Can someone point me in the right direction for a new pair of boots for cold weather. .I enjoy setting in my stand all day.The highs usually 35 or so..I have got diabetes an my feet freeze now..the boots I currently have are lacrosse 800 gram...any advice would help....tired of cold ass feet....lol
I wear a pair of muck boots and stick pocket heaters on top of sock..I don't walk far as I hunt behind my house
Buy some military Bunny Boots. I have had trouble with cold feet for many years, until I obtained a pair of "Bunny Boots". Been hunting in 10 degree weather or colder for the past two weeks. Feet have been comfortable throughout 3 hour sits.
Add a pair of Chuck Deshler's (Two Tracks Bow Co), felted wool boot liners, for extra warmth and comfort.
chris <><
I wear Muck boots with a heavy pair of socks. The walk in gets my feet warmed up pretty good. The past few nights it's been in the single digits by the time I left and my feet haven't been cold.
everyone has what works for them but if you want warm feet which on a stand for me I found that the Baffin's which are rated to -140 are perfect with regular crew socks even thinner liner socks because they are so warm. they are made in Canada I think originally for ice fisherman who stand on ice all day.
they feel like pillows on your feet and might not work right for serious hiking but for standing still long hours your toes will be toasty warm I've worn them all this week and currently here in Mass its -15 wind chill and my feet felt like they were in warm heater socks with not even a hint of a chill and i was only wearing regular tube socks,, I originally bought these for standing in deep snow in single to sub zero temps.
http://www.baffin.com/product-p/40000048.htm
other wise most decent winter boots will work but buy a size to a 1 1/2 sizes bigger so you can wear extra thick wool or alpaca socks,, if toes are cold sometimes theres not enough insulating air space in front of them.
I wear muck Woody max. They work for me.
Steger mukluks. Check out their website.
Tajue17....thank you
I have diabetes as well, and cold is tough. I bought some pac boots from Cabela's some years ago that are rated to -85 degress. I also stole a pair from my son rated to -40. Non diabetics will consider this overkill, but it is not. With the -40 boots, I lost feeling in my feet at about 25 degrees. I do not walk, but, rather, I sit on a stand all morning. I am just not sure a diabetic is ever going to be totally comfortable in cold weather. I have accepted this as a fact of like and seldom hunt in the colder weather, which is odd, because when I was younger, I like to hunt on mornings so cold that most folks didn't want to be out..
I hunted this past weekend in TN and it was pretty cold for us.. temps in single digits with a wind chill on top.. my Sitka gear kept me totally comfortable but my feet were killing me. After all I invested in Sitka to stay warm my foot solution was pretty cheap.
I put a hand warmer - bigger size - on the toe of my boot when I got to my stand. Then I wrapped it in a piece of flannel cloth to hold it in place and trap warmth and used a rubber band to secure it.
Worked just fine.. if only the deer had cooperated!
I use to not get cold until I became a diabetic four years ago.. I like to climb the tree before daylight and set til dark..But this week I had to come out the tree at noon. My feet were so cold that they were numb, I couldnt feel my feet walking out the woods..You can bet it wont happen next year. I dont care how they will cost me!!
you folks with problems hunting in the cold there are many options,,, the insulated body bags are toasty warm its a sleeping bag you unzip to get ready when you see something coming,, keep in mind this is late season and you can usually see something coming from way out.. also heated body vests with the batteries,,, the iron workers in Boston wear these in sub zero wind chills and they swear by them.. not sure the brands you'd have to check reviews.
you guys that are feeling the cold due to whatever the reason you may have to step away from what your used to wearing but staying warm in any temp is an option.
If you buy new cold weather boots make sure you wear the socks you'll hunt in while trying them on and allow extra room for blood flow. Any restriction will cause cold feet quicker, learned my lesson a long time ago on that score. I actually leave my laces loose if I'm just hiking to a stand, makes a big difference to me.
Good luck, my brother was diabetic and always had cold feet til he tried looser boots with good socks.
The two most important things in my experience are good circulation by not over-tightening my boots, regardless of the insulation factor and, good insoles made especially for cold. Soles aren't insulated like the body of the boot, and the various rubber materials conduct cold temps right to your feet. For regular hunting boots without a full-foot liner like a pac boot, good insoles can be a game changer.
This is what I did this past season because my feet would get cold as I have aged. I bought a pair of Hoffman pack boots, two sizes bigger. I also purchased a pair of two tracks wool insoles and put those under the boot liners. I hunted late season this year in northern Wisconsin and stayed toasty. On the days that were below zero I used the chemical toe warmers for added warmth.
Mukluks are what I wear in cold weather, felt lined and light weight they are extremely warm
(https://www.mukluks.com/images/arr36.gif)
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Cold_combo.JPG)
Complete and total badassery, Mr LaClair. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Baffin pack boots and wool socks or what Mr.Laclair said those are really neat
I gave up on trying to get boots to keep my feet warm. I finally bought a pair of boot blankets I carry in strapped to my back pack top loop. I wear normal insulated boots or rubber boots in so I can walk climb into tree stand easily.
Once in my stand I slip on my boot blankets with a chemical hand warmers in each. If it's REAL cold I use a chemical body warmer in each. It's like standing on a wood burner then.
I really like this set up for me as I'm not in big heavy bulky boots for the walk in or climb up into a tree stand.
However I will say they cut down on your tree stand platform size considerably. For this reason the last half hour on stand before dark thirty I slip out of them depending on temperature.
I'm also type 2 diabetic. Those who are not have difficulty understanding cold feet. I sleep with no T-shirt at night and still sweat with the thermostat turned down to 62, but my feet are cold when I get in bed and cold when I wake up in the morning.
The only thing I have found that works for me on stand is more insulation. I have a set of over-boots or boot blankets, whatever they're called. A toe warmer on my sock toes help. Obviously, I can't walk in wearing them.
The other thing is a German Ansitzsack. It's like a sleeping bag out of heavy wool loden that comes up my back to the top of my shoulders and suspenders that fasten to the bib front. It traps much of my heat and holds it down around my lower body. It has a zipper down one side and across the bottom so I can pull it up, climb a ladder stand, then roll it back down and zip it across the bottom.
I don't think there is an easy solution for us "cold foot" sufferers.
arctic shield boot covers with a 10 or 18 hr . hothands warmer in each one keeps my feet toasty. cold feet will run you out of the stand! i also rub my feet down with a antipersperant sentkiller to keep from sweating.
(http://i.imgur.com/9krmy0l.jpg)
I really like my Schnee pac boots with liners. very toasty...and work well for slipping or on stand.
Sorels have kept feet warm for years-- the trick is to keep the wool liners dry (take them out at night to dry, and have a backup pair.) They are wide and will also allow you to put a chemical warmer in them. I am sure there are more modern options, but these are a known quantity, affordable and work. PS don't expect to hike in a boot made for truly cold weather. They will have a sloppy fit and be heavy. Bunny boots work but are REALLY heavy IMHO.