The US happens to be one of the few countries lucky enough to have four seasons, and winter is fun for those that know how to deal with it.
Winter means no school, playing in the snow, and Christmas season to most people, especially kids.
Snow is cold, and you need to dress correctly before going out into it lest you get sick or freeze. There is a lot of footwear to choose from, and because of their appearance, Doc Martens will come up in your list of options. Let us see if it is possible to use these shoes in the snow;
Can You Wear Doc Martens In The Snow?
Yes, you can use Doc martens in the snow, but they might get slippery on ice, so you have to watch your step. The leather is thin, and it often holds water which will be bad news for you when the snow melts around the boots. When using it, make sure you put on thick wool socks and treat them with a waterproof shoe product.
How To Choose Shoes For Winter
Have you ever got a pair of shoes that are awesome during spring or summer but then they are awful in the winter? This change is a common problem, and most people have issues picking shoes for winter, so here is a guide that will make it easier on you;
1. Fit
It is always important to get shoes that fit. These days you can get shapes online, but you need to be considerate since your feet have different needs during winter. Your body’s blood circulation changes in the colder months.
The body pushes the blood into the more essential organs like the kidneys, liver, and heart, which means that hands and feet get less blood than usual hence they are colder.
The reduced temperatures reduce what you can feel in the feet; thus, your comfort differs in the same shoes.
This change implies that your shoe size could change in winter compared to the summer months. When purchasing shoes, go to a shoe store and get your shoes fitted by a trained expert. The shoe fitters will ensure you get shoes that meet your needs and are comfortable for you.
Your feet get bigger at the end of each day, so that is the best time to try on new shoes; if they are comfortable in the evening, they should work perfectly throughout the day.
2. Function
When talking to a shoe fitter, make sure you tell them precisely what you plan to use the new shoes for. A good shoe fitter will then assess what style will be best for you.
You should consider four broad shoe types: motion control, neutral, supportive, and minimalist. It is crucial to have the right shoe for the proper purpose; the shoe you use to exercise will have a different design from the one you use to walk in the snow.
In winter, you need shoes with insulation features to protect your feet from cold and wet conditions.
You could get warm shoes to use indoors even if they aren’t waterproof, but if you need to go outside, it will be a different type of shoe.
3. Feel
Research shows that fewer accidents and injuries occur with shoes that feel comfortable. Feel is crucial; comfort is a big part of choosing shoes for any season. Here are some tips you should follow to ensure you get the best feel from your shoes;
- Try the shoes on at the end of the day since your feet get bigger. A comfortable feel at the end of the day means that your shoe will be comfortable throughout the day.
- Try at least four different brands or styles to get how they feel against your foot and to see which sizes are the best for you in each brand.
- Walk around in each pair you try on for about 5 minutes to experience using the shoes entirely. If you wear thick socks, make sure you try the shoes on while wearing thick socks, so you get the best feel.
- When trying out shoes, don’t assume that they will feel comfy after some time; shoes should be immediately comfortable; if not, look for a different pair.
4. Features
Some shoes will last longer, some will be more flexible, some will be lighter, and some will be stronger.
The most important thing is to get appropriate shoes for your needs by their combination of features.
For winter shoes, you need to make sure they are waterproof. When water gets into your shoes, it will freeze since the weather is cold, which could severely hurt your feet if it is not corrected quickly.
The size of the sole and material of the shoe’s inner lining is also significant based on what you want to use it for.
A winter shoe must have the additional grip to hold onto the ice in pavements and roads, making it easier to walk.
Additionally, thick cushioning should be inside the shoe to keep your foot warm. Remember, your foot is naturally colder than the rest of the body, so it needs additional warmth to prevent it from freezing.
The Science Of Snow Driving
To understand snow driving, we need to understand a tire’s grip and grip; we need to understand G-forces. A G force is a measurement of acceleration, and at any point, there is one G pulling you down, the earth’s gravity.
You can think of this similarly with your tires which have a grip circle so that in any one direction, it has about 1 G of grip. So in a dry scenario, you can experience 1 G of acceleration without the car sliding.
When it rains, and the ground is wet, the traction circle will reduce, and the grip you have is about 0.7 G.
When driving in the snow, this circle reduces further, and you may only have about 0.3 g, and when you drive on ice, it is about0.15 g of grip.
The traction shows you how much you will maintain grip as you accelerate, stop, or turn; the car begins to slide if you go outside the traction circle. You could be driving at 30 mph; then, you slam the brakes.
It would be about 30 feet before you stop; on snow, this would be about 100 feet, and on ice, the distance goes to almost 200 feet. If you double the speed, it will take four times the space for you to stop.
The same concept applies to turning; if you need to make a turn with a 30-foot radius, you can do it at 21mph on a dry road and 18mph on a wet road, but you would need to slow down to 8 mph when driving on ice.
Now that we know how grip works in winter, you need to drive better. The first thing you need to do if you know you will drive in the winter is get winter tires since they will give you more traction on the snow and ice.
This means you will have better acceleration, braking, turning, and overall car control, which all comes down to the traction circle.
If not winter tires, you can get snow chains and put them on your regular tires, so you get an additional grip.
It would help if you also were smooth and slow when driving in the winter. Ease into the throttle and brakes and lightly turn your steering wheel.
You don’t want to have quick, sharp inputs since it will mess up the car’s balance, and you will lose grip with the tires. You will need to drive slower since the conditions allow for that.
You also need to give more space between you and the car you are driving behind. Often you will have around 4 seconds ahead; in snow, you might want to have about 8 or 10 seconds, so you have plenty of time to stop or dodge should anything happen in front of you.
If you are driving in deep snow, you have to keep momentum; don’t allow your car to come to a complete stop unless you have to.
Chances are you will get your vehicle stuck since it won’t have enough grip to hold onto the snow around it and move.
Conclusion
You can wear Doc martens in snow since they are mostly waterproof, and the leather is well insulated to keep your feet warm.
It is crucial to treat the shoes and wear thick socks to maintain the feet temperature even when the shoes get cold.
Winter is brutal, but it can also be fun if you know your way around. Select the right pair of shoes, put on warm outfits, and you should be okay. It would help if you took extra precautions while driving in the winter since the handling is much worse, and accidents are more likely to happen.
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