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Ok it is time for me to get some good boots. I love my ice climbing boots just not practical for Ice fishing or general around the house snow work. Here is what I am looking at and am wondering what you all think or have had experience with.
Arctic style muck boot eg
Lacross Alpha Burley Pro 1600G
Muck boot Arctic Sport Extreme ect
or a Pac boot
like the Baffin Control Max or Impact
Cabellas Trans-Alaskan III
Any first hand experience with this boots would be great.
Thanks
Majja
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I am really enjoying my Baffin boots.
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I have tried lacrosse boots, military muk-a luks, layers of socks (even heated ones) only to eventually end up with frozen feet even though my husband's feet would barely even have a chill. Thought I was doomed to cold feet.
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Finally, last year I got a pair of Baffin Impact boots that are supposed to be good to -1480 and now I can be out all day and night and never get cold or even chilly feet again!
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Thankfully, problem solved.
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Jil
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I use a pair of sorels I bought in Canada.
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Thanks Kent, sorry about that - the superscript didn't paste in very well -148 degrees....
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I've used Sorel boots. Though warm, they lack ankle and foot bed support that greatly benefits my feet for using the energy I have to hike and use energy pulling and carrying equipment otherwise my feet are the weak link in the chain.
Now, I wear hunting boots. Lot's of foot support even for heavy backpacking. Some hunting boots are well insulated, but not as much as the boots discussed here. They work well for me being energetic and making plenty of body heat.
I find the key to warm feet and hands is not the best insulated boots and gloves, but instead it's all the rest that keeps most of the rest of the body from losing heat. If my core body temperature is warm which is the priority of the circulatory system, then it opens up circulation to all the rest to keep hands and feet warm.
Some things like general fitness, plenty of sleep, lots of high calorie food and a little running around making holes in the ice contribute greatly to keeping feet warm.
I do have the huge bulky very insulated boots, but haven't been using them as my insulated hunting boots with wool socks keep my feet warm and dry. The Gore TeX does it's job well with moisture driven out by the heat from feet. Too much insulation and boots that aren't breathable results in uncomfortable damp feet and the wool socks not insulating as well as dry.
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when I am in my climbing boots and stay moving my feet are fine. It is just when I am not moving they get kinda cold just sanding there. And if I am not running and gunning on hole hopping when the kids and wife are there I need to have warm feet. I am getting to old to have cold feet when I do not need to.
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Makes sense. Ice fishing, particularly my style of athletically running around making lots of holes with muscle powered Nills augurs, is a challenge of adaption of clothing to the extremes of hot and cold.
I found good layering choices to be the answer. As I work hard or sit and fish and alternate between the two, I take off and put on layers and before I get hot or cold.
Aside from temperature, that prevents what would otherwise be much more perspiration and allows the small amount to more quickly escape and drier insulation is much more effective.
Layering for boots? Perhaps I should try a foam board in a short tub with a fleece blanket for sitting still in front of a hole and fish finder.
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I can vouch for the Cabela's Trans Alaskan III boots. I have a niece that is working in Alaska as a dog handler for Jeff King (3 time winner of the Iditarod race). She wears the Cabelas TA3 boots and so do a majority of the mushers and dog handlers. They are warm and do not compromise on quality. They do NOT get paid by Cabelas to wear these boots and they are purchased with their own money. If you suffer from cold feet or simply don't ever want to get cold feet, these are the boots that are proven!
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