Cold feet in the Whitetail Stand

[Smalljawbasser]

I agree with others - bootbankets by Arctic Shield. I wear uninsulated boots a medium cabelas wool socks

 

[tracker12]

I must be missing something but Pac boots are rubber bottomed. I have been using a pair of Military Mickey Mouse boots for the last 40 years. I wear a light liner sock and walk to my stand. Then I put on a light wool sock.

 

[Gseith]

I’ve been wearing a pair of Hoffman pac boots the last few years when white tail hunting. These fixed my cold feet issues.

 

[jbwright]

Pretty close to my recommendation. After years of suffering from cold feet, my current setup has allowed me to sit in a stand for 12 hours in 20 degrees with an even lower windchill. And I’m a total wimp when it comes to cold. I have Alphaburly Pro 1600s and use a thin sock plus the thickest merino I can find that doesn’t impair my room in the boots (currently the Woolpower 800s) and, maybe most importantly, a pair of BootSuits with hand warmers in the inside pockets.

I’m not an expert, but the rest of your cold weather gear may impact the cold you feel in your feet.

Have you found the BootSuits to be loud? Not that I really care because I hate cold feet and being cold period, but just curious?
Also, something else I've done (particularly because I tend to hunt from a climber which is aluminum) is put down a small piece of carpet on top of the aluminum. It's probably just in my head, but I feel like this has helped a bit.
Personally, I don't think there's 1 solution. Breathable socks, taking time to hike in so as not to work up a sweat, right fitting insulated boots (not too tight), etc. all help the ability to stay on stand and hopefully have success.

 

[Mike Islander]

Antiperspirant on feet. Not deodorant. Unscented antiperspirant, spray or stick.

STOPS feet from sweating on the hike in. Dry feet are warm feet, as long as you don't wear tight socks. One pair with breathing room is warmer than two pairs that cut off circulation.

 

[fwafwow]

Have you found the BootSuits to be loud? Not that I really care because I hate cold feet and being cold period, but just curious?

They may make some slight noise when you put them on, but not much (and probably less noise than I make getting into the stand). After that I can't say because I'm usually not moving my feet around much.

 

[elkguide]

Since I don't walk much when in the stand, if I'm not walking a long ways to get to my stand in very cold weather I wear a pair of Cabelas Trans-Alaska Pack boots and my feet stay warm. Having gotten frost bite on my feet and toes before, it is usually a challenge but with those boots, I can sit all day in temps around zero with no problems. They aren't for long walks though.

 

[roadrunner]

Antiperspirant on feet. Not deodorant. Unscented antiperspirant, spray or stick.

STOPS feet from sweating on the hike in. Dry feet are warm feet, as long as you don't wear tight socks. One pair with breathing room is warmer than two pairs that cut off circulation.

That's a good idea, need to try it next year.

 

[Mike Islander]

That's a good idea, need to try it next year.

Sounds silly, but it really works.

 

[jooleyen]

Make sure you have enough insulation on your legs. It’s often overlooked. Core is important too of course, but it’s easy to overlook the legs. Doesn’t matter how warm the boots are if your legs are even slightly chilled. I’m experimenting with bunny boots (which since they are so old apparently don’t work like they used to in the 70s and 80s), and have been alright down to 20deg so far. Looking forward to trying colder.

 

[Bo2103]

Rubber boots are terrible in cold. Can’t be tight need to hold the heat always change socks after walking in. A rubber boot does not breath so by its nature no matter how far you walk your feet are going to sweat.

 

[tgus59]

Sorry to say it, ditch the rubber boots.

My keys to staying warm:

-Anti antiperspirant for feet is key if your feet sweat much
-Walk slow, and dress light on the way in
-Darn Tough wool socks
-Uninsulated leather boots, loosen them after my hike for added toe movement

Under 20ish degrees I will also add:
-Arctic Shield boot blanket put on right away, with a hand warmer inside
-Closed cell pad for feet to rest on, especially if stand hunting

I think you'll be shocked how long you can sit in uninsulated boots if your feet stay dry.

 

[Brettm1983]

Get some of the Arctic Shield boot covers. When you get to the stand toss a handwarmer in each and put them on.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

These are what I use

 

[Teaman1]

I live in northern South Dakota and spend quite a few days in the stand in sub zero weather. I had the alphaburly 1600’s and the warmest muck boots, I agree that rubber boots suck for cold stand hunting because my feet froze. A breathable boot will really help prevent the sweat an only wear one pair of socks so you don’t cut off circulation.
If I’m strictly stand hunting in sub zero temps, I wear cheap ($60 on sale) guide gear 2400 gram boots. I wear tennis shoes on the drive to where I’m hunting, then put on the boots and walk slow to prevent sweating. Big bulky boots, but my feet don’t get cold anymore.

i can get by with uninsulated Meindel ultralight hunters and a pair of wool socks down to 15-20 degrees because they breathe so well. Going to experiment with their 800 grams for next year.

 

[DOMMA]

For me, no boots will keep my feet warm for extended sits when it gets below 10F. I need heated socks to survive the long sits.

 

[magtech]

I have 2000 gram pack boots and my feet still get cold on long sits when its cold. To overcome this I put in toe warmers, gaiters help some.

If I'm desperate I cheat and bring along an older sleeping bag and crawl in that, usually from the waist down. Combine all these things and I could live in my tree.

 

[AkRyan]

If your feet are wet then your feet got hot at some point. I recommend trying less socks or change in the stand. Anything under your boot will help also since most the insulation is compressed and they are exposed.

 

[harris611]

I have gray wolf woolens boot blankets -- bulky but really do keep my feet a lot warmer than the Arctic Shields

 

[Travis907]

Like several have said, use boot Arctic Shield boot cover with chemical handwarmer in each boot. Wear a good quality boot and sock and enjoy staying in the stand much longer!

 

[Edan]

Did I write this post in my sleep and not realize it? This is literally the same exact setup and problem I have as well. Even added heated socks this year via Bluetooth. The heated socks warm well but die rather quickly on any setting that actually helps. I did 18 daylight to dark sits this year and half of those were with frozen feet. 38 days on stand total this year and most were with miserably cold feet. I did buy some arctic shield boot blankets but they do not fit over my 1600 alpha burly well at all. Always wet feet and always frozen. I regularly changed socks after walking in, walked in light and dressed at the base of the tree. FL base layers sitka outers, etc. nothing really made the sits bearable except the thought of my target buck walking by. I bought some uninsulated asolo boots and am going to try that route with the boot blankets. I have some lowa renegades on backorder also to compare. Hopefully along with antiperspirant this will work. Good luck OP there are some great suggestions here. I especially like the darn tough socks I wore those for one sit last season as I got them for Christmas. I’ll be sticking around to see any more suggestions as there have been some great ones here.