Sled dog booties are my go-to pick for almost every snowy adventure that needs a bootie. I have a dog with long soft foot-fur and these booties keep him trucking along hours past the time he would have had to chew snowballs out of his paws. I also use them on my short haired dog as well, as she will go miles and miles in any condition and get foot-fissures from deep cold snow if I don’t prevent them by occasionally using booties like these.

They are easy to size and put on, fastening with stretch Velcro tabs. It takes a bit of practice to make a simple fold of the extra fabric when doing up the Velcro in a way that allows them to sit smoothly against the dog’s leg.

Security
They are easy for the dog to get accustomed to because they are so light and don’t affect the way the foot works/splays. They stay on better than any other bootie I have ever used, especially once you figure out how tight to do up the stretch Velcro. An example from a real trip: I can run my dog 14 km with a snowmobile and then go ski touring in the mountains for 5 hours, then run the dog 14 km back to the truck. During that sort of extended outing, the dog might lose one bootie during the entire day. At a cost of $1.50 per bootie, I don’t worry about losing the odd one. No other boot I tested this year would make even the first leg of the trip I mentioned above.

These booties are not very durable, and holes will wear in the Cordura from the dog’s claws eventually. You can get extra use out of them by flipping them upside down once a little wear is noticed. They are not waterproof or salt-proof, so if that is your reason for buying a bootie you might have to look to a different model. That said, some sled dog companies are making booties out of heavier duty materials and even some water resistant materials with the same simple design.

On Trail
These booties are fine for compacted snow and will keep most dogs from “hot footing” in cold conditions, despite the fact they are not insulated. I do not recommend them for salty sidewalks since they are thin, not waterproof, and not durable enough for concrete.

Off Trail
The Kipmik Dog Booties stay on better than any other booties we tested this year (winter 2013). The Cordura provides some friction on slick surfaces, and the dog can still use its paws some through the thin fabric for traction in all but the iciest of conditions (they are like minimalist running shoes in that way). They do protect against snowballing and “hot footing,” despite being thin.

Comfort
No break in time is needed, and dogs get used to them quickly. They are thin, light, and let the paws work in a natural way. The stretch Velcro lets them be fastened tightly, but without binding the tendons. They might not feel so good to the dog when they get really wet.

Value
Sled dog booties can vary in price depending on the manufacturer and volume purchased, but any way you look at it, you get great bang for your buck. You can buy 25 sled dog booties for the same amount as a mid-priced set of 4 dog boots from a pet store. And when you loose one or wear through one, just replace it from your stash.

Durability
These booties are not meant to be durable. Instead, you get the traction, comfort, and gripping ability of your dog’s paw through a thinner material. Turn the booties upside down when you first notice wear from claws and get double the usage from each bootie!

The sled dog booties I have purchased are not pretty, but I have never had the seams blow out or the Velcro come unstitched. The Velcro used on the Ten Squared Kipmik bootie is my favorite of all the sled dog booties I have tried, the Velcro lasts a long time without getting too “fuzzy.”