Differences in boot insulation?

[cornfedkiller]

Is there a difference in warmth between Thinsulate, Primaloft, Gore, etc? I have been running 800 gram thinsulate boots for years, and find them to the be the best balance for my uses, which is a mix between hiking, treestand hunting, turkey hunting, cutting wood, shed hunting. They tend to be a little warm when its early season, and I typically have to wear boot blankets in the treestand when it gets cold, but they seem to cover the broadest range for me.

With that said, I am looking at getting a pair of Crispi boots, but I see the highest level of insulation they offer is 400g of Primaloft, so I'm just curious if Primaloft is basically the same thing as thinsulate and they are going to be colder than my 800g boots, or if primaloft is warmer and 400g is all I need.

 

[Jimss]

This may not answer your insulation questions but I buy uninsulated boots that are 1 size larger than I normally wear. This allows room for padded insoles plus thicker or thinner socks depending upon weather conditions and how active I am while hunting. I cinch down the laces with thinner socks in warm temps and let out the laces for thicker socks in colder conditions. I work outside all winter here in Colo and have never worn insulated boots....but I'm super active on my job.

I spent a lot of time this winter waiting for whitetails and had good luck with a pair of thick insulated socks and sorels. I also have a pair of Lowa Tibets that work great in combination with gators for winter hunting in deep snow. They are a little lighter and work better on super steep, rocky terrain vs sorels.

Everyone's feet and use of boots is a little different. For me, I prefer a non-insulated pair of boots that I use 90% of the time. I use sorels or Tibets in deep snow and cold.

 

[KoolBreeze]

This may not answer your insulation questions but I buy uninsulated boots that are 1 size larger than I normally wear. This allows room for padded insoles plus thicker or thinner socks depending upon weather conditions and how active I am while hunting. I cinch down the laces with thinner socks in warm temps and let out the laces for thicker socks in colder conditions. I work outside all winter here in Colo and have never worn insulated boots....but I'm super active on my job.

I spent a lot of time this winter waiting for whitetails and had good luck with a pair of thick insulated socks and sorels. I also have a pair of Lowa Tibets that work great in combination with gators for winter hunting in deep snow. They are a little lighter and work better on super steep, rocky terrain vs sorels.

Everyone's feet and use of boots is a little different. For me, I prefer a non-insulated pair of boots that I use 90% of the time. I use sorels or Tibets in deep snow and cold.

I do the exact same thing. I've found good merino socks to the key to keeping my feet warm. They still sweat and still get a little damp, but they don't get cold.

 

[Murdy]

I did some research a few years ago, and my recollection is that Primaloft is warmer than Thinsulate, but I doubt it's twice as warm. I tried to find some of that earlier research and couldn't find much. This if from Sierra Trading website:

"Primaloft® is an ultra-fine microfiber blend that is incredibly soft, lightweight, and water-repellent. It also has a down-like softness that adds comfort. In addition to sleeping bags and outerwear, Primaloft® is also used to make winter footwear. Primaloft® One has the highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any synthetic insulation currently on the market. It’s soft, durable, high-loft and made from 100% polyester microfiber. It’s also lightweight, compressible, fast-drying and water-resistant.
•Thinsulate® was introduced as the original "warmth without bulk" synthetic insulation. Even wet, it is still quite warm. The breathable, ultra-fine microfibers trap warm air more efficiently than larger, generic synthetic fibers. Thinsulate® comes in 40, 70, 100, and 150 gram weights. The higher the gram weight, the warmer the insulation."
The Down vs Synthetic Guide: Sierra Trading Post

This seems consistent with my memory. In my brief searching, I did not run across anything more definitive, though I did note some subjective impressions on hunting blogs that indicates Primaloft is warmer. There's some info on the Cabela's website as well (which I didn't read).