Cold feet

[Hooknbullet2]

These with hand warmers.

A lot of people swear by the Arctic shield boot covers, like $40 on Amazon but I have yet to try them.

 

[Waterboy]

I agree with what others are saying about it being too much boot. I used to have the same problem, I would wear thick socks and a 400g or 600g boot and my feet would freeze.
I would try an uninsulated boot with thick wool socks. Also unless you absolutely need it don't get a waterproof boot. Most waterproof breathable boots aren't that breathable truth be told.
Another thing I've done that's helped a lot is put a piece of rubber or a thick piece of carpet under your feet to block wind coming up.

I think the rubber waterproof boots are the cause of my trouble.

 

[SwiftShot]

Try opening up the laces when you get to the stand. It might be circulation.

 

[RAPTOR]

I think the rubber waterproof boots are the cause of my trouble.

There's a few options that have helped me. Ditch the rubber boots. I messed around with insulated boots, switching socks at the stand, heavy socks, liner socks, etc. None of it worked. The chemical toe warmers didn't work. Now, I wear regular weight wool socks and crispis. Hike into the stand or blind, and throw on the boot suits immediately after climbing up. Don't wait until your feet start to get cold. The icebreaker boot blankets worked well too, they were just bulkier to carry in.

Boot Suits|Insulated Boot covers STOP Cold Feet

Insulated Boot Covers to keep your feet warm while deer hunting or other sporting events.

bootsuits.com

Throw two hand warmers in there in the pockets and zip them up. Another option is to wear heated socks (I have a pair from amazon, think they were about $50) and then throw on the boot suits in stand. I haven't had cold feet again.

 

[cgr1971]

The rubber boots are the problem, your feet will sweat and there's nowhere for the sweat to go.

One option I did not see was for rubber bottom, leather upper pac style boots. They're perfect for sitting in a tree stand. My feet start getting cold in the mid/low 40's when not steadily moving and I wear pac boots all the time. The liners transfer the sweat away from your foot and it collects on the outside of the liner. When you take the liners out after taking the boots off, the inside of the boot will be wet, but the inside of the liner and your feet will be dry.

I also sweat in Gore Tex boots, not as bad as a rubber boot, but I still sweat. The boot liners that Raptor posted definitely work though. I have the Ice Breakers, I put them on over my pac boots in extreme cold for stand hunting.

Two pairs of socks just makes your feet sweat. Extra heavyweight socks will also make your feet sweat. A standard mid weight full cushion Darn Tough is heavy enough.

You have two options in the pac boots, ones with an insulated rubber shell, and the other an uninsulated rubber shell. The insulated rubber bottom makes a big difference.

The liner options also make a noticeable difference. The wool felt liners are warmer than the thinsulate liners, especially when your not moving.

I have several different pairs of Hoffman's and Schnee's pac boots. I prefer the 10" height because I don't like the bulk of the taller boots high up my leg.

For the temperatures you are experiencing, you shouldn't need the Schnee's Extreme boots so I would look at the Hoffman's.

Look at either the Double Insulated Guides https://www.hoffmanboots.com/double-insulated-hoffman-guide

Or the Double insulated Mountaineers. https://www.hoffmanboots.com/double-insulated-hoffman-mountaineer

The Guides ship with 200 gram thinsulate liners, and you can use 400 gram liners in them if you size them properly. The Mountaineers use the wool felt liners. They are both the same boot with the exception of the liners. The Mountaineers rubber shell is sized to match the thickness of the wool felt liners, but that and the color of the leather are the only difference.

For sitting still, I recommenced the Mountianeers.

Also, if you don't have a forced air boot dryer, get one. Everytime you take your pack boots off, pull the liners out and put the liners and the boot shell both on the dryer. I do this with every pair of boots and shoes when I take them off regardless of the type of boot or shoe.

 

[Brwntms]

That's a great read, thanks for the pointers.

I use my Peet's boot dryer to dry my boots as well.

 

[540-Virginian]

I get cold feet easy as I have long skinny toes. Some troubleshooting:

1. Boots are too small (or your socks are too thick). You shoukd have like just under to 1/2 in room for your toes. If your toes touch the front of your boot when sitting, they are too small.

2. Better socks+better fitting socks: Wool socks are always a must for me, but try smart wool medium weight hiking socks. They fit amazing and should be warm enough for that temp range without being too warm your feet sweat.

3. Keep your head and neck covered. Used to do ski patrol, a lot of hypothermia can be resuced just by wearing a hood. If you dont wear a hood hunting have a good wool neck gaiter to cover you. Assuming you have a warm hat already.

4. Keep your core warm: in addition to #3 sometimes a vest or extra mid layer for your upper body is all you need. Your blood circulates through your warmer core helps.

Before you go ditching your mucks, i’d try those things. I have used mucks and they work great IMO, but their thresholds I think are more 50+ or <50 degrees. Id say for sitting below 50-40 degrees the artic pro’s are the must but yours should get you to at least 45-50 I would think. I wore the wetlands all the time at those temps.

This is all assuming you don’t have any circulation issues. If your seat was cutting off circulation your legs and feet would feel it (they have that asleep feel). But im not a doc.

Mucks are good boots. Unless your hiking a mile in them you shouldnt be sweating that bad. But heavy socks would do i…

 

[hicountry1]

Here's the secret, tape hand warmers over the toe box, and we're an overboot when you get to your stand.

I sat for 60hrs in a blind in Saskatchewan, and never got cold feet.

Also put on toe warmers on my socks.

Keep the toe box warm on the outside, then overboot.

I used elec tape to keep the handwarmer in place on the toe box

 

[Blue]

Make sure your socks/boots aren't too tight and cutting off circulation.

 

[Mk44]

Everyone is different and has their preference.
I use to wear 400g-800g hunting boots and my feet always froze. Meanwhile my buddy would be hunting nearby wearing 600g boots and he was toasty warm.

After trying different boots. I found 1200g pac-boots with 2 pairs of wool socks (wool blend & all wool) works for me while hunting from a stand. Pac-boots maybe a bit heavy if you have to do some walking.
I switch to lighter boots and carry a pair of artic boot blanket in my pack when I'm not hunting from a stand.