Boots

[dabluz]

My boots are big and bulky but they are for icefishing, not running.  They are a Baffin style snowmobile boot that are a good 18 inches high.  There are 2 adjustable straps (ankle and at the top) that keep the boots on the feet when walking.  I usually wear size 10 but I bought size 12 or 13 and added a thick sole (full of holes) under the insulated inner boot.  The boots are rated to -94F.  The rubber soles on the boots are really thick too and the extra deep tread is fantastic.  Ok, when I put my boots on, I am about 2 inches taller and my oversized parka almost reaches the tops of my boots but I want to be warm.....not stylish.  I also wear 1 pair of socks that Ducks Unlimited sell and another pair of very thick insulated socks that I bought in an outdoor specialty shop.  My feet are so well insulated that even when it's hot, my feet stay dry and don't heat up.  I rarely fish in an iceshanty or a portable hut.

[TravP]

I wear black mickeys which are great. But next year I will be buying a pair of ice armor boots because of the great feedback I have heard on them here in Minnesota.

[Stuck-on-Seven]

lacrosse alpha burly 1000 gram thinsulate always warm always dry

[Hard_H2O]

I do not wear my Ice Kings when I am driving. I wear sneakers and change after getting to my destination. They are not as bulky as the Mickey Mouse boots but hey are still too clumsy for driving.
 

[FishMich]

I would'nt trade my mickey's for anything.

[StingingLips]

I bought some baffen boots this year because I was sick of cold toes and having to use toe warmers and all the hassel taking my boots off and on rubbing my cold feet even in my shanty. I bought the impact boots rated to -148 and now I can't get my feet cold if I want to. I have used them all season and didn't get cold feet once. I think that sometimes my feet are too hot but at least they don't hurt. Buy them one size bigger than normal and the liner will conform to you feet and don't wear too thick of socks. I bought mine through winterfootwear.com for about 153 dollars to my door. If you are sick of cold feet don't settle for anything else.

I wear the same boots as you, you are right, your feet wont get cold at all in those puppies, best investment I have made for boots

[FishME]

The Cabelas Predator Extreme Pac Boot has been the best boot I've ever owned for ice fishing.  My feet NEVER get cold.

[52niner]

Hey Michiana where did you buy your Baffins? I bought a pair of those in the Marines and I remember I paid 200 dollars for them but I could do 15 mile humps in them no problem.

[SkeeterJeff]

I have a pair of Rocky JasperTracs that only have 200 grams of Thinsulate and my feet always get cold in them unless I use footwarmers with them.  I've been watching the different threads here and had made my mind up that I was going to buy a pair of Cabelas Trans Alaska boots.  Cabelas has them on sale for $10 off, but they are out of my size.  So after reading all of the good reviews for Cabelas Predator Extreme Pac Boots, and seeing that they have my size and they are on sale for $10 off, I just ordered a pair.  I have a feeling that the 1200 grams of Thinsulate will keep my feet warm without having to use the footwarmers.

Thanks for everyone's input and opinions.

Jeff

[panfishman13]

sorels!

[52niner]

Just ordered the 1200 grain pac boot 164 shipped Hope the do the job, My body handles the cold well being from MI but the tips of my toes get cold and it pizzez me off.

[michianafisherman]

Hey Michiana where did you buy your Baffins? I bought a pair of those in the Marines and I remember I paid 200 dollars for them but I could do 15 mile humps in them no problem.

I bought my Baffens through WinterFootWear.com
I use size 14 and they were the only place that had boots over size 13.
They cost $135 delivered to my door.
And you are right! I can walk forever in my Impact Baffens. I keep the straps tight while walking around, then loosen the straps while I sit so my legs don't get too hot.

[DukasGt]

I have a terrible time keeping my toes warm, but I got the Trans-Alaskan Pac boots from cabelas and no more problems.  I think they are great.  The amount of height they give you off the ice is what I think does the trick.  But definitely get something with a removable liner.  I also got some polypropylene liner socks to go under my wool ones and it helped a ton with moisture problems. 

[rgfixit]

Dukas,
 Now you're talking about REAL boots. 5th year on mine (I think)


RG

[Scott Steil]

Black Bunny Boots some call them Mickey Mouse boots.  You feet will NEVER get cold, they are 100% waterproof and they are under $50 if you get them online.  I just bought two pair because I ice fish almost every day.  I also wear them for deer hunting.  By far the best boot for the money.

Scott Steil

[Spin]

    I've never worn bunnies myself but I have a cousin who wore them throughout the Korean War and hated them with a passion. I also have 3 good friends who have worn or owned them, all 3 gave them up for other style boots, Two of these guys wore Iceman's by Lacrosse, figured they'd give the Mickey's a shot seeing that they were reasonably priced and went back to Lacrosse Ice Kings. The other fella I fished with all day just yesterday and he now wears Sorrel Pacs. As for bunnies filling with water, emptying them and they still remained warm I've done the same with Sorrel Pacs several times in my youth. Took em off, pulled the liners out, wrung out my socks and the liners, put the works back on and together and carried on. The liners warmed back up. Might of been damp and uncomfortable to some extent but you got by. Somehow folks in cold wet climes got by before the advent of bunnies. Vapor barrier insulation without wicking ability has very real limitations. Any kid from my generation could tell you that sticking your feet inside a pair of plastic bread bags with a pair of light socks inside and another out would keep your feet dry and warm for a few hours of outdoor play but at some point perspiration builds and gets the upper hand and things go south. Dry warmth is ALWAYS the preferred state in extreeme cold environs.

                                                                                                               Spin

[darkhousefisher]

I can understand some of your points Spin, but bunny boots are the only boots I have worn that always keep my feet warm.  I have always had problems w/ keeping my feeet warm until I got bunny boots.  I have worn Lacrosse and Sorrel pacs and it was always the same thing; the liners soaked up water and/or got damp from sweat then my feet got cold.  Now with bunny boots I can just throw on a dry pair of socks and am good to go, and due to the vapor barrier the insulation is still dry.  If bunny boots don't work, then why are they the standard boot in Alaska upon which all other boots are compared?

[Hard_H2O]

I can understand some of your points Spin, but bunny boots are the only boots I have worn that always keep my feet warm.  I have always had problems w/ keeping my feeet warm until I got bunny boots.  I have worn Lacrosse and Sorrel pacs and it was always the same thing; the liners soaked up water and/or got damp from sweat then my feet got cold.  Now with bunny boots I can just throw on a dry pair of socks and am good to go, and due to the vapor barrier the insulation is still dry.  If bunny boots don't work, then why are they the standard boot in Alaska upon which all other boots are compared?

I am not sure what you are saying. The pac boots you have worn let in the moisture or the mosture was from your sweat?

If the boots are letting in moisture then you have a problem. I have never worn a pac boot that wan't waterproof. The only way my feet could get wet in my Ice Kings is if I stepped in a hole.

If it is sweat then I do not see how the bunny boots will keep you any dryer than any other boot. Perspiration will get your socks wet.

There are some conditions that can cause excessive perspiration of the foot. One way I have heard of combating this is to use anti-perspirant on the soles of your feet.

[Scott Steil]

A couple more things with bunny boots.  First, you don't want to lace them up tight, mine slip on and off easily so the heat can get out.  Otherwise your feet will sweat very bad.  Second, over time if you find one foot getting cold and not the other, the boot is shot.  Over years of use you can compact the air cushion in a bunny boot.  When this happens you are basically exposing your foot to the cold rubber on the outside.  If you have not tried bunny boots, it is worth your time to try them.  I have no reason to recommend them other than the fact that they are the best boot I have found and I have had an opportunity to try a lot of them.

Scott Steil

[TravP]

Bunny boots are the warmest that I've worn. Plus there cheap. you can get the original beta boots at fleetfarm for $40.

[michianafisherman]

If your feet sweat wear a thinner sock, like a white tube sock. Too much sock will cause you more problems than bad boots.

[darkhousefisher]

I am not sure what you are saying. The pac boots you have worn let in the moisture or the mosture was from your sweat?

If the boots are letting in moisture then you have a problem. I have never worn a pac boot that wan't waterproof. The only way my feet could get wet in my Ice Kings is if I stepped in a hole.

If it is sweat then I do not see how the bunny boots will keep you any dryer than any other boot. Perspiration will get your socks wet.

There are some conditions that can cause excessive perspiration of the foot. One way I have heard of combating this is to use anti-perspirant on the soles of your feet.

It was mostly from sweat.  As long as I put the pacs on a boot dryer everynight it was alright.  But on extended trips where I couldn't dry the liners, they would get saturated from condensation and/or perspiration and would no longer keep my feet warm.  On some of those extended trips I would pull out the liners at the end of the day to find them crusted w/ ice.  Thats the great part about bunny boots, because of the inner vapor barrier, your socks can be soaked, yet your feet are still warm due to the fact that the boots insulation is still completely dry.  My feet can be soaked yet still be warm, put on a fresh pair of socks if I have to, and keep on going.  Bunny boots are by far the best winter boot I've ever worn.  I'm not trashing anybody else's boots, I am just stating my experience.  If your boots work for you good, I'm just saying that Bunny Boots are the best for me.  Just my $.02.

[Hard_H2O]

It was mostly from sweat.  As long as I put the pacs on a boot dryer everynight it was alright.  But on extended trips where I couldn't dry the liners, they would get saturated from condensation and/or perspiration and would no longer keep my feet warm.  On some of those extended trips I would pull out the liners at the end of the day to find them crusted w/ ice.  Thats the great part about bunny boots, because of the inner vapor barrier, your socks can be soaked, yet your feet are still warm due to the fact that the boots insulation is still completely dry.  My feet can be soaked yet still be warm, put on a fresh pair of socks if I have to, and keep on going.  Bunny boots are by far the best winter boot I've ever worn.  I'm not trashing anybody else's boots, I am just stating my experience.  If your boots work for you good, I'm just saying that Bunny Boots are the best for me.  Just my $.02.

I understand. I have found that this type of subject is very personal. I have found a system that works for me. YMMV.

Wool is great. Polypropylene is great. Goretex and other breathable membranes are great.

I still find myself wearing cotton socks, sweatpants, and shirts at times. I know what works for me. I know what works for me for different weather and for different expected activity levels. Through experimentation I know my personal system.

I always have a few weights of socks and long johns along on a hunting or ice fishing trip. Based on the forecast and espected activity level I can always dress and be comfortable and dry.

My Columbia parka and bibs along with the Ice Kings on the outside. Variations of polypro on the inside.

It is easier and cheaper to experiment with long johns than with bibs, parkas, and boots. Trying boots on in a store will not tell you much about how warm they will be at -10°F.

My b-i-l experienced frostbite on the foot. Since he has had trouble keeping his feet wam. He switched to Ice Kings and they solved his problem. He told me about them, I bought a pair and I am hooked.

I usually wear a thin sock with them. If I need something more I sport a wool blend sock. I have tried the polypro sock liners but they seem too slick and allow the outer sock to slip

Good Luck.

[Spin]

   I see your point Darkhouse, and like I said I myself have never tried mickey's but I do know people who have and didn't think too highly of them. The reason I chimed in was I was looking at a pair of issue Black ones just last week at Fleet Farm for around $38.00 and a friend who tried a pair deer hunting this past season was with me and he told me his feet were cold when he wore them, and save my money. I know that he's far from the only guy whose tried them and not fallen in love with them, on the other hand there's plenty who have. A close buddy of mine was on Operation Deep Freeze at the pole in the early 70's (SeaBees) and the guys up there were issued mukluks not Bunnies. If the South Pole isn't a test for a warm boot I don't know what would would be. I Do understand and concede that the guys on the Pole see temps that might be beyond the performance limits of the rubber used in bunnies and that troops serving there are issued several pairs of felt inner liners. I also agree that if you like a particular type of boot and it meets or exceed es your needs then by all means go with it. My reservation with bunnies stems from the inherent problem of condensation inside the boot from perspiration. I've experienced immersion foot as a young man and it's no trip to Hollywood, but that's something that can happen what ever type of footwear you use and at $38.00 a pr.
and bunnies do the trick for you, great.

                                                                                                                      Spin

[FISHFORPIKE]

(Image removed from quote.)
RG

Got myself a pair of these this season and they are NICE!  No cold feet - they are comfortable - easy to walk in, warm and dry.  Studded with screws, to RG's spec/recommendation, these are a marvelous pair of ice-fishing boots.