Getting cold feet

[Mike Islander]

Cold body is number 1 cause of cold feet. Number 2 is tight shoes/socks. Solve those. Antiperspirant really works to reduce moisture. Boot blankets, toe heaters, heated socks after that.

 

[Tryin]

Don’t ask me why I was wearing crocs and not my normal hunting boots. But it was an inadvertent experiment which showed the effectiveness of the blankets.

This is an often overlooked nugget of truth. The Crocs work so well because they are loose and easily transport moisture away from the foot. In my experience, I am better off with a liner sock, over sock, and boot blanket than I am with the added boots. In other words, warmer WITHOUT boots in the mix. ESPECIALLY if there was a long walk in. Free circulation at the ankle and toe works wonders.

If you are on a metal platform, a couple foot shaped slices of quality closed cell foam mat is the cherry on top. I use the Switchback mat from Nemo for all my closed cell projects. One mat has done two boot blankets, two stands, and a JX3 with more to go. The Nemo version has a ton of channels for air movement and to allow insulation to loft a bit even when against the pad.

Switchback™ Ultralight Sleeping Pad

With Switchback, NEMO has redefined the classic closed-cell foam sleeping pad to deliver more thickness and plush comfort in an industry-leading packed size. This pad features hexagonal nodes molded with our dual-density Axiotomic™ foam to create Hypnoelastic™ zones that conform to your body in...

www.nemoequipment.com

 

[Stubee]

I find all the reports of good success with boot blankets very different than my experience, and I tried them for two seasons. I was stand hunting in NW Ontario with snow and high temps under 20F, and one day under 10F. I carried them into my stand tied to my backpack and putting them on in the stand I wondered how they’d work over my Lacrosse Burly 800 gram rubber boots as the boots were very cold to the touch, with snow that wouldn’t kick off, and the boot blankets were, well, likely about the same as the air temperature, 7F. They didn’t work. Next sit I put a toe warmer on top of one boot under the boot blanket, and that foot stayed warmer than the one with just the Lacrosse + boot blanket. I concluded that in those conditions, snow and very cold, there was just not enough heat radiating from my Lacrosse boots to warm up the boot blankets to a useful level.

I next bought a pair of Cabela’s Predator Extreme pac boots. They are clumsy enough that if driving to a property I’d wear just slip ons to where I parked, then put the boots on for the walk to the stand. Those boots were very warm with thin wool socks & a toe warmer, but I didn’t like walking in them so bought a pair of Lacrosse Alpha Burly Pro 1600 gm Thinsulate boots, and those work for me with a toe warmer, liner sock and good quality thick wool boot sock. I still have the Predator Extremes but only use those if conditions are getting near unbearable for be, like low teens F with high winds and colder, and fear of frostbitten nose, cheeks etc usually drives me in on those sits, not cold feet.

I hunt in brush blinds out in the elements. I think the boot blankets could work with leather insulated boots but didn’t do it for, me so I gave them to a friend, and he likes them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Davyalabama]

Well, depends on my hunting situation.
Stand hunting -- uninsulated boggs boots, light merino socks (two pair if it's really cold -- I'm talking light dress style merino wool - at least 87% merino -- you have to get the moisture off your feet), right guard non scented spray ------ now if it's going to be really cold, for me --- I use those disposable full sole warmers ---

turkey hunting in cold --- I'll use the same setup as the stand hunting, but I use old red wing non insulated boots ---- I need to feel the sticks under my feet when moving

turkey hunting in anything above 35-40 degrees, very light, very thin sole, tennis shoes and light merino socks, if it might touch a little lower, I'll throw in those feet warmers. I like tennis shoes, because I can feel most anything under my feet for quietly moving through the woods.

 

[mad_angler]

I find all the reports of good success with boot blankets very different than my experience, and I tried them for two seasons. I was stand hunting in NW Ontario with snow and high temps under 20F, and one day under 10F. I carried them into my stand tied to my backpack and putting them on in the stand I wondered how they’d work over my Lacrosse Burly 800 gram rubber boots as the boots were very cold to the touch, with snow that wouldn’t kick off, and the boot blankets were, well, likely about the same as the air temperature, 7F. They didn’t work. Next sit I put a toe warmer on top of one boot under the boot blanket, and that foot stayed warmer than the one with just the Lacrosse + boot blanket. I concluded that in those conditions, snow and very cold, there was just not enough heat radiating from my Lacrosse boots to warm up the boot blankets to a useful level.

I next bought a pair of Cabela’s Predator Extreme pac boots. They are clumsy enough that if driving to a property I’d wear just slip ons to where I parked, then put the boots on for the walk to the stand. Those boots were very warm with thin wool socks & a toe warmer, but I didn’t like walking in them so bought a pair of Lacrosse Alpha Burly Pro 1600 gm Thinsulate boots, and those work for me with a toe warmer, liner sock and good quality thick wool boot sock. I still have the Predator Extremes but only use those if conditions are getting near unbearable for be, like low teens F with high winds and colder, and fear of frostbitten nose, cheeks etc usually drives me in on those sits, not cold feet.

I hunt in brush blinds out in the elements. I think the boot blankets could work with leather insulated boots but didn’t do it for, me so I gave them to a friend, and he likes them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think your heavy boots were the problem. That is a lot of cold mass to trap inside the boot blanket.

I wear light hiking boots to the stand and then IMMEDIATELY put on the boot blankets. My feet have never even been chilly.

You have to trap the heat from your hike.
And you can't have a massive amount of cold material trapped inside the boot blanket.

Another guy posted that he was toasty warm with crocs under his boot blankets...

 

[Hunter53]

Link to boot blankets

Click the link and buy a pair. Yes most sizes are actually in stock.
Then wear a medium weight sock in a 400 gram pair of boots. Carry boot blankets in to stand and put them on. Make sure to tie the top string (not too tight) to trap in the heat.
If it gets really cold throw hot hands warmers in them.
Also make sure your feet don’t sweat on the drive to your spot. Wear light socks/shoes in the car and change when you get there.

I fought cold feet forever and tried everything to keep them warm.
Bought the boot blankets and problem solved!

Don’t and I repeat DO NOT get the artic shield ones!! They don’t come anywhere close to keeping feet as warm as the original boot blankets.

 

[deezs]

I have found a light compression sock with a light or medium insulated socks over work very well for stand hunting. From reading above, I would guess the additional blood flow helps keep you warmer.

 

[northernbill]

I wear Schnee Hunter II pac boots in really cold weather, either Darn Tough or Alpaca socks with polypropylene liner socks. Anti perspirant on my feet helps greatly. Anything below 10F I use HotHands insole chemical warmers. They have adhesive and stick to the bottom of your socks. Really cold weather add another one to the top of your socks, you’ll be amazed.

 

[West.mass.hunter]

I have a system and it has a few steps some might scuff at but it’s been working really well for me.
I use lacrosse 1600 alpha burly boots with snow deer heated socks. This is the best combo I’ve found for all day, late season sits for me in New England

At the house/camp I put scent free antiperspirant on my feet and then a pair of socks (not the snow deer sock), drive to my parking spot with crocs on. Walk in with the boots rolled down if there’s little to no snow. When I climb up into a stand I take off the socks that I walked in with and put them in a ziplock bag, wipe my feet with some scent free wipes (also goes in the ziplock) and let the feet air dry for a few seconds. Throw the snow deer socks on and then the boots.
The only time my feet have gotten cold doing this is when I forget to charge the batteries for the socks. Unfortunately I’ve done that a couple times and it sucks.

 

[barrister]

This year I used heated socks and heated insoles in my insulated boots. Both Action Heat brand. Put them both on the lowest setting and I was set for stand hunting. Easily would get 4 hours on a battery. For all day hunts, I have a second set of batteries.

I also used an Arris heated fleece vest this year. For static hunting, in a day hunting environment, the heated gear is the way to go.

 

[waresmike]

Moisture wicking socks, and artic shield boots covers. But the trick is to put the covers on as soon as you get settled in, when your feet are already warm.

 

[ffblake]

Boot covers for the win

 

[jbwright]

If I could figure out how to hang my boots in stand I've thought about removing them putting on thicker socks and boots blankets on my feet.

I tried this last week - I have the Goose Feet Down booties - the hot hands full size handwarmer is a must - but in a lock on, you need a thick sole to insulate from the metal stand. There are alternatives (like a piece of carpet) but I was doing a hang and hunt.

 

[jbwright]

This is an often overlooked nugget of truth. The Crocs work so well because they are loose and easily transport moisture away from the foot. In my experience, I am better off with a liner sock, over sock, and boot blanket than I am with the added boots. In other words, warmer WITHOUT boots in the mix. ESPECIALLY if there was a long walk in. Free circulation at the ankle and toe works wonders.

If you are on a metal platform, a couple foot shaped slices of quality closed cell foam mat is the cherry on top. I use the Switchback mat from Nemo for all my closed cell projects. One mat has done two boot blankets, two stands, and a JX3 with more to go. The Nemo version has a ton of channels for air movement and to allow insulation to loft a bit even when against the pad.

Switchback™ Ultralight Sleeping Pad

With Switchback, NEMO has redefined the classic closed-cell foam sleeping pad to deliver more thickness and plush comfort in an industry-leading packed size. This pad features hexagonal nodes molded with our dual-density Axiotomic™ foam to create Hypnoelastic™ zones that conform to your body in...

www.nemoequipment.com

Excellent point. I was just noting this past monday windchill was around 15* on my hunt and I was trying out the Goose Feet Down booties - the only missing element to that setup was padding between the booties and my stand (the down booties - which Goose Feet calls socks - are warm but the "shell" you slide them into has zero padding so they're fine around camp or in your tent but not standing on a metal treestand). That cold metal is a vacuum that sucks any heat there is out of your feet.

I'm going to try the HSS Boot muff next season. Over my boot and with a handwarmer. And I'll run the Lenz heated socks with those for a separate experiment. I noticed Timber Ninja came out with a neoprene pair (https://timberninjaoutdoors.com/products/frostline-insulated-boot-covers) but the HSS looks like it could be a better setup.

I have Lenz heated socks and Therm-IC heated insoles. both of those have been fantastic but the batteries (any battery for that matter) are kind of a pain. The Lenz socks have been better but they're very expensive, even when I got them on sale 4 years ago.

Ditto to what everyone has said regarding fish net or some type of liner sock. And don't forget to consider regulating your temp walking in - all situations are different but my hunting spots are typically less than 1/2 mile from the truck. So taking time and not working up a sweat is key.