Customer Reviews SOREL Caribou™

I was disappointed. I have a pair of Sorels snow boots from the mid 90s and was getting another pair. The bottoms is not rubber like it used to be. I made home visits in the country and city in my old boots and never had a problem with traction. I know the brand was purchased by Columbia and maybe this is why the quality has gone down. Disappointed, it was my go to brand.

I have an old pair of Caribous with the PAC felt liner. The new pair of Caribous have a tighter liner, which comes out of the boot every time I take it off. I swapped the new liner with the old. Buyer beware: the new liners are fully closed with a lycra swatch running down the middle. They are very tight and don't allow you to slip in and out of the boot with ease.

I love the grey color and these boots would certainly keep my feet toasty--- but I think I have to return them. They are literally the heaviest boots I've ever worn. I don't have much experience with snow boots though so perhaps I am just not used to the heaviness. I can't imagine really walking any distance in these though. Maybe directly to my car. They are 2 pounds... I'm going to search for something lighter. Looking down at them they look absolutely massive. But--- I think they would be really great if you're somewhere really cold and not walking far.

I've had my eye on these boots for a while. I was saving up money until I could afford them, but unfortunately, I was disappointed with my purchase. Although these boots are VERY well made, super soft, and seemed very durable for a harsh Michigan winter, they were very heavy, clunky, and tight around the calf! Looking at the picture, it's hard to tell exactly how oversized these puppies are in real life. I felt like I was wearing my dad's winter boots! Walking around in my room it felt like I was wearing three pound weights on each foot, which made walking a bit awkward. Not to mention they were extremely tight in the opening because of the liner. The liner was about suctioned to my bare calf, I couldn't even imagine getting a pair of leggings or even jeans inside of these suckers, so I was pretty disappointed! By no means am I a bigger girl either, 5'7 & 140 pounds, so I feel like this problem must be common. I considered swapping out the liner for a larger sized one, but the clonkiness of this boot was just a problem that I couldn't fix. Don't get me wrong, they are a beautiful, incredibly soft, and well made boot. It was unfortunate I had to return them. I was looking for a cute, durable boot to get me through late fall to the end of winter, but these boots are the type you put on when a blizzard hits, considering the overwhelming sturdiness and bulk they have. Not too much versatility. I ordered a pair of the Sorel Joan of Arctic after this, I hope I'll have better luck!

So, I'm really sad because I absolutely love the way these boots look. I ordered them in slate because they would basically go with anything. I ordered these in a 9 and found that they were HUGE. I usually wear a perfect 9.5, so it made me wonder if these were really mens sizes. I tried my luck on ordering an 8, but they were much too small. HALF SIZES, PLEASE SOREL?! I'm devastated, but these are going back.

These were supremely clunky compared with the Tofino boot - they look like men's boots, they are so wide. Still, I like the style & color and fit. And they are very comfortable and warm, although a bit heavy - would not want to wear for long walking or long days on my feet. Being a small woman I look a bit ridiculous in these.

These things are MASSIVE! I already have a small frame and narrow foot but these things were huge. I ordered a size 6 which is a half size bigger than my street shoe and I should have gone up a whole size if it were available.

These are warm and weather proof but SO HEAVY! Walking in them is a serious workout! If you want a heavy duty snow boot, this is it; if you want a boot you can wear around town, not so much.

I found the Sorel Caribou boots to be a very attractive looking snow boot, but that is where my high ratings for this boot ends. I normally wear a size 7, medium and so I ordered a whole size larger than what I normally wear to accommodate wearing a base layered silk sock and a wool sock. I tried on the size 8, Sorel boot, wearing a coolmax ski sock, but to my surprise, I found the footbed of the boot felt slightly snug and tight across my foot. The boot would likely been acceptable to me if I was spending only short periods of time outdoors, but I spend my winter vacations in arctic Norway and need a snow boot to feel slightly loose around my double-layer socked foot. A slightly loose fitted snow boot will keep my feet warm and dry during prolong periods in sub-zero temperatures. Another problem I experienced with these Sorel boots is the top of the inner boot fitted tight around my lower calf. I was unable to fit the bottom of my pant leg into the top of the boot. Maybe, a size 9 in these boots would have been the right fit for me, but I decided to return the Sorel boots for a refund after discovering that the once Canada made and owned Sorel went bankrupt in 2000 and was bought out by Columbia Sportswear. Columbia kept the Sorel name, making Sorel their subsidiary; however, Columbia then outsourced the Sorel boot production to Southeast Asia instead of keeping production in Canada. I was searching for a true snow boot for prolong outdoor use, but instead found the Sorel boot is now made for a fashion statement, which seems to have left out the qualities that once made Sorel the snow boot of choice.

I found the Sorel Caribou boots to be a very attractive looking snow boot, but that is where my high ratings for this boot end. I normally wear a size 7, medium width shoe and so I ordered a whole size larger than what I normally wear to accommodate wearing a base layered silk sock and a wool sock. I tried on the size 8, Sorel boot, wearing a single layered ski sock, but to my surprise, I found the footbed of the boot felt slightly snug and tight across my foot. The boot would likely been acceptable to me if I was spending only short periods of time outdoors, but I spend my winter vacations in arctic Norway and need a snow boot to feel slightly loose around my double-layer socked foot. A slightly loose fitted snow boot will keep my feet warm and dry during prolong periods in sub-zero temperatures. Another problem I experienced with these Sorel boots is the top of the inner bootie fitted tight around my lower calf. I was unable to fit the bottom of my pant leg into the top of the boot. Maybe a size 9 in these boots would have been the right fit for me, but I decided to return the Sorel boots for a refund after discovering that the once Canada made and owned Sorel went bankrupt in 2000 and was bought out by Columbia Sportswear. Columbia kept the Sorel name, making Sorel their subsidiary, however, Columbia then outsourced the Sorel boot production to Southeast Asia instead of keeping production in Canada. I was searching for a true snow boot for prolonged outdoor use, but instead found the Sorel boot is now made for a fashion statement, which seems to have left out the qualities that once made Sorel the snow boot of choice.