Green Product Review: Icebug Stride BUGrip Winter Hiking Boots

Icebug makes it easy to be active in icy, slippery winter conditions with its traction footwear products, which include studded shoes and boots. I recently sampled a pair of the Stride Women's BUGrip hiking boots for an article I wrote on sustainable footwear. The boots feature 16 steel studs plus rubber soles that provide excellent stability on a variety of surfaces. Yet, these winter hiking boots are relatively lightweight and very warm.

I live in Midcoast Maine, where winter tends to be long and often very icy. Thus, hikers and even walkers often use traction cleats or crampons when needed that go over boots or shoes. However, this option doesn't provide the same stability that I find with the BUGgrip boots, where the studs are built into the outsole.​

In fact, the Icebug Stride BUGrip boots have become my go-to footwear during icy and slippery conditions. On days when it's easy to make an excuse not to hike because trails are encased in ice or are slushy, these boots get the job done. When there is a decent amount of snow, the Stride BUGrip pairs well with gaiters to prevent snow from entering from the top.
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Icebug Stride BUGrip Winter Boots for Women

The Stride BUGrip boots have a wide toe box, a recycled polyester fleece lining, and a waterproof coating. I also find they perform well on slush and snow, especially when combined with gaiters that keep the snow from entering the top of the boot. The BUGrip midsoles consist of 20% BLOOM algae foam and are made of 28% recycled materials. These hiking boots are manufactured in Vietnam and are vegan. 
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Icebug as a Leader in Sustainable Footwear

This Swedish traction footwear company became the first footwear brand in 2019 to be “climate positive” by offsetting 200% of its carbon emissions. Icebug has been a certified B Corp since 2022 and has an impact score of 93.9.

​To achieve B Corp certification, organizations need to take the B Impact Assessment to evaluate its impact on company workers, suppliers, customers, the community, and the environment and actively work to mitigate social and environmental issues.

Icebug continues to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions and expand the use of renewable electricity for its Tier 1 factories. ​The company doesn’t use air freight to transport products from its factories to warehouses, which produces a lot of greenhouse gas emissions. However, Icebug must allow longer lead times for its products as a result.

​The boot maker is also looking at product design to reduce its environmental impact. For example, it is decreasing the amount of materials it uses in its footwear. Icebug actively seeks more sustainable alternatives that require less water and fewer chemicals to manufacture, and it uses bluesign-approved textile materials.

​Image credit: Lisa Sadler (upper photo)

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