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One more question.
As mentioned in a previous post, we want (maybe) to give ice-fishing another try. Biggest problem seems to be keeping the tootsies toasty.
The 1st time we wore Sorel boots and heavy socks with a light pair of underliner socks against the skin (at an "experts" suggestion) - we still got numb feet.
So...
Those "shake 'n bake" toe or foot warmers?
Battery operated socks?
Bring a piece of old carpeting to stand on?
What's your secret?
Nothing seems to ruin the experience faster.
W2D
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a ice shack with a nice heater.
i always wear my pack boots with one medium pair of socks
or my rocky 1000 milligram insulated hunting boots.
my feet have never been cold yet.
good luck giving it another try, its the greatest.
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[cool]My dad in law finally made out on the ice with me last year and he had either battery operated socks or boots that had a spot for a boot heater pack thing, (don't remember which) and his feet stayed toasty. He has poor circulation in his feet, so that was really important for him, and the boots worked great. I think I'd recommend them for you or at least your wife.
I have some generic Wal Mart $30 wannabe Sorrels, and my feet get cold after a couple of hours, so I just get up and walk around my hole and the area for like 5 minutes max and I'm good for a few more hours. Also, when the action is hot, your feet stay warm from getting up and fighting your fish (or maybe I'm having so much fun I just don't notice my feet getting cold when fighting a lot of fishies).
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[font "Impact"][#ff4040][size 3]I've never had problems with my feet getting cold. I always just wear my hunting boots. They have 1000 miligrams of insulation, and they are gore-tex. They never get wet, and my feet always stay toasty.[/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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I have bad circulation like O4T mentioned and have to get up ever few hours and walk around to get the warm blood down to my feet. Wearing good socks and boots, and a beanie hat, along with placing something between the feet and ice helps keep the feet warm. I have also found taking something hot to drink or eat help to keep the feet worm. I like to take the ready to eat meals were you just add hot water I use the heater to boil the water. I sometimes will put hot chocolate in a thermos or roman noodles to drink though out the day. Sometime I get so busy taking the fish off the hook I forget that I have hot drinks until I start packing up to go home.
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I'm no expert but I like the experts advice. I wear my worn out Sorels (purchased in 1988) with a light pair of socks (preferably polypropoline (not sure that is spelled right), with a heavy wool pair over the top. Works for me but I'm pretty warm blooded. But like I said before, choose your fishing days carefully and avoid incoming storms and the wind and you'll be fine.
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[#505000]Ok this is an easy one!!! Fishluvr can back me up on it. US Army Extreme Cold Weather Boots (AKA "Mickey Mouse Boots").[/#505000]
[#505000][/#505000]
[#505000]They are a large rubber boot (they come in black or white) with an air valve in the side. They are designed to provide comfort in up to -40 degrees, and they work like a wet suit so even if you get water inside them you will still be warm. Fishluvr borrowed mine and he is sold on them. My feet getting cold is the very last thing I ever worry about. You can pick them up for around $40-$50 on Ebay or an Army Navy store.[/#505000]
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One more tip that I heard from other coldfooters/klondikers is to buy your snowboots 1 or 2 sizes bigger than your regular size so as to keep a pocket of air between your toes and the tip of the boot. Buying it oversize also gives your feet more room for better circulation when you layer your socks. Hope this helps. See you on the ice!!
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The best thing I have found on the hard deck for keeping the feet warm and dry is a suggestion I picked up here on the board. I wear my 5 mm thick neoprene chest waders out on the ice. If you have worn neoprene in the summer you will know how hot it can get. It is perfect for ice fishing. Wear warm socks underneath and a standard water resistant winter boot over them and you are set. Waders also have the advantage of keeping you dry when you encounter foot soaking, calf deep slush, which is a factor on the hard top that IMO is worse than the severest cold in ruining a trip if one is not prepared for it.
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[cool]CP, I'm going to have to get me some of those "Mickey Mouse" boots at a surplus store this winter. Those sound great!
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Walmart sells some hunting boots called Herman Survivors. They are pretty cheap and have 1000g insulation. They are very warm. My feet USED to get cold very easily.
I second what others said about buying them quite a bit bigger than your shoe size. You want them to still be sort of loose even when you have your thick socks on.
Keeping the rest of your body toasty will help too.
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I'll second Carp Punisher on the army boots. My dad has a pair that are thirty years old. He was issued these on the north slope of Alaska (worked the oil pipeline in the 70's). They are still not worn out. I bought mine from an Army Navy surplus store ten years ago. If anything these boats can be too warm. If the temp is not in the teens I wear my normal hunting boats.
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No pain!, No gain! ]
Seriously tho', there are NO simple catch all answers. What might work for some wont work for others. Right 3m?
You gotten a lot of good advice here. Best bring (IMO) is to get over sized (water proof) boots to give your toes plenty of breathing room while wearing a couple pair of good socks. And yes, try not to have your feet in direct contact with the ice for any length of time if you plan to remain on the ice for a extended period of time.. Whats more, I suggest NOT using carpet, wood is a much better answer. Its very common to have "day melt" while on the ice and carpet gets soaken wet and if you stay long enough for the refreeze the carpet can freeze into the ice. Wood can be kicked loose if it happens to freeze in and its not a sloppy mess to pack off the ice otherwise.
BTW, Off the top of my head, a couple more suggestions.
Wear dark colors, use the sun to the best advantage when possible. Its not uncommon to find me on the ice in black bibs and a t-shirt while the sun is bright. But I'd rather start out ready for cold and have to remove something if its not needed than to find I need more but left it in the pickup. (Also, and while you probably already know this,, take shades for your peepers. It can be very bright on the ice while the sun shines. Never judge the weather condition on the Hard Deck by what you might see when you step out the front door).
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I've had really good luck with a pair of those felt lined snowmobile boots that have cloth tops & rubber bottoms. I will put one of those one use foot warmers in if the day is really cold.
One thing that is really important is: DON'T WEAR ANYTHING TIGHT ON YOUR FEET. Even tight fitting socks will slow the circulation.
One last thing. If your feet start getting cold, put on a warm hat. Sounds stupid but your head is capable of radiating off enough heat to actually cool off your bloodstream.
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I fully agree about the extra space. Better circulation equals warm feet.
I personally buy the cheap foot warmers (even though they look the same, there is a difference between foot and hand warmers), you know the ones that are rectangular, not shaped like your foot. They don't have adhesive, but I improvise. Here is what I do. Open them up a few minutes before you are ready to put them in, otherwise they take a long time to heat up. Tear off a strip of duct tape about 1" wide by 5 or 6" long. Take off your boot, place the now warm foot warmer on TOP of your toes, apply duct tape to hold them in place. I go from the top of my foot and wrap over the front of the toes to the soul of the foot. Put your boots back on, and you've got yourself about 8 hours of toasty toes! Once again, a little extra space in your boot helps. I've used the foot shaped warmers with the adhesive, but they are more expensive, and don't last as long.
You can also go the route of buying the boots that are rated at -100, as I hear they are very warm by themselves.
The Mickey Mouse boots sound like a good option as well...maybe have to try them one day!
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What your liners are made out of is important, the more wool the better also, they sell under soles, also wool, I use two and if you are as bald as me, up to three hats helps, the heat goes out the top and the cold comes in the bottom.
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Mickey Mouses are very good boots. I have a friend that has a pair and he loves them.
I have TransAlaskan Pac boots from Cableas. I love them. I stepped into a hole up to my hip last year(was that with you Brandon?) and my feet didn't get wet.
A snowmoblile or a 4wheeler can help the feets. So does my 46,000 btu heater( I use it outdoors. Me hates tents, except Rich's).
The best thing I like about Cabelas is their extreme cold weather clothing. They have it all.
Btw, Sorrels are for shoveling snow in the front yard. They have no quality insolation. Its an inch of rubber(conducts cold) , the booty, and your socks next to your foot. Not much in the way of good insolation.
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Hey Tommy, that wasn't me that was with you that time. I've seen Tommy's boots, and they look like they are uber warm. Very nice indeed.
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I own a pair of Sorel Caribou boots. They are rated to -40 Fahrenheit, and I have fished Strawberry, at night, with them and never had any problem with cold feet.
[url "http://www.shoes.com/product.asp?p=5009049&CMP=KNC-Adwords&partnerid=Adwords&cpc=adwords&campaign=Products&group=Sorel&cpckw=Sorel+Caribou"]Sorel Caribou boots[/url]:
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I'm a convert to the Trans-Alaska Boots. I'd always had my eyeball on them but the price was prohibitive. Tomegun was wearing his last year so I to checked them out. This was before you could go to Cabela's and get them in your hands to check them out. I liked the construction of them, the insulation, about 1" between you and the snow and the high tech materials which do a better job than traditional materials like wools and wool felts. I bought mine last weekend. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I've wore them around the house and they rock. You only need a liner sock and a medium weight thermal sock. I like the merino wools and Ultimax socks. No need to make up insulation with socks because the boot is inadequate. I compared them to my other snow pacs which are good too and they are lighter in weight and aren't as bulky too.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Hey, Tommy! I no longer have the Quickflip III. Theekillerbee bought it from me and I down sized to the Otter meduim sled 2 person shelter. Sorry buddy, you'd hate this one. Not nearly the size as the Quickflip III but sure a lot easier to handle for one guy. The Otter is a lot better built and the sled is twice as stout which is nice because snowmobiles have a tendency to put those sleds through a lot of abuse. Hey! Theekillerbee now has snowmobiles so he can take it anywhere without becoming stranded again! LOL![/size][/black][/font]
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