The North Face ThermoBall Traction Bootie is worth buying if you want a light, warm winter boot you can wear outdoors or into the mall. The tread is the deciding feature here, deep and grippy for ice and snow, and each boot is only about 7.5 oz. Buy.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
How this review was made: written from Lisa Maslyk’s own video of the product, embedded below. Everything personal in it happened on camera.
Quick Verdict
Amazing tread, really really good tread, and that’s what I wanted for ice and snow. The fur lining goes all the way through to the toe, and I sized up from my usual 9.5 to a 10 for thick socks. The laces up front could be a little bit of a pain, but I’ll just double knot them.
Buy if you:
- Walk on ice and packed snow and want grip first
- Wear big fluffy socks in winter and can size up
- Want one boot for outdoors and for a mall trip
- Like a boot that looks sharp with jeans or sweatpants
Skip if you:
- Hate fussing with laces every time you go out the door
- Need a taller shaft than 4Β½” for deep drifts
- Want a heavy, chunky, insulated pac boot instead
Clicking takes you to the seller's website. We may earn a small commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you.
| Weight | Approx. 7.5 oz (214 g) per boot |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 4Β½” (size 8.5), over the ankle |
| Insulation | ThermoBall, warmth equivalent to 600-fill down |
| Upper | 100% recycled P.E.T. ripstop, non-PFC DWR |
| Sizes | US 5, 11 (whole sizes) |
| Warranty | Lifetime manufacturer warranty |
The Tread Was the First Thing I Noticed
I flipped the boot over before I did anything else. Amazing tread, really really good tread, which is really important for ice and snow where I live. That’s the whole reason I bought the North Face ThermoBall Traction Bootie instead of something flatter and prettier. The lugs are deep and spaced out, and The North Face makes the outsole with up to 20% recycled rubber.
I did get the size 10. I’m usually a 9 and a half, but because it’s cold here I like to wear big fluffy socks in my boots. If you do the same, size up.
Fur Lining That Goes All the Way to the Toe
The lining runs the full length of the boot, not just the ankle collar. Super nice and cozy. I’ve had winter boots where the fluff stops halfway and your toes sit on bare insole, and that is not this at all.
The insulation itself is ThermoBall, which The North Face rates as warmth equivalent to 600-fill goose down, and the whole boot still comes in around 7.5 oz each. The insole is removable, so if you run your own orthotic you can pull it out. The upper is a recycled ripstop with a non-PFC water repellent finish on it.
The Lace Front Could Be a Little Bit of a Pain
Here’s my one real gripe. The lace up front is going to slow me down every time I head out the door in a hurry, and I already know I’ll just double knot it and leave it. That said, I like that it can tighten. A lace means I can actually snug it down over a thick sock instead of hoping a slip-on collar holds.
I also noticed this thing on the back. If you want to tighten the boot around your pant leg, like if you’re walking through the deep snow, it cinches through there, which is great. That’s the detail I didn’t expect and the one I’ll use most. The shaft is 4Β½” at a size 8.5, so it sits just over the ankle. Good for most days here, not a drift-wading boot.
And I do like these pull tabs on the side. When you’re putting your boot on you just kind of pull on those to get your foot in properly. I like that idea as well.
Where This Sits Against Other Winter Boots
Most boots with this much insulation feel like ankle weights by mile two, at 7.5 oz each, these don’t. The trade is a 4Β½” shaft instead of a tall pac-boot cuff, which is the right call unless you’re wading through drifts. The detail that surprised me: The North Face backs these with a lifetime manufacturer warranty, which is rare and says something about how they’re built.
Who I’d Hand These To
This boot works as hard on a slushy parking lot as it does walking into a coffee shop, which is exactly the gap it fills. If your winter runs from icy sidewalks to errands and you don’t want a separate pair for each, this is the one boot that covers both without looking like you just came off a trail crew.
If you’re shovelling after a foot of snow, buy a taller boot. For everything else, icy parking lots, cold commutes, a mall run in January, the ThermoBall Traction Bootie is the one I’d reach for without hesitation.
Pros
- Really really good tread for ice and snow
- Fur lining runs all the way through to the toe
- Back cinch tightens around a pant leg in deep snow
- Side pull tabs make getting your foot in easy
- Sharp looking with jeans or sweatpants
Cons
- Lace up front is a bit of a pain, I’ll be double knotting it
- 4Β½” shaft is over the ankle only, not for deep drifts
- Runs snug with thick socks, I had to go up half a size
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my own orthotic insole in them?
Yes, the insole is removable, so you can pull it out and drop your own in. Keep in mind the boot already fits close with a thick sock, so an orthotic is another reason to size up.
Is there a warranty if the sole separates?
The North Face lists a lifetime manufacturer warranty on these, which covers defects in materials and workmanship. Normal wear on the tread isn’t a defect, so hang onto your receipt either way.
How do I clean and care for the water repellent finish?
Wipe the recycled ripstop upper with a damp cloth and let them air dry away from a heater. The DWR finish is non-PFC, and like all DWR it fades with dirt, so keeping road salt off the upper is the main thing.
Learn more
North Face ThermoBall Traction Bootie
Get the best price today βAffiliate link. See the disclosure at the top of this post.
ποΈ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place. These are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
ποΈ The North Face Womens Thermoball Traction Bootie: check price on Amazon β
