Everything I'm reading about the current generation of Sorels in the US says they are of reduced quality and are made in Vietnam I had enough of that in and , thank you. My question to our neighbors up North is, can you still get Sorels made in Canada, or failing that, do you have a recommendation for a warm, waterproof boot? Thanks in advance; Dave in a place with no winter to speak of, but with plans to move somewhere where there is serious winter when I retire.
One word I work outside in the winter some days 8 hours minus 30 C. Yes they still make Sorels, mine are 30 years old and still going strong.
Rubber bottoms not plastic, full leathers uppers, and three liners. I recently bought my wife and son pairs, gortex uppers Nothing like warm feet Cheers Geo. Dave in a place with no winter to speak of, but with plans to move somewhere where there is serious winter when I retire. Mine and my sons are made in Canada, embossed into the sole a maple leaf, and it says made in Canada My wife that are goretex upper do not say.
The last pair my wife's where bought at Marks clothing Geo P. I believe we get what you might refer to as serious winter weather here in the Yukon, we just went through a spell of weather that on one night went down to minus 44 C, but at that time I am in bed so Imissed it, Damn.
Through out the day it hovered around minus 37C for a week or so, most of the time if I am just going out to the store or for a brief period 30 minutes or so I just slip on a pair of LL Bean loafers, no lining, and a pair of wool socks. One type of boot sold up here is to be worn with light socks or no socks at all, and will keep your feet warm down to minus 70 C, you can even fill them up with water and they will work down to minus 70 C These boots were designed and made for the US Army.
My feeling is when they find your body frozen in the snow bank, you can be assured your feet will not be frozen. After sixty years in the high Arctic and the sub arctic, I have found there is nothing better than wool socks, inside duffles, and a pair of rubbers. Another thing that helps is insoles made of a fly screen like material between the bottom of your feet and the inside sole of your boot Air Space As an old Eskimo Inuk told me 35 years ago.
Doug, thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I think I will retract my statement about "serious" winter weather in light of your definitions.
We're giving thought to retiring in South Dakota, so I doubt I encounter anything as extreme as those you describe. I really didn't know how much I disliked the Chicago winters until I left there 25 years ago.
I worked outdoors at OHare field for many winters, and it got fairly cold at times. The coldest I experienced was a month long spell of to F [ C]. The brand started by creating premium hand-crafted boots made primarily of rubber. Jacob Kaufman opened his very first rubber factory in on about 4 acres of land at King and Victoria Streets in Kitchener, Ontario.
He soon began creating high-quality rubber boots that were sold around the world. Sorel challenges the status quo by creating unexpected footwear that pushes the boundaries of function-first fashion.
In , the company was handed down to his son Alvin Ratz, after Jacob Ratz Kaufman passed away earlier that year. Alvin Ratz did a phenomenal job expanding the Kaufman Rubber Company, but once the Sorel brand was officially launched, he stepped down as President and acted as the chairman for years to come.
Sorel has a long history and has consistently made quality boots by putting functionality first. In fact, just like Canada Goose , their products were made to withstand harsh Canadian winters. The Sorel Lennox Hiker boot takes the trails and scenic exits during both good and wet weather seasons. The waterproof rubber boots were designed with fishermen, farmers, and hunters in mind.
Sorel boots became increasingly popular over the years, but due to the limited market audience, they struggled financially. Columbia Sportswear Ltd.
However, the brand as we know it today was not officially launched by Columbia Sportswear until Columbia , with its talent in designing high-quality, fashionable winter clothing and footwear, redesigned the Sorel boot to meet the needs of a wider global audience.
One of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world, Columbia took the functionality of Sorel boots and made it fashionable. More specifically, they redesigned the boot to make it more appropriate for everyday use for both men and women. The retail locations quickly moved from hunting and trade shops to malls, outlets, and independent sellers across the globe.
That being said, the rebrand of Sorel boots did not come cheaply, and Columbia had to make some tough decisions as to where they would manufacture the Sorel line moving forward. Due to the high-quality nature of the boots, they are not exactly cheap to make.
Manufacturing the boots in North America became increasingly costly, and led to products out of reach for the average consumer. As a result of this move, the cost of creation was cheaper, and the consumer purchase price was more affordable.
The global manufacturer will only produce the most popular styles and drop others, Ms. Kaplan at Columbia says. It may continue some of the nine Sorel licensing arrangements for socks, umbrellas and other goods. But Columbia already sells some of these products, so undoubtedly a number will fall by the wayside.
Columbia could choose to continue to market Sorels as quality boots. The U. Columbia isn't tipping its hand about its strategy.
Whatever step it takes, we've lost a piece of Canadiana forever. Readers can send e-mail to:. Report an error. Editorial code of conduct. Skip to main content. Sorel boots hit the Canadian market in , designed as a cold weather boot and their practicality soon made them a bestselling brand.
In Kaufman opened his first factory which produced rubber footwear for worldwide sale. Jacobs son, Alvin Ratz then took over the reins of the Kaufman Rubber Co after his father passed away in
0コメント