Uninsulated vs. Insulated Hunting Boots

[oldsouth]

I want to start this out with a NO SHAME comment: my feet sweat no matter what boot I'm wearing. That being said, is there a noticeable difference between uninsulated and 400g boots? I am looking to get a nice pair of lace ups and not sure what direction to go in. I have a set of boot blankets to use when the temps really start to drop. Before anyone says anything I have used the boot blankets hunting off a platform and felt safe with most saddle hunting maneuvers. Does anyone have some 400g boots and maybe feel like it's a good combination of insulated and uninsulated?

 

[BTaylor]

I have the same issue and go from uninsulated to 800 gram. I tried a pair of 400 gram and I couldnt tell any difference between them and the unisulated boots. I am talking about. My uninsulated and 800 gram are Lacrosse alpha burly's not lace ups. Cant help there as I dont own a pair of insulated lace ups.

 

[elk yinzer]

I have four stages:

-above 40-45 degrees - uninsulated hikers
-30-40 degrees - lightly insulated hikers (Salomon Quest Winter - I don't know what insulation weight they use I don't believe it's thinsulate. But they are too warm for me to hike in if it is warmer out)
-20-30 degrees - insulated hikers + boot blankets
-below 20 degrees - insulated hikers + boot blankets + chemical warmers

Add gaiters if it's a little wet. Rubber boots only come out when it's really wet.

 

[raisins]

How cold?

Down to the teens, I’m fine with 400 grams and boot blankets with a chemical warmer in them. But I wear a big toe box boot with liner sock and alpaca socks over them.

Have you tried rubbing scent free gel antiperspirant into your feet before a hunt? Don’t use the hunter brands because they don’t work.

 

[oldsouth]

I tried a pair of 400 gram and I couldnt tell any difference between them and the unisulated boots.

Thanks, that still helps. The lowest insulated boots I own are 600g, so anyone with any experience with the 400g is helpful.

 

[oldsouth]

Have you tried rubbing scent free gel antiperspirant into your feet before a hunt?

My feet even sweat in regular shoes! I have tried a couple different antiperspirants with little success (years ago). I'll look into this again.

 

[ricky racer]

The biggest problem with leather boots is finding some without a "waterproof" membrane. The waterproof membrane keeps the leather from breathing and allowing perspiration to dry. There is no such thing as "waterproof and breathable". Everyone makes their boots with the waterproof membrane due to the tariffs applied to imported boots. Boots with a membrane are tariffed at a lower rate than boots without a membrane. Possibly you can find a US manufacturer of boots that can offer you an unlined boot then I'd suggest you get yourself some Wiggy's Lamilite Socks.

13" Lamilite Socks

Manufacturer of the finest sleeping bags and outdoor gear in the world. Nothing keeps you you warm & dry in cold, wet conditions like Wiggy's!

www.wiggys.com

 

[BTaylor]

My feet even sweat in regular shoes! I have tried a couple different antiperspirants with little success (years ago). I'll look into this again.

I have read that you need to start with the antiperspirants like a month before season and then continue through season for it to really be effective. I can never remember to do that so just deal cold wet feet and change socks a couple times a day if it is convenient which isnt always. LOL

 

[TNbowhunter]

Very timely thread, as I've asked my in-laws for lace-up hunting boots (TBD on brand, style, etc.) as my Christmas present, and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I typically hunt in insulated rubber boots (comparable to the Alphaburly Pro's), but have gotten sick of sweaty (then cold) feet on every hunt!

 

[oldsouth]

Before I make any final decision I hope for more input from guys using 400g boots. As of right now I have a narrowed search to the Lacrosse Lodestar uninsulated (imported) or the Rocky Stalker Waterproof 400g (made in USA). Both have nice shanks which in my thinking will work great standing on the edge a platform.

 

[raisins]

I have read that you need to start with the antiperspirants like a month before season and then continue through season for it to really be effective. I can never remember to do that so just deal cold wet feet and change socks a couple times a day if it is convenient which isnt always. LOL

A buddy of mine was in the USAF in N. Dakota. When he came back here, he sweated all the time like crazy. He had to use prescription strength antiperspirant (can't buy at stores) for a while and now he is okay.

 

[elk yinzer]

Re-reading what you wrote, I don't think you're going to notice a very significant difference going from 600g to 400g honestly. It's not 50% more insulation, because the grams is per square meter of thinsulate fabric and I'm sure there is significantly less than a square meter of material in a boot. Sock choices, proper fit of the boot (should be on the loose side), blood flow, etc. should be more important for perceived warmth than one step down in insulation.

 

[Ckwilli]

Thanks, that still helps. The lowest insulated boots I own are 600g, so anyone with any experience with the 400g is helpful.

I've got a pair of Cabela's lace up leather boots that are 400gram thinsulate. I typically don't wear them unless it's snowing or the temps drop into the 30's or so. Mainly I wear them because of the height. I have a pair of Reed 1000 gram rubber boots that I break out for really nasty stuff. Milder temps and I wear my Merrill waterproof hikers with no insulation. To be truthful I can't tell a lot of difference between the non insulated Merrills and the 400gr cabelas. I started wearing polypropylene sock liners around 1998 or so and that helped me more than the insulation. The insulation made my feet sweat walking in and any attempt to stay warm after that was futile.

 

[Ckwilli]

Before I make any final decision I hope for more input from guys using 400g boots. As of right now I have a narrowed search to the Lacrosse Lodestar uninsulated (imported) or the Rocky Stalker Waterproof 400g (made in USA). Both have nice shanks which in my thinking will work great standing on the edge a platform.

As a follow up on my last post I purchased the Cabelas 400gr boots because my Rocky Stalkers fell apart. Rocky had issues with their soles falling apart. My stalkers and my duty boots that were issued to me both lost their soles. It may be corrected by now.

 

[ImThere]

The soles fell off my Rockies they didn’t last a year. But my rubber Rockies have 3 seasons on them.
EDIT: Went and checked my rubber boots are Irish setter RPM I guess that’s how I fixed my Rocky boot problem

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[raisins]

Re-reading what you wrote, I don't think you're going to notice a very significant difference going from 600g to 400g honestly. It's not 50% more insulation, because the grams is per square meter of thinsulate fabric and I'm sure there is significantly less than a square meter of material in a boot. Sock choices, proper fit of the boot (should be on the loose side), blood flow, etc. should be more important for perceived warmth than one step down in insulation.

I might be wrong about boots, but in general.....that will still be 50% more because the number of square meters (a fractional number here I guess) in the boot cancels numerically. Now, it might not be 50% warmer though (due to how thinsulate works?) or maybe boots rate things contrary to math rules.

For instance, the boot uses 0.25 square meters

600 grams per square meter X 0.25 square meters = 150 grams
400 grams per square meter X 0.25 square meters = 100 grams

150/100X 100 = 150% (or 50% more)

 

[elk yinzer]

I might be wrong about boots, but in general.....that will still be 50% more because the number of square meters (a fractional number here I guess) in the boot cancels numerically. Now, it might not be 50% warmer though (due to how thinsulate works?) or maybe boots rate things contrary to math rules.

For instance, the boot uses 0.25 square meters

600 grams per square meter X 0.25 square meters = 150 grams
400 grams per square meter X 0.25 square meters = 100 grams

150/100X 100 = 150% (or 50% more)

Yeah duh. I've been operating in my annual postseason brain fog. It's not good.

 

[oldsouth]

I had no idea Rocky had gone down in quality that bad. I've had this pair for over 15 maybe close to 20 years. That's why I was looking at Rocky again. Well since the quality has dropped off like y'all are saying I guess I can take Rocky off the list.

 

[Ckwilli]

I had no idea Rocky had gone down in quality that bad. I've had this pair for over 15 maybe close to 20 years. That's why I was looking at Rocky again. Well since the quality has dropped off like y'all are saying I guess I can take Rocky off the list.View attachment 40579

Check around, maybe they fixed the problem. I asked my father in law and his Rocky soles fell apart too. Like I say, maybe they fixed the problem.