New Lesson on COLD feet. Thoughts?

[Tom Leemans]

I wear 1 pair of of the thick omni-wool (I think that's the name) socks that are mostly merino wool. My boots are some kind of those ballistic nylon insulated Cabelas brand that I received as a Christmas gift one year. They are just big enough that I can step and slide right into them but they don't slip off. So far no issues with cold feet but I doubt I would hike the mountains for elk in them. They just aren't flexible enough. I'd definitely go leather and just spray them with some sort of cover up. I've been thinking about the tall Cabelas socks too, but have no need yet. I concentrate on really keeping my core warm. Merino wool long johns and insulated bibs and my wool longhunter shirt from LaClair's. My only issue is with cold hands. I have a hand muff for that, but I'm going to add a hoody type pouch pocket to the front of my longhunter shirt. I also have unshorn sheep skin to make a set of wooly boogers ala Paul Brunner.

[Greg Skinner]

High desert rambler, thanks for that link. I have looked at other mukluk type of boots but all of them seem to be built with some sort of arch support system to "modernize" them and make them fit better.  I have to agree with you about the flat foot bed, no heel rise and minimum ankle support being much better and more comfortable once your feet are accustomed to it.  I like moccasins for all-around wear for that reason, but they do fall short when the weather is wet, cold etc.

It is interesting how modern, high-tech efforts are made to improve on nature and often-times do not get the job done.

[Burnsie]

I guess I'm lucky, have never had a big issue with cold feet.  Grew up in NW Wisconsin, would sit out ice fishing on a lake all day in sub-zero temps and be OK.  Usually more of an issue with my hands.  I always wore a good ol' pair of Sorrel pack boots with the thickest wool/felt liner they had. The key is not to overload with several layers of sox and the boot should be a little loose fitting.  Tightly wrapped confined feet are not the answer.

[calgarychef]

Desert rambler, thanks for the link....some nice gear.   I've been really toying with making some native styled blanket moccasins as I'm sure they will cure my cold feet.  I've cured my cold hands with wool felt lined rabbit fur mitts that I make   (Cost about 5 bucks a pair) and my fingers NEVER get cold in even the most severe weather. I wear a fur hat to keep my head warm and it never gets cold now either.  Funny, how the old standby of leather and fur can keep me warm.

[high desert rambler]

Greg - and anyone else who's interested in the scoop on footwear, here's a GREAT article:

You Walk Wrong
It took 4 million years of evolution to perfect the human foot. But we’re wrecking it with every step we take.

  http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/  

3-seasons i wear converse chuck taylors now... nuthin to 'em but a flat sole and some canvas...40 years ago that's all we EVER wore cuz that's all there was... and it worked...as i sit and gaze at the pile of leather i bought to make my own moccasins and have yet to get around to...

do that for a while and when ya go back to "normal" shoes & boots you realize just how terribly uncomfortable they really are... FREE YOUR FEET AND LET 'EM DO WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED TO DO!!!

and yeah, Chef and others - i really love those guys at empire... unbelievable customer service and great quality... pricey, but worth it... heck, i had a hooded blanket shirt that i wore for a year and i just hated the color - so i asked if they could resell it used and give me some credit towards a new one... Kevin cut me a new one, just like i wanted, and exchanged it without even so much as charging me shipping.. and THAT my friends, is why i'm happy to pay $180 to good people for "just a shirt."  not many folks out there will guarantee a product for life...

[Knawbone]

I have a pair of military insulated rubber boots that I wear on stand. I can wear them ice fishing and never have a cold foot. I wear a pair of warm boots to my stand and then change to the military boots once on stand. Just be sure you keep them scent free inside and out.Dry,dry,dry if your feet sweat your going to get cold.

[Dave Bowers]

I might be onto something? I used to suffer from cold feet really bad; so bad that I would have to stop hunting.
But 3 years ago I started (on my off time)walk around and do everything barefooted. At first I was doing because I wanted to toughin my feet up for huntin barefooted. But after the first season I noticed my feet were much warmer during the colder months.
So the past two more seasons I have extended my barefootery well past fall and into winter. I know am an idiot..but i tell you it works in my opinion because my feet rarely get so cold that I have to get out of the stand.

[high desert rambler]

Dave:  read that article i posted the link to on page 3 of this thread... you're onto something alright, brutha! (i think the 2nd or 3rd page or so gets into the barefoot stuff...

[njloco]

O.K., here is my spin on this post. Alpaca sox, or lambs wool ( both none itchy type ), I wear Mickey Mouse boots, with a raised sole in them, this give the sweat some place to go and keeps it off my feet, over the sox I wear a super wicking sox. If I am stand hunting or still hunting, when I get to where I'm going to hunt, I take the boot off for a period of time ( you'll know how long to keep them off ) most of the sweat evaporates out during this period, i then just put them back on.

If you accidentally step into water and it goes over the top of the boot and gets inside, these boots will warm the water up !

Good luck.

[recurvepoppop]

I learned to keep the insides of my mucks pacs etc dry at the end of the day by using crumpled up news paper in my boots. Paper absorbs moisture from the day of hunting. The next time out you'll have dry boot's inside. Helps keeping your toosies warm!

[Greg Skinner]

High Desert, that is a good article about the barefoot scenario and reaffirms what I have come to realize over the last several years of barefoot/minimalist running and daily footwear.  When the weather is decent I like to wear huarache sandals (as close to barefoot as I can get and still have something between my foot and pokey ground).

  Unfortunately, here in this part of Idaho the winter is not consistently cold enough for the mukluk type of boot you are recommending - too much muddy, slushy, rainy weather.  That makes keeping one's feet dry problematical.  Anything that is waterproof makes them sweat from the inside, non-waterproof eventually soaks in from the outside (Goretex sucks on both accounts, from my experience).

I can't say that I have found the ideal package, but my Arrow moccasins with heavy wool socks and rubber overshoes seems to work best for most circumstances.  I don't sit in tree-stands or blinds, but if I did I would probably opt for hiking in my moccasin-overshoe combination and when I got to my destination remove the overshoes and slip into a heater body suit of some sort.

The rubber bottom/leather top (Beans or Schnees) eiher insulated or non are not a bad compromise, but they are not made without a heel or some sort of contoured footbed, and as that article pointed out, wearing something with a heel rise throws your whole body out of kilter when your normally wear flat shoes.

[RedShaft]

my feet are same as yours.. sweaty. i have hunted the entire season in 200 gram thinsulate boots.
yes 200... nice and light to hike around in and climb. when i get on stand i get out my HOT MOC boot covers. 2 hand warmers goin in truck on way there. throw them in the toe of the hot mocs and slip em on when i get on stand. or throw 2 in each boot cover if its bitchen ass cold. today was 27deg here in pa. i hunted dark till 1pm. feet was actually hot. you will love the setup. they are light to carry, have there own roll up bag. about size of 2 baseballs. and i usually walk mile or more sometimes. i wear reg socks and tennis shoes till i get to the parking area. them put on my mostly wool heavy socks and head in. when i get there unloosen all the laces on my boots and get those hot mocs on my feet.

[sticbow]

if you will wear your normal hunting boots for the hike an carry a pair of mickey mouse boots "black ones..the white ones are dry boots not for water" an put them on.  problem solved.. i get cold feet an have never had them with mickey boots.you can wear them walking in the sweat will give me blisters on my heals in a long walk so i just carry them.

[fryguy]

I too suffer from sweaty cold feet, and I mean sweaty. Tried alot of different things, but not much has worked like i would like it to. However after reading all your guys tips and ideas, I remember reading somewhere to wear in fairly light socks/boots like some of you have said. Then when you settle in, change socks if needed, but take your boots off and slip your stocking feet into a set of boot blankets that had some hand warmers tossed in befores you left the house or truck. Has anyone tried this method?

[huntsmanlance]

I read this thread before and was affraid to ask because i didnt want to sound like an idiot....but what are mickey mouse boots?

[huntsmanlance]

I read this thread before and was affraid to ask because i didnt want to sound like an idiot....but what are mickey mouse boots?