Gadling Gear Review: Adidas Choleah Laceup Boots for Women

I like traveling in cold weather but you’ve got to make the sacrifice of checking a bag and bulking up your gear. Good footwear is critical year round, but you’ll be downright miserable if you have cold feet while stomping around a twee alpine village or a dirty snow urban landscape.

Moon-boot styling is kind of back, isn’t it? But they’re a lot lighter than they were the first time around, and they’re made out of considerably better materials. Adidas Choleah Laceup is a surprisingly lightweight, warm and weatherproof boot.

I have one minor skepticism about the way the boot is pitched but that’s because I didn’t have icy conditions in which to give it a try. The sole on the shoe is supposed to offer great traction – I can’t confirm or deny that. The tread looks a little shallow – but I could be wrong. If you’re really going to be on the ice, you might want some ice cleats.

Unknown traction issues aside, these are darned cute boots and who doesn’t like a pair of cute winter boots that keep you warm and dry? They’re about mid-calf height and have a fluffy fake fur lining around the uppers. That makes them a little bulky up top; you’re not going to be able to pull your skinny jeans over the outside but you can tuck them in and lace them up.

They’re also very warm and dry. They have a light synthetic fill as insulation and the shoe is lined with fabric that holds heat. They’re made of all kinds of technically named stuff – PrimaLoft, ClimaProof, Adiprene – which may not mean much on a brand name basis, but it actually does make a boot that keeps your feet warm in cold, wet weather.My winter gear tests involve the slightly above freezing and raining conditions of the Pacific Northwest winter. When I put these boots on to go out into an unpleasant December day, I had cold feet. It took a while for me to warm up, but once I did, I was very happy with how toasty my feet were. And yeah, style is subjective, but I think they look swell. Yes, you could wear them with some tights and a skirt and you’d be quite the adorable urban snow bunny. They also offer exactly the kind of wear you’d expect from an athletic shoemaker; they’re very comfortable for a long day’s walk.

Adidas originally listed the Choleah for $150, but I’ve seen them listed for half that online. They come in two colors, a very dark gray (almost black) with black laces and a burgundy with white laces. They’re cute, comfortable, great for bad weather and surprisingly lightweight. I’d say they make the cut for winter travel.

[Image courtesy of Adidas]