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I HATE rubber boots....x2

huntin_addict

huntin_addict

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2018
Messages
1,387
Location
Erie County, PA
Man do I hate rubber boots. A few years ago I went back to hikers because I found my feet were ALWAYS cold in rubber boots. Turns out it's because my feet were always sweating, then my socks would get damp, then get cold. Switch back to hikers, problem solved.

Yesterday my hikers got real wet in the morning, so I put them on the boot dryer when I came home for lunch. Well, I forgot them when I left to go back out, so I had the rubber boots in the truck and that is what I wore. Well, not only did my feet get super cold, but I found the soles are not really built for support on a ring of steps, and man did my feet hurt. So again, man do I HATE rubber boots!!!
 
I am slowly transitioning all of my hunting clothing to synthetics for non-insulating garments, and wool for all insulating pieces.
The synthetics will wick the moisture away from my skin, and the wool will still insulate when wet.

Cotton has become my worst enemy.


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IkemanTX said:
I am slowly transitioning all of my hunting clothing to synthetics for non-insulating garments, and wool for all insulating pieces.
The synthetics will wick the moisture away from my skin, and the wool will still insulate when wet.

Cotton has become my worst enemy.


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Cotton just absorbs moisture and doesn't dry quickly. Staying DRY is a key to staying warm. If any of your base layer (socks included) is damp, you will get cold quickly. I tried several different types of socks with rubber boots, but my feet still didn't breathe, so they sweated alot when walking, enough to get the inside of the boot damp too.
 
Amen on the rubber boots! Scent control freaks may not agree but unless you're walking in water.....no rubber boots for me. Until I figured it out, I had rubber boots with 2000 grams of insulation thinking that my feet were cold due to lack of insulation. Turns out, it's just the nature of the rubber and sweat for me. I wear 200 gram Danners all season in Indiana now to keep my feet from sweating and just add boot blankets when necessary. This approach is much better than trying to walk any distance in heavily insulated boots.....in my opinion.
 
Some guys will change socks after they get on stand. I have good luck with these

foot-warmers.jpg
 
Best thing I found is to walk in with a pair of socks get to my tree and take socks off and put in a ziplock bag. I let my feet cool off and sweat dry for a minute then put my hunting socks on. Last year it was a 14 degree morning and I did that with 1200 gram mucks. Worked perfect. Feet never got cold.
 
Jasper2 said:
Amen on the rubber boots! Scent control freaks may not agree but unless you're walking in water.....no rubber boots for me. Until I figured it out, I had rubber boots with 2000 grams of insulation thinking that my feet were cold due to lack of insulation. Turns out, it's just the nature of the rubber and sweat for me. I wear 200 gram Danners all season in Indiana now to keep my feet from sweating and just add boot blankets when necessary. This approach is much better than trying to walk any distance in heavily insulated boots.....in my opinion.
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The scent is no different either. Killed a couple of dandies the last couple years wearing.......hiking boots.
 
I will share a tip I got from a snowmobiler many moons ago about keeping your feet warm... sweat is your enemy, so use Sure brand or any other unscented antiperspirant spray on your feet after you shower and only use merino wool socks. No sweat, no scent, no cold! I NEVER get cold feet, regardless of the boots I wear and have hunted below zero temps with just uninsulated hiking boots. My add on is always go 1 size bigger boot cor cold weather to allow air space.

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Bwhana said:
I will share a tip I got from a snowmobiler many moons ago about keeping your feet warm... sweat is your enemy, so use Sure brand or any other unscented antiperspirant spray on your feet after you shower and only use merino wool socks. No sweat, no scent, no cold! I NEVER get cold feet, regardless of the boots I wear and have hunted below zero temps with just uninsulated hiking boots. My add on is always go 1 size bigger boot cor cold weather to allow air space.

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I've literally done every single remedy you can come up with over 15 years, these included. What worked for me, no more rubber boots. Seriously, those things suck.
 
donnieballgame said:
I had real good luck with a synthetic sock liner with wool over and toe warmers

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I use a tight silk liner for the same reason. I started doing it back when I was doing a lot of hiking. It wasn’t uncommon for me to do an 80-90 mile hiking trip at least once a year, with several 20 milers as training. Ever since I found the liner/wool sock combo, I have had a total of 1 blister in 12-13 years.... wet or dry, wool will insulate. I have had 10 mile days where we were in rain in the morning, got sleet/snow at altitude, and rain on the way back down the mountain. Ring out your socks until you can’t get any more water out of them (liners included) and you are good to go.
Alpaca is even better than merino wool, if you can find it. The hair is hollow, so it almost doesn’t lose any insulation when wet.


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Wool liner socks and wool thick socks do the trick for cold. I too use hot hand toe warmers and hot hands insoles when it is very cold and I will be sitting still.

Whats weird is I wear my thick wool socks to hike all preseason, and while my boots are 800 gram Irish setters, I never get sweaty and my socks dont stink at all. Regular synthetic socks always are gross and sweaty no matter the activity.
 
I hate rubber boots too! My feet rarely get cold. My complaint is that they’re so darn hot! Rubber boots are like little ovens. I sweat half as much when I ditch them. I’d like to try some hikers, but I usually have to cross a couple of creeks that are about shin to knee high. Ive work water shoes some, but that’s going to get old as soon as the weather changes. Anyone have recommendations?
 
Tjraley2 said:
I hate rubber boots too! My feet rarely get cold. My complaint is that they’re so darn hot! Rubber boots are like little ovens. I sweat half as much when I ditch them. I’d like to try some hikers, but I usually have to cross a couple of creeks that are about shin to knee high. Ive work water shoes some, but that’s going to get old as soon as the weather changes. Anyone have recommendations?
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I’ve used garbage bags to cross a ditch before.
 
Hunting in the Mississippi River delta does not allow for leather boots, except early in the fall before it gets wet. I hunt out of Lacrosse rubber boots and rubber hip waders most all season. All my boots are a size larger than my normal foot wear. I always wear moisture wicking socks and dry or change boots between hunts. January 1 2018 I killed my best buck wearing 900 gram insulated Lacrosse boots. It was 12 degrees with a 17 mph wind out the north. Yes my feet got cold but so was everything else. I stayed in the stand and at 1:15 in the afternoon he showed up tending a hot doe that was feeding under a few white oaks.
 
Switched to lacrosse aerohead rubber boots this year. First pair of rubber boots I have ever owned. I love them. It amazes me how many people hunt in cotton clothing. Gotta laugh. Synthetic anything will reek bad as soon as you sweat just a little bit. Always change socks. I even change merino shirts if I get to sweaty. It saved my butt yesterday for an all day sit.


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Deltahuntr said:
Hunting in the Mississippi River delta does not allow for leather boots, except early in the fall before it gets wet. I hunt out of Lacrosse rubber boots and rubber hip waders most all season. All my boots are a size larger than my normal foot wear. I always wear moisture wicking socks and dry or change boots between hunts. January 1 2018 I killed my best buck wearing 900 gram insulated Lacrosse boots. It was 12 degrees with a 17 mph wind out the north. Yes my feet got cold but so was everything else. I stayed in the stand and at 1:15 in the afternoon he showed up tending a hot doe that was feeding under a few white oaks.
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Where about are you in the delta?
 
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