OT winter boot suggestions

I am looking to buy a really good pair of cold weather boots. I'm currently looking at:

1. Columbia bugaboot
2. Sorel Conquest
3. North Face Four Shadows GTX

Can anyone provide some guidance or suggestions? What are you wearing up there in RMNP Erik?

Thanks

I have some North Face winter boots. I also have a good winter sock and some good liners. Ever since getting the North Face boots, I have not had a problem with cold feet.

Jack,

The boot isn't all the magic, Dan gets to it a bit. You need a system. On my usual tour in RMNP for wildlife where I know I won't move around much I have a wool long john, and heavy hiking pants, 3 thin wool liners, 2 heavy hiking socks, and North Face Chilcats, and then the key is a pair of gators over it all. Since using gators my toes only get chilly a bit in the coldest days (0 degrees or so), but have never been cold with this set up.

From you list, I prefer the North Face for the shorter ankle, Sorel's generally don't have enough support for snowshoeing/snow. Columbia's are nice but in review I read before I got my chilcats they got only 60% great reviews, having some sole issues etc.

If you want ultimate wait for Columbia to release their 2010 batch of the buga's with the heaters built in. They get up to 140 degrees for 6-8 hours.

Don't be so quick with the Columbia heated boots. HERE is a review from Outside magazine.

I know they are not on your list but used a pair of Rocky Jasper boots ($65) when I wintered over in Wisconsin and found them to be really nice and warm. I wore two pair of wool socks, which had more to do with filling the volume of the boot than anything and I never had a problem with cold toes and I was out alot in zero degree weather and on several mornings it was 20 below.

And ditto the gaiters comment. A good pair of OR Crocs are always a winter companion.

As far as the Columbia heated boots, I hope you don't need them until next winter, there is a pretty significant waiting list last time I checked.

Are you hiking or standing around? Because this will determine what type of boot you buy.

I think Jody gave you the best advice so far. While it would be great to have one boot to do it all (I'm talking cold weather boots) I haven't found that to be the case. What I wear is determined by what I'm planning on doing.

Jody, That depends...mostly I would be hiking in and out but there will be times when I'll be standing, waiting for the right light or if I get to a destination early. I would sat mostly I would be doing some kind of moving.

Jarod, I thought Gators were in Florida!! Just kidding...I'm not sure even what they are so I'm off to REI to get some answers. As far as the other stuff, I have wicking liners, long johns, snow pants, jacket systems, etc.

What are some of you guys and women doing for gloves? Or do you prefer mittens?

I use lightweight gloves with some rubbery dots on the fingers. Often those are good enough, if the weather isn't too cold. If it's really cold, or if I'm stopped for a while, I wear insulating mittens, and possibly shell mittens on top of that. Really depends on the conditions. But the critical part for photography is the lightweight gloves. I have two pairs I really like, but I don't think either are still available. Both are thin, but include a wind-blocking material, and have some kind of texture on the fingers. I am able to operate my camera easily without have to remove them.

For winter I use the following for my hands: First, a lightweight glove made from some heat-retaining material similar to your first layer of insulating underwear such as thermax, capilene, or similar (with rubber dots on the fingers is good, but not essential). This can be good down to 40 F or so. Over that, a heavy fleece or wool glove with "half fingers" that go up to about your first or second knuckle. This gives a lot of warmth but still allows full flexibility for camera operation because the fingertips are not covered by the thicker material. This is a really good combo down to about 20 degrees F.. When its colder, or if I am to be out all day, or standing still for a while waiting for light or wildlife action, then, on top of the two-glove combo, I use a "fold-back" mitten. This is a mitten with a split in the middle that folds back to expose the fingers and stays in place with velcro. Hunters use them but they are absolutely ideal for photographers as well you can expose your fingers and shoot in just seconds without pulling things on and off and dropping them in the snow, etc. With this combo, I have shot in temps down to 0 F with my hands staying pretty warm. If I want, I put a heat pack in the mitten part and it really keeps my hands warm and the air circulation in the split mitten allows the pack to heat up efficiently. If conditions are extreme, sub-zero or blowing wind, etc then you can add a loose fitting shell mitten on top of everything else to block the wind. This "four layer" system will serve you for well over 90% of your winter shooting, and is great for any active sport requiring dexterity because it gives you great finger movement, and offers the flexibility to be effective in a very wide range of tempertures. The great thing is, none of these things are very expensive and they are widely available.

For the feet, just remember that winter boots should be ROOMY. They should feel almost too big for your feet. Warmth is from air retention in the toe pocket. If your socks are loose fitting inside the boot, they capture aned hold body heat in the air pocket that they create. In addition, the extra air allows heat packs to work better as they need some oxygen to be at their best. Ideally, you should be able to freely wiggle your toes even with your liners and socks on and a heat pack inside. If your socks are compressed against the boot, then cold is transferred by conduction to your feet and also heat pads dont work so well.

This is from years of cold extremities! I have used this system in Yellowstone in January and at temps down to -20F and it works. I can't comment on electric boots but you dont need anything like that, at all, if you follow the above.

Guy

Well, I have settled on the North Face boots. I tried on and walked around in the other boots I mentioned and the North Face felt the most comfortable by far. They are rated to minus 40 degrees. I will use some wool socks for added insulation. I also found out what gaiters were and they certainly sound like a good idea, especially for deep snow.

Guy, I was pretty much online with the glove system you mentioned. I have wicking liners, fleece gloves and fleece mittens with the split and room to add a hand warmer. I think the only other thing I need to consider is goggles.

I've got a pair of Columbia Bugabootoo boots that I have been wearing for several years. They are VERY warm, and work well with YakTrak Pros. They are not as flexible as the lightweight hikers I am used to wearing for the other 3 seasons, but they're still comfortable, and roomy enough for a pair of thick socks with liners. So far, they show no signs of wearing out.