Adirondack III Waterproof Tall Boot (Women)

I live in northern Vermont and did a lot of research when looking to replace my 10-year-old snow boots this season. I was excited to find these on sale, with good reviews for warmth and insulation. I normally wear a 6 or 6.5, but sized up to a 7 per the reviews saying they run small. It was snowing when they arrived, so I immediately put them on to try them out. They were tight, but wearable without socks. I've had Uggs before so I knew my feet would be toasty with the liner and that wasn't a deal-breaker. They were a bit stiff to get on, but being new, I figured they'll break in. But then I went out to walk my dog and didn't get 20 feet from my driveway when my heel slipped and I fell down! I had been out earlier and the snow was fresh so it wasn't that slick. Still, I slowed down, watched my footing and stayed on the fresh snow rather than the packed parts. I fell AGAIN! These have studs on the bottom but I'm not sure what they are there for as they appear to have very poor traction in snow. Unfortunately that's a deal-breaker where I live, so I am returning these. I really wanted to love these.They do look great, and are very warm. If you live somewhere that doesn't get a lot of snow or you're walking mostly on cleared pavement, these are probably fine. I considered adding spikes, but I'd rather have a boot that will just work. SIZE UP at least a full size, if not 1.5 sizes, and prepare for a break-in period where they are a bit tough to lace up and get on.