Cold Feet- Insulated Boots

Bratch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
121
The last two weekends my feet have frozen while hunting. Temperatures have been in the 20s and I’m sitting in a ground blind or in a stand.

The first weekend I was wearing Lacrosse Alpha Lite boots with merino socks, this weekend I had Magellan Pro rubber boots
claiming 800g of insulation, silk liner socks and merino socks. I saw no improvement going to the insulated boots.

I am not hiking in or out more than 1/2 mile and I am not packing any animals out. These are day hunts on flat lands.

I have a pair of Danner Recurve Moc Toe that I have used in warmer weather and have been happy with so I have looked at some of the other Danner insulates options.

Any recommendations
 
OP
B

Bratch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
121
The last two weekends my feet have frozen while hunting. Temperatures have been in the 20s and I’m sitting in a ground blind or in a stand.

The first weekend I was wearing Lacrosse Alpha Lite boots with merino socks, this weekend I had Magellan Pro rubber boots
claiming 800g of insulation, silk liner socks and merino socks. I saw no improvement going to the insulated boots.

I am not hiking in or out more than 1/2 mile and I am not packing any animals out. These are day hunts on flat lands.

I have a pair of Danner Recurve Moc Toe that I have used in warmer weather and have been happy with so I have looked at some of the other Danner insulates options.

Any recommendations for boots I should look at? I am sick of frozen toes.
 

Sled

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
2,148
Location
Utah
First I'd check how tight the boots you're wearing are. If you restrict blood flow, any boot will be cold.
 

JohnB

WKR
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
376
Put new socks on once you make it to the blind. It might help out. I don't do any blind sitting but really notice I get cold feet in rubber boots when I don't have perfectly dry socks on.
 
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
676
I regularly get cold feet. When the temp is in the low teens or colder I turn to toe warmers. I have tried different/multiple socks, but the small toe warmers are the only thing that works for me
 
Joined
May 13, 2015
Messages
3,711
Decades ago I had a job working with frozen foods, as in inside a huge freezer. I went through the same issue and tried many different boots. In short, my feet would heat up, sweat, and then stop producing heat, then freeze. The sweat in my socks would freeze too. I finally tried boots with very little insulation (200 grams), and finally had happy feet. My feet are the same when hunting in cold weather.

I'm not saying the same will work for you, but it might be worth testing it.
 

Maverick1

WKR
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
1,523
Your feet are perspiring, and the moisture is collecting on the inside of your rubber boots. Moisture plus cold air equals cold feet. Ditch the rubber boots. (If you have to wear them to get to your stand because of standing water, take them off when you get to your stand, put them inside your backpack or a plastic bag on the ground if you are scent-conscious, and put something else on your feet.) Change your socks when you get to your stand location. Moisture is not your friend. Loose fitting leather boots, chemical toe warmers, and boot blankets work well. Or down booties and artic shield boot blankets.
 

S-3 ranch

WKR
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
980
Location
Sisterdale Texas / Hillcounrty
Sitting in a blind I hate rubber boots! They are miserable, I use two boots for cold weather , redwing Irish setters with 400 thinsulate and sorrel pac boots
I just spent two days in 20’s -30’s weather and never got cold toes or anything
dump those rubber boots imo they don’t help n the cold
 

Sled

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
2,148
Location
Utah
If it is sweat, use spray antiperspirant on your feet before you leave the house. If not, check fit of the boot. If it's tight over the instep, you're cutting off circulation.
 

S-3 ranch

WKR
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
980
Location
Sisterdale Texas / Hillcounrty
Sitting in a blind I hate rubber boots! They are miserable, I use two boots for cold weather , redwing Irish setters with 400 thinsulate and sorrel pac boots
I just spent two days in 20’s -30’s weather and never got cold toes or anything
dump those rubber boots imo they don’t help n the cold
 
OP
B

Bratch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
121
Sitting in a blind I hate rubber boots! They are miserable, I use two boots for cold weather , redwing Irish setters with 400 thinsulate and sorrel pac boots
I just spent two days in 20’s -30’s weather and never got cold toes or anything
dump those rubber boots imo they don’t help n the cold

I was beginning to wonder if part of it was the rubber. I like them because most places I hunt have small creek crossings and they keep me dry but I’m still frozen.
 

ahlgringo

WKR
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Messages
1,031
If you are not walking much try a pair of mil surplus Mickey Mouse or Bunny Boots.

I have the same issues with cold feet.

Just put about 100 miles during rifle season in my bunny boots. Temps were -5-25. Feet were always toasty warm. Big issue though was that feet would perspire all day long and be a swamp at the end of each.

Still searching for perfect solution, but I can’t sit for more than 30 min in even 1000g boots without toes going numb when it’s 0 out. Even with warmers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Messages
1,625
Location
Montana
I wear hoffman pacs with felt liners. I rode today for 4 hrs at -8 with toasty tootsies. I have two or three pairs depending on snow conditions and sole needs. There's is no need for frozen feet.
 

92xj

WKR
Joined
Apr 22, 2016
Messages
1,234
Location
E.Wa
I have this mastered finally. Sat in 2 degree weather for 5 hours and finally had my feet stay comfortable. A great pair of heavyweight wool socks. A good quality muck/bog style boot. Then these over top but the kicker, a hand warmer placed on top of the toes of the rubber boot inside this artic booty. It was so freaking nice this last weekend with my toes not freezing. https://www.scheels.com/p/arctic-sh...MItcn9yMW--wIVGzWtBh37KAYJEAQYAiABEgK1yfD_BwE
 

hicountry1

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
298
Tape hand warmers over the toe box of your boots.

Then if needed, artic shield overboots.

Elec tape is all you need.

I sat 60 hours in a pop up blind in Saskatchewan and never got cold feet.

I used felt pac boots there, but it works with any type boot.
 

txtransplant

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 6, 2021
Messages
246
Location
Colorado
One thing that is often overlooked here is blood flow. To stay warm, your feet need good blood flow. You need to size up your boots from normal shoe size to allow extra space not only for thick socks (and maybe toe warmers, if you want), but also to avoid constriction.

I wear size 11 tennis shoes. My insulated boots are 12W. They’re only 400g insulation. I sat on the ground by a boulder in below freezing temps on a deer hunt this year and was totally fine with one pair of Darn Tough ski socks and no toe warmers.
 

hunt1up

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,610
Location
Central Illinois
I have LaCrosse Hunt Pac 2000s that I've worn for years to below zero temps. They're getting tired so I just ordered the warmest Hoffman Pac boots. I broke them in this weekend with temps in the single digits with wind chill. They did well, similar to the LaCrosse. My feet will get chilled but not unbearable.

Arctic Shield boot blankets are slick too. And cheap. Slide those on and throw a hand warmer inside.

Rubber boots are garbage for cold weather. If it wasn't for spring turkey or crossing creeks I'd light my rubber boots on fire and laugh as they burned. I hate them.
 
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
910
I either wear my Baffin's if the walk isn't far or wear my 800 gram meindl's and have the artic shield boot insulators in my pack. If you're interested in the Baffin's, make sure to get the polar rated ones. When nighttime coyote hunting in temps down to -40f the Baffin's are the only thing that have kept my feet warm. The link I'll attach for the Baffin's are just the ones I have which are safety toe because I wore them in Bakken but they have lots of models to choose from.




 
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