Cold weather Boots

[forestwalker]

1) - The boots are snow proof but not waterproof. In snow this was not a problem but on one occasion my foot went through the ice into the marsh underneath. One foot got wet in sub zero conditions but even then my foot stayed warm as long as I kept moving.

This is a problem with anything but the rubber wellie based winter boots (Nokian, Tretorn, etc).

2) - The inner boot did get damp due to condensation forming on the inside of the rubber outer boot. We were doing a lot of walking and so this may not be a problem in normal camp conditions.

This is the case with almost every system that is not very permeable (Stegers, mukluks, etc). Those who use vapour barrier based systems avoid it as well (duh). The problem is that the water vapour condenses on the inside of the outer boot, and then freezes into a layer of ice. Having two inner boots and swapping will help. I also change socks as often as possible, carrying the other set inside my clothing (tied to a cord around my neck, between the inner and mid layer, some tuck them into their belt and carry them inside their pants)

Having said this, the inner boot is removable and so it was fairly easy to dry them out overnight.

Anything but removable liners is anathema in winter; they only work if you take them indoors and use a forced air boot dryer each night.

 

[Gill]

i have a pair of lacrosse extreme cold weather pac boots for sale ,they are size 9 uk and are brand new unworn ,these would be ideal for the arctic.pm if anyone is interestd please.

 

[Leonidas]

Sorel Ice Boots - 10mm felt liners and rated down to -40
Irrespective of the boots you settle on, do ensure you get them 1.5 to 2 sizes larger than your regular walking boots.

Tight boots will result in cold feet, plus it is wise to wear several layers of thin socks to prevent blisters....

I bought size 12 boots and normally take size 10.5....they are just big enough to capture warm air layers between socks / liner / outer boot.

 

[Hoodoo]

A lot depends on how active you will be. For trekking, Steger mukluks are hard to beat and way lighter on the feet than rubber packs. They breath, which is important when you are being active. Not good for wet conditions though. You will need some kind of rubber overboot if you encounter wet snow.

For sitting, I've been wearing military Mickey Mouse boots (the white ones-originals, not knockoffs) for around 25 years now and my feet have never gotten cold on the ice. Not once, even at -20F. I've heard there are warmer boots but ever since I started wearing Mickies on the ice, I've never felt the need to experiment. I do have the black ones also, which are a little lighter. Good boot for cold weather stalking or sitting on a stand but I generally don't wear vapor barrier style footwear if I plan to be very active.

 

[barryasmith]

I tried on the Meindl boots but they were too tight with the sock combination I prefer so were'nt an option.

The Olangs I never bothered with as I cannot get a spare liner for them.

I started to look at Sorel Caribou's and they fitted well and I could order a spare inner boot which was good.

However, fate then intervened and a friend of mine gave me a pair of Wiggy's Mukluks which I can wear as an over boot on top of my Cold weather Pro boots.

I wore the pro boots on my last trip to Sweden and they were pretty good for the £25 I paid. The downside is that they have a thinsulate liner which you cannot remove so they either take a while to dry or if not in my sleeping rig when kipping out they got quite stiff - I guess the retained moisture froze in them.

On the plus side I can get two pairs of thick socks in then plus a felt insole which I can take out to dry off a bit. They also clip to Nordic Ski's which on that trip was a requirement.

So, it's pro boots again on the BCUK Norway trip and then if it's really cold I will stick the Mukluks over the top. Should be sorted.

Thanks for all of your responses.

Barry