Rain, snow, road salt, and grime can sure do a number on your shoes. That's not good even when you're wearing sneakers or work boots. But it is even worse when you are wearing dress shoes. The fact is that dress shoes are not designed to stand up to the weather. This is why we have rain boots and galoshes. Between the two, which is your style?
People ask all the time, "are rain boots and galoshes the same thing?" In a word, no. Rain boots are intended to protect the feet and lower leg. Galoshes are more about protecting shoes. They act as a shoe cover to shield whatever footwear you happen to be sporting at the time.
There is a place for both types of protective footwear. So perhaps it is not a question of personal style but, rather, your need at any given time. Rain boots are appropriate sometimes; galoshes are appropriate at other times.
In and Out Of the Weather
Since galoshes act as a shoe cover, they are ideal for people who are constantly in and out of the weather. For example, let's say you are a lawyer working in downtown Salt Lake City. You regularly spend time walking between your downtown office and the courthouse. However, it is not like you are spending all day outdoors.
That quick five-minute walk is still enough to get your dress shoes wet on rainy days. But once inside the courthouse, you'll be there for a few hours. It doesn't make sense to wear rain boots and carry shoes in your briefcase. Throwing on a pair of galoshes makes a lot more sense. If it is still raining when you're finished in court, the galoshes will keep your shoes dry on the walk back to the office.
Spending All Day Outdoors
Galoshes really are a temporary solution for a temporary problem. If you are spending all day outdoors in a driving rain, rain boots would probably be a better choice. Being outdoors all day increases the chances of you stepping in sizable puddles, for one thing. You also stand a greater chance of getting soaked from head to toe.
Rain boots completely eliminate any chance that your regular shoes will get wet. If it's wintertime, you'll never expose dress shoes to salt and grime by wearing rain boots. The differences here should be as plain as night and day. Rain boots are intended for those occasion when are you spending significant time outdoors in pretty nasty weather.
Boots over the Shoes
It is important to note here that you can buy rain boots that fit over your other shoes. They are technically not considered galoshes if they are full-size boots that cover your entire shoe and a good portion of your leg. You can distinguish between these types of rain boots and galoshes by seeing how much of the ankle and leg they cover.
Galoshes are generally no bigger than your actual shoes. They are not designed to protect your ankles, socks, and pants. Boots are. So if you have a pair of slip-ons that go over your shoes and halfway up your calf, you're wearing rain boots. If you are wearing a pair that just barely covers your shoes, you're looking at galoshes.
So now you know the difference between rain boots and galoshes. Which option aligns more with your needs and preferences? It's okay to have only rain boots, but seriously consider galoshes to protect your dress and casual shoes when you're out and about. Wear them a few times and you'll wonder how you lived without them.
