My Gumboots Rock!
By: David Thomas-Jensen
Tags: Sledding, Winter, Family, Children, Dads

I usually do not endorse products, but in this case, these cement gumboots were the best 20 bucks I have spent all winter.

It has been a very snowy February, record-setting actually. And other than shoveling it, and attempting to drive through it, or scrape it off your windows, there is one important thing that must be done in regards to snow.

Taking your kids out sledding.

In my memories of being a kid in Minnesota, winter fun included, building snow forts, snowball fights, damming up spring melt at the sewer and of them all, sledding topped the list.

My oldest is almost 4 and last year when she was almost three I strapped her in after bundling her up and pulled her to an edge of a hill and gave my little treasure a nudge and down the hill, with my heart she went.

It was a giant metaphor for parenting.

This year she gets excited and cannot wait to go out and play in the snow. She has achieved a level of big kid to anticipate and initiate and desire.

So we went sledding.

Hence the boots. As the sunny day after another foot of snow fell and I had some time in the midday I prepared to take this on. At which point I discovered that my only pair of boots, a pair of Red Wing work boots were nowhere near the ideal boot for heavy snow.

I knew what I wanted and I knew what Stores around me were likely targets.

I needed a pair of Gumboots.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

So, in the end, Home Depot won out, A. because they were close and, B. because they had a pair of no-nonsense, no insulation, heavy-duty gumboots for 20 bucks.

You would think they would be cold, but in reality, snow is not that cold, the air maybe but snow is tiny flakes of ice with lots of dead airspaces, the ice is around 10 degrees, the airspace quickly sets to match. Surrounded by this with a wool sock on inside my gumboots and I was impervious to all that wet.

Sorel classic Boot in Black

You can spend a lot of money on a pair of gumboots. If you are an outdoorsman or work out there you might want a ‘Cadillac’ pair such as Sorels, the go-to winter cold and snow boot in Minne(snow)ta. They are on sale now, go get some.

They still will cost about 5x what my gumboots did. And for a guy that will probably be out in the thick of winter for a total of 10 days a year primarily for sledding, I just don’t see the need for such a quality and expensive boot.

Yes, I am that frugal (read: cheap). I have two babies, and one wants to go sledding because I want her to go, she has no idea until I show her.

Now, she wants to go sledding all the time. I tell her only on days when it is 20 or higher, she doesn’t understand, but the next day will be tomorrow.

DAD TIPS: Regarding sledding with the small set.

Safety First: Hills with no down range trees or ravines, or end at a street. What are you trying to get your kid killed? No, pam or spay on oil, or soap on the bottom of the sled. Yeah, it’s awesome but you cannot implement this until they are old enough to steer. And keep cool, and commit to a cover story to tell mom, on the way to the ER. Let us say, not until they are10–12.

Finally and most important, resist riding with your 2–7-year-old. You are a 200-pound unsecured mass riding behind your kid, if things go badly you will land right on top of them. This tip came straight from the EMT’s.

Now you are ready to go.

Almost.

Reality check on kids under 5. Their legs are too short to rise above the snow on steps meaning they cannot climb back up the hill on their own, meaning you will walk down and have to help them, or more likely carry them back up.

This is going to kick your ass and if you are not in shape possibly give you a heart attack and/or stroke. Both of which are quite popular while shoveling snow. The Gumboots will help, but there is a smarter solution.

Tie a spooled line to the back of the sled, nylon or heavy twine should work. When they are done with a run, they can cling to the sled while you easily pull their little bodies back to the top. Trust me, its worth it. You will still get a workout, but it won't kill you and the kid will have a lot more fun to boot.

On Virgin snow, you should go once first and carve a bobsled path for you tike to follow in when it's their turn. This will cut down on the random shots they make and tumbles they take in the snow. (unless that is what you want.)

Taking my kids sledding when the snow is good, totally worth it. And with these tips and the gumboots, it won’t be an ordeal.

Winter is coming swiftly to the end, the best time to play in the snow, while it still is here, and the sun is warm, and springs promise is in the air.