You should pay special attention to the bottom of your winter shoes.
The choice of winter shoes is not an easy task in Finland’s changing weather. First it’s freezing and it snows, then we move to plus and the snow melts until the ground freezes again.
The end result is a ground shining with ice, which makes you want to put on skates instead of shoes.
What kind of shoes are the best for Finnish winter, if you’re thinking about slipperiness?
Sales manager of the Finnish shoe manufacturer Pomar Matti Noponen calls to pay attention to the material of the sole. He names TR rubber as the best material. TR stands for thermoplastic rubber and is used, for example, in car friction tires.
– It is very wear-resistant and does not harden even in severe frost.
Whether the sole hardens in the cold or not is very important in terms of grip. The bottom must remain flexible.
– In this way, the grip properties of the rubber are preserved and the bottom doesn’t get that bumpy, says Noponen.
In winter shoe stores, you should pay attention to the bottom of the shoe. Adobe Stock / AOP
CEO of Sievin Jalkine Oy Juha Jokinen says the same thing.
– The material must be soft and remain as soft as possible even in the cold.
Jokinen says that the buyer should pay attention to the texture of the sole.
– The bottom pattern must be deep and have many sharp corners in different directions.
Pomarin Noponen emphasizes that the groove of the sole is accentuated especially when the sole is made of one rubber grade, i.e. one hardness.
– In this case, the grooves on the sole are very important. People’s opinions differ on how important the depth of the groove is. Personally, I would say that in muddy weather or when there is more water, a fairer groove depth works. Then the slime comes out better through the grooves.
However, the most important thing is that there is some profiling, i.e. a grooved bottom. The even smooth sole is slippery, and the groove increases the grip of the rubber sole.
A transverse groove can be better than a longitudinal one.
– The transverse groove brings more friction to the forward movement. On the other hand, if there are too many circles or something of this type of patterning, the shoe will suddenly become flat-soled. The essential thing is that there is variation in the base, and it is not a base that can be compared to a flat base.
An even smooth bottom is the worst choice for Finnish conditions. Adobe Stock / AOP
“It doesn’t work in winter”
There are many traction, friction and grip soles available in winter shoes. According to Noposen, they are largely the same thing. The difference between them and the so-called regular TR rubber sole is that they have two different rubber hardnesses. Soft rubber has better friction, but softer rubber wears faster compared to harder rubber material.
– That’s why these rubber strengths are combined in the same base. Softer rubber is put in the middle, and with many manufacturers it is slightly raised, because it is the point that first catches the base. So we want traction first. A harder rubber material is put on the edges for durability. Quite often the shoe hears when walking from the outer edge of the heel, so it’s good to put more durable rubber there.
In the winter, Noponen does not recommend shoes with soles made of materials used in the spring-summer season. They are perfect for that time of year, but in winter you should prefer something else.
– For example, polyurethane. It is light and flexible and perfect for summer. In winter it doesn’t work.
Deep and impressive grooves alone do not guarantee that the soles have good grip. Adobe Stock / AOP
Shoemaker: also remember the height
Master Shoemaker Ville Hasalan according to the bottom of a good winter shoe has height and deep patterning, so that the rubber part grips the ground in snow and slush.
– The pattern must not be too regular, but rather a pattern here and there. It will have traction in every direction.
As a good material, Hasala, like others, chooses TR-rubber, which works in the freezing temperatures of winter.
Unfortunately, the material of the sole is often not specified on the websites of e-commerce giants, for example. Hasala has come across situations where a shoe ordered online has been a disappointment despite the groove.
– In use, it has been noticed that even though there is a pattern on the sole, the shoe is really slippery or especially gets hard in the cold.
Hasala herself would not buy flat-soled or very low-soled winter shoes as winter shoes.
– I would also look at the height, because it insulates from the cold.
He also wouldn’t buy the popular ugg-style, i.e. low-heeled suede boots.
Many people have ugg-style shoes on their feet. However, a shoemaker would not trust their grip. Adobe Stock / AOP
– Even though they are warm, their soles do not suit Finland at all. Customers have noticed this and brought these shoes to us to be coated. The worst of all of them are these versions that are not genuine. They have even worse grip.
Winter shoes are often brought to the cobbler for repair because the heel tabs are worn.
On slippery roads, a good soft rubber sole may wear out quite quickly, especially in the city.
– It’s good that it doesn’t harden, but on the other hand, it can wear out quickly when you walk on asphalt here in the city with winter shoes.
Hasala also reminds that on the ice you don’t like anything but stilettos. Adobe Stock / AOP