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Ok so now on the other side of 60 sitting in the stand for long sits the feet get cold so pac boots.? What kind ? Currently using smart wool expedition weight socks and Rocky bear claw 1000 gram boots .Please let me know what works for you.
In my experience over many years pac boots, with either wool or thinsulate booties, will keep your feet warmer than anything else. However, even though these are the best, if you're on stand for anything longer than a few hours, use those chemical foot warmers. I can stay on stand all day, regardless of the temperature, using the warmers in conjunction with the pacs.
I guess what I'm saying is that unless you are blessed with a fast heart beat and super circulation your feet are going to get cold after a period of time without an external heat source e.g. the chemical foot warmers...regardless of what the boot manufacturer claims.
Baffin Ice Breakers work great for me. They look big and bulky but feel like your wearing tennis shoes. See you on the tundra. Rory
Army issued mucklucks with -100 inserts. They are the most comfortable cold weather boot made,they double as a type of gator and they feel like slippers.
These
http://www.bunnyboots.com/
You might take a look at Arctic Shield boot covers as well. You can wear your regular boots into the stand & then put these on after you get there.
We had a very cold Nov.(single digits several days plus below zero windchills) this year & I used them as well as toe warmers on the top of my toes (inside of my boots, Muck Arctic Pros) & my feet never got very cold. I don't think they will keep your feet toasty warm but you won't freeze your toes off either.
I've used the Ice Breakers & they work good too but they are bulkier & I didn't like them when positioning my feet around on the stand as good as the Arctic Shield covers.
cnelk.. I have hat very boot. the military calls them Mickey Mouse boots. I can wear them in the stand all day at 0 deg. But they should be carried in with an extra pair of sox to change into.
I love the bunnys, I wear two pair of socks, fold the outer pair down over the top of the boot. Otherwise your socks want to work themselves down.
My favorite winter boots are my Kamik Goliaths. They aren't super expensive and don't come in fancy camo colors or have fancy gimmicks. They're just simple rubber boots with felt liners. They come in two colors. Olive drab green, or black. But what they lack in fanciness they more than make up for in quality. They are very warm, dry and the rubber is heavy duty.
I tried the Lacrosse boots that everyone raves about and they cost me twice as much and didn't last me an entire season before I tore a hole in them.
Just my 2cents :)
I've tried a lot of cold weather boots, and for me it is Mickey Mouse/Bunny Boots all the way.
Brewskis- Mickey Mouse Boots are the Black ones, the warmer white ones are "Bunny Boots". I love them both.
Steger Kamuk Extreme, mukluks. They're like wearing high top slippers. Gets well below zero, add another sole so make sure they're one size larger than your shoe size.
I second what Cnelk put. In 1994 I was working in Bismarck ND. Sitting all day in a forklift with out heat. -20 plus temps and my feet never got cold wearing them.
Once it gets really cold I have found slipping out of the rubber boots once I get to the stand is about the only prayer I have of keeping my feet warm for any period of time when stationary. They keep in moisture and my feet freeze after a hour or so no matter what I've tried. Recently bought a pair of EEEE hikers a size larger and used base layer then 2 pair wool socks. Easy to slip off and slide in a new pair shake up foot warmers as needed. Seemed to work pretty well and you can buy a couple cases of those warmers for the price of Thermacell insoles.
No more Bunny/Mickey mouse boots for me. Going the Steger Mukluk route as well.
Bought a pair of the LaCrosse Alpha Burlys and love them. When it gets really cold, I slip a pair of boot blankets over them. Toasty warm!
i am looking for baffin for my Arctic march hunt They have a very good model that can go al the way to -145 F
A guy from Florida, who comes up to Midwest to hunt told me this method. Lightweight boots out to stand, with heavy wool socks. Take off boots put your wool stocking feet into Boot Blankets that are designed to be a sleeping bag for your boots. Put a 18 hour handwarmer inside. Since you have no boot on, your feet have plenty of room and a normal handwarmer has enough O2 to function properly. Can stay warm most of the day this way. I have used this method in ground blind in mid20s with snow on the ground for 5 hours with no problems. If moving, hard to beat the Mickie Boot. With insulation incased in rubber, it's better than any old pac boot.
-145 F huh? You'll be lucky to have warm feet at 5 F. There seems to be no limit to the outrageous claims by boot mfgs.
Raptor, you are correct that is arguably the BEST method for keeping your feet toasty warm while on stand. Here is my modification I learned from some Arkansas friends while hunting in Saskatchewan.
Once you get to your stand or blind, remove your -145 F boots or whatever boots you're and use the Ice Breaker overboots. Of course, you should be wearing heavy wool socks (preferably with a polyproylene liner sock). For the IceBreakers, get a much smaller size since you won't be wearing your massive boots).
Actually, you should slip your feet into an very loosely fitting wool, berber, or similar warm SLIPPER that contains a large (approx. 4x5" Hot Hands or similar warmer). You can also put a warming pad outside the slipper between the slipper and the IceBreaker if it is super duper cold.
Works great. For the right type of slipper, try eBay for "wool slippers" or "berber slippers".
The problem with boots, esp. rubber boots is that rubber just holds the cold and moisture in. Also will help to have a bit of carpet on top of treestand metal.
Hope this helps those who are sick and tired of freezing feet while on stand.
Something like this for the slippers (at least one size larger than normal to make room for the heat pad). However, the IceBreaker overboots should be several sizes smaller than normal since you won't be wearing your clunky -145 F or whatever boots.
This is the size hand warmer to use inside the slipper (over or under your toes) and if super cold throw an extra one outside the IceBreaker between it and the IceBreaker overboot.
