hunting boots - how much insulation

[jdmcx]

just wanted to ask a basic question can i get a boot with too much insulation
last year was my first year hunging and my feet froze so this year i am looking into a good hunting boot
so looking around i found the insulated knee high ruber boots with a 2000 gram thinsulate. just want to know if 2000 gram is too much or should i go with a 1500 or less
jason

[FirstFreedom]

No when it's really cold you cannot have too much in my opinion, so go for the 2,000. I have unisulated for early October. Then I have 800 grams for "normal" hunting weather - cool weather. Then I have 1600 gram pac boots for cold weather. If you're feet are sweating, you can always shed garments from your upper and lower body to compensate - just dress in layers and take a backpack to carry your shed layers.

[T. O'Heir]

Your feet get cold because of sweating. Carry several pairs of wool socks, inside your jacket, and change 'em when your feet get cold.
Depending on how cold it gets, a good leather boot with one pair of nylon socks under wool will do. In very cold weather, think Sorels.
The one pair of Pro-line thinsulated boots I have, I only wear in very cold weather. Haven't a clue how much thinsulate they have. Rubber boots tend not to be very comfortable and they're heavy.
Mind you, there is no commercial boot that beats CF issue mukluks. I've been out in -40(at that temp, C and F are the same. FRIGGIN' COLD!) weather with no socks in mine. Not for slushy weather though. Don't ask me where you can get 'em.

[chemist308]

i use $50 Herman Survivors with 1000g. You can get battery powered socks or use hot packs while sitting. Save the $200+.

[davlandrum]

My feet always froze when sitting in a tree stand. Now, since I am walking most of the time, I go uninsulated.

There are also "booties" that you can put over your boots after you are on the stand. That might help keep your feet from sweating so bad getting too the stand. I have never tried them, so take that for what it is worth.

[BIGR]

It appears that no matter how much insulation the boots have if the feet sweat and your activity stops then eventually your feet will get real cold. As long as your walking you are in good shape. I have been putting the toe warmers in the front of my boots and if it is real cold I put on the artic shield boot blankets. The boot blankets fit on over your boots. I usually get to my stand and put them on before I settle down. Trust me I can sit there all morning without my feet getting real cold. Also there is a company that makes the big boot covers called Icebreakers. They seem to work pretty good but are alot bigger and real bulky. I just recently noticed in a sale paper that one store had the artic shields on sale for $27.00 and they normally sale for about 40 something. Years ago I sat in the woods and my feet got so cold that I couldn't feel my toes. No more.

[Capt. Charlie]

You might want to give some thought to Baffin Extremes. This boot is rated to minus 148 degrees F. !

I have a pair of these and my feet were downright comfy at minus 20, but you want to buy them big enough so that you can wear wool socks to wick away moisture.

[stolivar]

I walk in in light boots or shoes. take them off, and change socks. put on my 1600 gram insulated boots and Im warm. i can do the same thing with my 1000 grams ones and they are lighter. You have to have dry socks to stay warm. I alway put on new socks after I set down. Make sure you put your sock in a zip up baggy.


steve

[Trip20]

Too much thinsulate plus wrong materials in the socks will equal an uncomfortable day in the stand.

In my opinion the materials and layering of the socks are more important than the grams of Thinsulate you have in your boot. I'd say 800 grams max for a comfortable and agile boot fit for hiking, still hunting, stalking, and stand hunting.

Otherwise you can do as someone else suggeted by wearing certain boots to stand, and changing your socks/boots upon getting into the stand. If you're willing to do so that might be an option for you. Me, I don't want to fool with all that extra stuff to carry.

I hunt and ice fish in Wisconsin, and I appreciate a warm foot, but overkill is the mistake of most people when selecting boots.

One last tip -- it's nice to lace up tight for the hike in and out of your hunting location, but once in stand, greatly loosen up your laces and foot garments to allow for better circulation. You'd be suprised how much difference this makes. Even if you still hunt and stalk, you don't need tightly laced boots. Loosen them up and let your body do it's job.

Good luck.

[Mannlicher]

depends on where you hunt, and how cold it gets. I use uninsulated boots, but then I hunt in Florida and South Georgia. On the times I get to go up to the SW Virginia mountains and hunt our old family farms, I still get by with good socks, and regular boots. As others have said, one real important thing is to keep the sweat wicked away from your feet.

[Fremmer]

I suppose if you are stand hunting and don't plan on moving much, the heavy boots will be fine. But if you are walking around while hunting, you won't want so much insulation. Too much weight and bulk, and your feet will sweat a lot.

I agree with Trip 20. 800 grams is what I bought, and it gets pretty cold here. I like to still-hunt, and to move around a little bit, too. 1000 grams would be O.K. also. Spend some money and get some good, breatheable and waterproof boots, and some wool or wool-blend socks.

Edited to add: knee-high rubbers?!? They don't sound very walking-friendly to me. They sound like stand-boots to me (which is fine, now all you need is a stand).

[22-rimfire]

Lacrosse rubber boots are great boots to walk around in. Make sure they are about a size too big for room for extra socks. Add and subtract socks as needed. Also depends what the outside temps are and what is normal for your area. I use 800 gram Lacrosse. Plenty warm for me.

[FirstFreedom]

While I will defer to the more experienced here on boots, esp. those in colder areas than here, I will say that IF you are hunting from up in a tree stand and not moving around, and the high temp for the day is 20-25 or less, it gets very cold, so I'd go with the 1600 or 2000 or at least 1200, along with the proper socks. Best socks setup is a silk underlayer to wick sweat, and a quality merino lambswool for warmth. Agree with above to buy the boots 1 to 1.5 sizes larger than normal to have room for thick socks and a chemical toe warmer. Nothing will make your feet cold faster than having tight boots - regardless of insulation.

Now IF, on the other hand, you're moving around, even just still-hunting slowly, that's enough movement, and your feet are enough out of the wind to go with much less insulation - 400, 600, 800, or 1,000 grams. And the more ergo build of the less insulated ones will aid in comfortable and stealthy walking. So get one of each to be ready for any hunting situation. Also, those wraps for the outside of your boots that someone mentioned, for once you get to your stand, should work well in theory, it seems to me.

Cap'n Charlie, those Baffin boots look like a seriously good deal. My really cold boots are the Irish Setter Bucktracker 1600s:

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0020812830408a.shtml

They're supposedly rated to minus 160 or 170, but really, your headgear and torso gear is more important to how cold you can go than the boot itself, so the ratings are pretty meaningless. If you have on only boots, but are naked otherwise, I kinda doubt your feet will stay warm in under negative-150 degree weather.

For "normal" hunting temps, with daytime highs in the 30s or 40s, on up to the 60s or 70s, I use Wolverines King Caribous with 800 grams, or a pair of Rockys with 600 grams.

[trooper3385]

Man, you guys from up north are talking about going out when its -20 and -40 and wet outside. Down here in South Texas, when it gets in the 30's, its time to go home and sit in front of the fireplace and roast marshmellows. Well, maybe not sit in front of the fireplace. They don't build houses with fireplaces down here because it doesn't get that cold. We hunt in short sleeves until christmas, then switch to the long sleeve camo after that. It's suppose to get into the 60's this week and everyone is talking about the big cold front coming in.

[DWARREN123]

Depends on how much moving you do. Good thick socks and some boot insulation helps but too much can cause sweating. If you move little and set alot then more insulation.
You can not beat good socks and boots no matter what they are for.

[9mm1033]

Down here in South Texas, when it gets in the 30's, its time to go home...

Go home...I thought Texans were tough.

Here in Ohio, the morning temps get into the teens for whitetail hunting. My 1000 grams of insulated Rocky boots, with wool socks give my cool feet when stopped. When the temps go up into the 30's + during the afternoon, they get warm. Seems some hunters can adapt to the colder temps and feet better than others. I think 800 grams or more is best.

[22-rimfire]

In South Texas, it feels pretty darn cold in the 20's with the humidity. Usually pretty windy too with those Norther's that blow in. Been there and done that.

I wanted to do a +1 to First Freedom... tight boots=cold feet; and extremely loose boots=hurt feet and inability to walk with any steath. I really like the Lacrosse boots as they don't slop around on your feet. Where I hunt, I often have wet areas to move through and with these boots, I don't have to think twice about my feet getting wet. Wet feet=Cold feet. Tuck your pants in too. You will be quieter. Only in extremely rocky areas would I not recommend the boots. Then it is leather boots all the way.

Snow, you need more insulation and have gaiters too.

[2rugers]

Well, I have had the oppurtunity to hunt on occasion in places like Wa., Mt., Id.,lived in anchorage as a youngster and hunted the southeast for a year or two.
Let me tell you, the absolute coldest I can ever remember being was in a treestand in Cisco Tx.
The only other time that even came close was Snowshoe rabbit hunting in Ak. with my father and brother.
Never saw any rabbits and the army mountain stove couldn't keep the tent warm even inside two sleeping bags, BRRRRR. I spent that weekend watching them try and figure out which penetrated the stream ice deeper, the 12 ga. with slugs or the .300 weatherby.
Anyway, Cisco.
Got in the stand before light and managed to sit on a little board seat for about 4 hrs.
I could see my wife a few hundred yards away on the little ridge I had placed her on to hunt. She was doing jumping jacks trying to warm up. I figured my hunt had better end.
When I tried to climb down, I was seriously to cold to almost move. I was barely able to climb down because I could not feel anything.
When I managed to shiver and shake my way to where she was, she told me she had given up on the idea of hunting for anything about the time she threw up:barf: from shaking so bad!!
Since that time we wear Browning pack boots with the wool liners and wool socks when the temp drops below 40 and we will be sitting still.
Do not skimp on your footwear, by them a little bigger for cold weather and get some that have a thick, removeable wool or felt liner for treestand hunting. Wear quality thick wool socks.
Skip the battery gizmos. Seems they never work very long.
The shake and bake packs work good for hands and feet once you get to your stand, but do not put them in your boots until you are sitting still.

[Desertfox]

I agree with the 800 grams being enough. I also agree greatly with the buying a size or so big. Most people wear tight boots and cram a wool sock into the boot. You need the socks to be expanded and do what that wood does best. I wear a pair of poly inner socks to wick the moisture out and wool socks outside of them. My rockies are 600 thinsulate and are a full size larger than my other boots.
No, they are not good for hiking. They work for sitting in the stand and not freezing. Good wool socks and wick socks under em. Boot a size big and don't tighten up the laces. I agree with loosen the laces up alot.
Good luck and enjoy the hunt.

[P-990]

I'm going to vote 800-1200 grams, depending on how cold you get and how low the temperatures get.

Last winter I did some snowshoing (when we had snow, but anyway) with my 800gr Irish Setters. Even at single-digits and low-teens, my feet were the least of my worries. For hunting, I find them a bit heavy for still hunting above about 30-degrees (seriously) but they're great when sitting still.

For really extreme cold and wet, you can't beat a pair of rubber-bottomed pack boots (Sorels). Even then, when the windchill hits -20 or -30 out on the lake, I tend to not go ice fishing!

[FirstFreedom]

+1 on forgetting the battery gizmos - they don't work well and they're typically in poor quality socks, which defeats the purpose.

And desertfox reminds me to clarify - yes, a sweat-wicking undersock under the wool socks - does not need to be thick at all. Nees to be polypropelene or silk. Supposedly, silk works best.

[leetrev1]

I've never worn anything over 600 ins. I currently where some gore-tex 600 ins. with a good quality light socks and any descent pair of wool socks on the outside. Thats if I'm sitting. When pheasant hunting in the early season (this weekend ) I go without the wool and never have much of a problem. I like the lightness of the boots above all else.

[Fremmer]

Just about any thin polyester sock (like a cheap dress sock) will wick moisture just fine, and they'll dry out while you're wearing them (unlike cotton).

[swampdog]

Like 22-rimfire, I like Lacrosse. Defintely buy them large. Around here, all I need is the uninsulated ones. For drier areas, I wear rocky "snake boots". I've seen snakes out around here well into November.
We're supposed to have a cold winter this year, so I bought a pair of Danner Pronghorns with 400 grains. I haven't had a chance to use them yet, it's still pretty mild, but they are the most comfortable boots I've ever had on.

Wigwam makes some OD wool socks that are great. Not much thicker than a regular athletic sock, they're usually all I need around here.

Sweating feet in tight boots is miserable. Sweating feet in tight, insulated rubber boots, with 2 pairs of socks and the felt liner, is a fortaste of a (much warmer) place no one wants to go to. Buy wisely or buy them 2 or 3 times.

[Trip20]

I'm a huge fan of LaCrosse boots. Their Ice Kings line has kept my toes warm all ice fishing season in temps well below zero. I can truthfully say my feet have never been cold while wearing this pair of boots - not one tiny bit. But these puppies are for when you don't have to do much walking/hiking. They're pretty bulky and heavy.

I'm about to purchase (sometime this weekend) a pair of Irish Setter Shadowtrek's in 800gram for general cold weather woods/hunting/hiking use. They seem like a decent boot.