Well I'll tell ya what not to buy...
I had a pair of Columbia branded ones I paid $130 for...
was recently up near Crater Lake, where they have about 12 to 14 feet of snow on the ground, up around at 6,000 ft altitude...
these boots have only been out being used in heavy snow like that, maybe 4 or 5 times...
they virtually started disintegrating on me... was up there over night helping out with the Boy Scouts for their annual winter event....only thing that kept my feet dry, was putting a couple of bread bags over my socks, and putting the boots back on...
I'll be up in Potland for business next week.. I plan on stopping by Columbia's main office and take them in, put them on the receptionists desk and ask for customer service.... and inquiring how much more for a pair that don't do this???
they weren't coming apart, they were virtually disintegrating.... oh, Made in Vietnam...so guess the little zipper heads are getting back at North America for the Vietnam War still...
