Arctic Shield boot insulators
General Topic
Contributors to this thread:
Looking for opinions on the effectiveness of these boot covers from those that have used them. My feet are the hardest thing to keep warm while on stand...looking at options. Thanks Kip
I'm a big proponent of them. They're the only thing I've found to keep my feet warm, short of spending a lot of dollars on a high end pac boot (which I've not yet done)
However, I'm getting less and less enamored with them. I like them. They work. But I get tired of carrying a bunch of stuff in. I'm trying to streamline. I'm personally half-way looking for a big clunky warm pac boot. Just to avoid carrying one more thing in all the time
Mine work great. Allows me to use a much lighter boot.
Yes, I use them and think they're great. They're pretty compact and don't take up much room in the day pack.
I think you will get varying opinions on these. I do think they are pretty good. I always use them in conjunction with a chemical hand warmers, I put them in the bootie at least 30 min ahead (when driving to stand or when I wake up or whatever) then they are pre-warmed. And don’t wait to put them on, put them on as soon as you get in the stand and leave the hand warmers in them.
This system works pretty well for me. But admittedly I don’t hunt in some of the conditions my northern brothers do.
—Jim
Just make sure to get the size larger than what they suggest you need. I have used them for years and they are great. I have six pair so I can rotate them as they do get wet/dirty.
I have a set, used twice and put back in the box. Noisy, and less affective then warmer boots, IMO.
Probably not worth the shipping from BC to you, otherwise you could have them.
They work as advertised with chemical warmers. I can wear my uninsulated hiking boots in to the stand, then put on the boot blankets and my toes stay warm for many hours.
I cut the ends off a pair of old wool socks to put over the toes of my boots. This holds the warmers in place on top of my boots. I learned that here on Bowsite, I think from Ambush.
I'm with Bake though. It's one more thing to carry in and it's kind of a pain putting them on in the stand along with the heat packs. It sure is nice when you have a long, rough walk in to your stand, though, to just wear your hikers.
Thanks for the input...I was also wondering about the sizing...one size larger makes sense.
I tried them several times and never liked them. I come across Feathered Friends down booties and those are much better IMO. I now take my rubber boots off at the base of my stand and put the booties on and climb into my stand. With no hand warmers, my feet have remained warm in some cold temps. Could definitely take them colder by adding a hand warmer as well.
They work great. Put them on immediately when getting to the stand, add a warmer if really cold.
i was skeptical. I bought them this winter and was surprised how well they worked. I do have a slight advantage. I only have one foot so mine came with a spare. Highly recommend these. Good luck!
Wear thin socks on the way in or adjust your walking speed so your feet don't sweat. When you get to the tree, loosen your laces a smidge. Knock off the snow and dirt and put the blankets on immediately.
Should be able to handle very cold temps with wind, even using uninsulated boots.
I picked up a pair for late season. Buy one size larger and throw in some warmers; you'll be good to go. Put them on as soon as you get in the stand, don't wait.
Years ago I bought some down filled boot blankets off of LLBean. I still use them. Never found them again. They fit into a little attached pouch the size of a tennis ball. Warmest things ever. They fit my llbean boots but not pac boots. When still hunting or tracking, I wear Beanies and carry these for when I sit. My feet have never gotten cold with these even with sitting in subzero weather. Wish they still made them.
The boot blankets that are like pillows are still out thier. Thier bulkier, easier to put on and much much warmer
With a chemical warmer they are the bomb without there is no sense in packing them in
I disagree with you buckhunter, but then again everyone is different. I bought a pair last spring and finally was able to use them this fall. They worked great without chemical warmers, and I didn't need to add any. That was hunting the first 2 weeks of November in WI.
But as others have said, buy one size larger than what you need. I didn't and had issues getting them on in the tree quietly. I ordered a new (larger) pair this morning on Camofire.com at close to 50% off.
For years I have been a big fan of Insulated Rubber Boots, but they are heavy, retain moisture, not great for hiking, and I often still had cold feet.
I now walk 1 to 2 miles to my spot, so this year I bought a pair of Danner Vitals. Super lightweight boot. They weigh 26 oz each. My rubber boots were 52 oz each.
Like JTreeman said. I load mine up with foot warmers (buy in in bulk) before I hike to my stand. Once I’m in my stand I take warmers out, put A.S. covers on, place 1 warmer on top of boot in toe area, one on each side and I will sit from dark to dark in bitter cold and have comfortable feet.
I highly recommend them.
Buy 2 sizes larger if possible
I get a kick out of these threads... I tried them two times and thought they made my feet even colder than they would have been without.. I sold them as fast as I could. After reading these threads and hearing all the stories of warm feet, I often wonder if maybe I dreamt of wearing them... and should try them again.. I did buy a pair of the big boot blankets, they did keep my feet warm, but they are a pain too pack into a stand...
I really like mine. They have made a very significant impact on my ability to sit all day in very cold temperatures. Probably the cheapest addition to my setup that has had the the most positive result.
Used them forever and recommend them to anyone with cold feet issues. I won't hunt without them.
I guess I'm surprised at the people who have had bad experiences with them. I bought my first pair about 20 years ago when they first came out. I also got the dry ice demo at a hunting show. Since then I've upgraded to the new versions like in Brotsky's photo. The key is you have to put them on while your feet are still warm from your walk in. You still need to wear quality Merino wool socks so your feet aren't clammy. I hunt a lot in cold weather and I rarely add a chemical heater to them. They're one of the best pieces of gear I own and rarely hunt deer without them.
Cheesehead Mike hit the nail on the head. Don’t put them on with cold feet. You will be miserable as sitting reduces blood flow to your feet, it pools more. My Bean boots are insulated but not much. Still, while moving, my feet stay warm. I walk all day but take a stand late afternoon unless I think I am close to the deer I am following. When I decide to hide, I waste no time putting on the boot blankets.
I bought a pair a few years ago because they were easier to carry around than my Boot Blankets. I don't care for them. My Boot Blankets, for me, work much better.
Arctic Shield boot covers on sale on Camofire today.
I like using the boot covers. I have an older pair and use them on colder hunts in PA and OH. I also sometimes put hand warmers inside my boots (I tape them to my socks) too. My feet stay warm. I grew-up in northeast Wisconsin and NEVER had warm feet. Using good, quality socks, the Hot Hands hand warmers and the boot covers works great for me! I agree, I don't like carrying to stand my boot covers....