Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How do You Keep Your Feet Warm

Age may have something to do with all this as well. We, well, some, simply don't get around in the field like we used to. Makes a difference. Guess that's why I like upland bird chasing now. Warmer, easier. Except for Chukar. Bastids!

Looks like this may be the fix I am looking for..

https://sectionhiker.com/vapor-barrier-socks/

There is a lot of good advice here. I took notes. I was in the LL Bean store in Paramus, NJ today and happened to look at the boots on display.

A saleswoman came over to me and started to tell me about their pac boot - leather upper, rubber bottom, wool felt liner. I have used this type of boot in the past (Sorels) and am familiar with them. I have worn them hunting and when operating excavating equipment in winter. My feet would sweat, and they got cold when my socks and the boot liners got wet with sweat.

The saleswoman told me that they are almost too warm for "around here". I mentioned that they were warm until your sweat wicked into the liner. She countered with "you need to wear wool socks, they wick the moisture". I said no, when the boot liner is wet with sweat you are cold. She didn't like that, so I walked away.

I wonder what her cold weather outdoor experience might be.

About the worst thing for an active hunter. They just dont wick away moisture fast enough. Feet get clammy and cold quick.
They are fine for stand hunting though .
Same story for merino underwear.
Some may disagree with the above, but that's what I have found to be true over the years.

I have no doubt this is true for you, but if so you need to work on the base problem of very sweaty feet. Lots of antiperspirant starting well before the season will reduce the amount you sweat and it will make a huge difference.

Just flew to Detroit, drove to extreme NW Iowa, and hunted for several days for pressured pheasant. The nicest day was 2 degrees and 10mph wind. Hard to call that warmer! Roosters flushing at 200+ yards and lots of runners.

It was tough, but the birds were plentiful and we shot enough to feel good about the whole deal. No problem keeping warm, even on the really cold days.

I have spent the evening doing research on cold feet. I just hate cold feet in a stand.

Sweat causes cold feet = I walk to my stand and my feet sweat = I go up into my stand and the moisture from the sweat freezes when I sit still= thus my feet are cold.

Step 1- https://www.mycarpe.com/carpe-foot

Step 2- https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/83567?feat=502854-plalander&csp=f

Step 3- https://sectionhiker.com/vapor-barrier-socks/

Step 4- https://reactual.com/clothing/warmest-sock.html

Step 5- https://www.baffin.com/collections/winter/products/40001305

If this does not work I am staying home smile

NEOS insulated overboots with uninsulated leather boots inside will take me from summer down to pretty cold. Used them in AK back in February and was quite impressed with them.

Those look pretty nice!

A buddy heater sure helps!

Having hunted MN for the last 50 plus years. Keeping your feet warm can be an issue, Pac Boots work at the price of extra weight and bulk, if you are putting any miles on it matters. Pac boots are the best ice fishing boots on the planet.
Get the coldest rated sleeping bag you can find Mummy style best. Sit down and pull it up over your knees cut there. Sew in a seem and draw string get to your stand step in pull the draw string works perfect. Weighs nothing.

I have always suffered with cold feet. Here is what I have found works for me.

1. Keep the rest of your body warm. Especially lower body. Keeping the major muscle groups in your lower body helps tremendously.
I do this by making sure I have ample insulation with warm baselayer, midlayer and carry in heavy outer layer.

2. Mickey mouse boots are not for moving and too big/heavy to carry.
3. 1000gm boots are too warm for walking then sitting, feet sweat too much.
4. I bought a new pair of 400gm boots for hunting this year. Spent 8 days hiking in a ways and sitting. Liner socks with varying weights of wools socks worked very well. Temps ranged from ten to fifty degrees. After this I gave my 1000gm boots away to my son who can really use them.

5. I like handwarmers, depending on conditions chest pocket helps keep core warm, kangaroo pocket for hand/core warming. What I discovered this year is a handwarmer in each cargo pocket really helps keep lower body warm when sitting. So much so, that a few times I did not have to pull on my heavier outer layer.

6. When in a blind I have found something as simple as a small blanket over the lower body/feet really helps. I have used cheap fleece all the way to heavier wool blankets.

7. Another good thing to have is hot drinks, warms one up from the inside.

Ponderings for next year would be overboots, or something as simple as carrying a sleeping bag in to the blinds. I have used catalytic heaters in my pop blinds all the way done to -10, but am not completely sold on them. I think they would work better in a box type blind, which I will have in one spot next year.

I have spent lots of time in pop up blinds bowhunting the last 15 years or so and have tried everything, above is what has worked for me.

The best advice I can give is don't wear your heavy socks and boots in the vehicle on the drive to the hunting area. Your feet will sweat and be cold all day. I wear a smart wool sock they are a light sock and 400 gram boots. My hunting is mostly walking and some sitting. When I played hockey in unheated rinks my feet stayed warmer in my skates with no socks on.