Doc Martens have become extremely popular shoes in recent years as they are good quality, they look awesome, and they come in lots of different designs and colors.
As Doc Martens are very easy to pair with lots of different outfits, people want to wear them all year round, but can you?
Finding footwear to wear in the snow can be challenging as you want your feet to be warm, comfortable, and look great! As Doc Martens are strong and sturdy, can they survive in icy weather?
You don’t want your feet to suffer, but you also do not want to damage your Doc Martens as this can ruin their quality, so can they be worn in the snow?
This article will explain if Doc Martens can be worn in the snow and if they are the best choice of footwear to wear to keep you warm and comfortable. You can find out more below!
Are Doc Martens Good For Keeping Your Feet Warm?
One of the most important things to look out for when you are choosing shoes to wear in the snow is whether or not they will keep your feet warm.
If the shoes do not keep your feet warm, you will be extremely uncomfortable when you are walking in the snow, even if it is for a short distance.
As well as not being well insulated, the main problems arise when the leather gets wet. As the leather is thin, it is not waterproof and will become saturated.
When the leather becomes saturated with water from the snow, it can seep through the leather and cause your socks to become wet.
Your socks will then become drenched with cold water, and as the leather will not keep your feet warm, they will be wet and cold for the rest of the day as they will not have a chance to dry.
Your feet can become very cold and uncomfortable from wearing Doc Martens in the snow, but the quality of your boots can also become affected.
When the leather becomes saturated, it can crack and become broken and weak, which affects the overall quality of the boots. This will affect how the boots look and their quality.
Are Any Doc Martens Suitable To Wear In The Snow?
If you are set on wanting to wear your Doc Marten boots in the snow and the rain, you need to make sure that they do not become damaged.
You need to be wearing waterproof Doc Martens to make sure that the leather and your feet are protected from the icy water. These boots are also insulated to keep your feet warm in the snow so your feet will not be cold.
The insulation will not keep your feet warm in extreme temperatures, so you still need to make sure that you are wearing thick socks to keep your feet comfortable and warm.
The waterproof protection inside the boots will stop any water from the snow from leaking into your boots and affecting your feet.
Why Are Socks Important?
Socks are important to wear in Doc Martens as you want your feet to be warm and comfortable.
Not wearing socks with Doc Martens increases your chances of developing blisters, so wearing socks is the most comfortable option to keep your feet warm and relaxed inside your boots.
If you decide to wear your Doc Martens in the snow and you do not wear socks, your feet will become extremely cold.
As the leather is not waterproof, the water will leak through the leather and will cause your feet to become very cold and uncomfortable. Even if your Doc Martens are waterproof, your feet will still be cold from not wearing socks.
Wearing socks is important, but the type of socks that you wear will determine how comfortable you will be when wearing the boots.
Thick socks will keep your feet warm and comfortable inside the boots, whereas thin socks will increase your risk of developing blisters and your feet will not be as warm.
Can Tights Keep Your Feet Warm In Doc Martens?
If you want to wear tights with Doc Martens, it is recommended that you also wear a pair of thick socks with them.
This will help to increase the warmth inside of your boots in the snow and to make sure that your feet do not become uncomfortable from the cold.
You should even wear socks with a thick pair of tights as they will not be insulated enough on their own.
Tights are very thin, so you are at an increased risk of suffering from blisters when you wear Doc Martens without socks.
When you are in the snow, you want to make sure that you are as comfortable as possible as you do not want to have to take your shoes off to adjust your feet as this will make your feet colder.
Avoiding blisters is key and can be done by wearing thick socks.
Are The Soles Of Doc Martens Suitable To Wear In The Snow?
The soles of Doc Martens are very good in the snow, but the problem is when the soles come into contact with ice.
Although the soles are decent to wear in the snow, they are not the best shoe to wear, as there are shoes that are specially designed to be worn in the snow to increase your grip and stability on the slippery surface.
The sole of Doc Martens is very soft, so they are very well designed to be worn on wet concrete to increase your grip and to prevent you from slipping.
However, the soft soles do not offer you a lot of support on icy surfaces. As the lugs are not very prominent on the soles, you are more at risk of slipping as the material is too lightweight.
Does The Thickness Of The Sole Help?
As the soles of Doc Martens are very thick, people often believe that they keep your feet protected from the snow as your feet will not come into contact with it.
If there is only a light dusting of snow outside, the thick soles will protect your feet, so they will be suitable to wear as they can grip the concrete.
If the snow is thick, the soles will not be high enough to keep you away from the snow as it will be too deep.
Although the soles are thick, they will not be thick enough to keep you away from the snow if it is too deep, which will cause the snow to leak through your Doc Martens and affect your feet.
Are Doc Martens Better To Wear In Snow Or Cold Weather?
Doc Martens are much more suitable to wear in cold weather compared to in deep snow, but they can be worn in lighter snow if the soles are not too thin.
They are great for wearing in cold weather when the surfaces are wet and you need extra grip, but this does not mean that they have been designed to wear in the snow.
In the cold weather, wearing trainers or canvas shoes cannot keep your feet warm nor can they help to keep you stable on wet surfaces.
This is where Doc Martens are suitable as they can keep your feet insulated and they can increase your grip on slippery surfaces.
Can You Waterproof Your Doc Martens Yourself?
There are waterproof sprays available to use on your Doc Martens that can help to keep them in good condition in the rain and the snow.
Although this spray may seem like a good idea for keeping your boots in good condition, it is important to understand that the pores of the leather can become clogged when they are sprayed with waterproof spray.
When the pores become clogged, this puts the material at more risk of cracking. When the leather starts to crack, there is not much that you can do to reverse this, so you want to avoid adding anything onto the leather that could damage it.
Although a waterproof spray will form a protective barrier over your boots to stop water from getting inside, it is up to you if you want to use it or not.
The leather can become cracked, but it will also be waterproof. It isn’t recommended that you use it, but you can decide what you want to use on your boots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Socks Should You Wear With Doc Martens?
Doc Martens are notorious for hurting when you first wear them, so it is important to wear thick socks to make your feet comfortable.
Thick woolen socks are advised to wear to keep your feet warm and to prevent your shoes from causing blisters. Having thick socks will help you to notice a difference in warmth and comfort.
Wearing thick socks does not mean that you can wear your non-waterproof Doc Martens in thick snow as the socks will become wet, which will cause your feet to become very cold.
Only wear thick socks in the cold weather or light snow as they will keep your feet warm and will prevent your boots from hurting.
Do Doc Marten Soles Have A Good Grip?
Doc Marten soles do have a good grip, but they are not designed to be worn on icy surfaces.
The soles are very lightweight, so they cannot provide you with good stability on the icy or in deep snow, which is one of the reasons why they should not be worn in the snow as there are more suitable shoes on the market.
The soles of Doc Martens are designed to be worn on wet surfaces as they increase your grip, but this does not mean ice or deep snow.
You are more at risk of slipping if you wear Doc Martens on ice, so you must have more suitable footwear if you are coming into contact with ice.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, you can wear Doc Martens in the snow, but they are not the most recommended shoe to wear in these weather conditions.
The leather is thin, so it is not ideal for keeping your feet warm, they are not waterproof, and the grip on the soles is not made for icy conditions as they cannot keep you stable and balanced.
There are waterproof Doc Martens available that can keep your feet warm, but Doc Martens are still only suitable to wear in light snow or cold weather.
They are not suitable to wear in extreme snow as your feet can become very wet and cold, which will not be comfortable for you, and many other boots have been designed to be worn in the snow.
You can make your Doc Martens waterproof by using a waterproof spray, but this is not recommended as it can cause the pores to clog and the leather to crack.
When the leather cracks, you cannot do anything about it, so you need to be careful.
You can wear Doc Martens in light snow or in cold weather with thick socks to keep your feet warm, but it is advised to keep them out of deep snow as they are unsuitable.
Hi there, I'm June Pais, and I’ve been living in London for twelve amazing years. I first made the big move right after university for an internship with a top accounting firm. Honestly, I wasn't one to fuss over fashion back then—I was all about comfy sweats, hoodies, and the occasional pair of jeans.
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