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Thread: In need of warm boots

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    In need of warm boots

    I have two pairs of decent boots. Irish Setters and Sorels. Neither keep my feet warm especially still hunting or riding snowmobiles.

    I am not very price sensitive...say $300 or so

    What would you guys who live in really cold climates recommend?

    Thanks
    Don Verna


  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Ateam's Avatar
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    Reading the heading, I was going to suggest dog boots (irish setters), but I see you already have a pair. When I am out ice fishing, I usually grab my bogs blaze boots.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    Being from Florida, when I go north my feet would always freeze. I've spent a small fortune on boots, wish I could sell the ones that don't work. Cept it don't get that cold down here. I have settled on the Muck Artic boots. I have sat in below 20 degree weather and have been fine. Have worn them walking but they do take some getting use to. They are my go to cold weather boot now..

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
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    The warmest boot is one of the insulated rubber boot options. I use Lacrosse Alphaburly with 1600 gram of Thinsulate, but the Muck Arctic Pro is a similar, highly regarded option. If you feel like you’re going to be logging too many miles for a rubber boot, look at Schnee’s pac boots. I’ve had their Hunter II down to near zero and been fine. It is not as warm as the two rubber boot options I mentioned but a very warm boot nonetheless


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  5. #5
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    After too many years of frozen feet -- I finally learned a "secret". To wit, TWO pairs of socks makes all the difference in the world. Get a pair of thin, poly socks from a ski center or sporting goods store. They're not cheap -- the ones I use run about $9.00 a pair. Then, atop them put on a pair of good wool ski socks. I had been a strong proponent of Sorel's -- I have two pair of the leather outers, with felt inner models, and swore by them. Ice fishing, sledding, and unheated hockey rinks -- they did "OK". However, when I learned, and tried, the 2-sock trick -- MY quest for a "better" boot ceased. A neighbor does similar as I do, forever always thanking me, but Carl "adds" putting his foot in a plastic bag from a loaf of white bread, which he claims even makes it more comfortable. HOWEVER, to my way of thinking, the two-sock's tremendous heat retention advantage is due to moisture-wicking, keeping your skin DRY -- and thusly, warm. I noted what Carl does -- as an option -- but, frankly, I've never had the need. Just a thought to try this, before purchasing new boots.
    geo

  6. #6
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    What about electric socks? Just asking...

    Slim
    JUST GOTTA LOVE THIS JOINT.

  7. #7
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    Wear a pair of nylons under your socks(and thermals). Don't knock it until you've tried it.

  8. #8
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    Guard duty in a German winter is dang cold. Battery socks from Cabela,s was a real treat and that was in 82. I would imagine that the technology is much better now.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    Sorrels, regular socks, wool socks. Boots only ever wore out cause I was driving allot. Always the right boot from the truck heater. Gave her the mink oil on regular basis, but couldn't beat the truck heater... Went through allot of monistat on that right foot, too...

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  10. #10
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    Rocky Cornstalker 1000 grams thinsulate. Gortex uppers. About 8 inch height. Large enough to wear warm socks and still have a little air space to heat up around the foot. Tight boots are not warm. Only thing that will get me into Dicks is buying these boots every couple or three years. For snowmobile or stationary use the felt pak snowmobile boots with rubber have always been the "go to". Heavy and bulky to walk in, They can tend to pull down socks if walking any decent distance but almost a 1/2 inch felt insulation does work.

    Snow gaiters. Used by cross country skiers and snow shoe trekkers. Block wind and trap air from just below knee to top of foot. Not much fat or meat there to keep the cold away from your blood and bones. Here is an example. https://www.opticsplanet.com/tubbs-g...77b08a70192286 but there are lots of styles, weights and places to buy. I used them when I rode motorcycle all winter and they made a huge difference by keeping shins warm even with wind of highway speeds. Later I used them when making deliveries to construction sites in winter. Kept lower legs warm and dry which really helped keep feet warm.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

    Kind of hard to claim to love America while one is hating half the Americans that disagree with you. One nation indivisible requires work.

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  11. #11
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grmps View Post
    Wear a pair of nylons under your socks(and thermals). Don't knock it until you've tried it.
    Made Joe Namath a bunch of money

  12. #12
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    I have to kinda laugh. Most of the recommendations are from those acclimated with the cold. Good sox, 100 thinsulate. Trust me,,none of that works for a Southerner.. Just my .02

  13. #13
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    I bought a pair of Sorels before I went to Alaska. My feet get cold quick, and several years ago I stopped fooling around, if it's below freezing and I'm going to be on a deer stand, those Sorels are what I wear.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Here are some hints to try if ya like before ya buy or even after.

    Socks, plastic bread bags or equivalent over them & then the boots you have.

    Give it a try.

    Keeps the moisture from your feet from wicking out into the lining of the boots.

    Another thing you can try is spraying antiperspirant on your feet before the socks to help with lessening the sweat factor also.

    I also, when I wore Sorels with the removable "booties", got a couple of extra pair of booties & then changed booties each night to let the others dry in between wearings. I have used a boot dryer before as well, but you need to remove the boots from the dryer heat well before putting them on the next time to get them cooled down, (even though it feels nice with hot boots in the cold), or you will make your feet sweat & then you end up with the sweat wicking to the outer liner & get cold feet again.

    One more thing you can try with your old boots if there is room is put a footsized, cutout of corrugated cardboards, or even a piece of thin carpet cutout on the bottom in between the insole & the bootie/liner so that it adds a bit more layer to the bottom & where the contact is with the cold ground or ice. { a Dr. Schols type insole might help but I just made them out of the cardboard or carpet. Carpet lasts longer. "Backing" up & carpet strands down & rubber backed is better than "jute" IMO. Another layer that doesn't get wet if ya use the rubber backed carpet.}

    One last one is to change socks very often when ya can. Keeps that sweat from building up in any boots liner & that is usually why folks feet get cold. The moisture inside the boot has no where to go when ya have a rubberized liner & begins to gather in the liner & particularly on the sole area from heel to toe. If you can keep the moisture away, and not near the outer surface of the boot, and/or trap it, you keep the moisture & thus your feet from getting cold enough to begin to bother ya.

    I have used Military style "Bunny boots", LaCrosse, Sorell, Irish Setter & IIRC some Red Wing pairs and have used all of the above hints at one time or another, and still do. I frostbit my feet long ago(early 70's) by going thru the ice of a small pond I did not know was there,(in unfamiliar territory to me & thought I was crossing a small meadow & not a pond. No cattails or reeds, in 1-1/2 snow to ID the pond) while hunting rabbit and had to walk about a mile & a half thru the snow home after getting myself out of the water. Between shaking so bad I couldn't get matches to light & breeze blowing them out, trying to get a fire going & kept dropping them as well, so I made myself "stovepipe" with frozen pants legs/socks/boots up to my beltline, back to the house to strip & get warm. So, I have had to deal with cold prone feet for many years since & that is why I have tried many of the tips/hints mentioned above, and a lot of different types of boots to keep trying to find a good solution for "Me", to have warm feet in cold weather. { I also have worked on & improved my fire starting skills after that as well after that deal.... }



    I guess all else I could say is that I hope ya find what works for you & G'Luck! in your search. No one "I" know likes cold feet.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by richhodg66 View Post
    I bought a pair of Sorels before I went to Alaska. My feet get cold quick, and several years ago I stopped fooling around, if it's below freezing and I'm going to be on a deer stand, those Sorels are what I wear.
    I'm with Flatline on this. If it's below freezing I'm by a stove waiting for the opportunity to head south. I can take the cold but I definitely do not like it.

  16. #16
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    RogerDat's Avatar
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    These Sorels are the felt pac boots I was referencing in earlier post. These or some like it really work. https://www.sorel.com/mens-1964-pac-...wboots&start=5

    Well it is what it is. Down south you have hurricane & not hurricane season. Up here we have snowmobile or not snowmobile season. Sometimes it is trail riding and sometimes it is to sit on an upside down bucket on a frozen lake and catch fish. Still snowmobile season. Sort of like sometimes it's a windy hurricane and sometimes it's more of a flooding hurricane it's all still hurricane season.

    Then there are those hardy souls that spend two months of the year doing their grocery shopping using a snow mobile and a tow sled Me thinks the OP might be living in that part of the state.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

    Kind of hard to claim to love America while one is hating half the Americans that disagree with you. One nation indivisible requires work.

    Feedback page http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...light=RogerDat

  17. #17
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    lol ,, if you say so

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by MyFlatline View Post
    I have to kinda laugh. Most of the recommendations are from those acclimated with the cold. Good sox, 100 thinsulate. Trust me,,none of that works for a Southerner.. Just my .02
    That works two ways, the first weekend I spent in Phoenix Az, it was 115* at midnight. I think that would kill me now. Couldn't drink enough, sweat enough or sleep enough. Casey says "Go jump in the pool", it was just as warm as I was.

    What I wear in the winter does matter, but if I can keep moving and keep wiggling my toes, I can get away with non insulated boots down into the teens. My toes always got cold sitting on Duck decoys.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Timely topic. Glad to see it.
    Needing 6E wides makes finding boots a chore in these days of electronic stores.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I've had a couple of things that helped. Nothing was a permanent solution other than take a good long lunch and thaw things out.

    A Moonboots a size larger than normal. Cut closed cell foam (camping sleeping bag pad, etc) a hair larger than your feet, slip them in place. Trim if needed.

    B Snow boots 3 sizes large and put on a pair of fuzzy slippers before putting on the boots.
    This system worked great when I was doing service work. Had to leave boots at the door. Left me in slippers to keep feet warm while working. Wife found them for a song at the second hand store, had velcro up the back, so easy to open, slip foot in,and close.
    Those puppys were warm for a LONG time in cold weather.

    Thin silk stocking under thick wool is good. I stole mine from mom, wore for deer hunting only.

    Me and Sorels type with felt liners has never worked.
    The closed cell foam inserts worked pretty well when I was doing winter construction plumbing in Fargo ND. Hard to stay warm polishing copper fittings and sweating copper.
    Buildings normally had walls, roof, no windows. So no sun, and within 5 degrees of outside temp. Not bad when above zero but a real bugger at -20 or lower.

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