Sorel and Kamik are the Canadian Muck and Bogs alternatives. But what is interesting about these two companies is that they have been around for decades. Sorel was found back in 1962 and Kamik followed 10 years later in 1972.
I’m aware that this doesn’t mean anything to the average consumer, but the point I’m trying to make is: Both companies have a lot of experience in the winter boot industry and both have quite an impressive portfolio.
Nowadays, the companies are much more modern with a direct-to-consumer model. Which means, you can order boots online. They’re often compared side by side thanks to some of their similarities, but pinpointing which one is better is more complicated than it seems.
We did an analysis of both brands, compared them side-by-side, and also did a mini head-to-head to help guide potential customers to the right direction. Use the TOC to navigate through the article.
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Materials & Are They As Good As They Seem?
I mentioned that these two brands are the Canadian Muck and Bogs alternatives, but that’s not really true. Muck and Bogs are much more professional-grade winter boots, in that, they put a strong emphasis on durability and increasing performance in terms of temperature sustainability as much as possible.
However, for what they’re made for, which is your typical winter -20°F, they’re perfect for the job.
Sorel is typically manufactured with a leather and rubber combination. They all follow the same design blueprint, which is a leather upper and a rubber outer sole. They’re surprisingly comfy despite the ruggedness of the materials.
Kamik is more unique and usually sways more in terms of materials. Some of their boots are made from suede, leather, nylon, rubber, PU-coated synthetic textile, and other materials. It comes down to which model you choose, but in terms of practicality, Kamik has a lot of points.
To answer the question: Yes, both of these companies offer great winter boots and they aren’t just flashy boots with no practicality and clever marketing, they’re suited for tough winters.
Table Comparison – Sorel vs Kamik
We also compared Sorel and Kamik side-by-side, mostly on things which are the most important if you’re shopping for winter shoes. This can also serve as a TL;DR to the whole analysis, with the recommendation score below.
Here is how Sorel and Kamik compare:
| Sorel VS Kamik: Winter Boots Comparison |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Usually leather & rubber combinations. | Leather, suede, nylon, PU-coated synthetic textile, and rubber. |
| Price Range | Affordable – $$ | Affordable – $$ |
| Quality | Amazing 5/5 | Amazing 5/5 |
| Designs | Alright 3/5 | Amazing 5/5 |
| True-To-Size? | Yes, size guide also available. | Yes, size guide also available. |
| Return Policy | 60 – Day Return Policy | 30-day return policy. |
| Warranty | 1 – Year Warranty on Manufacturing Defects | 1 – Year Warranty on Manufacturing Defects |
| Shipping | Free | Free on orders above $149.99 |
| Recommendation Score | Very Recommended 5/5 | Recommended 4/5 |
| Shop Winter Boots: |
So, to recap, they’re similar in a lot of ways. If we’re also being honest, while Kamik uses different materials more often, most boots are typically the same, with a couple of exceptions.
Overall, Sorel it’s a tad bit more impressive as the shopping experience is much better, there’s a size guide, and the return policy is much more flexible. Oh, and also, shipping is free on all orders.
Sorel Review
In the purpose of getting to the point as quickly as possible, the only thing we found as a drawback to Sorel is the designs. They’re not your typical trendy looking winter boots. This may be a bit subjective, but we also saw that the majority of the customers agree.
The best way I would describe Sorel winter boots is: They’re not for everyone.
But what they are good at is practicality in the winter, comfort, the ability to keep your feet warm, being anti-slip, and basically anything that would be important on your typical skiing trip. And in winter boots, people typically disregard bad looks and choose practicality over looks.
There are a couple of different categories of lineups. There are women, men, and kids boots. Sorel also has different things like casual sneakers, waterproof sneakers, socks, and a couple of other things.
The one thing we should mention is customer service though, which according to some customers is “appalling”. People have been put on hold for hours and some find the customer service unhelpful at all.
It’s nothing new that the customer service is poor with a company with a direct-to-consumer model, but we really hope Sorel turns things around.
So, to recap, the winter boots are amazing, but the only issue people have is the poor customer service. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS
- Well-tested designs and materials
- Quality is great
- Comfort is high
- True-to-size
- Flexible return policy
- Free shipping on all orders
CONS
- Designs aren’t very modern
Kamik Review
Kamik is the polar opposite from Sorel in terms of boots design. Some of their models, most notable: the Tyson G, the Tyson C, and the original Tyson, are timeless, and it would be really surprising to see them get out of fashion.
But don’t think for a moment that this comes at the expense of quality, durability, or practicality, because it doesn’t.
Most of their best-sellers have a stellar customer review rating, but not just on their site, at third-party sellers as well, or third-party review sites.
One thing though, while Kamik has an online size guide, most customers never even find it. According to a couple of participants I sent the site two, only 2 of 6 found the size guide. But it’s all well and good, cause Kamik boots are usually true-to-size, except a few exceptions.
Some of Kamik’s boots are rated for a whopping -40°C which is -40°F. pretty damn impressive. We also didn’t come across many negative customer reviews about the customer service which is always a good sign. Granted, the sample size was much smaller than Sorel’s.
Certain Kamik boots aren’t as comfortable as others and certainly not as much as the competition. It seems like Kamik is more practicality over everything else type deal. Boots made for extreme conditions, but not so much for comfort.
Let’s go over the pros and cons:
PROS
- Amazing designs
- Perfect for extreme conditions
- A lot of different materials to choose from
- Most models have a stellar customer review score
CONS
- Not as comfortable as alternatives – this is a generalization, but I mean it as “on average”
The Best Winter Boots For Keeping Your Feet Warm
Sorel VS Kamik – Which Brand Is For You?
It all boils down to what you’re looking for and what’s your taste. Just like Sorel boots aren’t for everyone, Kamik boots aren’t for everyone either.
But the point is, they’re both worth it, but not for everyone.
To put things in perspective, Sorel is for you if: you’re looking for high quality boots that can last your typical winter trip. These boots are comfortable, practical, and can sustain low temperatures and keep your feet warm. Typically, these are for those that take longer winter walks and need something comfortable.
On the other hand, Kamik are really professional-grade, and here’s why: They’re more suited for extreme conditions or for people that have certain jobs which might require special winter boots.
Some of the models are made exactly for that purpose, but there are some models which are for your typical winter trip as well. This is where “taste” is important.
Since Kamik has more professional-grade winter boots and average winter boots, it all comes down to which ones you like more. Because for everything else they’re pretty neck-and-neck.
Final Verdict: Winter Shoes For You
It’s great that there’s finally a direct-to-consumer model for winter boots brands with such an extensive portfolio. As I keep mentioning, it all boils down to what you’re looking for.
Professional-grade? Does your job require some pretty hardcore winter boots? Go with Kamik.
In all other cases, it really doesn’t matter whether you choose to go with Sorel or Kamik. They’re pretty neck-and-neck on a lot of things, except maybe not on comfort with some models.
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