Hello SIG forum! As the title says, I'm looking for some cold weather footwear.

Here is "the specs".

1)Must be fairly warm, of course.

2)Fairly lightweight and flexible, as I will be wearing them for work, and since work is driving a bus they need to be flexible and somewhat compact.

3)I would like for them to be waterproof. You would be surprised how much I'm outside of the bus, rain and snow are a consideration.

4)I would like for the price to be reasonable, I don't have a set price. As these are for work mostly, I have to say that I don't mind spending the money because there are days where I'll be in them for surprisingly long time.

My standard footwear are Vasque GorTex hiking ankle high boots. They are OK in the high 30's but get uncomfortable in the high 20's.

They should have good perspiration mitigation, as my feet sweat even cool.

I wear wool socks in cold weather, with a wicking sock underneath, this helps but my Vasgue just aren't warm enough.

Any help with suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


ARman

I have a pair of salamon quest 4d that I LOVE. I can spend 6-7 hours outside in December in the snow on the range and be comfortable.l (with appropriate socks)

Insulated Danner Acadias?

Cold is relative.

What temps are you talking?

Bob

Check out the Danner lineup. I have 3 pair, 2 uninsulated and 1 Insulated. They are very well made and comfortable right out of the box.

These are the insulated boots I have and they are very warm for my needs. https://www.amazon.com/Danner-...insulated+work+boots

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
Cold is relative.

What temps are you talking?

Bob

Well, that is the problem. Outside temps in the Bluegrass state can be in the low teens to 60's in the winter.

There have been days where it has started out in the mid 20's and end up in the high 50's low 60's.

I'm a school bus driver, which isn't the warmest vehicle to be in, especially the drivers area. With the door opening all the time.

Sometimes. I'm on the bus for hours on end. On field trips and can't run the bus because of fuel. Have to have enough to get home you know!

Under those conditions it can get damn cold on the bus! There are times where my feet hurt because of the cold.

I'm looking for something that can handle a wide range of temperatures, at least the 20' to 40's without being too cold or hot. It would be nice if they were water proof also!

They need to be flexible enough to have good feeling of the peddles, and compact enough to operate a forward control bus which has an extremely small foot well.

That is the problem. The warm boots I have are to big and clumsy to operate a forward control bus. So I'm hoping for some ideas.

I guess what I need is driving shoes comfort and cold weather boot performance! I don't know if I will be able to find anything that will work!

I'm not the only driver that has the same problems with footwear and the cold. I'm just tired of cold feet!

Like I said. My Vasgue are OK when it's mid/high 30's but on long field trips, they can be a little cold. Just hoping for a salutation.

ARman

Could it be your feet be getting cold and sweating because your boots are too tight?

It almost doesn't matter what you wear for socks, or even if the boot is insulated, if it's too tight, because the insulating properties of the socks (or whatever) won't work and your circulation will be poor.

Oh, and your feet, when they do generate excess heat, will sweat more. Well, more accurately: Everything will shed moisture less efficiently.

My best boots (plain old uninsulated leather Timberlands I've had for ages) are so roomy my feet swim in them with regular white athletic socks. But I throw on a pair of SmartWool socks or the like, the boots are just >< filled in nicely, my feet stay warm.

LL Bean insulated duck boots are fairly narrow and flexible.

Did you ever think to take 2 pair of shoes?

Bob

Well what I have isn't tight, so I don't think that's my problem there.

The real problem is driving the rear engine buses, especially the older ones. The service door "flutters" a little at highway speeds and they don't have heat worth spit to begin with!

I take blankets with me, but can't use them while driving, so that's that.

I have a snow ski club and with them have to travel some to get to the slopes. The club house is kind of warm but sometimes it is very loud and after a long day I want a little quiet. So that's time on a cold bus.

I have thought about the L.L. Bean boots, but they are kinda costly and I have never used them before. At about $200.00 I hate to take the chance.

ARman

I also have the LLBean pack boots. They keep my feet warm in Iowa winters which are much more severe than what you are talking about. If I recall, LLB has a suggested temperature range for their boot probably on their website. Expensive, somewhat, but quality yes.

You might want to look at electric socks. I used an electric vest and gloves in my motorcycling days, and they were great. Here's a link: http://www.thewarmingstore.com...eat-sock-liners.html

Is style/appearance an issue?

If not, you might want to look into Muck brand boots.

I have a pair of 16" Muck boots I wear year around. Just for quick trips down to the barn in the Summer as they do get a little warm, but I've been toasty in them all Winter long in Maine Winters. Slip on and very comfy with my semi-custom orthotics (plantar fasciitis) in them. I can walk all day in comfort.

I also wear wicking socks (People Socks from Amazon) all year around, my feet stay warm and dry.

They're available in several styles and heights, as well as levels of insulation.

From personal experience I like Danner boots, as well as Matterhorn boots. A little pricey, but comfortable and long-lasting so you get your money's worth. Both brands are available with Gore-Tex for water-resistance and breathability.

The Matterhorn boots I had were neat, they had "smart" insulation, where it kept the temperature inside the boot consistent regardless of the outside temps. I wore them in hot summer weather and trudging through snow in the winter; never felt that my feet got overheated or cold. I don't know if that type of insulation is still available, though.

If you like Vasque, look at the offerings from Irish Setter and Redwing. I would suggest no more than 400-600 grams of Thinsulate as you are in a bus and not just outside. Don't forget to have quality socks as well. Costco sells a woolblend sock right now that I quite like for about $12 per pack of four IIRC.

Check out Lowas offerings.
I wear their Zephers as my hunting boots and it can easily be in the 20s and 30s with the proper socks they are nice and toasty.
I think they are technically 3 season boot but I wear them all year.

Get any pair of boots that will be warm enough for most regular days and carry some foot warmer packs for the few days that are really cold.

I've had good luck with insulated Keen boots.

Whatever brand you get, make sure they are 1/2 to one whole size larger then you think they should be. They should be a bit loose. Not tight. My feet sweat, so I will often take a second or third pair of socks and change then as needed.

JMO...not based on science !!mike

You might be a little more cold-sensitive than most.

I have a pair of Lowe Renegades, uninsulated Gore-tex boots that I wear mostly when it snows. I've been fine spending time outside down into single digits in them, with just normal weight wool boot socks.

I was going to recommend them - they're light and very comfortable. I've hiked in them, even played soccer (unexpectedly) in them on occasion. But you might not find them to be warm enough.

Bunny Boots

Don't laugh...while these may be overkill, they meet your requirements (except for flexibility).

20+ years with mine in northern Minnesota winters, and still going strong. Spend hours outdoors in them, and my feet DO NOT get cold. Wish I could say that about the rest of my body!