I'm a fan of the overshoe idea. There have been several previous threads about winter footwear; I usually post an endorsement of Neos.
I have a pair of Neos Navigator overshoes that fit over my summer trail runners very nicely. I use that combination for winter snowshoe trips with great success. The trail runners are, of course, perfectly comfortable. The overshoes provide warmth and waterproofing.
There are probably a couple other overshoe companies out there; for real deep cold winter mountaineering, the "40 Below" overshoes and the OR "Brooks Ranger" shoes have been used over plastic boots for many years. But for all around use, Neos seems to have the most extensive line. They are generally all waterproof. Beyond that, models vary around height, the degree of insulation, and lately the inclusion of Stabilicer studs in the soles. Campmor has the whole line.
The model I have is an older Navigator, which is about 12" high, and has 10mm of closed cell foam insulation; no stabilicer, no built in gaiter. It basically converts my trail runners into pac boots. I'm getting ready to upgrade to the gaiter and stabilicer version. I'm also getting ready to buy a pair for my wife, who has cold feet. When we climb ice in the backcountry, sometimes by the time we get there her feet are cold even in her mountain boots (La Sportiva Nepal Extreme) and she can't climb, so I'm looking at a pair to fit over the boots for long approaches. I'm also going to pick up some uninsulated Neos for mud. I try to wear trail runners all the time, and the Neos let's me do that for everything except steep ice.
A weakness of most overshoes, including Neos, is that they don't mate with rigid step in crampons. Think of them as converting whatever you are wearing into a big Sorel pac boot.
TCD
