Gear Review: Columbia Bugatech Lite Omni-Heat Boots

I always thought my perfect job would be as a gear tester.  As someone smart once said, be careful what you wish for: Columbia Sportswear and Snowshoe Magazine gave me my dream shot, and a chance to test the Bugatech Lite Omni-Heat snowshoeing boots. I was at first both pleased with the comfort and light weight, but skeptical of how they would perform under the extremes of elevations in excess of 11,000 feet above sea level and temperatures as low as 13 degrees F. I soon found myself pleasantly surprised.