...what are the warmest boots readily available to me?

Okay, so I admit that I've been reluctant to pull the trigger on the Canada Goose coat. In fact, I went to TWO stores, tried on different styles, decided on the medium Trillium Parka in Pacific Blue and asked that my family contribute to that coat as my Christmas gift. But, according to the manager at Woodfield's Nordstrom, Canada Goose blew up (I attribute this fact to my recent blog post, obvs) and didn't have good enough import/export practices in place... so now, especially because of the animal products/coyote fur, they are being held up at customs. Woo.

While I haven't committed money to that coat yet, I still need to replace my old Timberland boots (from college like 10 years ago) which have held up admirably... until recently beginning to leak in spite of me waterproofing them every year. So I took to Google and found The Wirecutter's AWESOME winter boot test + results~ they really thought this out, and you can read their full report here.  I ordered them. $120 is worth it for another decade of warm, dry feet! Plus Zappo's has free shipping and free returns. Here's what Wirecutter said in a nutshell:

"After more than 30 hours of research, six expert interviews, 18 bouts of dunking boot-clad feet in frigid water (with six catastrophic boot leaks!), salt baths, and donning sophisticated temperature and humidity sensors most commonly used in frozen food container shipping, we found that the Columbia Bugaboot Plus II Omni-Heat Winter Boot is the best winter boot for most people. It’s available for men and women."

...what is THE warmest coat? And how bad is live plucking?

So Christine Mastony over at the Trib was wondering the same thing~ and since she's got journalistic power I don't have, she got tons of lovely coats sent to her to sample & test out! Apparently Canada Goose is the SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT.

I was looking at Patagonia, who was advertising "never live plucked feathers" and went down that rabbit hole. Their video was THE grossest, saddest, cute video I've ever seen:



Sooooo.... then I had to do all this research to find out that the U.S. banned live plucking (which must mean it's pretty bad indeed) BUT we import so much down from China, Poland, and Hungary that it's pretty much a moot point because they have no such regulations. In fact, 50-80% of Ikea down USED TO be live plucked!!! :( So my pillows might be sad pillows. They've since phased out / dropped these business relationships, so yay. 

Then I was all like, "What about this Canada Goose miracle coat company? Because I'm pretty sure it mentioned coyote fur." According to their website, "For Canada Goose, functionality is paramount. Our jackets are built for the coldest places on Earth – places where skin around the face can freeze in an instant. In these environments – when life is on the line – fur is not just the best choice, but the only choice.

We do not use fake or faux fur because it simply does not protect as well as real fur. Faux fur is only a fashion statement and does not act in the same way that real fur does to protect skin from frostbite. Fur trim around a hood works to disrupt airflow and create turbulent (warm air), which protects the face from frostbite.

We strongly support the ethical, responsible and sustainable use of fur. We only purchase fur from certified Canadian trappers, who live close to land and maintain traditions that have been passed down through generations. They have a profound respect for nature, and we are very proud to support them.

The trapping of fur-bearing animals is strictly regulated by the provincial and territorial wildlife departments in Canada. In fact, Canada is the world leader in humane trapping methods, providing the scientific basis for the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS), which establishes the required standards for approval and certification of animal trapping devices.

We have chosen to use real coyote fur because it is highly abundant. In fact, in many regions of North America, coyotes are considered a pest as they attack livestock, endangered prey species, pets and sometimes people. We know that whether or not people want to wear fur is a personal choice, and we respect that. In turn, we hope that people will respect our ethical and responsible use of fur."

And about their down, "Canada Goose is deeply committed to the preservation of our global environment and the humane treatment of animals. We never use down from live-plucking and only purchase down that comes as a by-product from the poultry industry." Well, I'm on board with that. Now I just need to save up for a few months (years?!) and maybe find a sale, then it's time for a coat! :)