Backside Line
With a mix of fashionable particulars and efficiency options, the Kamik Atwater redefines the capabilities of an off-the-cuff, cold-weather boot. With glorious heat and traction, we felt simply as snug in these boots round city as we had been on our neighborhood trails.
Examined in Anchorage, Alaska’s winter chilly, these had been our boots of selection when heading out in town when the temperatures plummeted. We felt snug in below-zero temperatures and used them on just a few brief hikes on Anchorage’s huge in-town path community. Ice, packed snow, and concrete all had been snug in these boots, due to their nice traction and cushioned midsole.
The Kamik Atwater is without doubt one of the most reasonably priced boots in our winter climbing boots information. This value does come on the concession of sturdiness, nonetheless. We seen threads pulling out of some seams and a few extreme creasing all through the flex factors of the boot. For the value, we discovered that these are adequate for average use on the town and in your neighborhood trails.
Fast Specs
Kamik Atwater
Trendy boot with nice traction
Value:
$119
Temperature Ranking:
Not rated
Insulation:
90g artificial
Weight (Pair):
2 lb.
Peak:
7 in
Professionals
- trendy
- heat
- snug
- traction
Cons
- low shaft
- doable long-term sturdiness points
Consolation
The Kamik Atwater is snug sufficient to put on round city all day but nonetheless supportive sufficient for native hikes and in-town trails. The lacing system is comfortable and safe, and the flat laces hold from untying. The lacing extends up the shaft of the boot to supply among the greatest ankle help for an off-the-cuff boot that we’ve seen. Even when taking them for a brief hike, the boots had been safe sufficient for hills and uneven terrain. The padded collar and moisture-wicking fleece lining are snug on the pores and skin, even with low socks.
The only real of those boots is extraordinarily versatile and lacks a lot construction. Although this makes them light-weight and versatile to stroll in, they don’t present a lot construction for climbing or more difficult terrain. These boots are most at dwelling on metropolis sidewalks and in-town trails.
Heat
When taking the Kamik Atwaters round city on a below-zero day, we liked how heat they had been. With solely ninety grams of insulation, we had been initially fearful they wouldn’t be heat sufficient however shortly realized that the insulation punches properly above its weight. We by no means skilled chilly ft throughout our checks and located these boots had been heat sufficient for brief hikes in single-digit and adverse temperatures.
Should you’re going to be in these boots in temperatures a lot beneath ten levels, we suggest pairing them with winter-weight socks. However for fast jaunts round city, these boots are nonetheless heat sufficient with a minimal sock. The fleece inside gives further heat whereas nonetheless being snug immediately on the pores and skin.
Traction
Massive triangular lugs cowl the tread of the Kamik Atwater, offering glorious traction throughout a number of surfaces. Their giant floor space is nice for sticking to clean and slippery surfaces like rocks, concrete, or ice. We clambered over ice-covered boulders, trudged up packed snow trails, and strolled metropolis streets in these, and the grip all the time felt safe. With deep areas between the lugs and sharp corners, the boots even chunk into deep, unfastened snow.
The only real, although versatile sufficient to be snug whereas strolling, lacks the construction and edging skills wanted to kick steps in steep and agency trails. They had been shortly out of their depth after we tried to kick our toes into steep, icy snow. For an informal boot that may additionally make it on the paths, we had been pleasantly shocked by the Kamik Atwater’s traction and can proceed utilizing it for outings in town on quite a lot of surfaces and textures.
Climate Resistance
Taking these boots via deep snow, puddles, and slush, we liked the Awater’s waterproof higher. The leather-based of the higher is stable sufficient to take via puddles whereas remaining supple sufficient to be snug. The shaft of the boot tightens snugly across the calf and shins, maintaining snow out. This can be a design function typically missing in different informal boots. We liked that these boots may hold our ft dry, even when trudging via sloppy snow.
The comparatively low shaft top is their greatest weak point. At seven inches, it’s taller than different informal boots we examined however lacks the peak to be as waterproof as different boots devoted to winter circumstances. We additionally seen some lack of climate resistance in excessive abrasion areas of the boots like alongside the insides as they absorbed water faster than areas that remained recent and waterproof.
Sturdiness
After utilizing the Kamik Atwater boots a number of instances for errands and brief hikes, we seen some untimely indicators of wear and tear in these boots. A number of of the seams began to develop unfastened threads, notably in locations that obtain plenty of stress like flex factors and toe creases. The leather-based rand of the boot began to point out fairly a bit of wear and tear after strolling via crusty and icy snow, and a few gaps began to develop between the rand and the only of the boot.
Though they’re sturdy sufficient for brief hikes and strolling within the metropolis, these boots lack the rugged construct high quality of others examined wanted for a lot of hours spent on the paths. Given their value, we don’t anticipate the best construct high quality in these boots. Throughout our testing, we discovered the sturdiness to be what we’d anticipate given their value level.
Ought to You Purchase the Kamik Atwater Winter Boot?
Should you’re on the lookout for a boot that’s trendy sufficient to take out in town however rugged sufficient for the outside, then the Kamik Atwater is what you’ve been looking for. These boots’ fashion makes them at dwelling at social occasions whereas their efficiency options are sufficient to take them via snow and chilly for brief hikes. At a low value level, these boots’ sturdiness will not be as excessive as others we have now examined. So whilst you won’t need to take these out climbing mountains or on epic winter expeditions, they’re versatile sufficient to work for many in-town makes use of and lightweight hikes.
What Different Males’s Winter Boots Ought to You Contemplate?
For extra males’s choices, please take a peak at our full information to the greatest winter boots.
Columbia Fairbanks Evaluation – One other informal boot with climbing efficiency, take a look at the Columbia Fairbanks for its heat, consolation, and around-town fashion.
Blundstone Thermal Evaluation – With its instantly recognizable fashion, the Blundstone Thermal is a snug and heat boot with nice climate resistance for moist days. Its iconic look and moist climate efficiency make it a flexible possibility for an in-town boot.
Merrell Nova 3 Thermo Evaluation – If consolation is your primary consideration for a boot however you need one that may nonetheless carry out on the paths, take a look at the Merrell Nova 3 Thermo. It has the consolation of a working shoe and the heat of a winter boot.