I find this discussion interesting and pertinent to what I do. I have tried, for the past two years, to find just such a boot. I thought I had found the perfect boot twice. It is essentially the same boot, and it is/was made by Salomon and Fischer. It took a NNN BC binding, and had massive cleats in the tread in case I had to bare boot it. It also had a square back heel, with cleats up the back of the heel, to better hold a snowshoe binding. I mean these were mean looking boots. They worked well for warmth, traction, walking, snowshoes and skiis. So, why don't I still have them? They fit poorly, and gave me huge blisters, regardless of whatever sock combo I had on.
Then I noticed my wife and friend just used their cross country boots in their snowshoes. You know, the kind of boots that are rounded under at the heel. Their snowshoe bindings just muckled onto their boots and stayed put. This coming season, I'm gonna use my plain old x-country ski boots and see just how that works.
I really want to find an all in one boot. Trips into Baxter or where ever, with a gear sled sled, would be nice if I didn't have to have a pair of boots for every kind of activity. Two are needed, obviously, in case one gets wet, but three and for pair gets old: 1) cross country ski, 2) Snowshoe, 3) bare boot, 4) cabin wear.......
Hmmmm.... I was just looking for a link to the products, seems I can't find them. Perhaps, they received many similar complaints and stopped manufacturing?????
I'll look some more this year, but I may just go with my good old comfy boots.