These can replace a pair of hiking boots in the winter, no problem. I carried a full pack for a couple days in the mid-20s, stomping through puddles, sheets of trail ice and slush without a hitch. The traction on ice wasn't like studs, but there was a little grab that made the wet ice feel more like walking on spilled pudding more than ice. Garmont achieves this feat by mixing fiberglass with the rubber in the sole compound as it's formed. I have no idea how this makes any difference, but it does.
I also noticed some of the lugs are stiffer than others in the pattern. This keeps the deep lugged sole from robbing the power from your step. Most deep-lugged soles are squishy and can leave you feeling like you're walking on astroturf. Sure, it's a pleasant, soft feeling, but after a few miles you really start wondering how efficient it is.
The Gore-Tex lining keeps the water out quite well. The boots passed the 5 minute dunk test and the leather upper didn't seem to absorb much water in the process. In the real world, the boots breathed to a point. But, with 600 grams of Thinsulate insulation and that fleecy inner boot lining, there was a lot of heat going on after a day of walking. My socks weren't soaked, but they were damp enough to warrant hanging them by the fire to dry. Regardless, my feet were never cold. So, the Gore-Tex was able to release enough moisture to keep the jungle sweats from my feet.
The boots fit my average width, average arch height well. If anything they run a tad short when worn with heavy socks. I've been using a pair of thick-ish FITS hiking socks with them and find the padding ideal. I may move to a thinner sock in warmer temps to cool things down inside the boot. But, for single-digit days, know that there's barely enough room for a heavy sock.
The boot is supportive enough to carry a pack while still offering enough flex to wear everyday. I pitched the footbeds on day one and replaced them with a pair of EZ-Fit inner soles from Masterfit. I've been using these in my Keens and Salewa hikers for about a year and they've made both feel better. They give more support and structure than the typical, flimsy, afterthought stock footbed. EZfits come a little big and you have to cut them to fit. Using the original footbed as a template made that pretty painless.
The boots are darn light for what they are. I get 50 ounces per pair on my scale. Compared to 50 ounces for a pair of Asolo Fugitives, that's not bad when you consider all the insulation, extra height and other cold thwarting mojo going on in there. You should be able to find these for just under $200. There's more info to be had on Garmont's site.
