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A good pair of winter running shoes will ensure that you can continue running and stay cozy during the colder months of the year. Depending on how the climate pans out in your area, you may be able to get away with just wearing your usual trainers, or maybe you'll have to go with a trail shoe, or in some places you'll have to go with a winter specific running shoe. Let's go over all the different kinds of winter running shoe options that you have, and what climates they are best suited for. I'll also give you some pointers on how to get your running shoes really winterized for the cold season. In some places, it is perfectly fine to go running in regular running shoes during the winter. If it's cold outside but there is no snow or ice on the ground, getting a more rugged running shoe is not necessary although helpful. All that is needed generally is a thicker pair of running socks such as Thor-lo or Smartwool and you're good to go. Just make sure they are large enough to take the extra volume of your thicker socks. Element proof socks made by Sealskinz and Seirus work superbly at keeping your feet warm and protected. Additionally, you may want to get an insole that make your shoes really cozy, like the wintergreen model offered by Superfeet. For more inclement climates such as when the temperature is at or zeroing in on freezing, a trail shoe is always a better choice as a winter running shoe. It will have a more aggressive rubber tread to help you keep your feet just in case you come across something like a patch of snow, sludge, or black ice. Trail shoes feature either a mostly synthetic leather or close-weave mesh upper to keep your feet warmer and protect them from the elements better than a street shoe can. Click here to read my article, which features in depth information on trail running shoes, and my top trail running shoe picks. For extreme winter conditions, such as when it is actually snowing, stormy weather, when the ground is packed high with snow, or when having to run over frozen ponds, specialized winter running shoes are ideal. They have even more aggressive rubber treads than a regular trail running shoe. Specialized lugs will shed ice more easily to keep the traction of the shoe performing at its highest. Winter runners will almost always have sticky rubber on the outsole, so when it gets wet it becomes sticky to enhance the shoes overall grip. Most importantly, they will have places to screw on metal spikes to give you maximum traction. Most of them come with an element proof membrane lining the inside wall of the shoe. Alternatively, the manufacturers of these shoes will throw in a pair of special covers, called Gaiters, that you wrap around the shoe to get the same effect. This keeps out things such as snow, rain, wind, and all the other things mother nature often throws at you during the winter season. It also helps keep your feet warm by insulating them.
I've provided a list of some good winter
running shoes below. Whenever possible, I add the following
notations where appropriate to help you get your ideal fit, along with
some additional notes highlighting each of the shoe's best
features.
Stability
Neutral
Other Running Shoe Links
Helpful Links
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