Sorel Women’s Cate the Great Boot Review
Normally, winter boots fall into two different camps; those that are stylish, yet not so functional, and those that are industrial looking that are designed to tackle just about any amount of snow. Fortunately, Sorel has blended the best of both camps and created a fashionable AND functional winter boot. Make way for Sorel’s Cate the Great Boot. Named after a Russian Empress, these boots are ready to tackle just about anything.
The Cate the Great Boots are built to last, just like my first pair of Sorel Caribou’s from way back. The Cate’s are 100% waterproof thanks to seam-sealed construction, vulcanized rubber shell, and waterproof full grain and suede upper. The vulcanized rubber portion of the boot comes up to just below the ankle, similar to most Sorel’s, however the Cate’s have an overhang of suede to conceal the transition area and keep the look of the boot more streamlined. So far, I have tramped through at least 1-2 feet of snow and muck and have always remained toasty and dry. The outsole is pretty beefy, as with all Sorel’s, and provides great traction when shoveling the drive, walking the dogs, and running errands. The lining is completely removable and you can air them out or wash them out. The lining is extremely warm in temps well below zero and the boots are comfortable for longer excursions.
For the style points the Cate the Great Boots have a faux fur cuff and hand sewn whiptstiches between the suede and full grain leather uppers. These boots also feature a lace up design that includes a total of eight different loops per side. That may seem like a ton of work for each time you take them off or put them on. However, this really hasn’t bothered me because I usually just leave the laces tied and slip them off and on, which I feel is pretty easy to do without needing to sit down. The laces do, however, have a tendency to come untied fairly easily, so add a second knot.
My only concern is with the longevity of the leather/suede upper. The rubber will last for ages, however I think it is wise to clean the remainder of the boot if they have been in contact with a lot of sand and magnesium chloride (Colorado does not use salt, so no worries with that one). With that said, style does come at a price, right?
The Cate the Great’s run a tad large: if you wear a half size in running or hiking shoes, definitely round down a half size or go with your street shoe size. If in doubt, check out your local Sorel dealer to try them on. The boots hit about 3″ below my knee, however keep in mind that I am 5’9″! These boots have been my go to for apre ski time in the mountains with tights or with jeans tucked in for around town use. If you are in the market for functional AND fashionable winter boots, please check out the Cate the Great’s or one of Sorel’s other great winter boots for men and women.
