A story of slippers | The Press

After a long day of hiking a snowshoe trail, it’s a pleasure to finally arrive at the refuge, take off slightly damp boots and put your feet in big padded slippers.

“For shelters and chalets, slippers are ideal,” says Jean-Philippe LeBlanc, an outdoor guide who knows about winter expeditions. You can leave the boots near the front door, you won’t get the floor wet, it’s very comfortable. »

Outdoor stores now offer a wide variety of slippers, from felted wool mules to down booties. Winter camping enthusiasts appreciate the larger models, the so-called “bighorn” models, but they know their limits.

“Most of them are not warm enough and their soles are not non-slip,” explains Viky Roy, an outdoor guide who often leads introductory winter camping outings.

This is why she asks her participants not to wear such booties in the camp’s kitchen area or near the fire. “In a group context, the risk of falling and injury is too high,” she says.

To make the booties warmer, Jean-Philippe LeBlanc suggests slipping an additional insole inside, purchased from the shoemaker or made at home from a piece of insulating foam mattress (the good old blue mattresses, not very comfortable for sleeping, but which can be used for all kinds of purposes once cut).

A few years ago, you could find “surmouflons” in stores, shells that were often waterproof and added warmth. They have disappeared and those who still have them cherish them to make them last.

But he also fears the too slippery sole of these booties. “In the equipment lists that I prepare for participants, it is an optional piece of equipment. »

Viky Roy suggests using Neos type overboots over mouflons to benefit from their non-slip soles and an additional layer of insulation. But that’s extra weight to carry in a backpack or sled. But if you don’t have to transport your equipment far (if you park the car next to the camp, for example), it’s a good solution.

Jean-Philippe LeBlanc is now using a very different strategy. During daytime travel, he wears a vapor barrier (a waterproof sock) between his socks and the boot. The humidity linked to perspiration does not reach the boot: it therefore remains very dry. Once at camp, simply remove the damp socks and vapor barrier stockings, put on dry socks and put the boots back on. So we stay warm and dry for the whole evening.

But obviously, it’s not as comfortable as big quilted mouflons.

You can find expedition sheep here and there that are warmer than average, slightly more waterproof, have slightly less slippery soles and a built-in gaiter that goes up to the knee. We think of the Expedition booties from TaigaWorks and Expedition Gore-Tex from MEC.

It is the latter model that Nicholas Michel, manager of the climbing and shoe departments at the MEC store in the Central Market, often recommends. “The nylon has been treated to resist wind and humidity,” he says. We are better protected if we go in the snow. »

He adds that this type of mouflon is insulated with synthetic materials which, unlike down, retain much of their insulating character even if they become damp.

During his mountain ski expeditions, upon arriving at camp, he removes the shells from his ski boots and keeps his slippers on his feet to put on mouflons over them.

“It gives me warmth, it makes my slippers dry on my feet,” he says.

Obviously, not everyone enjoys winter camping. Many outdoor enthusiasts prefer to spend the night in a shelter with a wood stove that roars happily all night long and dries wet boots. Quilted slippers are then more than enough to delight hikers.