A Brief History Of The Design Of Snow Boots Through The Centuries

The modern snow boot has evolved a lot since they was first developed over 5000 years ago

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The earliest proof of their use was found on an ancient iceman that archaeologists discovered in 1991 in the Alps. He was considered to be no less than 5000 years old and was found to be wearing an early type of snow boot, crafted with wide bearskin soles to keep the feet warm and dry while distributing his weight across a larger area of snow.

Extra protection inside the boot comprised soft grass which surrounded the toes to keep out the cold and retain body warmth, while the uppers were made using tree bark and deer pelts, the most effective insulators in that area in those days.

Much the same method was chosen by Native American people from the Stone Age who also wore a combination of soft grass and animal pelts, incorporating other animal hide that they also used for the remainder of their clothes as well. The introduction of decoration such as beads gives us a clue as to just how crucial these tribes thought these shoes were to them.

Of course, it is well documented how effectively these ancient tribes worked out the efficient protection offered by animal furs and even today, natural fur is considered to be more efficient than similar man-made fibres, although its popularity is now reducing for ecological reasons.

It also looks like soft, lightweight and warm fur-lined snow boots produced from moose hide, seal skin and reindeer pelts were used by Alaskan and Canadian natives. Known as mukluks, this is a name that continues to the present day. However, back then their durable and lightweight construction made them appealing to hunters who needed to be nimble and fast on their feet if they wished to catch their prey.

These days, many types of men and women's snow boots are made from faux fur to keep the feet warm and include thick soles to improve grip in icy conditions. Leather and suede are also popular materials and mass-produced products such as nylon provide a high level of water resistance and insulation too.

Both the contemporary and traditional styles are nearly always calf-length or higher to operate in deep snow and a popular modern addition is a pull-cord or elasticated top to keep the foot dry.

As the public become more and more fashion conscious, styles have changed to keep pace with the most popular crazes and a number of items of footwear that are now called snow boots can be equally correctly described as fashion boots, offering comparatively minimal resistance to water.

by: Charlotte Rowe

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