Cold weather boots
Equipment
Looking for a new pair of cold weather boots for sitting in treestand. I have a pair of muck article pro but have found them to be chilly when I'm stationary for hours. My old pair of PAC boots was super warm but need retired. Any suggestions? Looking to spend $100-150 or so. My current pair lasted 15+ years... These will be for treestand hunting for deer in dec in MI. Temps vary from 0-35 but my feet are always cold. Appreciate any input
Craig
Craig, I have a pair of Muck Woody Max, and they're very warm, not sure how they compare to the Mucks you have. Also, a suggestion. Boot Blankets. You can wear a lighter, easier to walk in boot and put those on when in the stand. They "will" keep your feet warm.
Criag, I hunt Mi as well and my feet get cold no matter what boots I wear do to poor circulation. I use boot blankets and if its still too cold I use the chemical hand warmers on the toe of the boot under the blankets and that does the trick. They dont go out as they still get enough air to them to keep them going.
This last year in Iowa were the first time in years my feet were toasty warm the entire hunt. Killed a good buck with those hand warmers in the boot blankets too.
Get another pair of pac boots. They still make the Lacrosse icemans or the military Micky Mouse boots. If you don't mind carrying extra stuff along the boot blankets work real well also.
Baffin Titans. Rated to -150F and you can pick them up for under $100.
Cabelas Predator Extreme are bulky but hard to beat
I'd suggest a different path...
Wear light hiking/work boots and buy Boot Blankets. It is nice to have light boots for the hike in and an game chasing that you need to do. The boot blankets will keep you plenty warm on the stand.
My cabelas duratrax with 1000 gram thinsulate work great. I have a set of arctic sheild boot covers add some hand warmers and my feet stay warm in even the coldest weather. Honestly though I only use my boot covers a couple times a year my boots are sufficient in most cases (but I'm sure it's a little colder in MI then here in OK).
What Mad_Angler said ^^^^
I own and have used LaCross 10" Iceman Boots for the last 17 years. Have used them for hours in extreme temps down to -18 below zero while ice fishing and below zero temps while hunting and my feet always stayed toasty worm. They retail for btwn $120-$160.
The Icemen boots I own has a liner material that truly whisks your foots perspiration to the outer layer of the heavy insulated booties. When I would take them off after a long period of use I could actually feel how much more damp the outer surface of the booty was VS the interior and my sock covered foot.
I bought them after a utterly miserable and torturous season of ice cube cold feet from sitting on stand. IIRC they are rated to keep your feet warm in temps down to -70 below zero.
Last used them during Indiana's 2014 opening week end and the temps I hunted in were from 10-18* and my feet were absolutely comfy warm while I sat exposed on stand 20'+ in the air.
If they can't keep your feet warm, I don't know what boots will unless they're battery powered.
Thanks for the input...liking the sound of the iceman pacs
Can someone post a link to boot blankets that you use?
Another trick that helps is to change your socks for a new dry pair of socks when you arrive at your treestand.
Artic Shield boot blankets and light boots. That revelation was a game changer for me a few years ago. If it gets really cold drop a hand warmer in the boot blanket. Your feet will stay warm down to any temp you can stand to sit in. Just make sure that you put them on immediately upon getting into the stand though, don't wait until your feet are cold and then put them on.
A link to the one's I use as requested above....
I use artic shield covers with hot hands body warmer in each. Wear a pair of 400/600 gram thinsulate and then once I get to my stand put on the covers and toasty warm all day long. All the boots out there rate their cold temp for active use as in walking, not sitting. I have been through many pairs of boots and even the packs don't do it in really cold weather.
A good pair of mickey mouse boots and your feet wont get cold.. Draw back.. heavy boot..
Kenetrek Northerns....something like 1500 grams of Thinsulate and great traction from the K Talon soles...
Mark
Mickey Mouse has never let me down $65 new. For blacks.
I have both the Black "Mickey Mouse" boots and the White "Bunny" boots and the Bunnies are twice as warm. A bit more bulky, but definitely warmer.
I've tried about everything under the sun for cold weather boots, and usually come back to "Bunny's".
For snow shoeing the bunny's get a bit "big", so I've been running the Meindel Ultra Light Hunter's in 1000 gram and they've worked well. I don't know that they would be the best option for stationary hunting though.
Lacrosse Ice Kings are another great choice, but are a LOT of boot.
Here is a link to the boot blankets that I've used.
There are two brands/styles. This one is thick and puffy like a sleeping bag. The other style is thin and reflective like some coolers. I don't know which style works better.
Yes, there are two types:
The Arctic Shields are thin and use a reflective lining to reflect heat back.
The Icebreaker Boot Blankets are the big puffy covers like a sleeping bag.
I use both. I walk into my stand wearing lightweight boots then I take the boots off at my stand, put chemical heaters on top of my toes between two layers of Smartwool socks. Then I slip on the wool felt liners only from my Lacrosse Icemans. Then I slip on the thin Arctic Shield boot covers and then I put on the Icebreaker Boot Blankets over the top. I'm not wearing an actual boot, just the felt liners and the boot covers. This system has kept me warm from sun up to sun down in single digit temps.
The system is a little bulky but they're light to pack in with everything stuffed inside of the Boot Blankets and strapped to my daypack.
interesting combo Mike. Might have to give it a try.
The boot blankets in Mad_Anglers post are the ones I have. They are a bit bulky and can be tough to get getting turned around in my smaller stands.
I like Mikes idea too Then I could go to the smaller boot blanket if im not wearing actual boots in the stand. currently I have the large so they are easy to get on and off my boots. However you get those boots muddy or snowy you drag it into the boot blankets. Mikes way would put an end to that and allow a little easier movement with smaller boot blankets.
I typically try to stay away from leather uppers due to scent controll like leather on the iceman boot. That said I have had a pair of iceman Boots for over ten years that I wear snowmobiling and ice fishing in weather 20 below zero with just a thin sock and have never gotten cold feet.
La Crosse Alpha Burlies. Awesome boots. I used to use the Boot Blankets and they are a great tip. Only thing I didn't like was the bulkiness. I have a couple stands that don't have a large footprint. Boot blankets made it really tight.
The system I described above has worked well for me and I generally only use it when I plan to sit all day or most of the day. The best thing about it is I already owned all of the components and didn't have to make another boot purchase. They are a kind of bulky on your feet and you have to take that into consideration when moving your feet on a small platform. Overall I have been very happy with the setup and haven't had the need to look for an alternative. I think if you guys try it you'll like it.
After I hike in and take off my light boots I also take off the socks I wore on the way in. That way there is zero sweat in anything I'm putting on.
Most of the time when I'm only going to sit for a few hours I use Muck Woody Max or Muck Arctic Pro with the thin Arctic Shield boot covers. I almost always have the Arctic Shield boot covers in my pack. By the way, I'm pretty sure that the Muck Arctic Pro and the Muck Woody Max are the same boot except one is black and one is brown and camo.
I also have an older pair of Lacrosse Alpha Burly side zip and although they are pretty warm too, they are much heavier than the Mucks, harder to walk in and the flex-points rub pretty hard on my ankles. They've also developed several cracks that I have repaired. They are pretty much delegated to ice fishing, etc. now.
Air activated toe warmers with pac boots. I use the warmers twice. I put them in a sandwich bag ziploc after the first use to cut off the air. They then can be reactivated for a second use.
I wear Rocky SV2's, the ones made in the USA, they are 400g thinsulate, and I can walk miles in the mountains in them. Artic Shield boot blankets when I need to sit for a long time. I agree with others, this setup is definitely most versatile. With a good pair of lighter boot, you can walk a long ways if need be, and do so in comfort. You would be surprised how warm the boot blankets can be too. I've done some long sits in a tree in Nebraska and never got cold feet! Plus, I can walk a mile back into an area where others might not go, and do so in comfort
