Footwear_Aug09_p22:FOOTWEAR NEW TEMPLAT 10 08 20/07/2009 13:39 Page 22
Outdoor footwear: Snow boots
Putting the boot in
Regatta Husky
“THE NORTH WIND SHALL BLOW AND WE WILL HAVE SNOW,” BUT THE FLAMING EAST WIND BLEW EARLY
LAST AUTUMN AND IT WAS NOT A QUESTION OF WHAT THE ROBIN WOULD DO (“POOR THING”), BUT HOW
WE WOULD KEEP WARM IN THE UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER.
B
y coincidence my Regatta Lady Husky boots was also treacherously slippery. A couple of days rain
arrived just before the cold snap and when had turned into a skidpan: people were sliding left,
everyone else was diving inside to order winter right and centre. The only ones staying upright were
heating oil, bleed the radiators and turning up on their way from the beer tent. With a hand cupped
the central heating, I was calmly walking over fields over their glasses to stop the rain diluting their amber
with frosted grass crunching under my feet. The boots beverage they had no intention of falling – and it was
passed the first test of a claim by the makers, that the too dark to see if the beer drinkers remaining upright
boots are ideal for snowy and icy conditions. were all wearing Huskys!
These boots are warm as toast. But, not for the I stood firm. The Husky soles grip like a vice in
Husky boots the beaver, wolf or fox fur lining, that those conditions. Regatta say the Polar grip’ Carbon
would have been shot by a husky driven hunter, or rubber outsole provides efficient grip in wet, icy and
caught in a snare by a trapper in the wilds of Canada snowy conditions. Efficient my foot – I was just
– but delectably warm, faux fur lining. about the only person in that field who did not fall
While the fur may be faux, the good chunky treads on my ass!
on the soles are “Regatta Polar grip” that the makers Although the uppers are nubuck the boots were
say were to a designed inspired by authentic snow totally waterproof and I cannot fault the wicking lining
tyre treads. Regatta claim that even in the coldest that draws moisture away from the foot. Warm feet can
conditions the soles remain pliable – I had no get clammy, but I seemed immune from that problem.
problem. Hopefully, I will never get so cold as to put I could recommend the boots to any hardy driver of a
the next claim to the test: Regatta say that the normal sledge pulled by huskies in Arctic conditions.
rubber becomes hard and can crack at zero degrees Regatta have dubbed the colour of the boots I tested
centigrade. “truffle”, after the rare and delicious fungus. Keeping
A few days later, when it had warmed up enough to the Far Eastern theme, I noted that my Husky boots
rain, I attended school fireworks. I felt for the were made in Vietnam. I could not get the picture
organisers as they had put such a lot of effort into the out of my mind of the workers in the factories who are
event to raise money for the school. And, instead of a
Lady Husky £60. For more
perhaps allowed to buy the boots, tramping around
information contact:
clear, crisp November night the rain came down in
Regatta, Tel. 0161 749 1603;
the roads or even the paddy fields under tropical
stair rods. The school field is sloping which gave
www.regatta.com
skies in faux fur lined Huskys. But, then the school
the spectators a good view of the fireworks, but it field on fireworks night was a bit like a paddy field.
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FOOTWEAR TODAY
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AUGUST 2009
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