Kizik offers a nice range of outdoor shoes, including the Juno High full-blown winter boot with all the works—insulation and rugged traction. My husband has the Juno 2 Low boot, a low-cut version of the full size. They’re great, super warm and fabulous for package runs and garbage bin hauls. But I opted for the London AT Mid boot instead, wanting more of a hybrid between a traditional winter boot and sneaker. And even before I tested the slip-on shoes out in six inches of snow (I’ll get to that), I loved how lightweight yet supportive these shoes feel—great for all-day walking, especially in bad weather. Though you don’t have to use the shoelaces—these are truly hand-free boots—they make it easy to adjust how tight you want your shoe to be.
The most innovative and, dare I say, life-changing quality about the shoes is their hands-freeness. It’s not a gimmick that works once and then never again. This function is built into the brand’s DNA with its “Handsfree Lab.” I’ve used the hands-free tech in my Monaco’s, my husband’s Juno 2 Lows and these. Every time I slip a shoe on and I’m ready to chase a dog/child out the door, I feel like I’ve solved a problem before I’ve even had my coffee.
As I mentioned, these aren’t designed or marketed as winter boots…and yet, Chicagoland weather proved that they are. After a crazy early season blizzard leaving us with eight inches of snow, avoiding the downpour was not optional. I had to take my dog out. I had to get packages before they’d disappear under ice until the April (let’s face it, May) thaw. And so, it was the London AT Mid boots that, to my pleasant surprise, were extremely reliable in snowtopia conditions. The all-terrain rugged outsole offers a secure grip, which was much-needed before we got to salting our sidewalk. The waterproof materials hold up to their promise as I sloshed through puddles and stepped through feet of snow. And the easy-on-easy-off functionality makes annoying moments (like when I took my shoes on and off about five times in search of a missing iPhone; my husband, busy shoveling, had it in his pocket the whole time) a whole lot less annoying. The point is, I was not prepared for the storm, but my Kiziks were.