I grew up in a "city vacations" family, so my first real foray into outdoorsy winter activities didn’t happen until after college, when I went skiing for the first time. But it was love at first pizza-french-fry-pizza. The cute jackets, the furry accessories, the apres-ski outfits?! Obsessed. The infatuation continued on a recent trip to Iceland, where I packed a litany of wool socks, fair isle knits, and what I was hoping would be the perfect, under-$180 snow boot: Kizik’s Juno boot.
Kizik first appeared on my radar last year: an accessibility-focused brand that made completely hands-free shoes that you could step right into, no need to reach down and tie your laces (ideal if you’re disabled, arthritic, pregnant, or generally enjoy ease and convenience). But I wasn’t truly familiar with their game until they dropped the Juno 2 boot: a new, improved, and extremely cute snow boot that rivaled the Moon Boot, but for a lot less.
Despite the chunky silhouette, fabric exterior, and complicated-looking front laces, the Junos are, in fact, completely hands-free! I can’t emphasize how nice it is to be able to put on a full pair of snow boots by simply stepping into them. Luxury, really. They also feature a super cushy padded sole, adjustable, stretchy laces, and a super lightweight feel.
As far as comfort, there was absolutely no break-in time here, folks. I walked thousands of steps through Iceland’s most beautiful naturescapes with zero blistering or heel pain. I also have slightly wider feet and didn’t feel like the shoe was restrictive, either.
For comparison purposes, I asked around the office to see if anyone had tried the Moon Boot—and one fan of the popular winter shoe admitted that the designer style tended to not keep their feet fully dry, despite the fact that Moon Boots are meant to be water-repellant. Other feedback I heard was that they were pretty cold, so not particularly suited for heavier snow.
On the other hand, I found that the Juno 2 kept my feet dry despite walking through puddles and waterfall sprays. I haven’t tried them out in heavy snow yet (give it a few more weeks and I’ll get back to you on that!) but the Junos are made with 400 grams of thermal insulation that kept my feet toasty in the cold temps.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention styling—I wore them with black leggings, waterproof pants (not pictured), and a grey cropped hoodie on a warmer day, and then out to dinner with a fair isle sweater and jeans. Thanks to the stretchy laces, I was able to tuck my wide leg jeans into the boots while only breaking a very small sweat. Oh, I also wore them on the plane for space-saving purposes, and while no shoe is truly comfortable on an airplane, the Junos kept my toes warm and caused zero pain!
the Juno boot comes in three color options...
Kizik Juno 2 High Boot - Black/Whitecap Gray
Kizik Juno 2 High Boot - Bright White
Kizik Juno 2 High Boot - Oatmeal
All I'm saying is that if you've been on the hunt for a boot that'll hold up just as well apres ski as it would for early morning dog walks and an expedition to Iceland, these might be calling your name...
Hannah is the Shopping Editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things from chic home decor to trendy fashion finds, TikTok products that are actually worth your $$$, and the perfect gift to buy for your boyfriend's mom. She previously wrote for Seventeen and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram for hot takes on red carpet fashion and pictures of her office outfits that nobody asked for.
