Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Cold feet, boots, temps <30°

Stand hunting boot only.


I think no movement, sitting in a blind or tree for 12 hours, no activity, minimal movement is what some seem to be missing in my original post.


10-25° degree sits in a tree stand all day.

10° is the same whether in Missouri or any other state and when in a blind or tree all day with no action other than standing/stretching or wiggling your toes things get a bit coolish.

I actually saw those LaCrosse on their site.

I like the anti perspiration idea as I know sweat is the issue.

I stopped getting cold and also lost a layer of clothes when I bought an electric heated vest before the 2021 season

It was 23 in South Carolina the other morning. I had on long John’s and the heated vest over that then a fleece and my normal light/medium weight Rivers West jacket. Lightweight pants over long John bottoms. Uninsulated knee high rubber boots over some wool socks. I was plenty warm. On the rare occasion it gets colder I add some chemical hand warmers. One toe warmer on each foot, one hand warmer in each glove, a hand warmer in my hat and I’m good. But since getting that vest I really have not needed the handwarmers

My feet sweat too. I sprung for some Le Cheameau boots a few years ago. They are leather lined which in my opinion helps a lot relative to cloth lined boots. Best rubber boots I’ve ever owned. I walk a lot during deer and turkey season - not unusual to log 10 miles in a day during turkey season and they’ve done great

The battery for the vest only lasts a few hours on half power. So in extreme conditions (which we don’t have in South Carolina) you’d need an extra battery or two or a way to recharge mid day

Leave loose at the tops??

You might have too much boot on? I have some Irish Setter something or other. 600grams.

I used to wear 1000gr insulate or some Ice Mans and my feet would still get cold.

They were getting sweaty and then cold quickly.

I found good wool or smart wool socks and loose boots make warmer feet.

Actually that probably would help.

Sounds kinda silly but also an anti-perspirant spray on your feet might too.

Could be too much boot.

I wear liners and have tried Filson wool, Carhartt wool, off brand wool and now have some Polartec fleece socks. So far this season I have been okay as long as I use the Arctic Shield insulated boot cover.

High of about 24° Friday, I didn't put the insulators on once I sat and about 2 hours into a 3 hour sit my feet were cold.

Our typical weather during mid November isn't usually this cold. I think this morning was upper teens, been that way for a few days. It's the late December muzzleloader season that concerns me the most or any other late season archery hunting from a tree.

Once again all day sits, the only walk is to the stand.

It’s gotta be sweat. Same situation I was in. We mostly stand hunt.

I can sit on stand now for up to 3 hours with uninsulated boots with a good smart wool or wool sock with temps in the 20 degree range.

Rubber boots are not good for me. Sweat fast since they don’t breathe.

Got to thinking.

I wear a liner sock, wool sock, thermal underwear and a pair of fleece camo pants.

I always tuck my pants down in my boots, makes those boots tighter through the calf and I am betting less air circulation up around my calf.

I am wondering if I would be better off losing the fleece pants and just using a liner sock, thermal underwear then put my boots on and then my insulated bibs over top of all of that. Get more air flow up out of the boots with less constriction around lower leg.

Wear my normal upper body layers. Performance LS shirt, flannel or sweatshirt and parka with neck gaiter and stocking cap.

Worth a shot.

Use hand warmers, or bigger body warmer, tape them over the toe box on your boot. Elec tape works fine.

Then use artic shield overboot.

I sat in a pop up blind for 60 hours in Saskatchewan and never got cold feet...wore felt liner pac boots there.

Back east, I just tape the handwarmer on 400g boots if I need a little kicker .

I sat in my stand 6 hrs yesterday morning in low 20 degree temp. Thin sock liner, alpaca socks, 400g boots.

Was fine, didn't use any hand warmers on the boots.

I’d keep the fleece pants and cut the long johns off above the calf.

I swear by these. It was 11 with the windchill this morning when I put them on. Wearing just my Danner Pronghorn with one layer of wool sock. Throw a small hand warmer in each and my feet are the most comfortable part of me right now. I’ll put them on in the tree stand too if it’s cold enough. Yes they can be noisy but you can learn to work with it. Even bunny boots don’t work as well IMHO.

Darn tough merino socks made the biggest difference last couple years. Been slow to change with all the new fancy stuff but received a pair as a gift and was like holy cow what have I been missing.
Definitely bests my old cotton socks. Went and paid the scary price and got a couple more pairs!

These are what I have. They have some sort of rubber or poly bottom. About like a 60 grit sandpaper. Not quiet at all as they sound like a noisy zipper. I have a fleece coat that the zipper went tits in on and I will probably cut me some bottoms out of it to glue on the bottom of these.
https://www.arcticshieldoutdoor.com/boot-insulators---realtree-edge/5637324158.p

I was going to suggest that 10ga. It’s not like you are walking in them.

If you had these on you would see how noisy they are.

Not bad on the ground in the dirt but as the video shows if on stand there is no way.

I have both extremes and Hunter IIs. For the conditions he’s describing, I think the Hunter IIs are both adequate and more versatile.

Schnees?

Yes, sir.

I've had the same problem for years. This year I bought a pair of Steger Mukluks, Yukon's. A pair of heavy alpaca wool socks. Feet never got cold for once. Not the best for walking in rough terrain, but very quiet. Bought one size up and extra wide width. Plenty of room to move my foot around in. Worked great for me. Tom