WARM FEET

[Cecil]

Boot blankets is the best thing I have ever used. I have let my feet get cold and put them on and in alittle while they will get warm. Artic Shield I think is the name of them. my brother bought them for me about 10 years ago.

[Bernie B.]

The Arctic Shields work very well.  I wear a thin poly sock for wicking moisture, then a medium weight wool blend sock inside a "pack type" boot.  Over the boots go the Arctic Shields.  I usually don't use these until it's about 20 degrees, and I put them on when I get settled in my tree stand.

This morning in Wisconsin the temp was an even 20 degrees and I sat in a tree for about three and a half hours.  This was my first day this year with the Arctic Shields.  They work!

Bernie

[Shakes.602]

Another vote for Two Tracks Wool Insoles!! They work Great!

[scrub-buster]

I have a pair of boots that are just a little big.  I throw a hand warmer pack in the toe of each boot.  Keeps my feet warm on a low budget.

The absolute best way to keep your feet warm is to  tag out early in the season when its still warm    :D   That's my new approach.

[eidsvolling]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
As I said above... (but someone seems to "disagree" with)

Wear WOOL socks, ONLY!!!!!!!!!!
...
Remember, Wool against Skin! That's where it's suppossed to be.....      

Which is exactly why my inner socks are wool.  Next to my woolen insulating socks.

Moisture absorbs heat at a tremendous rate. It only makes sense to move it off your skin if you can. Which is why I also wear wool baselayers to wick moisture off my skin. Under my woolen insulating layers.

Oh, and I don't get too steamed about all this, 'cuz I wear a wool hat most of the time that keeps my follicle-challenged scalp dry and warm.

   

[katman]

Good point about a good hat and something on neck keeping down radiant heat loss.

[TGbow]

Anybody tried the Bama Sokkets?

[mlsthmpsn]

Originally posted by Tsalt:
Forgot to add... On this year's Christmas list are the Arctic Sheild boot covers.  Maybe they will work...      

You will be pleasantly surprised!

I have used them for two season now...last year was -7°F on opening of gun season (Wisco).

I wear uninsulated boots (leather hikers or lacrosse knee-highs) while walking in or around. When I am going to sit for a while, I pull the Arctic Shields out of the pack and slip them on.

They reflect the heat that was generated when I was moving, and keep the feet warm. I also have enough room to throw some heat pads in there under the toes for extended sits.

I recommend them to everyone I talk to about cold feet.

[mlsthmpsn]

Oh, and get GOOD wool socks. I have about 2-dozen pairs in a couple of thicknesses....this will get me through a good camp stay without a need to wash any.    

[Pheonixarcher]

Remember, when insulating your feet, it's the air space that makes the difference. Wool traps air better than other materials. Think of it like a double paned storm window. It's the air that insulates it. If you remove that air, you've just made it a single pane. So if your socks are compressed all the way around your foot inside the boot, they are trapping less air. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to socks and cold weather.
I also use and believe in the arctic shield over boots for this reason. I just bought a pair of 400g thinsulate pronghorns in EE width, that are great for walking in, and with the arctic shields on for sitting long hours, they work great. If it's gonna be a really cold sit, I'll put chemical toe warmers in when I get on stand. So, keep your feet dry, with plenty of air and wiggle room in your boots, and you'll see a big difference in warmth.

[bowless]

The only thing that's ever worked for me was a good pair of hikers to keep the sweat down, boot wraps with hand warmers thrown in.  Feet stay toasty warm.

[canshooter]

I roll over and warm them on my wife, of course she complains some...

[Burnsie]

I must have real good circulation to my feet,  cold feet has never been an issue for me.  It was 22 degrees this past Sunday morning.  I wore a pair of rubber knee boots with a good pair of merino wool socks and I was plenty warm. My upper body was pretty chilled by the time I got down tho.

[2treks]

My go-to set up is this:
Loose fitting boots, Big enough to wear a heavy wool sock(or two). Tight boots stop blood flow.

A pair of our insoles in the boot, changed/dried daily to remove the moisture.

Wool hat and gaiter.
Works for me most of the time.

[Tim Finley]

Woodchucker has got it right one pair of heavy wool socks with a felt innersole in your boots, mine come from two tracks . Don't use any sock that has poly or claims to have a wicking action that includes smartwool you will have cold feet.Two pair of socks are tight on your feet making for cold feet you need lose fitting socks and boots. La Crosse Iceman are the warmest boots as are canvas muckluks with heavy wool liners.
 Take it from me I live in North Dakota I've hunted in some extreme cold Iv'e tried everything to keep my feet warm the best way I have found is to sit in a ground blind that is insulated and has a heater.

[John3]

Boot blankets saved me years ago... They work!

[Kevin Dill]

It was many years ago that I figured this out. If my feet HAD to stay warm, I HAD to stay home.

All the advice given is good. I hope it works.

[Slasher]

Originally posted by okla bearclaw:
Smartwool socks

I agree... But since i live in GA... only a couple pr...

Arctic shield boot over  boots thingies... Throw in a pr of handwarmers on the coldest days... actually if there is a frost... light hiker tennis shoe type shoes... let the sweat out and are the most comfortable temp wise ...to me anyways

[bowslinger]

I feel your cold!  Due to a few cases of frostbite when I was young, my feet tend to get cold faster than most others I know.  I have found what works for me is using a thin liner sock with a wool outer sock.  If I am hiking 4 to 5 miles or more, I will wear a liner sock inside a light to medium weight wool sock and waterproof hiking boots.  I always carry a spare pair of wool socks so I can change socks during the day.  Changing socks can make a huge difference.  I always carry my dry socks in a re-sealable plastic bag that is also used to store damp sweaty socks once I change.  Think scent control.

If I am hiking into a tree stand or ground blind and it is 25 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, I will carry most of my heavy outer clothing so I don't overheat or get sweaty feet from the exertion of reaching my stand.

For sitting long periods in subfreezing conditions, I have a pair of Cabela's Alaskan pac boots with a thick sole and removable felt liner.  These are not boots I walk long distances in but they are extremely warm and work well for sitting still in very cold weather.  I lived in North Dakota for 5 years and wished In would have had these boots then.

The last thing I do, which I am sure most of us have learned, is that when I return to camp at night, I remove all insoles and liners and let them air out or dry out as much as possible before the next morning.  This can make a big difference as well.

As for liner sock material, I prefer wool because wool tends to hold less odor than polypropylene, thermax, capilene, coolmax, or any other long list of polyester or other synthetic materials.  When I am hunting in remote areas or places with limited laundry facilities (stream or lake), wool makes a lot of sense.  I have a used a number of fabrics for liner socks and they all worked well for me, though.

I have decided that how I dress the rest of my body is very important to how warm my feet stay.  If I dress too warmly for the level of activity, my feet sweat more and then get cold easier. And as mentioned by a few earlier, having enough space for your toes to move is important.