i need cold weather boots. i need your recommendations.

[ozy clint]

help my toes are cold!!!! i've had a pair of meindl makalu pro's for about six years. great boot but my toes freeze in them. i've always wondered how they would go in heavy snow because i would always get cool toes even in a light frost back in australia. now that i'm in canada my suspicions have been relised. anyway now i find myself in need of a pair of good stiff soled WARM boots, something in the style of what i've got. i've been looking on the net at 'insulated' boots, trouble is i don't know how much insulation weight i need. ie- 200,400,600+grams. something that will be warm enough for the canadian winter but if possible not to hot for spring/fall.

i offer thanks on behalf of my poor toes.

[Bear Heart]

I use 600 gram Rocky cornstalkers.  Not sure how that compares to the style that you have as I have never heard of them before.

[ozy clint]

anything that is stiff enough for chasing mt goat, sheep, tahr etc. (really steep, rough, terrain)

[Gordon martiniuk]

forget about all your corn stalkers I live in Canada EH! and what we wear is felt pac boots with good insoles and of course wool socks make sure you do not have too tight of boots and your set Good luck EH oh yea dry them out after everyday you will be warm to -40 at least

[Muskoxman]

Baffin has a good variaty, even made right there in good old Canada.
Better than all that chinese crap

[ozy clint]

just been on the danner website, they look like a decent thing. any oppinions? hey gordo, are talking about those 'snow boot' things i see everyone wearing? with the removeable lining. any good in the rough terrian? it's just they look like they offer as much support as a gum boot. warm i know, but i'm limited in the amount of stuff i can carry with me so i need to kill two birds with one stone

[Bjorn]

I lived in Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec for over 30 years before moving to California. It can get really cold there(Timmins and Lac St. Jean, ordinary boots won't help.
First of all, boots have to be roomy so you can wiggle your toes whenever; and you need a thick layer between your socked foot and the outer boot. Felt is recommended, and get yourself some good wool  socks.
Finally, if your feet are still cold the problem is your hat-believe it or not this is the truth!
Get a proper hat-wool-that covers the ears too.
Have fun and take the time to equip yourself to  enjoy the cold weather!

[wapitimike1]

Irish Setter Snox Claw XT 2000grm. They are not bulky like packs and are very light for what they are. It's going to be around single digets all week end and I'll sit with no problem. If you tend to get cold feet anyhow get some peel and stick warmers and add them. I sit all day in bitter cold with no issues.  Good luck, they are a bit pricey but you get your moneys worth.

[leatherneck]

Are you sitting or walking? Makes a big difference. KOM muklucks(sp) overboots are great for sitting. Your meindls are great boots, but what gram are they? Bjorn is very right in get a good hat. Heat escapes from your head and that will help. Dont get carried away and use 3-pair of socks or something like that because it will smother your foot. A good liner sock(dress sock) and a thick wool sock is all you need underneath.

[freefeet]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
Finally, if your feet are still cold the problem is your hat-believe it or not this is the truth!
Get a proper hat-wool-that covers the ears too.
Have fun and take the time to equip yourself to  enjoy the cold weather!

I'd agree with that totally.  I don't wear shoes at all and have survived a weekend camping to -7c, but i always kept my nice warm hat on.

Torso and head temperature is where it's at.  Let them drop and the body will automatically reduce blood supply to the extremities.

[Tim Fishell]

If your going to be climbing a lot, like it sounds like you will be, your going to want a good boot with lots of ankle support.  I prefer a good 10-12" high boot that laces to the toe.  Like has been said a good pair of wool socks is a must and change them often.  The number one thing is make sure you dont wear socks with any cotten in them!!  A pac boot is nice because it gives you the option to change pacs if the inside of the boot gets wet.  But find one with good ankle support.  The best pac boot I have found for ankle support is the Rocky Snowstalker Extreem.  These will keep your feet toasty warm and I garuntee you will not twist an ankle in them.  Now personally I love Danner Boots but if I was going on this type of hunt I would have a pac boot and multiple replacement pacs and twice as many socks.

  http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20564-cat20574&id=0006141830263a&navCount=1&p odId=0006141&parentId=cat20574&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=XJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

[eidsvolling]

1. Schnee\\'s LOWA Sheep Hunter .  

2.  LOWA Civetta mountaineering double boots .  They're great in wet cold like you'll see in coastal BC.  Strictly winter boots and heavier than the Sheep Hunter, but I put them on and forget about my feet for the rest of the day.

Several of the boots recommended elsewhere in this thread aren't up to the terrain you're describing.  Ask around in BC and look at what Alaska hunters are using as well.  

Also, get a pair of     Outdoor Research Expedition Gaiters  or the    OR Crocodiles Gaiters .  These will keep you much warmer and much dryer than you might imagine.  All other gaiters are inferior and not worth purchasing, IMO.  I've used Crocs for more than 15 years in AK, WA, MN and Northern New England.  Single best piece of outdoor apparel I've ever used.

[KILLER B]

I have been using the Rocky Snow Stalker extreeme for several years now and am completely happy with the product.  Have done alot of walking in those boots.  They have replaceable insolesand will provide all the ankle support your looking for.  The only down side is they are a little wide and i know from living here in TN now that if i am climbing i want a narrow boot so my foot can go where i want it too.  But for beating the cold those and some wool socks are the ticket.

[John Scifres]

Sorel Caribou's are my favorite cold weather boot.  I wouldn't want to climb mountains in them though.  If I'm moving a lot, I don't need much more than a hiking boot.  But when sitting, the Sorel's with a heat pack under the tongue is wonderful.  I also use electric socks and really like them.

[Barney]

Kenetrek mountain boots....good pacs too  

[Gordon martiniuk]

Clinton yes those boots you see everyone wearing are happy Canucks with warm feet! Baffins are good but there are several desighns that offer good warmth and not too bad a fit EH!

[Canadabowyer]

I have lived and worked in northern B.C. and the N.W.T. all my life. One pair of boots won't hack it.It is very unlikely you will be up in sheep and goat country during the worst of the winter so get some good felt pacs for winter with extra liners and dry the liners every day and wear CLEAN wool socks. Then for spring, summer and fall the Meindl's will be fine.Warm hat+clean dry felt liners= warm bowhunter.  Bob

[ozy clint]

i think i'm going to get a pair of those felt pack snow boots, good for nocking around town/farm/gentle slopes. then get a good pair of insulated hiking boots for the winter rough stuff.
canadabowyer- i think your on the money, with the one boot doesn't fit all. and yes, not likely to be up on the tops now. but there is plenty of hunting in snow when chasing tahr, so there is still a need for a warm hiking boot.
how many grams of insulation for say -30 celcius?

hey gordo, forgive my ignorance but what is a canuck? i know that is the vancouver hockey team mascot. is it some sort of animal? btw- that ice hockey is different. sort of like boxing and skating in one. LOL

[NightHawk]

Mickey mouse boots are the absolute best cold weather boot in my opinon. I wear them at work when ever the temp gets in the mid teens and below. I've never climbed a mountain in them but I have climbed electric poles in mine, never felt the shank of the climber like I do in some of my other boots. Plus they are water proof and have the little place on them for ski or snow shoe bindings

 one other thing I have worn them when it was -20 air temp outside and my feet were toasty warm, the rest of me was an icecube but that is another story  

[Canadabowyer]

Clint, I am a Canuck(Canadian).I have never worn leather insulated boots for any amount of time in -30 C.For extended stays outdoors in that and colder temps we wore a type of mickey mouse boot except they were not rubber. They were a nylon boot with a very thick rubber sole and had a double liner of wool blanket material. We called it duffel cloth.Spent all day out in -50C. in good comfort as long as the liners were dry.At those temps everything stays dry except for sweat from your feet so we dried the liners every nite.I don't have any experience hiking the real goat country in those temps so can't help with that.I think if you look up a company called Winnipeg Fur Supplies they might have the arctic duffel boots.   Bob