I’ve spent the last five winters testing boots on black ice, packed snow, and the slushy mess that passes for sidewalks in my city. I’ve face-planted in $300 fashion boots and stayed upright in $130 work boots. Here’s what actually matters when you’re picking boots for ice — not marketing claims, not Instagram aesthetics, but real traction and real warmth. 1. The Sole Is Everything — Don’t Trust a Pretty Tread Every boot brand claims “superior grip.” Most of them lie. I learned this after buying a pair of UGG Adirondack III boots ($250) that looked rugged but had a…