winter boots

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grobe

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Aug 18, 2005
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did a search and couldn't find much. i'm looking for a winter boot. mostly for sloshing around in, but also for some winter camping. i have a pair of sorel caribous that are only a season old, but my feet seem to have grown and they no longer fit :( . are sorels the way to go or should i be looking in another direction?? i live in pa where we get a fair amount of snow that ends up being slushy, so water resistance is needed. anyone have a preference?? i've been eyeing the sorel mavericks as well as the caribous. the caribous seem like a good less fuss boot to get on/off. but the maverick may be the choice for longer tramps.

thanks
 
grobe said:
did a search and couldn't find much. i'm looking for a winter boot. mostly for sloshing around in, but also for some winter camping. i have a pair of sorel caribous that are only a season old, but my feet seem to have grown and they no longer fit :( . are sorels the way to go or should i be looking in another direction?? i live in pa where we get a fair amount of snow that ends up being slushy, so water resistance is needed. anyone have a preference?? i've been eyeing the sorel mavericks as well as the caribous. the caribous seem like a good less fuss boot to get on/off. but the maverick may be the choice for longer tramps.

thanks
Click to expand...
I finally had enough of wet feet in winter when out ice fishing. When ya finally drill through the ice with a power auger ,or if there is a lot of snow on the ice water slops all over the place. I have used Sorels for years and I think that they are a fine boot if you keep them dry , that said, I took the liners out and use them in a pair of 5bucklers. There is not(ok,any)support,but my feet have NEVER been wet in them and they are VERY warm. Like a mukluk your feet move some and the friction of that movement helps keep your feet warm. It does not matter what boot you are wearing if you sit still in the cold for any lenth of time you feet WILL get cold, but a little walking cures that quick. Just remember to take out the liners at night to dry and you should be happy. They are cheap too.
 
I've worn Matterhorns for many years they have been waterproof and warm. I can't comment on extended periods in water etc... But for time out in the field with the National Guard in the winter I have no complaints.
 
Sorels are great for general use. Look into something insulated with good support for hiking/hunting like Matterhorns previously mentioned. Koflach degree or Koflach Vertical boots are great for distance backpacking in the winter.

Kev
 
How well do those Neos overboots work in conjunction with regular boots? They seem like they'd be okay in snow, but not so good in mud.
 
Get Sorels and many felt liners pairs. You can get thicker/thinner ones and adjust to the season. They're great for real cold, and in snowshoes..

If it's about hiking, they are not bad either. I've hiked hundreds if not thousands of miles in mine without any problem. They offer little support, but in deep snow support doesn't mean much.

Climbing is an entirely different story, though. For climbing you need real climbing boots, insulated or not.

Overboots are not bad, BUT :

- usually you want put the water/windproof layer OUTSIDE of the insulation, not inside it, and it's for a reason.

- if you get support, you compress your feet. And if you compress your feet, you don't let the blood flow freely and you get cold feet or worse : frostbites. It's no magic why the sorels are all so wide. They're meant to let your blood flow as if you were barefeet. In the end, your feet produce VERY little heat by themselves and they need to be heated by the central thermal plant : your central body mass, and your working muscles. IF warm blood flows to the toes, they're warm. If your body is saving calories and contracting blood vessels (or if your boots are tight), you'll lose toes in real cold exposure. Simple as that.

You want warm feet ?

- stay very warm yourself (don't even allow any slight cold discomfort) ;
- wear LOOSE insulated boots ;

Cheers,

David
 
thanks for the replies. i like the idea of a dedicated cold weather boot as opposed to an overboot, and my standard everyday boot's fit is such that i couldn't wear an extra pair of socks for warmth. as for the matterhorns, i don't really want to spend that much on a cold weather boot. for my everyday pair, it's no big deal. i'm looking at danners as my next everyday boot, but to spend that much on the same boot only with insulation, doesn't seem worth it to me. these will be for general woods tramping anyway, so a fully supportive boot as needed for serious backpacking or climbing isn't necessary. i think the sorels would give plenty of support and traction for long day hikes and winter camping.
 
i just got a pair of filson highlanders...not cheap, but i got them on sale for $275...comfortable from the get-go and after two hours of trekking through snow i didn't feel anything but warm - this coming from a guy whose feet and fingers are always cold...no cold, no wet, no nuthin...just happy feet.
 
Just do what the finnish army does...get extremely heavysoled black Nokia brand winter rubberboots, with thick removable one-piece inner lining. Linings like a woollen bootie. Meant to be used with 2-3 pairs of thick polyester/cotton issue socks (when its around -45C)Your feet will sweat like you had some disease, no air circulation, no ankle support, heavy as hell!!! And UGLY.....god bless the army..:)
 
I have ice fished, pheasant hunted, bow hunted in North Dakota for 19 years now and I have thrown two pairs of sorels away, I have not found a pair to keep my feet warm. I have bought a pair of cabelas brand leather boots that has 800gram thinsulate and are gortex, I have topped them off with a good pair of moisture wicking socks. I have stood in a tree stand at -20f and stood on the ice fishing, my feet have stayed warm. I can't imagine some of those boots that have 1000+ thinsulate, those would be little ovens.
 
I suppose it depends on where your spend your winters.

I've worn my Danner Ft. Lewis "Go Devil" boots in Washington (South Rainier and Yakima), Korea, Kentucky, and the Carolinas and I have only had my feet get cold a few times (in Korea).

Good luck,
Allen.
 
It's all about trade offfs...
A combat boot normally has a metal shank, good for anti-pungi, bad for extended cold wear. Sorrell/Pak boots are great for slush, not so great on weight or for the untrained ankle. Climbing boots are warm, rigid and heavy as hell. etc for ever.

David's right about the toe compression= toe loss thing.

I think that the real choice is in the sock. You can do a whole winter in sandals with the right sock choices.

Take Care,
Jeff
 
Some real barefeeters go with only socks in the winter.

No compression, good insulation if you choose your socks well...

The only drawback is traction.

Again... compromise.

David
 
Depends on the moisture and the use.

Fleece are great for dry, hard use. Smart wool/merino/etc are best all around. Sealskin ( a brand, not a description) can be invaluable in wet snow or streams, just change them out later.

Take Care,
Jeff
 
My choices:
Pac Boot Schnee's, Boseman MT.
Hunting/hiking,cold weather,Cabelas outfitter series
Socks,Cabelas outfitter,I use all weights
 
White's pac-boots offer support, removable liner, and are completely rebuildable. they are essentially a premium sorel type boot.
http://www.whitesboots.com/boots_sub.php?request=category&p_id=White's+Pacs

In Alaska everyone, and I mean everyone, uses Xtra tuff rubber boots, they offer everything from uninsulated to insulated to "clogs". I still use my extra tuffs for everything from kayaking to deer hunting. If you order a size larger than normal it allows a couple pair of woolies inside.

When I used to work outside everyday in the snow I would wear uninsulated (tempreature dependent) pac boots and change socks every 4-5 hours.
 
Interesting!! I thought we finns were the only ones...They are a simple and relatively cheap solution to both keeping the feet dry and keeping them warm. They are a bit cumbersome though, and you have to take care of your feet, dry and change socks all the time etc....or whats your experience? How are the soles in those boots? You can get them with small metal studs to help traction back here... Because of the skiis our military uses, the boot has extra material around the toe, making it square and oh-so-damn heavy/cumbersome.:)
 
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