The 5 Best Winter Insoles for Comfort and Warmth

Love your shoes but hate how come winter, your toes are freezing? Do you wish there was a way to insulate your footwear to be more comfortable in cold temperatures? Attending an outdoor event in winter where you need to dress up, but your shoes are just not cozy enough for the weather? Love winter sports but hate how cold your toes are? Before you go buy a whole new pair of winter shoes, consider winterizing your existing footwear collection with the best winter insoles I've found.

I originally wrote this in 2023, but this morning as I turned on my space heater and slipped on my shearling-lined clogs, I realized it's time to update this so we can all update our footwear to be cozy and comfortable this season!

Insoles add Warmth as Well as Comfort to Winter Shoes

Take it from me, someone who spent years suffering for fashion and learned better. I've also provided real-life style advice to grown women for nearly 20 years, with a decade of apparel merchandising, styling, and personal shopping before writing Wardrobe Oxygen. I've researched for you and found ways to make stylish shoes more functional. The most budget-friendly way that has the most impact is adding a pair of insoles. And some winter insoles on the market will drastically improve the comfort of your tootsies when the weather is frightful.

The 5 Best Winter Insoles for Comfort and Warmth

When the temps drop, I pull out my collection of winter-friendly insoles. Having a layer of coziness between your feet and the ground will significantly impact how warm you feel. Think about the floors in your home; when they are properly insulated, they are far warmer than when the subfloor is open. When camping, a pad between you and the ground offers comfort and warmth. Winter insoles do the same for your feet, keeping you far more comfortable in cold weather, and there are styles for almost any kind of shoe in your closet!

The Best Winter Insoles for Chelsea Boots, Harness Boots, and Shoes with Roomy Toeboxes

I love a shearling insole for boots and shoes with roomier toe boxes. I have bought a few brands of shearling insoles, and the L.L.Bean shearling insoles are by far the best bang for your buck. They don't shed, they don't make your feet sweaty, they don't get smelly, and you truly can rewear them winter after winter for extra warmth and comfort.

Please note the insoles are not sized like shoes. Follow the L.L.Bean size chart on the product page. For example, a size 8 insole is appropriate for a man's 7.5-8 shoe and a woman's 9-9.5 shoe. L.L.Bean Adult Shearling Insoles come in three colors, sizes 5-13, and retail for less than $30.

The Best Winter Insoles for Loafers, Ankle Booties, and Shoes with Sleeker Toeboxes

I swear by wool insoles for loafers, ankle booties, and shoes with almond or pointed toeboxes. These felt wool insoles are budget-friendly and relatively thin, so your shoes still fit comfortably, and they can be trimmed to fit the precise shape of your shoe.

Since they are made from wool, these insoles resist smell and wick away moisture, keeping your feet comfortable even if you go from the cold outdoors to a warm building. I recommend removing them from your shoes once home to air them out and have them ready for your next venture into the cold outdoors. These wool insoles are available from a woman's size 5 up to a man's size 14, and retail for less than $10.

The Best Winter Insoles for Being Outdoors for a Long Period of Time

Imagine cozy wool, insulating foam, and some mylar… wouldn't that make the warmest flooring or sleeping pad? Well, it also makes the warmest winter insole for shoes, and it is surprisingly thin. So thin, I can fit these in my sleek almond-toe ankle booties and my pointed-toe heeled knee-high boots! These insulating insoles from Pedag are only 0.16 inches thick and are a fantastic price, too!

Available in sizes Women's 5 up to Men's 15, the pedag insulating insoles can be trimmed to fit your shoe perfectly and are durable enough to wear winter after winter (mine are going on their third season!). I do recommend wearing them around the house to get the shape of your foot in them and smash them down a bit. This will ensure they fit better in your shoe and also feel most comfortable.

The top of the insert is quilted, which helps to trap heat and keep your toes toasty warm. The middle layer provides most of the insulation and is made of a foam with thousands of closed air cells. The bottom layer is made from a special thermal aluminum that helps to reflect the outside cold. All sizes are available at this link, and retail for less than $10.

The Best Winter Insoles for Snow, Ski, and Snowboard Boots

Sure, we want to be warm when we're looking polished, but we also want to be warm on the slopes! I cannot recommend these insoles from Superfeet enough. Providing support, stability, and comfort, these insoles also have a thermal top cover that will keep your feet cozy without getting sweaty.

If your boots are already a perfect to snug fit, check out the thinner version, the Superfeet Winter Thin Support Insoles. All the same perks of the Winter Support, but a trimmer style that I like and have a pair in my snow boots!

Superfeet insoles are an investment (they are usually between $35-$60), but they last forever. My husband and I both own of pairs of Superfeet insoles that are years old and still look and perform like new. They can be trimmed to fit and are also great for snow boots and any sturdy boots you wear. Available from Women's sizes 4.5 to a Men's 13.

The Best Winter Insoles for Cycling

Toes going numb on your winter cycling commute? Love to ride and want to find ways to do it longer into the season? Consider a pair of winter insoles specifically for cycling shoes by a company expert in cycling!

Lake Cycling's Winter Insoles are layered for ultimate insulation. The outer felt layers wick away moisture and keep the foot feeling dry, a second radiant reflective layer helps keep heat and cold from transferring through while the inner core of air pockets finally creates an insulating barrier so that the heat or cold cannot be conducted. For less than $30, these insoles come in four options to fit shoe sizes 36-50.

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I hope this selection of winter insoles will help you make your existing footwear collection more comfortable in cold weather. Keep in mind that insoles, even slim ones, will take up space in your shoe. The sleeker the shoe, the slimmer the insole you should pick. Wear the insoles around your house before wearing out the door to ensure comfort. Use sharp shears to trim insoles, and if any of these styles of warm insoles work for you (or you have another favorite) do let me know in the comments!