Rain bootsThe Crocs Rain Boots are streamlined, easy to clean, and lightweight. They’re mostly positively reviewed on Amazon, but scattered throughout are complaints that the boots are constricting and difficult to put on and take off. My own kids said they rubbed uncomfortably against their ankles, but another one of our testers really liked them.We liked the look of the Hunter Kids First Classic Rain Boots, but we wish they had better traction and handles (to make putting them on and taking them off easier).The Hunter Big Kids Grace Waterproof Rain Boots are stylish and sturdy, but the outsoles didn’t offer much traction, despite their chunky appearance. My 7-year-old daughter loves the cute look of these boots, but considering their price, we don’t think they’re a good deal for most kids.The Reima Ankle Rain Boots are a simple, stylish Chelsea-style boot, but the thin outsoles felt flimsy, almost like rubber socks. We preferred rain boots with chunkier soles.Western Chief Kids Rain Boots are comparable to our budget pick, the Lone Cone Rain Boots. But these boots feel less durable and are slightly less favorably reviewed online.The Xtratuf Tufs Ankle Deck Boots are a simple injected pair (read: one single piece) made from EVA foam. But they’re not as comfortable or slip-resistant as our top-pick Xtratuf Ankle Deck Boots.Snow bootsWe used to recommend the Stonz West Waterproof Boots as our favorite snow boot for toddlers, but Stonz has discontinued the boot. As long as supplies last, it remains a good option that works well for both rain and snow.We used to recommend the Bogs Neo-Classic as our favorite winter boots. But in 2025, Bogs discontinued them and replaced them with our new top pick, the Classic Seamless boots. The Neo-Classics are still great boots, and they’re worth buying while supplies last. Similarly, the Bogs York boots were replaced by the York Seamless boots. But even though they don’t have seamless construction, they’re still high-quality, reliable hybrid boots — and they’re likely to be on sale until they sell out.We tested the Bogs Kids Snow Shell in early 2026, and my kids liked the slip-on design and cinchable bungee closure at the top. It also comes in a zip-up design, which we haven’t tested. It’s just as warm as our top pick, the Classic Seamless boot, and costs about $20 less. But it’s frequently out of stock in many colors and sizes.The Bogs Baby Classic could work well as a hybrid boot for rain and some snow, but our tiny tester (and her daycare providers) didn’t find it warm enough for frigid Maine days.Lead editor Rachel Hurn’s older daughter had a pair of Sorel Explorer III boots in 2019, and she loved them so much that they bought the same pair the following year. But the new version we tested in 2026 featured laces that need to be tied, rather than the old style’s bungee toggle closure system. This extra step felt like a dealbreaker, even though these boots are still warm, grippy, waterproof, and — most notably — stylish.The Velcro closure system of the Kamik Snow Bug 5 is much harder to secure than that of our runner-up pick for toddlers, the Sorel Snow Commander. They also look bulkier and are harder to walk in.The Keen Little Kids’ Puffrider Waterproof Winter Boots are warm, and they did a great job of staying on our toddler tester’s feet. But since they start at size little kid 8, we preferred the Bogs Baby Snow Shell and Sorel Snow Commander for toddlers, both of which start at size 4.The Baffin Young Snogoose Kid’s Youth Boots are extremely rugged, but the liners are so stiff that my daughter could barely shove her foot into them. Baffin warns that these boots feel tight when they’re first worn, but we couldn’t break through the initial discomfort.The Baffin Ice Castle Kids Boots are a decent rain-to-snow pair. But their soles aren’t that grippy, and many kids may not be drawn to their grown-up look.The warm, waterproof Baby Bogs II boots represent a classic toddler style. We love that they’re machine-washable, but their soles don’t offer as much critical traction as the ones on our Bogs Baby Snow Shell pick.My older daughter loves the Bogs Arcata II Dash boots, but they come in just one color (black), and they have a steep price tag for a kids boot. Plus, within a month of use, the boots’ bungee fastening system was stretched out and missing hardware. We preferred the simplicity and durability of the Bogs Classic Seamless pair.Amazon’s popular and inexpensive Gubarun Snow Boots seem poorly made and are difficult to tighten. The decorative bungee laces are puzzling, and some reviews online say these boots are not very waterproof.The Kamik Snobuster 1 boots are good quality at a pretty low price. These boots were surprisingly warm during our testing. But because they look more like rain boots (and the colors are fairly austere), they didn’t rank high on our testers’ lists.The Muck Big Kids’ Apex Tall Winter Boots (currently unavailable) are comfortable and incredibly warm. Some of our testers really liked this pair. But the way the shaft narrows at the ankle made it nearly impossible for other testers to put these boots on and take them off. These are also among the heaviest boots we tested. And the drawstring closures are helpful only if your kid knows how to tie a shoelace.The durable Muck Kids’ Rugged II Boots are well made, but they come in only a few mature colors and patterns. For the price, you’re better off with the kid-friendly aesthetics of Bogs’s boots.Like the grown-up version, the Sorel Yoot Pac Nylon Children’s Waterproof Boots are warm, waterproof, and stylish. But we preferred the snow-collar feature (and price point) of the Sorel Flurry pair.We tested the Stonz Trek Snow Boots in 2025, but as of January 2026, they had a “new fit,” according to Stonz. We plan on considering the new version of this boot in our next round of testing.This guide was edited by Kalee Thompson and Amy Miller Kravetz.
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