Boots

[Steve Foss]

Wool is good. As mentioned here, there has to be enough room to move your foot around. The tighter the fit, the poorer the insulation. I ALWAYS use a polypro liner sock under the wool outer. The polypro pulls moisture away from your foot, as does a fine Merino wool. The heavier outer wool sock isn't effective at that. So it's a one-two punch that really works. Also, the polypro liner will cut down on blisters if you're walking alot. You get more blisters when your feet are wet.

Many folks just put on sweatsocks alone or sweatsocks under wool socks, and there's nothing worse a person can do. Those are cotton, and they soak up the sweat and hold it right against the foot.

I always get cold-weather boots two sizes too big. That allows me to put a third layer of sock on if necessary, and if the weater calls for the standard two layers, you can just pull the laces a little tighter over your foot.

The boots you showed should be just fine, IF they're big enough.

Oh, almost forgot. If you buy them big enough, you can for a few bucks get a thin felt insole to put in the bottom. I've been out in the cold weather (-30 to -50) an awful lot, and that one extra layer of felt insulation between your foot and the bottom of the boot can make a huge difference. They'll eventually compress with use, lessening their insulation value, but for less than $5 a pair I replace them every other year and am good to go.

[Guest]

thanks for the responses!!

So I figured what I will wear now.. I have a pair of thin white socks that's suppose to go on 1st, then a wool sock, then the boot..If it gets too cold, then I will put on the boot glove

[wooly1]

By Joe! I think he's got it.

Good luck this weekend Webwarrior. It sounds like its not going to be too cold this weekend anyway.

Be safe ya'll!!

[Guest]

Thanks!!

28 posts for me to get the concept of keeping my toes warm!! hehe...

[hanson]

Webby-

Maybe I'll start another one and see if I can get it longer than yours.

My feet are always cold. Don't know why. I do sweat quite a bit and feel that contributes to the cold feet. I understand the importance of "wicking" polypro socks with wool on top and no cotton whatsoever. My problem with my old Sorel boots would be the felt liners frosting up and freezing when it is really cold out. I suppose Sorels aren't the best boots to wear when it is subzero either.

I'm thinking of switching up to Rocky Bear Claws for my hunting boots and I've got a pair of new Arctic Cat winter boots that I'll be giving a try this winter. I couldn't beat the price on the Arctic Cat boots (free!! ) so I will definitely give them a shot.

[Ole #1]

Lacross Iceman and Ice kings are great cold weather boots. If you sit in a stand and/or ice fish, ice kings are the ticket. I wear 1 pair of 100% wool socks and my feet will not get cold. I don't see the need for more than one pair of wool socks with these boots.

[CrappieJohn]

Chris you just need a good women who's a foot masseuse. And maybe a couple evening brandies. You'll forget your feet were ever chilly. lol

[hanson]

Good advice as usual Tom!

[Steve Foss]

If you wear pac boots, and it doesn't matter what brand, you'll find they get colder after a few years. One simple reason. The felt liner compacts the longer you walk on it, and just like you have to keep air pockets in socks and around your feet to keep warm, a rock hard compacted boot liner has little insulation value. For $20 for new liners, you can rejuvenate your older pac boots, and if they're big enough to begin with, you can add the felt insole and you're ready to rock.

And one more tip. If you fish in a winter ice house that's a flipover, and your feet sit on the ice/snow, grab a spare piece of carpet or some other similar thing to put on the ice under where your feet sit. Any extra half inch or inch between your boots and the ice is a GOOD thing.

And EAT A GOOD MEAL before you hit the woods or the ice. You can't keep a fire burning without fuel, and anyone who knows much about life in the cold knows you can't keep yourself warm without the energy that good nutrition requires. Alcohol, while it can be a cool thing now and then, is NOT the way to go when you're in the woods or on the ice for an extended period of time, because it robs your body of heat. A body robbed of heat removes heat first from the extremities, and, golly, we all know what the extremities are, don't we?

[hanson]

I should probably replace those felt liners than, I bet they are over 6 years old and half ripped to shreds in the heal area anyway.

[Steve Foss]

If you do, they will act as warm as new boots off the shelf.

Imagine if you took off the interior wall coverings of your house, compressed your fiberglass insulation permanently from 5 1/2 inches to 2 inches and buttoned everything back up. Think you'd end up with more heat loss than you had before???? Same principle with boot liners.

[woodview]

I personally head pretty far back into the woods. A long walk like that and you're gonna get warm = sweaty. I typically dress light on my way in (to the point where I'm chilled) and then when I get to the stand I'll add on my layers before heading up the tree after I cool down for a minute. I usually try to switch my socks as well if they got wet at all.

This weekend sounds like it's gonna be warm enough we shouldn't have to many problems.