Winter footwear preferences?

Learning a lot from this thread. I must have Southron Foot Syndrome, I wear Steiger muks in a treestand if it's anywhere below freezing. Our winter paddling in Virginia is anything from 50 degrees to 20, so a pair of sealskinz or similar is generally enough to get going.

The insulated rubber Muck/Lacrosse/Muddy boot family are painful to walk in for me over any distance, and I've gone zero-drop for the last five or six years so if I wear them for more than a few hours they screw up my knees. If anyone knows an insulated (preferably leather) barefoot boot with an actual rubber sole (something more durable than the Mukluk goop) I'd love to hear about it.

MyKneesHurt said:

If anyone knows an insulated (preferably leather) barefoot boot with an actual rubber sole (something more durable than the Mukluk goop) I'd love to hear about it.

Click to expand...

There's this one from Vivobarefoot:


It has a waterproof lining, which I'm not a fan of, but some people are. I have no experience with it.

I've been wearing their Magna forest ESC for the past few weeks and have been very happy with it so far. I was afraid the leather was going to be really thin but it feels good. At the time of ordering I didn't realize the tongue wasn't leather (it's a stretchable/breathable fabric) which is a con for me. When walking in 15 degree temps I could feel a slight chill on the top of my foot and I'm sure it will offer no water resistance.


I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't have gone with the Tracker Leather AT instead. At the time I chose the Magna Forest because the thread is deeper and I wanted more tread life.


Alan

I usually run a La Sportiva Bushido II trail runner year round. I wear a merino wool liner sock in them. I have hot feet so it works for me. Sometimes I use a waterproof sock in spring for the slush. I've been thinking I really could use a cold weather shoe though, I need something lined otherwise if I stop moving my feet cool instantly and the risk of frostbite if the temps are lower then -10 Celsius. I've been down to -10 Celsius with the shoe and the wool liner with little to know ill effect. Once at camp I switch to heavy wool socks and camp slippers to dry and heat my feet.

La Sportiva has a winter trail runner with aggressive grip, water proof and lining. Been thinking of trying it out, its the La Sportiva Blizzard GTX. It has aggressive grip and ice spikes in the sole. Biggest thing I like about these shoes are their lightness. They weigh almost nothing compared to a hiking boot/mountaineering boot. I go further with them. I was told a 1 lbs on your foot is equivalent to 15 lbs on your back. Never tested the ratio but, I no longer enjoy heavy boots though they do last longer. The shoes above have a 2-3 year window of wear sometimes less. My military wet weather Gortex boots have lasted over a decade and they can be repaired easily by a good cobbler but, are they ever heavy.

SilentWilderness,

In my uninsulated, walking around, sneaking in the timber boots, I use a wool footbed similar to those in the link below. They keep my boots light, stop the cold from frozen ground creeping into my feet when I am stationary but I can still feel rocks and twigs so quiet walking is still possible.

I agree, in very cold temps, my heavy pack boots wear like iron and are warm, sturdy … but in the steep hills of my area their weight is noticed and I can not hike as far as I can in my Mukluks which are MUCH lighter.

I alternate between a pair of Kenetrak pack boots and a pair of the higher end (forget the model) Muck hunting boots. The mucks are great b/c they are warm, waterproof, and easy to get on and off. The pack boots are better if I’m snowshoeing. They lace up and fit a little snugger. Both come up to just below my knee. Both are just a bit oversized to allow a thick pair of smartwool socks.