Where can I buy snow boots and ice grips?

As winter approaches and every trip outside the house gets a little colder, we all start asking ourselves: where can I go to get winter boots and clothing?

Over the last few years Campingworld.co.uk has concentrated on sourcing both the best quality and best priced snow boots available in the UK today.

Now, there are two schools of thought with snow boots, which largely dictate what boots you get and how well they are going to perfom for you when the white stuff is covering everything in sight and the nearest pint of milk is a 10 minute trudge away -

1. The  bad weather isn't going to last long and I want some cheap but practical snow boots that do the job attitude;

and the...

2. I don't care how much it costs but I do NOT want cold feet and I want the best protection money can buy attitude

Now, both are really quite valid claims but let's deal with those looking for cheap snow boots first. Now that we've had a couple of years of miserably cold weather and snow on the ground, every retailer with even a passing interest is loading up on stack-'em-high, sell-'em-cheap snow boots aimed solely at the panicked buyer or those simply left without a choice. These will be ten-a-penny and you have plenty to choose from to suit different tastes and styles. However, most of these are mass-manufactured by price-point factories and have as much chance of keeping your feet dry and warm as you would going out in your socks.

A key thing with boots - just like our tents in fact - is to look for a brand name that is established and happy to stand by the product they have designed. Many of the cheap snow boots on the market state that they are waterproof, but in reality this claim only refers to the rubber sole and they are "waterproof" only up to around 15mm up the boot which is about as much use in good old British slush as a chocolate chisel.

Another factor you have to consider is the quality of the lining - good boots will use wool or shearling as these are natural insulators that allow the foot to breathe and so minimise sweaty feet issues. Cheaper boots will use man-made fleeces which work to insulate, but don't have the comfort-factor or necessarily give you the deep insulation you would need for sustained exposure. Very high quality boots will combine natural wools with technical feature likes aluminium for even better insulation without losing the much-needed breathability to stop them filling up with perspiration.

Most of the styles of lower end boots will keep you warm and dryer than a standard pair of trainers, but not dryer than a standard pair of wellies. It should be noted that rubber is a great heat conductor though so good old fashioned wellington boots aren't the best footwear if you want to avoid frostbite in your pinkies.

Essentially you get what you pay for with snow boots and the cheaper you go, the more you will compromise on waterproofing, warmth and grip... we have carefully sourced our budget snow boots from quality suppliers and have had a number of years now to test their effectiveness in all weathers. Our best-selling volume boots are by Trespass and we have managed to set the price points low by buying in considerable bulk meaning you won't have to compromise too much on features

But needless to say, don't expect too much out of cheap snow boots

The second attitude is perhaps harder to deal with, because you get into the realms of technical features designed for apres ski - perfect for any sort of winter weather but are you paying for features you don't need?

Mid range we sell White Rock and Manbi boots, and our most advanced boots are by the designer Italian brand Olang. White Rock boots have a big claim in saying that they are fully waterproof due to a Gortex-like membrane built into the boots giving full waterproofing but also the all important breathability. They look good too.

Manbi are the UK distributor of the Olang brand so they know a thing or two about quality and they have taken this knowledge to create a range of their own. They also look good.

But it could be argued that Olang boots look the best. Fashioned by top end Italian designers and built for use on the Alpine ski resorts, these boots have been born and bred on hostile, winter environments and created to give ultimate protection to the wearers. With a range spanning from basic functionality to boots that will function in extreme conditions of minus twenty degrees, Olang have covered all the bases. There is also a range of Olang Lux boots designed for city chic and directly comparable to fashion super-brand Ugg but with added practicality.

Features you might get further up the price scale include:

OC System: the patented OC system which makes walking on ice effortless. Conveniently retracting into the sole when not needed, the OC System gives you versatile metal ice studs for maximum stability without crampons - no need to fiddle with tricky removable rubber spike devices, your boots with OC have this already integrated into the boot - look out for 'OC' in the boot name

Natural Wool Lining: as mentioned above, wool is one of the best naturally occuring insulators and as such provides the best protection for your extremeties by trapping heat and removing moisture. Most Olang boots use only the best virgin wool for their lining and the ultra-extreme styles impregnante this lining with aluminium for maximum effect.

Leather: another naturally occuring and durable, waterpoof material, leather has been used in quality footwear for centuries because of its versatile and protective qualities. Although expensive to use, leather should give you better longevity and mould to the shape of your foot with time.

Support: top end boots have been designed on quality lasts to provide exceptional ankle and calf support when you need it most. Cheaper boots use a universal shape which may not give you the support you need.

Durability: quality boots use quality materials that will last the test of time. Quality zips, draw cord, sole units, linings and upper materials all combine with attention to detail in the manufacturing process to give you a boot that lasts.

To see our full range of snow boots from great value branded boots all the way up to chic apres ski boots, please click here