I call them tricks- but that’s probably not the correct word. It is more like experience, which I got from many years of having cold feet while deer hunting.
It started on the very first deer hunt of my life. I remember going out opening morning with my older brother bright and early, my instructions were to stand by an old oak tree and not move till he came to get me. Before the sun even crested the horizon my feet were already showing the signs of cold feet. An hour after the sun came up the pain was starting to be unbearable and I was almost in tears. Thank goodness my brother had the same issue, as I soon seen a blob of orange heading my way. I couldn’t get my boots off fast enough when we got to the house, and placed my barefeet close to the wood stove.
Over the years I struggled with cold feet, I bought the best boots with the highest number of gram insulation I could find. I tried numerous types of socks, and after 40 plus years I have a pretty good system that has allowed me to stay in my stand 10-12 hours with temps staying below zero the entire day.
The first and one of the most critical is the boot size and gram weight. If you’re feet are very susceptible to the cold temps. then get at least a 2000 gram insulated pack boot. The boot size is very very important. Buy them big, I mean extra big. At least one size bigger than normal. Air is a great insulator, if you cant curl your toes easily,they are not big enough. I buy 2 sizes to big, these are not for hiking in, they are for sitting long hours at a time.
The next is the socks. the content can not have any cotton in it at all. I start with a very thin nylon type sock, Then over them I use a heavy polyester/merino wool blend sock, this helps with 2 things, one its moisture wicking, and second with polyester it stretches and does not constrict the blood flow, which is also very important for keeping the feet warm. Remember tight is bad, this goes for the socks also. Find a pair that is comfortable and fit correctly.I remember as a kid my mother putting 3-4 pair of socks on my feet before playing out in the cold. They actually hurt they were so tight, my feet were cold in minutes.
The above can get most people through some pretty cold sits, but if you have bad blood flow condition, or if its really going to be cold, then insulated boot cover’s are probably the answer. These slip over your insulated boots, and are not meant to be walked in. There are several brands on the market, but the best one is the Boot Suits ™ they are thin and easy to pack, are quiet. and they also have hand warmer pockets inside that can keep even the most sensitive feet warm in the coldest temperatures.
So next time the temperatures drop,try some of these tips to keep your feet toasty warm.