Warm Feet

[Okie101]

Something to go along with good hunting boots....

How do you keep your feet warm or from getting cold...

[Big Boar]

First I would stop hunting in bare feet.

Actually up north we (I) have found that pack boots (Sorel) are the only way to go. Of course you also need to keep you head warm (something like 90% of your heat lost is through your head). Next is keep your core body temp up by keeping your kidneys and stomach area warm. That will keep your extremeties warmer.

Of course the best way is to stay inside with you feet next to the fire,

[Dr Love]

DoeCommander hooked me up with a good piece of advice last year. Change your socks when you get to the stand.....No sweaty socks in the cold.

[licking county assassin]

Two things i do that help a buch...1. the sticky foot warmers that go on the bottom of your socks 2. Don't lace your boots realy tight, when i get in the stand if i am not wearing my dream seasons i loosen the laces... i read it in a magazine once and could,t believe how much it helps... better blood flow = warmer feet.

[05_sprcrw]

I buy my rubber boots a size larger and layer a set of socks on my feet. The extra air space acts as an insulator to help keep the feet warm. This only works if you are not walking long distances. I also put those back relaxing pads that stick to your body over my kidneys and that really helps keep blood flowing to extremeties.

[Big Boar]

That brings up another good point. I have found that if you put on a thin pair of polypropolene socks first it will wick any perspiration away from your feet into the wool (never cotton) socks you then put on. I have even heard of people who an antiperspirant on their feet to help keep them from sweating. I have never had to go the far. Also like mentioned your boots should be loose at the toes.

I was elk hunting out west many years ago with my friend who always had cold feet. He would by his hunting boots the same size as his regular shoes and only wear one pair of socks. I said why don't you try on my extra set of boots that were two sizes larger than his. He put on the poly socks and then two pairs of wool socks, laced them up tight so he could walk the mountains and never got cold feet again.

[Okie101]

Originally Posted by Big Boar

First I would stop hunting in bare feet.

Never thought of that.... Pretty funny BB...

Originally Posted by Dr Love

DoeCommander hooked me up with a good piece of advice last year. Change your socks when you get to the stand.....No sweaty socks in the cold.

Originally Posted by 05_sprcrw

I buy my rubber boots a size larger and layer a set of socks on my feet. The extra air space acts as an insulator to help keep the feet warm. This only works if you are not walking long distances. I also put those back relaxing pads that stick to your body over my kidneys and that really helps keep blood flowing to extremeties.

Good ideas....Gonna try them..

[Standing Bear]

Polypropolene socks work for me and I am a guy that sweats alot, I really like them too

Daniel

[wyetterp]

Originally Posted by licking county assassin

Two things i do that help a buch...1. the sticky foot warmers that go on the bottom of your socks 2. Don't lace your boots realy tight, when i get in the stand if i am not wearing my dream seasons i loosen the laces... i read it in a magazine once and could,t believe how much it helps... better blood flow = warmer feet.

Almost the same here. I wear a poly sock & put the pad under & add a
12hr pack above my toes, then put a thick pair loose over that. They
make some chemical packs that are larger & have a sticky back. I use 2
of those against my kidney's. For some reason this helps keep my hole
body warm.

[Big Boar]

okie101 & wyetterp

Are you guys going hunting with Standing Bear in the NWT? I mean how cold does it get in SC and OK, like 55 in the middle of winter?

Really just get the poly socks and put them on first and then the wool socks, and use loose fitting boots. If your feet get cold you will never get warm. Next go after you core body temperature. If the core gets cold it pulls all of the blood out of the extremeties in order to survive.

Believe it or not, also keep hydrated. You lose lots of moisture just breathing in cold weather.

This may sound really stupid but I also believe in this mind over matter stuff. If you think you are cold you will be. I keep saying to myself "you are warm and toasty" and it really helps. Keep positive thoughts. Okie101 also has another post on Body Heater Suits, please look at some of those comments also.

[Standing Bear]

Big Boar, having worked with the Eastern Inuits for a number of years, whenever they travel in winter, they always stop every once and a while to drink fresh tea. Hydration is one of their keys to survival in the arctic. And as stated in another post somewhere, they also eat head meat as it is harder to digest and makes their stomachs work harder keeping a higher inner core temperature. Pretty amazing culture and people Just thought I would share that with you.

[wyetterp]

Originally Posted by Big Boar

okie101 & wyetterp

Are you guys going hunting with Standing Bear in the NWT? I mean how cold does it get in SC and OK, like 55 in the middle of winter?

LMAO! SC isn't the only place I hunt & I lived in Ohio for a long time.
For the record though, 35 on the coast is equivalent to 5 inland. The
moisture in the air can make your bones cold on a all day sit. Nothing
like NWT, but enough to where your toes will go numb on a all day sit.
They only thing in a stand that I want to make me quiver is a big buck.

You sound like one of those people that wear shorts all winter regardless
of the temp's.

[archeryx]

Steal some of your wife's knee high hoisery and wear it underneath your wool socks. It also helps prevent blisters when on extreme angles hiking up and down mountains all day.

P.S.- Don't tell the guys at the firehouse about that trick. They won't understand or let me live it down.