*originally appeared on January 04, 2017 By Sierra Davis POWDER Magazine.
So you got invited on a hut trip. Congrats! You have really nice friends. That, or they want someone to haul in all the food and whiskey. Either way, you’re probably going to be selective about bringing anything extra that takes up precious space in your pack and adds weight. These wool felt booties from the Denmark-based company glerups are not extra—they are necessity, and thankfully, they weigh close to nothing and pack down into the small, tight crevasses of your pack.
At 400 grams/pair, that’s about as much weight as a can of beer and it’s been my experience they provide equally as much comfort as said can. Because when I’ve been on the skin track for five hours (and it should have only taken two or three, but I’m slow), taking my boots off and slipping my feet into a pair of warm, dry hut booties is the ticket to bliss.
We’ve all seen fellow skiers use the traditional down booties for hut hanging and winter camping—you know the ones that look like mini sleeping bags on your feet—but down doesn’t do well when wet. Alternatively, glerups ankle booties are made of 100-percent wool so they can handle moisture from sweaty feet and melted snow puddles while keeping my feet dry.
After five or six wears, the felt started to conform to my feet as well, so they feel like custom-molded foot beds. Usually, I wear them barefoot, but for extra warmth there’s room for a pair of thick socks, too.
These booties are almost all handmade in Denmark, and the quality is apparent right away. They’re simple, in the best way, and reinforced in places like the heel and ankle to keep them from wearing out.
The calfskin soles aren’t meant for outside wear, but in a mad dash to the sauna or a quick trip to the outhouse, they hold up just fine. Just be careful: As the soles have worn in, they have become very smooth. Watch your step on anything like wet tile or ice.
Red elf shoes not your thing? The original grey color is a more low-profile choice.
Sizes: Women's 5-Men's 13
Weight: 400g
Materials: 100 percent wool felt
PHOTO: Brian Davis