frozen toes

[craggerss]

How can I keep my toes from getting cold while sitting in a treestand, I cannot sit any longer once my toes are frozen,and tips would be great!!

[RoscoeT]

Assuming average cold and not stupidly cold...


- Chemical boot warmers
- Multiple layers of wool socks
- Wiggle your toes frequently
- Loosen boot laces to improve blood flow
- Increase your physical fitness for blood flow and circulation. See a Dr.

[drthlwsk]

Niacin (Vitamin B3) is a natural vasodilator and improves circulation. Taken in a dose of 250mg will cause some serious flushing, and warm you right up. Take it daily from now until the end of hunting season. You can keep some with you if you need to warm up in the treestand. For that I would recommend a smaller dose, maybe 100 mg.

[H380]

Boots a half / full size bigger tha usual .. I bought some Cabelas Inferno Pac boots with 2000 grams of thinsulate that should be great . I like the last week of Nov. and it gets nasty , my feet have been the hardest to keep warm , hope this works . Funny, Okotoks is where I usually spend that week..

[us326544]

I was just like you....done after my feet got cold. I got the Lacrosse Ice Kings, and my feet don't get cold anymore. Cons- they are stupid big and heavy.

[7mm08]

Make sure your boots are not too tight. I prefer real wool socks. Even if your feet get damp with sweat, they stay warmer. My final trick, a huge pair of stretchy socks (even a pair or 2 of knee high nylons), stretch these over your boots when you get into the stand, then place a couple of the handwarmers...you know...the ones you take out of the package and shake to activate...and place them in the nylons over the toes or top of the foot. It may look funny, but who is gonna see you? and it works.
Edited to add, make sure your boots are dried every night. Damp boots are already defeating you before you begin.

[mtnhunter]

Like everyone else has said, real wool is the way to go for sure. I use a merino wool sock as it is non-itchy, but make sure they are not too tight. A half-size larger boot to allow proper circulation. Chemical warmers that stick to your socks. The last resort is a product called Arctic Shield which goes over your boots and prevents you from losing ~90% of your body heat they say.

[Brock1]

I hunted in the arctic for caribou and wondered how the inuit guide kept his feet warm with his little rocky 800 gam boots. I froze my toes every day with 400 dollar Danners. So i asked him what the deal was.

Here you go.

He dried his feet before the hunt, then took anti perspirant SPRAY and sprayed his feet and between his toes. not de odourant! He then took water wicking socks, like the ones you can use for hockey or like an under armour T shirt material and put them over his feet. Lastly, a pair of quality wool socks over these and voila!
and of course the final key is boots that are not tight, just a bit snug over this combo.

Brother, i am telling you, this is the 4th year for me and I used to have the same issue. It works. Its cheap and easy too. The hardest thing is finding non scented spray...

you will thank me later. I have utilized the same pattern in my emergency medicine career and have been very successful with the issued boots for duty in winter responses. And they never smell bad after a days use if this practice is done from new.

Brock

[roger]

brock...thats cool...err. warm idea.

use a 'disposable' (milsurp, garage sale etc)sleeping bag, and wrap yourself up with enough zipper undone so that you can egress if need be.
anything just to keep the wind off you.

[Grizzly Adams]

snowmobile boots.

Grizz

[cutthroat666]

I'm not sure if your into the "latest tech gear" or not but I bought a pair of rechargeable heated Columbia boots last season and am actually looking forward to sitting for hours in the cold this season. The boots really don't need to be turned on much at all to keep the chill off. I wore mine in -27 last year and hardly had to turn them on. I sat for 10 hours with only one pee break last year on a fairly cold day (sorry - I don't remember the temp) and was quite comfortable. I think I turned the on 2 times for a few minutes just to keep the chill out.

I wouldn't recommend these boots for long walks as I think almost anyone would get too warm and would sweat in the boots but for sitting - I like em.

cutthroat

[RoscoeT]

Anyone on here ever use mickey mouse boots?

The air filled rubber kind?

[albertadeer]

Lots of good tips on here.

Just take a few Aspirin before getting into your stand and buy a box of hand warmers to shove in the toes of your boots.

And if your not wearing big Dunlops with 2 pairs of looser fitting wool socks your a fool

But all in all your feet will still get cold....it just happens. Especially hunting the -20/-40 temp's of Northern alberta.

[herc]

Very good tips!

Cheapest trick is newspaper. Wrap your feet up and combine it with the other tips on here and i'm sure you won't have a problem.

[bloopbloob]

Cocaine, and cocaine accessories

[fireguyfire]

Anybody try those "hot mocs" you see on tv that slip over your boots with a chemical heat pack inside?

[Prdtrgttr]

Feet sweat a lot...if you can keep your feet dry, you are much farther ahead. Begin "treating" your feet with antiperspirant, simply buy some unscented stuff, apply it every morning...Good luck!

[Grizzly Adams]

The German way.

http://www.frankonia.de/402969/13015...ategoryId=6630

Grizz

[Shaggy]

Years of working on the rigs taught me that warm feet is the most important thing to worry about. If your feet get cold, your whole body is cold.

Do not wear so many layers of socks that your boots become tight. This reduces circulation and leads to cold feet.

Eat frequently. Your metabolism will generate body heat.

Dont over do the heat packets. Your feet will sweat. Sweat = wet. Wet = cold. Keep your feet dry.

One product I found that works very well is called Bama Socks. (Mark's Work Wearhouse) They look like blue slippers. They protect your feet from outside moisture and draw inside moisture (sweat) away from your feet. Had water go inside my boots at work and my feet were still dry at the end of the day.

[craggerss]

lots of good suggestions, thanks guys!!!

[barbie_bambi_killer]

I am always cold!

I'm thinking of purchasing these this year:

http://www.thermosoles.com/

They are rechargable insoles.... I have read a bunch about them on biking forums, and they seem to be getting great reviews. Just not sure if the gennie will produce enough charge to re-charge them, but worth a try so TFG doesnt have to listen to me whining about being cold! :P

[albertadeer]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Years of working on the rigs taught me that warm feet is the most important thing to worry about. If your feet get cold, your whole body is cold.

Do not wear so many layers of socks that your boots become tight. This reduces circulation and leads to cold feet.

Eat frequently. Your metabolism will generate body heat.

Dont over do the heat packets. Your feet will sweat. Sweat = wet. Wet = cold. Keep your feet dry.

One product I found that works very well is called Bama Socks. (Mark's Work Wearhouse) They look like blue slippers. They protect your feet from outside moisture and draw inside moisture (sweat) away from your feet. Had water go inside my boots at work and my feet were still dry at the end of the day.

BAMA's are what i forgot! i ALWAYS wear my bama's summer or winter. Amazing

[saskwhitey]

Do you wear your bama socks over your feet, or over the socks?

[MagnumMan]

Over the socks..

[handicap]

I used toasty toe's and put a few of them under the insoles of my boots..Works for me I sat out last year from sun up to sun down in my tree stand -25C my feet were a little cold but I made out all right..

[just_dave]

Wool socks. Real wool, as close to 100% wool as possible.

[HunterDave]

I dressed as I normally did in previous years last year and my feet froze during last light last November. For the first time ever I bought some hand warmers (chemical type) that are made for your feet. They have a sticky side so they don't move around in your boots. ABSOLUTELY THE BEST THING GOING!!!! I highly recommend them for anyone sitting/standing on watch if you don't want to be moving around.

I also bought these 80% merino wool socks but I haven't tried them yet. It's the best deal that I've found on them.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/260885037882?...#ht_500wt_1287

[Mikezilk]

Bama's are the way to go... I work the oil patch and they are the bomb... They wick the moisture away from our feet... When you pull your boots off your Bama's are wet but your feet are dry and warm...

But definitely... wiggle your toes lift you feet one at a time and rotate ankles for a bit... get that blood flowing and you will be golden

[trapshooter]

Originally Posted by RoscoeT

Anyone on here ever use mickey mouse boots?

The air filled rubber kind?

We call em bunny boots, when my Dad worked as a biologist is Alaska he got about 7 pairs, all of us in the family now use them! They are the best things ever at kerping your feet warm. Just fillem up once a season at a gas station air pump.

[Don K]

Bamas work good, so do the arctic shield 'booties'.