How to keep your feet warm while ice fishing!

[onza04]

Just wanted to share some helpful tips on what i've learned over the past few seasons on the ice.

1. Buy a quality pair of boots, these will cost a pretty penny but if you shop around check the bargin cave etc you can find some quality boots for 40-50% off. Try to buy a bigger boot so you can trap some air inside the boot, think scuba suit..
2. ALWAYS wear a liner sock, this pulls moisture away from your feet and keeps your feet dry. Moisture in the cold results in cold digits.
3. Avoid Cotton socks, try to find some wool, or synthetic blends (smartwool etc)
4. PROTIP - learned this off of another message board, you know the antiperspirant sprays you spray under your pits? Yep take that same spray and spray your feet, this is something I did this year and holy moly.... i stayed warm and dry for 6+hours easy.
5. Buy some grabber or similar brand feet warmers for those very very cold days
6. Move around a little to get the blood flowing
7. Heat rises in your shelter so try to add a fan to push the warm air back down to the bottom.

Those were some of the tips I've learned and if others have anything else please comment!

[grat]

Great tips

[jbhandjr]

I'll add one:

For the guys with flip overs, take an old floor mat from your vehicle and put it between your feet and hole.  Works like a champ to keep your feet warm.  Also, put it in the floor of your sled and it helps things from sliding around while your going to and from the spot.

[DAPOS]

I do it all wrong, but it keeps my feet toasty. I use felt paks for starters. Then I put on my cotton tube socks. Then I slip them into plastic bags. The felt liners are next, then another plastic bag and into the boot. Yep, my socks get soaked.....wringing wet! You never even notice it until you're home and taking them off. All that wetness WOULD be in you felt liners without the plastic bag. The outer plastic bag will prevent wetting the liner from any outside leaks. The key is a DRY liner. If you think this is just a bunch of foofooraw, then next time you cooking with your cast iron skillet and the handle is nice and hot, just wet your fabric pot holder with water, ring it out and then grab the skillet handle with the damp pot holder. You'll experience, first hand, how poor an insulator a damp/wet fabric is. Like I said, it works for me............

[frost]

Wool is a great insulator when wet. Wool will keep you warm even if it's soaking wet.

[pimplejigger84]

I do it all wrong, but it keeps my feet toasty. I use felt paks for starters. Then I put on my cotton tube socks. Then I slip them into plastic bags. The felt liners are next, then another plastic bag and into the boot. Yep, my socks get soaked.....wringing wet! You never even notice it until you're home and taking them off. All that wetness WOULD be in you felt liners without the plastic bag. The outer plastic bag will prevent wetting the liner from any outside leaks. The key is a DRY liner. If you think this is just a bunch of foofooraw, then next time you cooking with your cast iron skillet and the handle is nice and hot, just wet your fabric pot holder with water, ring it out and then grab the skillet handle with the damp pot holder. You'll experience, first hand, how poor an insulator a damp/wet fabric is. Like I said, it works for me............

If you follow some of those tips above, it will greatly reduce the moisture and you won't have to worry about that in the first place. Placing your foot with a cotton sock in a plastic bag is kind of like placing it in a sauna. The plastic bag acts as a barrier and adds ZERO breathability to your foot. Being in the plastic bag will actually cause your foot to sweat more and the cotton sock is like a sponge, it just traps and holds the moisture... Plastic bag plus cotton sock is actually a great combo if you want to produce wet feet. Also, you put the felt in a plastic bag as well. With all these barriers you are actually losing heat. Your foot, sock, liner and boot should all work as a system. All the heat from your foot should move freely throughout the boot. This will help trap the heat and store it in your boot as it is designed to do. It also seems you would be sacrificing comfort. Although extremely counterproductive, I see see what your trying to achieve. However the only thing it seems to do is keep your felt liner dry and your feet wet. And wet feet all day can cause blisters, dead peeling skin and discomfort...not to mention bad smells! 

I wear a very old pair of Sorrel pack boots with felt liners. Normally I have sweaty feet (just wearing dress shoes in the office with thin black socks, my feet get soaked at a typical 8 hour day at work) but while spending all day out on the ice I have warm feet and come home to dry socks. Although my boots also have felt liners, I wear a pair of thin sock liners that I bought at LL Bean http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/82196?feat=502854-GN2&page=polypro-x-static-sock-liners and then I wear a comfortable heavy wool boot sock I picked up at Bass Pro in Orlando of all places http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Extreme-Cold-Socks-for-Men/product/34716/

Even if my feet get a little damp I am constantly moving around to keep the circulation going. The wool will still keep your feet dry even when wet, something that cotton simply doesn't do. Your system may work for you, but don't settle man. Get out there and try some conventional methods to keep your feet warm and dry. You already have the boots. For under $20.00 you should be able to get a good pair of socks and liners and then start fishing with warm dry feet and very comfortable socks. It made a huge difference for me!

 

[1moslab]

go wool you never look back

[RMLamp]

Another vote for wool, it retains about 80% of its thermal abilities when wet.  Here in the mountains cotton is referred to as "The fabric of death".

[1moslab]

for you guys with the pack boots like sorrels with the removable liners putting folded newspaper under the liner helps.did that years ago before buying good cabelas boots I have wentthrough the ice had water sloshing around and did not get cold.but I also believe in running to a flag every 10min or so

[Whopper Stopper]

Some good tips!

      WS

[DAPOS]

If you follow some of those tips above, it will greatly reduce the moisture and you won't have to worry about that in the first place. Placing your foot with a cotton sock in a plastic bag is kind of like placing it in a sauna. The plastic bag acts as a barrier and adds ZERO breathability to your foot. Being in the plastic bag will actually cause your foot to sweat more and the cotton sock is like a sponge, it just traps and holds the moisture... Plastic bag plus cotton sock is actually a great combo if you want to produce wet feet. Also, you put the felt in a plastic bag as well. With all these barriers you are actually losing heat. Your foot, sock, liner and boot should all work as a system. All the heat from your foot should move freely throughout the boot. This will help trap the heat and store it in your boot as it is designed to do. It also seems you would be sacrificing comfort. Although extremely counterproductive, I see see what your trying to achieve. However the only thing it seems to do is keep your felt liner dry and your feet wet. And wet feet all day can cause blisters, dead peeling skin and discomfort...not to mention bad smells! 

I wear a very old pair of Sorrel pack boots with felt liners. Normally I have sweaty feet (just wearing dress shoes in the office with thin black socks, my feet get soaked at a typical 8 hour day at work) but while spending all day out on the ice I have warm feet and come home to dry socks. Although my boots also have felt liners, I wear a pair of thin sock liners that I bought at LL Bean http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/82196?feat=502854-GN2&page=polypro-x-static-sock-liners and then I wear a comfortable heavy wool boot sock I picked up at Bass Pro in Orlando of all places http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Extreme-Cold-Socks-for-Men/product/34716/

Even if my feet get a little damp I am constantly moving around to keep the circulation going. The wool will still keep your feet dry even when wet, something that cotton simply doesn't do. Your system may work for you, but don't settle man. Get out there and try some conventional methods to keep your feet warm and dry. You already have the boots. For under $20.00 you should be able to get a good pair of socks and liners and then start fishing with warm dry feet and very comfortable socks. It made a huge difference for me!

Thanks PJ for the advice. I've already tried all the other methods that "WORK" for others, and my feet are numb up to the ankles is short order. I see my point was totally missed, that being, keeping moisture out of the insulation. If I'm settling, how come mountain climbers use vapor barriers IN their sleeping bags.........those folks are the ones that know what is required to keep warm in cold climates!! Thanks just the same.....

[Idahogator]

Dinosaurs went the way of those that don't adapt.

Survivors evolve to modern items available at reasonable prices.

An example of this is : Cabela's Trans Alaska III boots in one full size larger than normal.

Never too hot, never ever cold.   What's not to like about standing in 8" of slush all day, and being comfortable ?      

[JeBa]

Good felt pack boots (Lacrosse Ice Man) with added felt insoles on bottom ....plus Smartwool merino wool hiking socks over thin dress type sock (not cotton - use some kind of nylon/polyester blend - Goldtoe).

Jeff

[Rick Coin]

I wear different boots on the trip over and change into new socks and the boots I am using for the day, too many people forget that the ride to where you are going usually makes your feet sweat and you are screwed from the first step if you are not dry.

[mike304]

ice creepers or even Yaktrax will make your feet cold, I found this out last year. I had my yaktrax on and my feet were freezing. I took them off and within 10-15 minutes they had warmed right up. I know sometimes you gotta wear them, but if you don't need em............

[1moslab]

ice creepers or even Yaktrax will make your feet cold, I found this out last year. I had my yaktrax on and my feet were freezing. I took them off and within 10-15 minutes they had warmed right up. I know sometimes you gotta wear them, but if you don't need em............

  tight boots no good

[kpd145]

my feet usually stay pretty warm, if they get cold, I just get up and go check my tip ups. walking usually gets the blood flowing and my feet warm right up.