Bundle Up: 10 Must-Have Winter Sneakers
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By Stadium Goods |Bundle Up: 10 Must-Have Winter Sneakers
Don’t get caught slipping through the cold and icy months without winterized footwear.
Matt DeSciora
There’s a time and place for everything, including sneakers. Just as you wouldn’t wear your heartiest boots in the summer, you shouldn’t get caught slipping, literally and figuratively, in rain, sleek, and snow in less than ideal footwear in the winter. It’s best to preserve your “grail” sneakers, and keep your feet as warm and dry as possible when winter really rears its ugly head in the months to come, with a winterized sneaker.
What’s a winterized shoe? It’s a shoe as rugged and beefed-up as it sounds. An alternative to your favorite sneaker, but with dialed-in design modifications for extreme weather conditions. For example, a winterized shoe may have a water-resistant Gore-Tex membrane that provides a barrier between your foot, the sneaker and, you know, water. It may even have a lugged sole with ample tread, and quilted panels that keep things toasty. All the necessary components of a sneaker you should be wearing to ensure you make it from Point A to Point B in a timely manner without incident.
Below you’ll find some of our favorite winter-ready sneakers, the kinds of no-nonsense footwear you should absolutely be wearing, depending on where you live, from now until… Memorial Day.
The latest entrant to the Air Jordan “Winterized” collection is the Air Jordan 14 “Winterized,” a rugged number that replaces the original leather design with a vacuum-molded, water-resistant suede upper in a very trendy brown colorway.
New Balance 2002R Gore-Tex “Tobacco”
Another casual shoe with a boot-inspired look that’ll stand up to crummy weather is the New Balance 2002R Gore-Tex “Tobacco.” As suggested by its name, the shoe features a water-resistant membrane Gore-Tex that keeps water at bay. It also features a brown-and-tan color scheme that’s eerily reminiscent of a certain classic work boots that is a winter footwear staple. Shop all Gore-Tex infused footwear and apparel HERE.
Air Jordan 4 Winterized “Loyal Blue”
A doppelganger to Eminem’s rare Air Jordan 4 “Encore” colorway, the Jordan 4 Winterized “Loyal Blue” basically looks like the rapper’s version of the retro basketball shoe, except you can actually get away with wearing it in the crappiest weather without anxiety.
Women’s Air Jordan 6 Gore-Tex “Brown Kelp”
Who says you can’t wear Jordans in harsh weather conditions? Some of the most iconic Jordan models are being released with a water-resistant Gore-Tex finish, as exemplified by the Women’s Air Jordan 6 Gore-Tex “Brown Kelp.” So, yes, it’s totally possible to wear a pair of Jays in the rain, sleet, and light snow, and not worry about your feet getting cold and soggy while doing so.
Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 610 “Lil Desert”
Joe Freshgoods’ home city of Chicago isn’t exactly known for its hiking trails, but that didn’t stop the talented sneaker designer from using the great outdoors as the inspiration for his New Balance 610 “‘Lil Desert.” The rugged-looking colorway features a Gore-Tex construction and a Vibram lugged sole that provides traction on the trail—and in slippery city streets, too. Also available in an “Orange/Green” colorway.
Air Jordan 1 High OG Element “Gore-Tex - Black”
With as many different Air Jordan 1 variations as there are, curiously missing until recently was a version of retro basketball shoe you could wear in inclement weather. The Air Jordan 1 Element “Gore-Tex - Black” fills the void. Its weatherproofed Gore-Tex membrane keeps water from penetrating inside the shoe, and its textile perforated toe and mid-panel assist in retaining warmth.
Air Jordan 8 Winterized “Gunsmoke”
Cold weather has nothing on the Air Jordan 8 Winterized “Gunsmoke.” The sneaker’s water-resistant suede and synthetic build outside and a fleece lining inside is specifically designed to keep the worst of winter weather at bay. What’s more, the “Gunsmoke’s” black-and-grey color scheme is super versatile, which means you’re even likely to reach for this tank of a shoe when harsh winter weather is beginning to calm down.
Women’s Nike Dunk High LX “Toasty”
Several design updates made specifically for winter underpin the Women’s Nike Dunk High LX “Toasty.” More specifically, as its name suggests, the “Toasty” keeps your feet warm despite Mother Nature’s premonition for delivering arctic blasts with a quilted textile upper made from 20% recycled content by weight.
The Air Jordan 9 has always had a boot-like quality to it, so much so that Nike originally released the vintage basketball shoe in an “Olive” colorway in 1994 that placated the construction boot trend of the era. The Jordan 9 Boot, however, is decidedly not a shoe for hooping, but for when $#!^ goes sideways weather wise, with its water-resistant coated upper, metal eyelets, gusseted tongue, and rubber sole with beefy tread.
When you’re not forced to be outside this winter, the most warm and comfortable footwear you want to be wearing at home is a pair of Uggs. From the Tasman to the Tazz, and the Classic Ultra Mini and even the Tazzlita, too, Stadium Goods is your one-stop shop for these cozy styles from the Australian footwear company.