It may be the first day of spring, but winter isn’t over yet. There’s still snow in the forecast. There are plenty of muddy, wet days in store for the near future, so don’t even think about stashing your snow boots in the back of your gear closet just yet. In fact, it’s actually the perfect time to upgrade your winter footwear and get ready for next season. The closing of winter is historically an excellent time to find top-of-the-line winter gear at a discounted price — like Helly Hansen’s tried and trusted, stylish Framheim boots. I brought home my first pair of Framheim’s just in time for winter to kick off in Colorado earlier this season. Unfortunately, I brought them home to a snowless yard in a state experiencing a super mild winter. Not much has changed between then and now, but one thing is for certain: regardless of how much snow or ice is on the ground, these boots perform.
MSRP: $150 (comes in both women’s-specific and men’s sizing)
Pros: Warmth. These babies are warm. It doesn’t even matter if your winter sock game isn’t up to par, the Framheim’s will keep your feet nice and toasty, even when the temperature drops below 10 degrees. The boots feature a waterproof and snow-proof leather exterior and a warm felt lining on the inside for an ultra-dry/warm one-two punch. A faux-fur top lining of these lower calf-rising boots offers an extra level of comfort and another layer of protection to keep out the snow. The Framheim’s also feature a protective vulcanized midsole, which is a fancy way of explaining their durability. The layers that make up the sole of the boot are glued together, which helps keep them on the lighter side, and points on the midsole that are prone to heavy wear are given an extra layer of protection to give the boots a longer life cycle. The boots also feature a seam-sealed design to protect all potential wear points, making these boots a good investment for more winters to come. An outsole composed of a combination of Helly Hansen’s HellyGrip Rubber and HellyWear Rubber provides a pretty decent grip, but will still be tested on those super slippery rough patches of ice. The Framheim’s also include a removable EVA cushiony footbed in the sole, which provides a level of comfort that you will definitely notice after a long day in these boots. Bottom line: if you’re in the market for a durable pair of hardworking boots for everyday use — you should definitely give these boots a look.
Cons: Multiple Framheim owners will tell you that these boots are a little tight around the tongue and can be tough to get on — and that’s true. When all cinched up, the area of the boot around the tongue can feel very stiff, which makes it a little more difficult to put on and slightly uncomfortable to walk in, especially over thick socks. But this con will shake out and break in with use.
Where We Took It: Anywhere and everywhere I could find snow in Colorado this season.
