Strap incorporates a snowboard inspired quick release strap system for easy on and off, as well as the D-ring gaiter attachment. The Chilkats Pull-Up offers an easy fit with elastic gore panels for easy entry and proper performance. Complimenting the Pull-Up is the women’s Chilkats Zip featuring a full front locking zipper.

The entire Chilkats Series is constructed with double seam-sealed waterproof full grain or nubuck leather uppers, injection molded waterproof TPU shell with reinforced heel and toe box regions and forefoot flex. 200g Thinsulate insulation lines the entire boot ensuring maximum warmth and comfort in conditions to —25^o F/-32^o C. The dual density footbed with X-2 cushioning inserts in the forefoot and heel offers optimal cushioning, comfort and energy return. A contoured, injection molded shank plate offers torsional stability while reducing cold temperature conductivity. The multi-directional TNF Winter Grip rubber outsole with self-cleaning lugs makes the Chilkats boots slip-proof and completely reliable for all winter conditions.

The North Face also introduces the Women’s Nali Clog, a European-style open-back clog with an aggressive Trail Grip outsole and boiled wool upper; a clog alternative called Snake Eyes, a slip-on which uses a running shoe last; and for trail running, the men’s and women’s Ultra 100 GTX, an ultra marathon shoe with winter gaiter compatibility. It comes with the Winter Gaiter GTX, made of stretch Gore-Tex to easily converts the waterproof trail runner to a mid-height all-weather running shoe.

Burton/Gravis: A division of Gravis' FW 02 shoe line is comprised of three distinct sections: Sport Casual, unique sport-inspired styles that meet the many needs of day-to-day life; Street Inspired, shoes that blend fashion and urban styling, resulting in forward-thinking footwear styles; and Slides, a full range of sandals perfect for any season. Gravis' hallmarks of "Comfort & Fit, Function & Traction and Quality & Detailing" remain the foundation of all Gravis products.

Some new styles include Fade, Premiere and Cue SE, all part of the Street Inspired section. The Fade is a men's specific style that features a breathable/water-resistant leather upper, stretch lace loops for easy on/off function, perforated tongue and side panels for increased breathability, an EVA midsole for added cushioning, a directional tread pattern with heel and toe catch, leather lining and Gravis' proprietary Perimeter Support Footbed.

The Premiere is essentially the men's version of the extremely popular women's style, the Prima. This low-cut shoe features a breathable/water-resistant leather upper and moisture-wicking lining, perforated side panels for added breathability, EVA midsole for added cushioning, low profile partially-cupped rubber outsole, Gravis' Perimeter Support Footbed and men's specific sizing and lasting.

The Cue SE is a re-vamped version of Gravis' signature style, the Cue. The Cue SE is a special edition of the original slip-on pioneer, the Cue, and features a water-resistant leather upper, easy on/off design, completely perforated upper for maximum style and breathability, superlight EVA midsole cushioning, a directional tread pattern with heel and toe catch, Gravis' proprietary Perimeter Support Footbed, a moisture-wicking lining and men’s and women’s specific sizing and lasting.

Regina Imports: At the other end of the spectrum, Regina Imports offers a large selection of fur boots, including mink, fox, rabbit, goat and shearling in both low and high styles. The newest boots are calfskin, according to company owner Susan Blate. "It’s a very flat fur and looks very stylish," she said. In addition, Regina has a wide assortment of winter boots for men, women, children and babies, all from Italy. There is "a very colorful line of nylon," as well as leather–some of it 100-percent waterproof — and fur, with styles suitable for city streets as well as slopeside.

The junior styles are also colorful and have lots of high-tech details, Blate said. Many have Velcro or zipper closures to make them easier for youngsters to get into. This year, Regina has expanded its shearling offerings for babies to include mittens, hats and booties. There are also hats, mittens and slippers in shearling for juniors as well as hats for adults.

Ugg: Shearling is the name of the game for Ugg. The Australian import started as a favorite with surfers, expanded to the apres-ski market and is now doing year-round footwear, according to marketing manager Todd Bohanna. For next year, the Aspen collection features "utility-luxury" shoes. The Town collection has expanded and includes the Carmel, which builds on the success of last year’s Colvang clog. The Brooks Tall boot is a combination riding-walking-Harley leisure boot for the fashion-forward person, Bohanna said.

Kamik: Kamik is another company that has recognized the appeal of shearling in winter footwear. Its Wild & Wooly collection combines performance, protection and comfort. Kamik combines outdoor performance features like a durable trail running bottom for cushioning and traction, supple leather uppers and soft, natural wool linings to handle the outdoor elements.

For men and women, Wild & Wooly is shearling-lined, easy on/easy off and "ready-to-wear." While it is ideal for pre- and après-ski wear, it is also practical for a variety of other outdoor activities and casual-wear times. Kamik uses flexible waterproof suede leather or smooth leather for the uppers. Then waterproof construction is employed to seam-seal all stitching points, making the boots completely waterproof. The uppers are built on Kamik Ground Control underfoot performance–four layers of material underfoot that act to give stability, comforting shock-absorption and lasting abrasion resistance. For winter 2002-03, there are six different styles in a panorama of muted suede leather colors. Two styles feature smooth leather uppers.

Baffin: Canadians know something about what to wear on the feet during the winter weather. For winter 2002-03, Ontario-based Baffin is launching an ultra-light series of technical winter boots for women. The fully waterproof boot comes in six versions and includes Baffin's renowned removable inner-boot system for moisture management, comfort and warmth. It is available in a range of heights and colors.

Also new is the Avantgarde series for kids. These lightweight and versatile winter boots feature a fully waterproof rubber base along with a newly designed outsole with offset traction lugs for exceptional grip. Models include Baffin’s removable three-component, felt liner system. Functional designs are combined with material choices including insulated nylon with 7oz wadding, Titanium Propex and waterproof El Dorado leather to offer protection from wind, water and other forces of winter.

Kodiak: Kodiak is another Canadian company with a long history. A brand leader in the outdoor and safety footwear business, the company enjoys a successful history dating back to 1912. Its new offering of winter footwear targets apres ski, recreational sports (winter hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling) and urban footwear. Footwear made in Canada, the U.S. and overseas will complement a complete and exclusive color, design, and warmth technology program. Men’s, women's and children's boots comprise the 40 style program.

Airwalk: Airwalk is best known for its snowboard boots and skate shoes. For winter 2002-03, it introduces two new apres-snow styles. Both are fleece-lined and are constructed with snowboarding boot outsoles for maximum grip. The Steamboat, a women-specific style, is a fleece-lined lace-up available in two colorways. The second is the slip-on fleece-lined "Fluffy," also available in two colorways.

Nike ACG: For fall/winter 2002-03, Nike ACG expands the Oregon series. Partnerships with industry stalwarts Gore-Tex and Vibram continue to bring Nike ACG footwear to new levels of protection, durability and performance. The multi-functional hybrid concept addresses the trail-to-bouldering zones. Building off the success of the Nike ACG Air Shasta and the Air Trigo, ACG builds off Nike's athletic DNA with a bevy of light hikers. The new boot line addresses everything from waterproof protection to retro-inspired silhouettes.

Nike ACG's well-received Oregon series is rounded out this season with the addition of a trail runner and an all-weather light hiker. Blending Nike's running heritage with ACG's outdoor insight, the Air Thielsen is a logical high-performance addition to the Oregon boots. Gore-Tex in the Air Wallowa Mid brings industry leading waterproof breathability to the light hiker world.

Nike ACG's Athletic Trail line boasts lightweight outdoor footwear injected with an athletic attitude. The Air Trigo, last season's heralded versatile, athletic outdoor shoe, makes a comeback in its praised original form, as well as in an updated silhouette. The Air Teewinot is a shocking newcomer that blends a light hiker with a climbing shoe to allow outdoor athletes to jump from the trail to a bouldering rock with a quick adjustment.

Garmont: From hiking to trail running, Garmont offers versatile, adventure footwear for multiple activities. For "Nordic walking" the lightweight R2 Oteri is recommended. It has a Vibram outersole with split grain leather uppers and a nylon-mesh lining. The cool looking R2 Kiowa is an attractive sand/yellow seude boot with similar features. Bot h models are water resistant. Garmont also offers the Hut Clog and Hut Loafer for casual winter use.

Lowa: Lowa offers seven new Gore-Tex models for winter 2002-03. The boots are intended for multi-use activities, like wet-weather walking and hiking, snowshoeing or apres-snow activities. The Laser GTX and Stomper GTX snow boots are designed to keep the snow out and the warmth in while snowshoeing or winter walking. The Laser GTX and Stomper GTX snow boots are constructed of water-repellent split leather teamed with Cordura nylon inserts. They are both lightweight and warm, and feature Gore-Tex waterproof liners, as well as Thinsulate insulation in the footbed. Lowa’s lightweight PU winter sole unit with a special snow tread offers reliable traction and stable grip in snow. The Stomper GTX is a pull-on boot with a Velcro closure strap, while the Laser GTX is slightly lower with a lace-and-eyelet closure. Ideal for snowshoeing and winter walking, both models will be available in men’s- and women’s-lasted sizes.

Tecnica: This Italian manufacturer knows how to make stylish boots when it comes to snow! Tecnica continues to define the pinnacle of après-ski boot styling with many new designs for winter 2002-03. The new models span all five categories: Moonboots, Life-Leather, Life Waterproof, Style, Trend Fur and Trend Suede. Materials include traditional Apres Fur to high-tech waterproof applications. A new Geko sole provides anti-slip protection in some new models.

Highlights include the Outwalk series in the Life-Waterproof collection. Contemporary styling and waterproof materials comprise this unique offering. Tecnica launches three new fur boots in the Style collection to complement the perennial Skandia offering. The Narvik, Kirke and Kiruna are full-fur boots providing posh style and excellent warmth.

In the Trend Category, boots are offered in both fur and suede. New models include the Lulea, Kemi and Arvika –all available in fur and suede versions. The new models in the Trend category incorporate the new Geko anti-slip outsole.

***SIA***

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is the national, not-for-profit, member-owned trade association that represents snow and winter sports outdoor companies. SIA produces the SIA SnowSports Show, the largest trade show and gathering place for the snow sports industry. Proceeds from the SnowSports Show fund market development programs for all snow sport disciplines. SIA also annually produces more than a dozen industry research studies. For more information, check out www.snowlink.com. SnowSports Industries America, 8377-B Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA 22102-3587. Phone: (703) 556-9020, Fax: (703) 821-8276, Email: siamail@snowsports.org.

— Posted by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Staff