Cold Feet- Insulated Boots

[cobbc03]

Rubber boots dont breath at all which doesnt help. Get a good leather or synthetic boot, and ice breaker boot blankets. I could never sit for more than 2 hours is cold weather, I can now sit all day with ice breakers and hand warmers thrown in them.

 

[streetdoctor]

If you're walking a lot and sitting for periods the key is a vapor barrier. I do a very thin sock liner, a loaf of bread bag, and then a winter wool sock with 400g mountaineering boots. I did 9 miles in -10° last week and stopped at two points for over an hour each time. No issues. Snow was just under knee deep in places.

 

[LTZ5.3]

Agree with streetdoctor I've done the ssme

 

[bat-cave]

+1 to Maverik1's feedback. This was what I discovered through cold trial and error. I would also add that a contributing factor was that I like to tuck my pant legs into my rubber boots and this is a major contributor to sweating (even though they never feel sweaty) on the approach. I prefer to walk into the WT woods with my pants tucked in for scent control and to keep my pants dry if I have to walk through water or deeper snow/muck. Once I get to the stand/blind, change the socks even if they don't feel damp and consider untucking the pant legs has worked well for me.

One other hack for the stand is to carry a piece of closed cell foam to cover the platform.

 

[Bratch]

I ordered some 1200g Danners during their sale and will try the vapor barrier and Artic Shield bags.

Thanks for the ideas

 

[Gseith]

I have tried a lot of the different things mentioned here, but pac boots fixed it.
I have a pair of Hoffman’s and they have been great. No more cold feet. If I plan to do any sitting I wear them.

 

[Schnee's]

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

When it's really cold out, or i know im not going to be moving a lot, I wear our Extreme 13" Pac Boots and the Klim mammoth sock. I purposefully got my boots a full size larger, so that I can fit that sock. That combo has kept me warm and comfortable down to -36F, while standing on a frozen lake for 12 hours... Bonus, our pac boots are constructed right here in Bozeman, MT and not somewhere on the other side of the world. - matt

Extreme 13"

Explore Schnee's Extreme 13" Pac Boots, built for extreme cold and snowy conditions. With 1000g of insulation and a hand-laid rubber bottom, these boots ensure warmth down to -40°F. Ideal for ice fishing, hunting, and winter outdoor activities.

schnees.com

 

[Bearwhisky]

Most important thing regardless of boot model is that it fits slight big. If its tight on your foot, it will restrict bloodlow and chill feet. Make sure to try them on with your heavy socks and still have room around them. For reference, my cold weather boots are big enough that I cannot comfortably wear them with my normal socks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shraggs]

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.

For 45 years I’ve sat in the cold deer woods. Fwiw:

800 gram anything won’t quite get me to freezing, need more thinsulate. Fine for 30-40s. It may vary for you too. Thinsulate isn’t best static insulation but I prefer if active.

I agree rubber gets cold fast and your heat from feet just can’t keep up. Gave up on rubber boots unless it’s very wet or standing water conditions. If below freezing including accounting for windchill I’ll use lacrosse alpha burly in 1600 gram.

I never walk in wool socks. I sweat a lot and will wet out any insulation. Bread bag works but adds more sweat for me. I wear ploy liner with cotton socks. They absorb sweat and less goes to the boot. I change into fresh wool and new liners on stand.

Always always carry my arctic shield boot covers and extra toe warmers to throw in. absolutely life savers.

For around freezing temps with long walk I do like the lacrosse 2000 gram hunt/pac already mention. Warm and breath snd when feet get chilly they warm up easy with toe wiggling. If windy arctic shields go on as soon as I get on stand. Traping heat more and keeps wind off. These new style of heavy insulation walking type hybrids are great but don’t have the heat trapping of a true pac boot.

Like good bulky pac boots for significantly below freezing. Lacrosse used to make good ones today I’d look hard at those baffins. Sweat mgt applies more so for me with pac boot liners than thinsulate snd no liner.

 

[GAHunterJim]

Toe warmers solved it for me!

 

[Dos Perros]

Toe warmers let me keep using the same boots I wear in September.

 

[Jakedasnke]

Like others have said it’s possible your boots are too small/tight on your feet. Once I figured this out my cold weather hunts are so much more enjoyable.