REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Stylish
Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Short shaft
Poor traction in mud
Not warm enough for cold weather use
Tretorn Strala Review
Credit: Tretorn
RELATED: Best Rain Boots of 2024
Our Verdict
The Tretorn Strala, hailing from Sweden, is a very lightweight and simple rain boot with a few tricks up its sleeve. We liked its cozy (but not hot) micro-fleece lining, as well as the foam Eco Ortholite insole (eco-friendly points!). It proved to be comfortable and easy to use. Furthermore, our fashion-conscious reviewers enjoyed the slick and unobtrusive look this model provides. It didn't impress us in terms of water protection or traction, but we still appreciated this product when heading into town under cloudy skies. If you are intrigued by low shaft boots, make sure to also check out the award winning LaCrosse Hampton.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Tretorn has discontinued the Strala.
The Tretorn Strala is a stylish, ankle-cut rain boot that measures 5 inches from the ground up to the lowest point of the shaft. Its sleek look is complemented by significant comfort. It was also the lightest pair within our review, which makes wearing it all day on soggy days an easy decision. Although it suffered in our traction and water resistance metrics, we still liked the Strala. And with a price of $75, this is one of the least expensive boots we tested!
Performance Comparison
Our feet stayed dry as we walked through dew-covered grass on morning walks through the neighborhood. The unique reflective strips on the back of the heel began to peel off after a few months of use, but we didn't find them very helpful anyhow.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Water Resistance
The Strala scored the poorest of any pair from our review in this metric. More than just being short shafted, it is only waterproof up to the bottom of the Gore elastic side panels, which is three inches, instead of to the top of the shaft. This makes wading in water out of the question with this model.
While we would avoid standing puddles deeper than 3 inches when wearing this product, the Gore elastic side panels can handle a good amount of intermittent splashing before water seeps through to your socks.
With short-shafted boots like the Strala, we recommend jumping over streams when possible, instead of wading through them.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Comfort
While some of the other boots in this review seemed to have completely missed the train in this metric, the Strala did not. It is a comfortable rain boot that our reviewers had no problem wearing for short or long periods of time. Our feet were happy on top of the foamy Eco Ortholite insoles (which partially reduce the total amount of petroleum used in production by substituting a bio-oil from castor beans). This model's soft micro-fleece lining hugs your feet without squeezing, which provides a very snug feeling. Over flat ground, these are great. However, the soft rubber outsole wasn't nearly as comfortable on uneven surfaces, such as trails riddled with rocks and roots, because you can clearly feel every bump underfoot. Also, the slits in the rubber upper sometimes rubbed against our ankles, which wasn't ideal.
The Eco Ortholite insole provided cushioning for comfort while walking on even surfaces.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Traction
The shallow, horizontal tread on the Tretorn's outsoles provide a good amount of traction on wet city sidewalks, which is where we imagine these boots being used the most. It doesn't get great purchase on loose terrain or mud, though.
These boots performed fairly well on the slick rocks in a local creek bed. However, this product served us best when walking on wet city sidewalks.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Warmth
While the micro-fleece lining inside this rain boot does provide some warmth, it's not enough to keep toes from the winter cold. In our ice water test, our feet only lasted one minute and 30 seconds before the chill set in. We think its low score in this metric is actually a positive thing for this boot, showing that it has some versatility to be used in warm and cool weather.
Style
When heading into town to run errands or to enjoy some nightlife despite rainy skies, our reviewers didn't shy away from this boot. With its narrow profile, subdued grey highlight along the outsole, and its non-glossy finish, the Strala doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, as many rain boots are known to do. Rather, it discreetly keeps your feet dry. We like that!
We found that this model doesn't attract attention to itself hidden below the cuff of our pants, which we really liked.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Ease of Use
The Strala, which weighs 2lbs 7 oz for the pair, was the lightest boot in our review. Unlike the other heavier duty boots, we easily forgot that we were wearing rain boots with this model. Furthermore, the Gore elastic side panels and the slit in the rubber, which makes this product less resistant to water, did make sliding our feet in and out easier than with the Bogs Urban Farmer, but not as quick and painless as the LaCrosse Hampton or the Bogs Ultra Mid Rain Boot.
The Strala was the lightweight champion among our pool of contestants.
Credit: Ross Robinson
Fit
This boot fit comfortably and true-to-size. Our size 11 feet were snug and comfortable in this pair of size 11s.
Best Applications
We found the Tretorn Strala rain boots to be best suited in urban environments. This model's forte is wet sidewalks and dewy grass, not muddy trails or standing water. If you are heading to a social setting with iffy weather, these boots are a great choice.
The Strala is pretty easy to get on and off. The cuts in the upper beneath the Gore elastic side panels allow the opening to spread wide when putting it on. However, these cuts also make this model waterproof only to the bottom of the elastic side panels, three inches off the ground.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
Value
Costing only $75, this is among the least expensive products in this review. While they didn't score well across every metric, they are an affordable option for those looking for rain protection around town that will go largely unnoticed. For those consumers, this model has good value.
If you have an extra $25 to spare, we highly recommend upgrading to the LaCrosse Hampton, which is a short-cut boot that won our Top Pick for Mild Weather.
Conclusion
These Tretorn rubber boots didn't achieve an impressive overall score in our review, yet we still liked them. This reflects their smaller niche of application. Not all lifestyles, and not all climates, require tall, heavy duty rain boots to keep out all kinds of nasty weather. Some users just need a discreet short-cut pair of rain boots that will keep them dry and comfortable on soggy days around town. If that sounds like your needs, this could be the rain boot for you.
Fully waterproof, this rubber boot won't draw attention to itself as it keeps your toes dry.
Credit: Jenna Rae Ammerman
—
Ross Robinson
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