Good winter hunting boots

[Foxi]

sorry for asking this in an Africa forum, but many of you come from cold regions and I wanted to ask, if there was anything new on the shoe market.
I'm looking for a hunting shoe, that allows comfortable walking and I still have warm feet when sitting for three hours at minus 20 degrees.
Greetings +thanks
Foxi

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Foxi that is a difficult task for any hunting shoe/boot. Personally, I've used a Danner 600 gram insulated leather boot for my cold weather hunts, but rarely sit in one place for more than a hour. A friend had some Cabelas 1200 gram boots and while they kept his feet warm, they were big and heavy and difficult to hike in.

I also have a pair of Kenetrek snow pack boots. https://kenetrek.com/collections/pac-boots/products/10-northern
They are warm, but not great for extended hiking.

I would suggest looking at some alternatives to going with new boots. One, electric socks. Use your same cold weather boot and turn on the socks when needed.

Second, look at a pair of boot covers. Hike into your location where you are going to sit for an extended time and pull out the insulated boot covers and put them on. Sort of like a sleeping bag for your feet. Cabelas has them on sale now for $30.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/ABSOLUTE-OUTDOOR-ARCTICSHIELD-BOOT-INSULATORS/2811289.uts?slotId=0

 

[johnnyblues]

A lot depends on the type of hunting you will be doing. Stationary hunt I’ve used 1200 gram insulted boots with high quality wool socks and a liner. If I’m walking than a 800-1000 gram boot with a vibram soul for traction should be fine.

 

[Therack]

The problem I have with hiking in 1000 gram thinsulate boots is that my feet sweat. When I stop hiking my feet are then cold. @375 Ruger Fan has a good idea with the boot covers, I have never tried them. Look at Mendl boots, good quality.

 

[flat8]

I love these boots down to 10 degrees:

Danner Men's Pronghorn 8 Inch GTX 800G Hunting Boot

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQ3HEFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rwMfCbA54MGP4

I’d second @ruger375fan and agree you may need to add electric socks for below zero temps.

 

[Pheroze]

Those boot covers are a fantastic idea! I had heavy 1200 grams boots and they killed me because I tend to cover a lot of ground as well as sit. I have Schnees Grantite because of the heavy ankle support for walking on uneven terrain with a pack etc. The tread is great in slippery conditions. But my toes get cold sitting. What a great thing these covers are.

 

[Rickmt]

For light walking and then stand sit (whitetail) I like woody max Muck boots with 2 pairs of wool socks . Good down to 10 degrees or so here in Montana.
For mountain hunt I use Danner pronghorns with 800 thinsulite.
Check out Kenetrek socks. They are made here in Bozeman and they are flat out fantastic . Kenetrek boots are also great but I have never wanted to pay the price.

 

[Ridgewalker]

In Colorado temps aren’t that bad usually, but you hike steep rough terrain. Elk hunting I rarely sit still for more than 15 minutes, so my experience may not be that appropriate. That clarification up front, this is my experience. I suffer from cold feet.
I wear Danner insulated duty boots (vibram soles for good footing and good ankle support). I start (as Johnnyblues said) with thin polypropylene inner sock, heavy mostly wool sock, a blue foam pad to sit and put my feet on, chemical hand and foot warmers. I loosen the lacings if I’m sitting long and insert a chemical foot warmer on my toes. I change my sitting position and frequently wiggle my feet and toes to maintain circulation. Once I used an old dog sleeping bag to stuff my feet in. I think it helped. An old wool GI blanket wrapped around my feet has also helped.
WARNING! No tight socks or boots when sitting! Circulation is critical!
Best of luck finding the ideal set up for your feet!

 

[Longwalker]

I have used a Finnish boot called the Nokian Retki almost exclusively for the last 30 years while hunting in the conditions that you describe. They were perfect for me. Good firm foot support, comfortable over long distances, very warm and excellent grip - I even put steel studs in mine for grip on ice and slippery frosty logs. Of course they recently quit making them. Nokian have replaced that model with the Finnwald. It is of similar construction and fit and is slightly shorter in shaft length. It may be just as good or even better, but I have not tried the new model. I think boots are a very individual choice because everyones feet are somewhat different. If you can try on the Finnwalds, first put on a pair of good woollen stockings. the boots should feel just a little bit tight across the arch and ball of the foot when new. The felt liners will compress a little bit when used, and will feel somewhat looser with time. These boots fit tight enough in the ankle that it is not easy to slide your foot in the regular way. I put my feet into the felt liner first, then slide the foot with liner into the main boot. The big advantage to a removable felt liner is that they can be removed and dried overnight. Or replaced with a spare pair. That allows you to use the boots effectively in extreme cold weather for days on end. Boots with non-removable insulation are good for just one day, and then you're stuck with sweaty damp boots that don't keep your feet warm. I won't use fixed insulation boots for any serious cold weather.
The Baffin boot company of Canada makes many models that are certainly warm enough, but they generally fit me looser in the calf and make more noise when I walk and don't give me very good ankle support. Wonderful for sitting but not so good for walking. And avoid nylon shafts for any hunting boot, too noisy. If you have wide feet or thick lower legs Baffin boots may be an excellent option.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Foxi,

Here in Alaskan winter I hunt snowshoe hare in sometimes fierce cold.
When I was young and bullet proof, I have hunted caribou in mid winter as well.

The only boots I have ever been happy with for this are USA Military surplus “bunny boots”.
These are a white color, double layer rubber boot, with an air space surrounding your foot.
They also have a valve on them that you must open before flying above a certain altitude or, the air in these boots will expand, risking a tear in the material.

I’m using my 2nd pair now (36 years in Alaska) and they are well worn but still not cracked or torn yet.
I do not know if you can buy them in Europe from any store or not but if interested, hopefully they will be available from the Internet.

Best regards,
General Miles.

 

[sierraone]

Hi Foxi,

Here in Alaskan winter I hunt snowshoe hare in sometimes fierce cold.
When I was young and bullet proof, I have hunted caribou in mid winter as well.

The only boots I have ever been happy with for this are USA Military surplus “bunny boots”.
These are a white color, double layer rubber boot, with an air space surrounding your foot.
They also have a valve on them that you must open before flying above a certain altitude or, the air in these boots will expand, risking a tear in the material.

I’m using my 2nd pair now (36 years in Alaska) and they are well worn but still not cracked or torn yet.
I do not know if you can buy them in Europe from any store or not but if interested, hopefully they will be available from the Internet.

Best regards,
General Miles.

Wore them in winter warfare school some 30 years ago. Feet were never cold!

 

[Shootist43]

Up until a couple of years ago the search for a good hunting boot was almost an annual thing. I discovered MUCK Woody Elites and have stopped looking for anything better. Like an earlier poster mentioned, these boots and a couple of wool socks and your feet are warm as toast.

 

[WAB]

Wore them in winter warfare school some 30 years ago. Feet were never cold!

One of the first things you get when you move to Alaska is a pair of bunny boots!

 

[Deleted member 11879]

I found this source online for the military “Mickey Mouse”, or Bunny, extreme cold weather boots; https://colemans.com/shop/boots-and-footwear/u-s-g-i-extreme-cold-temperature-boots-white-unissued/

 

[Rick Cox]

Lots of good advice here. Here is a bit more...
If sweating while moving and freezing when stopped is a concern consider using a vapour barrier liner. Thin socks first, something designed for wicking and fast drying, vapour barrier liner, thick socks, boots. You can buy ready made liners from good out door supply stores, or just use a sturdy plastic bag.
If going out for multiple days make sure your boots and liners are dry, and your socks are clean.

 

[Matt_WY]

I have used Danner Pronghorn insulated and Kennetrek Mountain 400gr insulated. No issue with either in cold weather. If I'm going to sit for a long time, I throw some toe warmers in them before I put them on -- they last all day. The Kennetreks fit a little better in stirrups, if that matters to you.

 

[Foxi]

People,
thank you for all your answers, making the selection harder and harder.
@ Velo dog ,I had once the US Desert Storm boots, for the stalking in Africa.But the sole was so thin, that I felt every stone.So I mistrust the US Army boots a little bit.
@Longwalker,your Nokia recommendations are rubber boots,can that be ?
Does sombody know the Kamik Cody ?

Regards from Munich
Foxi
(last week in the night -10 almost,
tomorrow +15 ...............weatherforecast )

 

[cls]

Here's 2 bits from northern Alberta, 1000 gram Irish Setter boots. Make sure you change out the insole yearly. Bought a pair when I hunted Caribou in 2000 and they have never let me down. Hunt in cold and snow every fall.

 

[Longwalker]

Yes, the Nokia boots are rubber. I actually prefer rubber to leather in snow, because the rubber keeps your feet dry. the strap at the top keeps snow out too. And if you put one leg through the ice of a stream you won't be in as much trouble. When in snow you eventually step into a warm vehicle or cabin or sit by a fire, leather tends to get wet in those situations and then you have a problem. If you do not alternate between cold and warm, leather is better, but not but much. A very good compromise is rubber bottom leather top, such as the Kamik Cody. But those boots do not have removable liners, and look very bulky for walking which may be problem if you are walking very far. It's easy to find good warm boots for sitting 3 hours at -20°C. Not so easy to find warm boots that are also good for walking. Less insulated boots with good foot support and quiet materials combined with insulated boot covers or an ansitzsack for use while sitting may be your best option.

 

[GuttormG]

The solution is overshoes, walk with your good boots, wool socks and what ever else you use. When sitting down or slowing down to stalking, put on your overshoes.