1000-gram Thinsulate boots too warm?

Question

I just bought a pair of 1000-gram Thinsulate boots because they were on sale, but I can get 800-gram for the same price.

These boots are just for hunting, where I'm usually sedentary for ~10 hours. However, I do walk about 45 minutes uphill to get to my tree stand, which means my feet might sweat (but haven't in the past). The temperature where I hunt varies from 20-40F degrees.

I fear that my feet might get too warm, and I need to make the final decision soon. . .

Is 1000-gram too much? Is 800-gram too much? Experienced cold-weather hunters and anglers are ideal to answer this question.

Answer 1

I use 1000 gram boots and i haven't had cold feet yet. Wear good socks. I like light wool socks that wick moisture away form my feet. This year i bought a pair of the Rocky Gortex socks to try. BTW, I hunt in NY and it can get pretty cold during the season. Good Luck.  

Answer 2

1000 is fine if you are just sitting, although for me they would be a bit much at 20 degrees.  I wear 800's down to 0 degrees, with a pair of nice smartwool socks.

You will find them way too hot if you are hiking hard for 45 minutes.  The only time I have been uncomfortable in my 800's was a day of about 30 degrees when I hiked in for 30 minutes.  My feet got all sweaty, and then couldn't hold the warmth because of the extra moisture.  What I do now if it is that warm is hike in in my uninsulated boots and change when I get in my stand.  You can warm your feet up if they get cold going in, but if you get cold on the stand from wet feet you won't ever recover until you dry them.

One other solution to look into is an insulated boot bag that goes over your boots once you are on stand.  You can get them for around 40 bucks and get a pair of boots that will serve you better on the hike.

Answer 3

Id go with the 800's though when the temp hits 20 you may really be glad to have 1000 when you have been sitting awhile.