Nokian Naali Winter Rubber Boots

Update: Finally got to use these! They held up just as I had expected, and better. I was strutting around in snow and freezing temperatures and my feet were comfortably warm; almost too hot at times with heightened activity. There was no perceived loss to maneuverability, nor did the boots get cumbersome with extended walking. The liners dried quickly and wicked sweat effectively. The rubber, all around, never got stiff. I'm looking forward to having these around for many years to come. So much so, that I even got a second pair. Disclaimer: These boots just arrived. I have not yet had a chance to see them "in action," and I will try update my review once I have. The sizing rumors you might find elsewhere, like on Varuste.net, are correct. If you normally wear one size, better to get a size (or even two!) up. This is especially true for the smaller sizes (38 and 39). I normally wear 36, and 38 was snug with just one pair of thin merino socks and the felt liner. Contrary to what might be said elsewhere, these boots are not heavy (when worn). Granted, I got a smaller size, but I was expecting something around the 3.3-3.75 lb range to feel much heavier. On the feet, they are hardly noticeable. The quality of the rubber is supple and flexible, not thin at all, and the soles feel grippy and well-fit for rocky or icy terrain. It might still behoove you to get a set of studs, either from Varusteleka, or from the Nokian online store, if you're going to be dealing with really icy conditions. Studs should be applied before the first usage. I will say that the tightening strap doesn't do much, but that might be because I got a smaller size. Boot care instructions were quite simple: Wash the boots with lukewarm soapy water and a sponge (not a coarse brush) every now and then; do not use solvent detergents. Don't dry the boots next to a heat source or let them sit in direct heat or light, and condition the boots every now and then (or after heavy usage) with rubber conditioner, available from the Nokian online store, but I can't imagine that only their proprietary stuff would be effective. Browsing Varuste.net reviews for these boots yield a somewhat common complaint that the felt liners fall apart at the heel, but this largely seems to be a problem in medium to large sizes (around 42 and above). If that's a concern for you, consider adding some reinforcement stitching, or use felt liners from a different set of boots. For me, the felt liners feel quite durable, and they are very thick and warm. I did a burn test on these, and Nokian is not lying when they say they are 90% wool. It smelled just like the day my hair caught on fire. Anyways, I'll update this review (hopefully) once these boots see some action.

The boots smell a bit like a fish market. The rubber has a few little imperfections but they do not affect the overall quality. The lining is warm and easy to slip in and out of.

Size up at least 2 sizes if you actually want to wear these with the liners and thick socks (or socks in general). Without the liner they fit, however that sort of defeats the purpose of buying boots with an inner liner so...