Body temperature starts with core temperature and circulation. If your core is cold, the body will restrict circulation to the extremities, in order to conserve heat, and get the core temperature up. If the core is warm, the body will increase circulation to the extremities in order to dump heat. If the core is comfortable, you'll be in whatever state we'd call "normal". Almost no one ever is in "normal". Just simple reality.
Anything we put over our skin affects our body's ability to thermoregulate. If your core is too warm, and the body is trying to dump heat through the skin and extremities and sweat, and they're covered with clothing, it won't be as efficient. This is important for the walk in. Wear as little clothing as is possible for the walk in. Keep your heart rate down. Shallow breaths. Take as long as necessary to cool and dry off before layering up to sit. I'd venture to say 90% of hunters wear too much clothing, or the wrong clothing for the walk in. I'd classify any rubber boot in the wrong clothing category for the obvious reasons. But people care about scent, so they're a thing. Do everything else you can to keep your core "cold", or at the very least "normal" for the walk in. If you can't, and you get to "warm" (remember, dumping heat to extremities and sweating), then wear fast drying clothing, and as little of it as possible.
Once stationary, your core being warm has far more to do with your extremities being warm than the amount of insulation you cover them with. Focus on core warmth, that the excess is then circulated to the extremities. Bitter cold (for me below 20*) introduces a need for insulation on the extremities. I'll add insulation at that point. But if your core isn't "warm", you can wrap all manner of stuff around your hands and feet, they'll still get cold. Focus on core first, then add insulation as necessary.
I'm able to hunt down to 20* comfortably for several hours with uninsulated breathable hiking boots. I can only do this by implementing the above.
Remember, every single human is different. But the mechanisms are the same. Understand the mechanisms, and you'll improve at dictating outcomes.
The mail lady just dropped off my third pair of Lowa Tibets, My first pair I retired from hunting this year after 6 seasons and now wear them for work, I like 2 pair for hunting season in case I totally swamp a pair and they need a couple days to dry, if you walk like I do good boots are the most important tool I have, shop around deals can be had, looking for boots was a job I hated, I’m super fussy, now that I’m dialed in I just wait for a deal on my next pair in the off season and stay ahead of the buying process. Optics planet had these on sale and with another 10% off promo code they were $288 shipped including tax (8.75% New York) once you buy good boots there is no going back.
