Cold weather boot

[justin davis]

What boot do you guys prefer for when the temps get cold?
Winter hunts?

I have a pair of kenetreks mountain extremes 400 grain insulate for winter use. But when the temps are really cold my feet will get cold.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Yeah, my 400 Gram Meindl Perfekts get cold on occasion.

 

[justin davis]

Whoops. Typed grain instead of gram. Haha

PAC boots? Anyone have them like them? I have heard good things about that style of boots.

 

[todd kelly]

Last year I was touring the north western US with the wife and was able to stop in and try out pac boots at Whites in Spokane, Hoffmans in Kellogg, Schnees and Kenetrek in Bozeman.

When we got home I ended up ordering the Hoffmans with the felt liner. By far, they were the best fitting and best build quality out of the 4. I have found the felt liners a lot warmer than the thinsulate liners from a pair of boots I had that had 600gram liners. The Hoffmans were also the only ones that made their own rubber bottoms where as the others all import theirs from over seas. Another bonus is, they are the cheapest ones out of the 4.

They provide enough support that I wear them moose hunting and deer hunting from Nov. on.

-10C the morning I shot my WT buck and had a 2km hike back to the truck wearing my Hoffman pacs.

 

[6mm Remington]

I have a pair of the 13" Schnee's Hunter pack boots and love them! I think they make a great boot. I also feel that you cannot go wrong with the Whites or the Hoffman's either.

 

[Jon Pynch]

i love my mountain extremes and hardscrabbles, but i do agree. when sitting in cold weather they are COLD. since i loved the kennetreks so much i stopped by their shop in montana, and bought a pair of their pack boots with an extra felt in the footbed for more warmth. while i love their other boots, i think their pack boots have much to be desired. they soak through pretty fast if the snow gets wet at all(they are greased good), and they are just not comfortable. they are warmer than the mountain extremes if they don't get wet, but that's about all.

i have heard guys really like the whites, and that's probably what i'll try next. i'll have to check out hoffman's as well

 

[beachbunny]

I used sorel pacs with felt liners a long time ago when I hunted hardwoods but then I started hunting the marshlands and needed wellies after that. it was rather chilly the other day and I just stuck some foot warmers under my arches and that fit the bill.
if I start hunting the hardwoods again, I would certainly want to get another felt lined pac boot with spare liners again.
thanks for sharing about hoffmans

 

[justinspicher]

I bought a pair of Garmont's winter boots for use during the colder months last season, but never used them. I bought a pair of Meindle Denalis this year and they have worked pretty good so far.

 

[justin davis]

PAC boots seem really heavy and bulky?

 

[doverpack12]

If you are moving and have 800-1000 grams thinsulate in any boot that fits you my feet haven't gotten cold. If I am going slow or stop very long and its 10F or under my feet may start to not feel that warm but I wouldn't say they are cold. I've used pac boots before but found they don't give the support with the rubber bottom that other boots will and the liners will shift slightly inside with each step so I prefer something with with no liner and thinsulate built in instead. Just what has worked for me. Many people really like pac boots but I feel if you like high end boots like Kennetreks then you will not be satisfied with pacs of any brand from my experience.

 

[justin davis]

Lowa Hunter Extremes look like a good boot for cold conditions?

I really like my Lowa tibets. The hunter extremes are a taller insulated version

 

[todd kelly]

If you are moving and have 800-1000 grams thinsulate in any boot that fits you my feet haven't gotten cold. If I am going slow or stop very long and its 10F or under my feet may start to not feel that warm but I wouldn't say they are cold. I've used pac boots before but found they don't give the support with the rubber bottom that other boots will and the liners will shift slightly inside with each step so I prefer something with with no liner and thinsulate built in instead. Just what has worked for me. Many people really like pac boots but I feel if you like high end boots like Kennetreks then you will not be satisfied with pacs of any brand from my experience.

The only problem I have found with insulated boots is the ability to dry them out over night in camp. Unless you pack a boot dryer, insulated boots take a long time to dry out, and the moisture left in the boot slowly builds up and the boots don't keep your feet as warm as the days go by.

Pac boots on the other hand, you can pull out the liners to dry, or better yet, pack a spare set and swap them out every day.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

I may be in the minority here but I prefer boots without any insulation no matter what time of year and temperature. If I am moving at all my feet will sweat in insulated boots and when I stop to glass they will freeze. I am always better off just wearing thicker socks with uninsulated boots and they will at least wick the moisture away. I'm sure that would be completely different if I sat blinds or treestands but pretty much everything I do is spot and stalk.

 

[Yellowknife]

What boot do you guys prefer for when the temps get cold?
Winter hunts?

Can you define "cold" for us? My cold might not be your cold.

As mentioned, the removable liner, or another way to dry your boots, is a is a critical item for multiple days in the field. That tends to leads me to pac boots when it starts to get much below freezing. Also, the pac boots typically have a looser fit, which is critical to maintaining circulation in your foot, vs the typically much closer fitted insulated mountain boots. The drawback of course is the reduced support, but I've still climbed a few mountains with mine.



I wear Schnees standard pac boots down to about 0 or -10 F when I'm moving and +10 or 15F when I'm not. Colder than that I switch to a dedicated cold weather boot that is rated down to some crazy number like -180F. Good for times like this last Sunday when it was -13 F all day and I was mostly on a snowmachine.



Not so great for long distance hiking, and probably not needed in Colorado.

If you are looking at pac boots, they come in a wide variety with varying degrees of insulation. The good ones are made of quality leather, shed water and wet snow very well, and last forever. Cheaper versions like the Sorel, Cabelas, and Lacross pac boots are heavier, will get wet easily relatively easily, and have a shorter lifespan. How important that is depends on how much time you spend outside in the winter.
Yk

 

[Matt Cashell]

I have had very good luck with Danner's premium USA made boots. I have the Santiam 400 gr. and Canadian 600 gr. These boots have held up extremely well for me. I have heard the accounts of them falling apart for some guys, but that hasn't been the case for me or my hunting partners, who also have them.

As mentioned a looser fit goes a long ways to keeping warm feet in really cold. My 600 gr. boots are a 1/2 size larger for this reason (and accommodate a thicker sock), and have kept me warm while hiking in -20 weather. My toes do still get a bit cold in those temps when they are in the stirrup, so I occasionally lead the horse in those conditions to warm up while hunting off horseback.

 

[justin davis]

The "cold" I am talking about is range of 0 degrees- -20 without windchill.
That about the coldest I usually encounter. It's mostly for hiking.

I too like the idea of non insulated boots and thicker socks. I just find my feet will get cold when the temps are below zero.

I like the idea of PAC boots. But don't like the idea of not much support and heavier.

Can you define "cold" for us? My cold might not be your cold.

As mentioned, the removable liner, or another way to dry your boots, is a is a critical item for multiple days in the field. That tends to leads me to pac boots when it starts to get much below freezing. Also, the pac boots typically have a looser fit, which is critical to maintaining circulation in your foot, vs the typically much closer fitted insulated mountain boots. The drawback of course is the reduced support, but I've still climbed a few mountains with mine.




I wear Schnees standard pac boots down to about 0 or -10 F when I'm moving and +10 or 15F when I'm not. Colder than that I switch to a dedicated cold weather boot that is rated down to some crazy number like -180F. Good for times like this last Sunday when it was -13 F all day and I was mostly on a snowmachine.



Not so great for long distance hiking, and probably not needed in Colorado.

If you are looking at pac boots, they come in a wide variety with varying degrees of insulation. The good ones are made of quality leather, shed water and wet snow very well, and last forever. Cheaper versions like the Sorel, Cabelas, and Lacross pac boots are heavier, will get wet easily relatively easily, and have a shorter lifespan. How important that is depends on how much time you spend outside in the winter.
Yk

 

[Yellowknife]

The "cold" I am talking about is range of 0 degrees- -20 without windchill.
That about the coldest I usually encounter. It's mostly for hiking.

I too like the idea of non insulated boots and thicker socks. I just find my feet will get cold when the temps are below zero.

I like the idea of PAC boots. But don't like the idea of not much support and heavier.

If you are talking sub-zero, then you are going to have to compromise somewhere. No way to have light + support + warm in those conditions. Also a loose boot with heavy socks will not cut the mustard for that kind of cold unless you have remarkably good circulation.

Yk

 

[todd kelly]

I have had very good luck with Danner's premium USA made boots. I have the Santiam 400 gr. and Canadian 600 gr. These boots have held up extremely well for me. I have heard the accounts of them falling apart for some guys, but that hasn't been the case for me or my hunting partners, who also have them.

As mentioned a looser fit goes a long ways to keeping warm feet in really cold. My 600 gr. boots are a 1/2 size larger for this reason (and accommodate a thicker sock), and have kept me warm while hiking in -20 weather. My toes do still get a bit cold in those temps when they are in the stirrup, so I occasionally lead the horse in those conditions to warm up while hunting off horseback.

I did not have much luck with the Danner Canadians. The first pair did this after two months of bear hunting. The replacements they sent me did the same thing plus the stitching came apart after a months use, and the third set they sent me were sold on ebay. Great warranty service though.....

 

[rodney482]

Arctic Shield boot blankets if I am stationary.

 

[Grundy53]

I've been using White's PAC boots for a couple years and am not impressed at all. I'll be in the market for a different pair before next hunting season....