At last, the Summer has officially gone and it’s time for the cooler, rainier weather to have it’s turn. And, after a few months I’m hoping that the snow will come and stay for a while.

The first thing to sort out is replacing my old boots. I’ve been wearing a pair of leather boots all year long, even through summer, but the second a drop of rain gets on them, they’re soaked through and I’m left with wet socks.

My wife is also in dire need of an update too. Her flat shoes or heels won’t work in the slippery conditions of a Canadian Winter.

We both need a pair of boots that have good grip, are water resistant, warm, well made and of course that will look good.

As we always do when it’s time for a wardrobe staple, we drove to Mark’s.

To the shoe department!

For Her

First we looked through the women’s selection, which there was lots! I was surprised at how many shoes, rain boots, hiking boots, and even rain boots there were for women. Having gone straight to the Men’s section on my previous visits, I’d never seen anything else.

After trying on a few, she decided on the Women’s “Jade” HD2 Lo Lace-Up Side Zip Winter Boots (long title!). She liked the look and the fur on the back.

In case you’re interested, they also have:

• ‘Quad Comfort’ Technology for comfort and shock absorbtion
• ‘Hyper-Dri’ HD2 Water resistant and breathable through light rain and snow
• ‘T-Max’ Insulation, which is both light and warm.

For Him

I’ve always wanted a pair of classic Timberland boots. They look super-sturdy and well built. I found a pair of Timberland Pro 6″Resistor Composite Toe Work Boots which look really nice, plus their grips are designed to be extra firm in the snow and ice. After last Winter’s many slips, scrapes, and bum-landings, I’m really looking forward to being able to walk with a little more confidence.

Also, they have a little extra thickness in the sole, so I’ll be a bit taller this Winter. They also have:

• Full-grain leather upper
• Moisture-wicking mesh lining
• Timberland Pro Tri-Density Polyurethane outsole
• CSA Grade 1 toe and plate
• ESR – Electric shock resistant (sweet)
• Look awesome

That little tag shows that they’ll help me avoid electric shock. Handy.

It looks like we’re sorted for this Fall and Winter. A special shout-out goes to our daughter who was really well behaved for the entire shoe-shopping trip. This could have gone very differently, but thankfully at Mark’s there are plenty of mirrors for her to play with, make faces into and leave sticky hand prints on. Apologies to the staff who had to clean up little hand-prints. You’re the best.

Disclaimer: The lovely, talented, kind, and very attractive people at Mark’s Canada supported this post. All the words, photos, and opinions are my own.