Keeping your feet warm?

[cornfedkiller]

I've always been a midwest treestand hunter and always had boots in the 800 gram insulation range since hunting season is typically temps of 20-50, depending on the time of the year.

I've been looking into getting some high quality boots (kenetrek, crispi, etc) and noticed that the insulated ones typically have 200 grams of insulation.. I understand when you are hiking and walking, uninsulated is great because you don't want your feet to sweat, but when you are in Alaska or Canada and you are stopping to glass, how are your feet staying warm in 200 gram boots?

 

[Kotaman]

200 is usually adequate for me on a mountain hunt as long as I’m hiking enough. You can get Crispi that are 400 and Kene’s to 1000 grams if you want.

 

[JollyRoger]

I have yet to find a boot that allows me to have both things with comfort. 200g isn’t much when it’s really cold out and you’re stationary. But much more than that I’ll sweat a lot while hiking. I’ve considered down booties for glassing... interested to hear others suggestions as well


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[bsnedeker]

Can't you just get up and walk around when it's cold when glassing? That's what I do. I wear uninsulated crispis with thick wool socks in temps lower than you are talking about and have had no problem. Stomp my feet for a couple minutes and I'm good, it's not like when I'm in the tree stand at all.

That said, I do have some boot blankets for tree stand hunting and they are amazing! They are just way to bulky to take with me on a backpack hunt.

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[elkguide]

I have yet to find that pair of "MAGIC - DO IT ALL" - boots.

Unfortunately because of having poor quality boots early on, I have had some frostbite which causes me to get cold very quickly. When I'm planning on spot and stalk hunting, I wear boots with 800 grains of insulation. I wear socks that wick well to keep the moisture away. When I'm planning on being in a blind/tree stand and not moving much, I wear a pair of Cabelas Trans Alaska Pac Boots.

 

[*zap*]

Get a roll of refletix and cut insoles from it for your boots...it will add 10 degrees of warmth. Most lace up boots really lack insulation under the foot. You can double the refletix insole for more and remove it for less.

Easiest fix for not very warm boots and being still in the cold is refletix insoles and boot covers which can also benefit from a refletix insole.

 

[EastMT]

Get a roll of refletix and cut insoles from it for your boots...it will add 10 degrees of warmth. Most lace up boots really lack insulation under the foot. You can double the refletix insole for more and remove it for less.

Easiest fix for not very warm boots and being still in the cold is refletix insoles and boot covers which can also benefit from a refletix insole.

+1 on this. I have a pair of -150 deg baffins for the oil fields and between the insole and bottom there’s a piece of the reflective lined bubble wrap insulation. I told a buddy about it, he cut some out for his favorite boots, said it warmed them a lot!! Cost a few bucks.


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[5MilesBack]

1000gm Thinsulate isn't even enough for hiking all day with your boots in the snow. My Sorels do a pretty good job in the cold and snow.

 

[Randle]

I use 1000. And it works for me . I usually get cold feet but the the 1000 have made it better.
One thing I started doing is to wear long handles. I find if I keep the blood in my legs warm my feet stay warmer.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I use Kenetrek Mountain Extreme NI boots. The times I've been, it's been shin deep snow with wind and temps in the teens. I can usually sit still for about 4 hours before my feet start to get cold. It just didn't feel as cold in WY as it does here to me.

 

[curtnapril3610]

I have yet to find a boot that allows me to have both things with comfort. 200g isn’t much when it’s really cold out and you’re stationary. But much more than that I’ll sweat a lot while hiking. I’ve considered down booties for glassing... interested to hear others suggestions as well


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Same here....I have tossed the idea around, still undecided if I'm going to keep trying different boots, or give the boot blankets a shot. My issue is that no matter how little or much insulation, my feet sweat enough that they're damp til I'm in the stand.

 

[BeaverHunter]

In my opinion, nothing beats a good insulated pac boot with a good pair of gaiters when you're hiking in snowy cold weather. I have a pair of Schnees made in Bozeman, Montana and I love them and can't remember my feet ever getting cold or wet.

 

[5MilesBack]

My issue is that no matter how little or much insulation, my feet sweat enough that they're damp til I'm in the stand.

Wear a decent poly liner sock under some good wool boot socks. The liner socks will wick the sweat into the wool away from your skin keeping your feet warmer.

 

[cnelk]

I just toss in a 8hr hand warmer in each of my Lacrosse 800g Alpha Burly boots. Move it up front where my toes are at and Im good for hours on deer stand or ice fishing
It good to have them a bit warm before you put them in as oxygen is lacking in the boot

 

[curtnapril3610]

Wear a decent poly liner sock under some good wool boot socks. The liner socks will wick the sweat into the wool away from your skin keeping your feet warmer.

What do you wear/recommend? I've been considering the Kenetrek sock system, any experience with that?

 

[rayporter]

lacrosse alpha burly or lacrosse aerohead 7mm. add felt insulation insole and toe warmers for stand. the felts can be changed out during the day if they get damp.
another stand option is the boot blankets with a handwarmer in side. I have carried a small piece of old closed cell sleeping pad to stand to help insulate the bottom of your feet.

not exactly great for hiking long distances, just warm feet. I would not hesitate to carry the boot blankets to put on if I was going to need them for a long sit to glass in real cold.

 

[Mt Al]

I also haven't found the perfect answer for not overheating when hiking, then not freezing when glassing. Definitely going to try out the refletix insoles!

I have some 800g for really cold days, uninsulated for other days.

My additions are:
-Wearing gaitors makes my feet soooo much warmer, even thin ones.
-I carry an extra pair or two of socks. Pain in the rear but if I know I'm going to be sitting for a while, I take off the gaitors, boots and put on new socks, then put everything back on. Much warmer.
I sometimes carry and extra glassing seat to put my feet on. As above, a lot of heat is lost through the soles of our boots, putting anything between the bottoms and snow will help, but I bet the reflextix insoles would be a better option.

 

[akrdkill]

my feet sweat bad also, but putting felt insoles in helps a lot to gain some insulation in bottom & combine that with reflextix its about as good as I can get....also look into BAMA socks

 

[5MilesBack]

What do you wear/recommend? I've been considering the Kenetrek sock system, any experience with that?

I always start with a thin poly sock, I have a bunch of the Cabela's over-the-calf poly socks. And then use a wool sock that matches the season. For early archery I use a thin Smartwool Classic merino sock, for late season I use much thicker heavier wool socks.

 

[cnelk]

For those that have sweaty feet [like I do] it really helps a lot to spray some scent free antiperspirant before you put socks on and do a bunch of hiking.
Tremendous difference