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Warm Feet

foggy

foggy

5 year old buck +
My grandson gets cold feet pretty quickly - I think he got frostbite a few times when ice-fishing. See some new products for this and wondered about which may be worth buying him for Christmas. He gets outside ALLOT.

1. Saw socks where the toe area has a band/pouch for heater packs which would ride over the top of the toes. Sez they last for six - eight hours. ?? Affordable. Do they help? Last?

2. Insole that contains similar pouches to heat the toes. I'd think this would be "lumpy".....but for ice fishing or stand hunting maybe no big deal. Effective?

3. Thermacell electric footbed. Expensive $$. Anyone with experience on these? (I still remember being "duped" by the old electric socks from years ago.....and somehow this feels similar? But things have changed allot in 30+ years.)

4. Other than good boots and sox......and all the normal stuff......any other products or ideas for warm feet?
 
Thermocell insoles. Rechargeable and they last about 6 hours on full.
 
If he doesn't have poor circulation, a good layering plan can do it. I don't pay much attention to my feet at all beyond boot selection, and even that's not too scientific. I use Sorel Pac boots, and just wear plain ole cotton socks. I focus on keeping my core warm to produce the surplus energy needed to keep the extremities warm.

Tshirt
Long sleeve tshirt
Sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off
Hooded sweatshirt
Cabelas wooltimate vest
Bibs
Windproof coat.

I ice fish in that set up and have never gotten cold once I got it figured out. Now the limiting factor is how quickly the gear ices up when out in the open. Modern Marvels did a show on it back in 2001 called survival technology. I tried to pull it off their website, but they don't stream the old episodes.
 
MoBuckChaser said:
Thermocell insoles. Rechargeable and they last about 6 hours on full.
Click to expand...
Have you been using them while hunting Minnesota the last two winters?

A buddy of mine who hunts my place has used them the last two seasons and gives them a "No Buy" rating. The technology is not there yet? They need a larger battery system to put out enough heat at temps at less than 10 degrees.

I like the idea of socks with pockets as long as they are quality warm socks.
 
Key to warm feet is quality socks and extra room in quality boots. The main issue with foot warming devices is they can cause your feet to sweat which can be very bad if your out for longer periods of time. Most foot warmers are just to hot in my opinion.
 
It seems that those hand warmer packets never seem warm to me for long once deprived of air circulation. Over sized boots with extra "wool type" socks seems my best bet currently. Looking at Muck boots with the fleece liners and heavier neoprene, just afraid to pull the trigger on expensive boots that might not last.
 
I have had problems with cold feet for a long time. I tried the Thermo cell heated inserts and they didn't work. I bought the Muck boots and they didn't work. I always use good wool socks and get larger boots for good circulation. I bought Cabelas Saskatchewan boots and by far, they are the warmest boot that I have ever worn. They have a pocket to put a disposable hand warmer in the liner. I can now sit all day in zero degree weather and have warm feet. Here is a link.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...peByFilter=AllProducts&x=22&y=9&Ntt=Pac+Boots
 
Opening day of rifle my feet froze.

Everyday after I wore thin wool socks with muck boots that were to big and a hand warmer pack in them. Did the trick. The larger size helps get air to the hand warmer.
 
Thanks for the inputs guys. He does have good pack boots with felt liners and wool socks. Still.....he gets cold feet. Those Sask Boots by Cabela's or La Crosse IceMan boots may be a better boot....but he is still growing.....and they may not last long. Looking for an interim solution. (I have LaCrosse IceMan Boots and think they are the best thing since sliced bread).

I think the jury is divided on the Therma Cells.....a few good reports....but were talking -0 f here.....and I question them. My wife found these:http://www.amazon.com/HotHands-Insole-Foot-Warmers-pairs/dp/B001UQXAT6

^ Anyone use them?

Still searching for solutions.
 
One of my clients and several guys that hunt up here from down south swear by battery operated socks. I'll get the name next week and let you know the week after. If these guys say that work, they do. They're all both ultra serious hunters and incredibly wimps when dealing with cold...and they swear by them.

P.S. Just sent them a text. may have the answer sooner, if one of them reply
 
Steve Bartylla said:
One of my clients and several guys that hunt up here from down south swear by battery operated socks. I'll get the name next week and let you know the week after. If these guys say that work, they do. They're all both ultra serious hunters and incredibly wimps when dealing with cold...and they swear by them.

P.S. Just sent them a text. may have the answer sooner, if one of them reply
Click to expand...
OK Tks Steve.

One of the good things about the "inter-web" and Amazon is the ability to look at product reviews and user responses. Those ThemaCell's are a very good example. Some folks really like them and others think they were ripped off. Expectations and uses vary allot. Putting them in your shoes and going to the mall or wearing 'em in the Banana Belt (also known as Missouri) is allot different than standing on the ice in MN when it's -20 degrees. Just saying. ;)

This is one of those areas where it takes a bit of reference from similar users. Having had frostbite.....really adds to the problem.

I question some of the foot warming products (no....all of 'em)......but new tech keeps finding ways to beat old problems. Gotta keep an ear to the ground on this issue. :)
 
They use Thermacell socks...and they like them. Now, keep in mind that they are also wearing heater body suits. As I wrote, these guys are wimps when it comes to cold, but they hunt it hard anyway (I mean amazingly hard). I'd guess they wont cut it alone, when standing on ice in -20. That said, a pair of them, with a thin, wicking sock under them and a pair of boot blankets over good boots and a couple chem warming packs inside the boot blankets and another set inside the boots should do it.
 
Steve Bartylla said:
They use Thermacell socks...and they like them. Now, keep in mind that they are also wearing heater body suits. As I wrote, these guys are wimps when it comes to cold, but they hunt it hard anyway (I mean amazingly hard). I'd guess they wont cut it alone, when standing on ice in -20. That said, a pair of them, with a thin, wicking sock under them and a pair of boot blankets over good boots and a couple chem warming packs inside the boot blankets and another set inside the boots should do it.
Click to expand...

The Heater Body Suits are proving to be a great product. My grandson (same as above) and my SIL wore them during a four-day hunt over in Wisc - just this week. They both have some real cold issues due to prior frostbite. BOTH of them are pretty hard-core hunters. They put the suits on in the dark and sat all day in the stand until dark in those suits. Said they were the REAL DEAL. Still.....ice fishing is another situation. Warm is a different feeling for many of us. I'd bet those foot warmers in the HBS would work well.....as my family was happy in the HBS without the thermacells.
 
Foggy-I might have missed some of the discussion. My icemans got holes in them and with water in the air pocket they are terrible.

My girls like the disposable heaters that attach to the bottom of their socks.

For your Grandson, changing to dry wool socks during the day might help. (I picked up a pair of lifetime merino socks in Nisswa this fall, with Scentlock.)

My girls still froze up in zone 1 and I am thinking of buying a heater body suit. Could a suit for a 5'7 guy, be worn by a 5'2 daughter and still function? I only want to buy one to begin with.
 
there are the little hand warmers that are shaped like a foot and stick to the bottom of your sock. those work great last year. i bought a case on amazon.

my buddy had the battery powered foot warmers with the wire (thermacells are wireless). don't get the wired one! it lasted one day of hunting.
 
Keep your boots inside ... good wool socks ,,, and do sitting legs squats while in your stand ... increase circulation and blood flow is very important ...
 
I have the cheapy $25 (they were $16 on sale) heated insoles sold at FF and they're worthless. The batteries didn't last more than a couple hours, and one of the leads pulled off the first couple times I used them.

I have bad circulation in my toes from prior frostbite (didn't lose any nails, but a lot of skin turned purple and fell off) and I've resorted to using the hand size chemical warmers above my toes in the boots. I usually get the stated lifespan out of them. I've never had one be dead too early anyway. I don't use special socks to keep them in place, I just drop them down before putting my feet in and try to position them well initially - they stay put.
 
For some people, sweating is the problem. Wet then cold. Using an antiperspirant on the feet can keep them dryer and warmer.
 
I got a set of the thermacell insoles the first season they were out. Used them a couple times, and couldn't tell if they heated up or not. Feet were still cold, I took them back. Maybe they are better now??
 
Arctic Shield boot covers work very well. Especially if you add a disposable warmer inside.
 
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