Please school me on PAC boots

[Jeff Martin]

I personally think you will only get so warm at -9 while staying still/sitting. Schnees, Sorels, etc... are all great boots, but at -9,a boot will only get you so far, IMHO. I have a friend that owns a whitetail outfit in Manitoba (entire family from Russia - they know cold!!!), and he taught me years ago this little trick. Take it for what its worth but it has done AMAZING things for me at these temps in Manitoba.

1. When you get to your stand, take OFF your boots. (wearing a rather thin socks to get to your stand)
2. Change socks - Thick and warm
3. Put your feet Directly in "over the boots" boot warmers. You can ADD shakeup warmers to them as well. They also make these boot warmers in down.
3. Get cozy in your body suit. - you don't need your boots. you need space/air (like a double pain window) Lack of air and space in your boot is your enemy.

Have your feet ever been cold after hunting and when you return to camp, you take off your socks and your feet warm up? Boots are your enemy in these temps WHEN not moving. When moving, that is a different game.

You will be shocked how warm your feet stay. Do not use "over the boot" warmers with boots. You will be in same boat.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Martin]

I forget to post these links...

http://www.westernmountaineering.co...s&page=Down Garments&cat=Booties&ContentId=79

 

[MuleyFever]

Growing up bow hunting in WI I know all to well what cold feet are like. Some things I learned are to make sure your boots fit right. If your boots are too snug you reduce circulation. Take out your liners and dry every night and when/if you go in for lunch. Walk to your stand in just sock liners and dont tie your boots, let the heat escape so you dont sweat. Put on quality socks when you get to your stand. Put a rubber or carpet pad on the stand, the cold metal is not good for standing on. I liked to wear boot blankets with warmers in them. As far as boots go get the best cold rated ones you can afford. I liked mine over sized even with 2 heavy socks to ensure space to trap heat.

 

[Arbutusbucks]

I personally think you will only get so warm at -9 while staying still/sitting. Schnees, Sorels, etc... are all great boots, but at -9,a boot will only get you so far, IMHO. I have a friend that owns a whitetail outfit in Manitoba (entire family from Russia - they know cold!!!), and he taught me years ago this little trick. Take it for what its worth but it has done AMAZING things for me at these temps in Manitoba.

1. When you get to your stand, take OFF your boots. (wearing a rather thin socks to get to your stand)
2. Change socks - Thick and warm
3. Put your feet Directly in "over the boots" boot warmers. You can ADD shakeup warmers to them as well. They also make these boot warmers in down.
3. Get cozy in your body suit. - you don't need your boots. you need space/air (like a double pain window) Lack of air and space in your boot is your enemy.

Have your feet ever been cold after hunting and when you return to camp, you take off your socks and your feet warm up? Boots are your enemy in these temps WHEN not moving. When moving, that is a different game.

You will be shocked how warm your feet stay. Do not use "over the boot" warmers with boots. You will be in same boat.

Jeff

*this!

 

[robby denning]

Great points Jeff!
As promised:
http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/footwear/311-schnee-s-hunter-ii-pac-boot

 

[2rocky]

2rocky, i have a pic somewhere of ryan in those pink sorels sitting on a goat. I'll see if i can find it.

love it!

 

[cordini]

Great points Jeff!
As promised:
http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/footwear/311-schnee-s-hunter-ii-pac-boot

Nice read......I bought a pair of Danner 1200 boots last November for the ND Gun season, although I was using my bow because I didn't get drawn for a gun tag. I bought them 1 size larger than my normal hunting boots so I could wear the thicker socks and have room for circulation. We were always walking in the field, so these boots worked great for me and my feet never got cold......They're a decent walking boot with support. They were a last minute purchase, but if I had to get a pair of boots for hunting a stand, then the larger pack boots with the external covers would be the way to go. I hunted out of a blind in November a couple of years ago with just my normal 800 gr. boots and my feet froze.....It was brutal cold wind chills and the boots did not give me any room for circulation. I knew I should have been using my Winter snow boots that I have for ice fishing, but we were also planning to do some field walks and climbing some buttes, so those would have been terrible for that. I'm hoping to get a pair of the Schnee boots someday.....I like that you can rebuild them! Go up at least one size to 1 1/2 size from normal if you want the extra wiggle room for circulation to keep your feet warm with the pac style boot.....At least that's what I've been told over the years.

 

[robby denning]

I totally agree on larger sizing for circulation. If I'm riding horses more than walking I'll go with looser lacing. If I'm planning on hiking I'll lace em tighter. One thing I didn't see on here is the problem with socks falling down in pacs. That can be a problem but last year I started using the first lite socks. Hard to put on but they stay up

 

[husky390]

Nice write-up Robby. How stiff are the soles on the Scnees? Do you feel rocks through them?

 

[robby denning]

husky, stiff enough that you feel them, but not so stiff that they hurt when you're breaking them in. No, cannot feel rocks through them.

 

[E-2]

*this!

Hunting whitetails in VA this is what I do late season. So, nowhere near 0 degrees but often in the 20 - 30 range. I hike in with salomon's on and just take them off once on stand. Over boots like Rocky pictured above and the bigger body warmers inside with no boot.