Keeping your feet warm in the winter months is about more than just wearing the most insulated boots and the heaviest socks. In fact, sometimes wearing too much insulation on your feet can actually work against you in the fight to stay warm. Always keep in mind your activity level – if you are hiking or shoveling snow, your body will naturally generate a fair amount of heat so it is important not to over-insulate, which will cause you to sweat and then freeze when you stop. On the other hand, if you are performing a stationary activity like hunting from a treestand, watching an outdoor sporting event, or hanging out at a campsite, you’ll need more insulation to retain your body heat. Watch the video or read below, where we lay out 10 tips to keep your feet feeling warmer in the winter.

1. Layer correctly up top – a proper clothing layering system ensures your body can spare warmth to keep your extremities warm instead of only warming your core. Clothing layering should be divided into three basic elements - Base Layer, Middle Layer, and Outer Layer. Typically during activities, you will wear only your base and/or middle layers. When you become stationary or the temperature drops significantly you will then add on your outer layer. All layers should be wool or synthetic (not cotton!) so that they can effectively trap heat and manage moisture. 

2. Your feet will begin to sweat almost immediately in any boot so managing moisture is critical. If you are driving to a destination in your warm car, it’s a good idea to keep any insulated footwear off of your feet until you arrive at your destination. That way you won’t begin sweating in your boots; thereby reducing their ability to insulate effectively.

3. Always use wool socks – they mange moisture the most effectively and will trap heat even when damp, unlike cotton. Even if you do everything right, your feet will begin to perspire once you put your boots on. The unique structure of wool fibers both retains warmth and wicks moisture even while damp. Cotton, on the other hand will lose all insulating properties the moment your feet begin to perspire. Not only that, cotton is more likely to cause blisters and other problems for your feet when wearing boots for an extended period. Afraid of the “itch” associated with wool? Don’t be – most of the well known wool sock brands like Darn Tough, Smartwool, etc use merino wool which is known for being exceptionally soft and non-itchy.

4. Be careful with too much insulation – it will make your feet sweat too much early on and result in cold feet later in the day. Wearing extra insulation sounds like a good idea, but if you are doing something active, like hiking, shoveling the driveway, doing yard work, etc you won’t gain much extra warmth versus a low- or non-insulated boot, in the meantime your feet will sweat a whole lot more. When you stop, that extra moisture in your boot will reduce its ability to retain heat and will make your feet cold. We’ve even seen extreme cases where too much insulation caused one customer’s feet to sweat so profusely that it appeared that his boots had a leak. Think about what you plan to do in your footwear and choose accordingly.

5. Make sure your boots aren’t too tight. They need to have enough room so your socks and any insulation effectively trap heat and allow for circulation. Insulation in your boots and that which is provided by your socks both work on the concept of dead air space. By trapping tiny pockets of warm air, they provide a barrier against the cold outside. If your boots are too tight the insulation will compress and reduce in effectiveness. If you are getting a pair of boots for winter use it is best to try them on with thicker socks and to err on the side of just a little extra room as opposed to not enough.

6. Bring an extra pair of socks. If you are going to sweat and generate heat, but then will stop and be stationary it can be a good idea to have a backup pair of dry, clean socks to change into. For example, if you are hiking to a campsite you can change into the fresh socks once you are done setting up camp so your feet will stay warm when you stop being active. In this scenario we would recommend putting the worn socks inside your jacket, in the bottom of yours sleeping bag, or somewhere where they can stay warm and gradually dry off.

7. You can add an ultra light weight sock as a liner to wick moisture off of your feet. There are special socks for this, but a very thin wool or synthetic sock will work too. Although not necessary, this can help to improve comfort and make your feet feel a little drier throughout the day.

8. Make sure your boots are weatherproofed – use SnoSeal, Mink Oil, Silicone Spray, other leather/fabric protectants so that the outermost layer of your boots doesn’t get waterlogged. Even though most waterproof boots now feature a waterproof membrane inside the boot, a waterlogged upper will suck the heat out of your shoes much faster than a dry one. Protecting the outer layer of your boots is very important in cold, damp, or snowy environments. Some of these protectants can reduce the “breathability” of a boot, but in general the trade off is well worth it for the sake of retaining heat.

9. Make sure to let your boots dry out overnight – stay away from heat sources which can permanently damage leather and adhesives in your boot. Just lay your boots in a warm area with enough space for air to circulate around them. For extreme cases of wetness inside your boots you can remove the insoles to dry out and stuff the boots with dry newspaper, which will help to suck out the moisture. If they are completely soaked inside you may have to change out the newspaper after a couple of hours.

10. If using toe warmers, sometimes putting them on top of your toes works better because it allows more air to circulate into the toe warmer keeping it active. Be careful when using toe warmers – they should never go directly against your skin as they can cause burns if used in this manner. Also be careful that you don’t overwarm your feet causing them to sweat excessively. 

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