So, as some of you may know I am a field service mechanic. Sure riding to the job in my "nice warm truck" as I have been told by steel workers and such is nice, but when I get to the job it's usually gloves off, bare knuckling to do the job. Mechanics gloves were suggested by one of the guys at a jobsite I go to waaaayyyyyy to often and I told him they were crap. Used them before and still don't have the finger dexterity in tight places like good ol' bare hands and I don't think they really offer any type of warmth.

Now, the whole glove thing, not what the question is about. My feet get cold in these high dollar leather red wings with that clump of steel in the toe. When I lived in western New York my feet would get cold, just a family thing I guess, Mom's feet got cold in winter. It may be in part to the stuff I have to walk through all the time, puddles of water, glopped up mudholes, etc. Now I know Tennessee winters are nothing like, Western New York, Nebraska, Colorado......Alaska, but it get's in the teens and have seen near zero in years past and my job does not end when...."it's to cold, don't go outside if you don't have to" weather reports that you hear on the TV down here.

I've done some searching on the web and found a few boots that look like they would fit what I do. The first pair I found, all with steel toe, a requirement for my job, is by Servus(?) supposed to be like a pac boot(whatever that is) and good to minus 75, obviously more than I'll ever need, especially with the global warming( )

here.... http://www.gemplers.com/item/A442.html

The second pair, by Baffin, also steel toe and good to minus 148?? Will anyone ever see that?? I like this pair cause there made in Canada, I trust you Canucks, especially when it comes to cold weather gear. I don't like the price or the 13" tall part. Seem more like hip waders. They are here....

http://www.gemplers.com/footwear/ins...ar/109839.html

I like them both for the natural rubber which seems like it will be easy to clean off gobs of mud and muck, keep out water, Tennessee gets just cold enough to see rain on those 30 degree days and that really sucks when your feet are all wet. Do you cold weather guys know of anything else? I'll have two pairs of boots, summer and winter boots. The company will pay up to $125 per year and I have a pair of summer boots (the red wings) that should make it through the summer and I'll get a new pair next year. I have looked at the insulated boots, like a typical work boot and have tried them....in NY and they suck....IMO, at least for my feet. Also has anyone ever dealt with Gemplers as far as buying stuff? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

Shawn

 

Your boots might not be your problem.

It's your socks (maybe since I don't know what you wear) and being in that warm truck. You feet are getting nice and warm in the truck, then the y sweat. Then out in the cold your feet are cold because they are wet or even just damp. Am I on to something?

I had the same problem on many different jobs over the years and about 6 years ago discovered a fix.

Three things.

Goretex boots because the breath and allow moisture to escape.

Wear a thin poly sock to wick moisture away from your feet and a good non cotton outer sock. The outer sock should be not real heavy.

Take extra socks to change into if your work gets your feet sweating.

If possible, when you are in a warm place like driving in the truck to a jobsite remove your heavy wook boots and wear something light so your feet don't sweat.

I have found that the heavest winter boots will still allow your feet to get cold. The trick is to keep them dry.

 

Standing outside during the blizzard of '77 with an m16 taught me a lot!

then I became a sled dog musher and learned waaay more!

above post is right, start with the socks and have a pair to change to.
I would recommend the thin nylon or poly sock as he does but change to the wool. it insulates even when wet and give the seperation inside the boot.

the musher trick is to put stick type deodorant on the soles of your feet.
it reduces the sweating that starts all this. Believe me, I run a four dog sled for sport and wear only thin track shoes with cleats, a scuba diver's neoprene suit and wool hat and gloves. you run with that sled, push, lean to turn, bump it over obstacles and generally never stay still. I have terrible circulation and have had frostbite before. This set up of the deodorant and two types of socks really works at keeping the nice little piggies warm and dry. also agree with the truck driving with slip on boots then change to the lace ups work boots. every once in a while, slide your heel up and give the toes some of that footspace to move around and get air circulating. I learned that guarding a dammm parking lot at the Olympics 1980 from a rooftop at Lake Placid......just brutal cold up there!

now get back to work!!

 

Pretty much what Ram1999 and Justwannabeme said. I have the Baffin boots and have worked in -62 degrees C and they work well. BUT buy another pair of liners and alternate them so that they dry out. Or remember to take the liner out nightly and allow it to dry out before the next day. Biggest thing is keeping your feet dry. Good Luck!

Gregg

 

Dg, I saw something on this last trip home (Ohio) that I hadn't seen before, socks made for people who wear steel toed boots. I found them at a little place called Coulter's Dog & Hunter's Supply near New Philadelphia, Ohio. They believe they had extra insulation at the toes. You can px them at 330-339-2505. I've been buying from them for several years. I think you will be hard pressed to find a nicer bunch of people to deal with. Shipping is not a problem for them. Rick

 

I wear my sneakers when Im in my truck in the winter.
The heater is never on the floor fully. maybe some, but not completely
http://www.rei.com/online/store/Lear...ADVICE_CAMPING

here is a run down on the various socks.

Another tip especially if your still, loosen your boots.
when I hunt, I will take my boots off after I get to my location, then slip them off to change to a dry sock, then not tie them until I get ready to move. This keeps more of an air gap around your foot and doesn't conduct heat as readily.

 

I agree...dress in layers rotate socksand all the above. course being a Alaskan I have to advertise bunny boots, I know they are not steel toe but actually you can get steel cups that can be worn over them, but most companys have stoped doing that. http://www.bunnyboots.com/

 

Wow those things are ugly! haha

 

Might be ugly but nothing better...Beware the ratings on boots they are usually exaggerated by a factor of 2

 

I'm generally a function over form guy, but those things..hahaha. I bet they are warm though; thats a lot of wool.

 

Good socks are a must. I have found that socks with a high wool content work best for me at keeping my feet dry and warm.

An alternative to the Pac boots is to wear overboots. When I was working in Minnesota and the Dakotas, the locals preferred to wear their regular steel toed leather boots with a felt lined rubber over boot instead of Pac style boots for warmth. The principle of layering applies and it works.

 

I wear a thin layer sock first which is made out of CoolMax. Then second layer is a little thicker, but not too thick, tightly woven wool. No cotton AT ALL. I like SmartWool.. a little expensive.

 

Ak, those "bunny boots" are US military flight boots..we call them "mickey mouse shoes"...they were designed for the cargo handlers who ride/work in the bays of C-130's and were designed to be pressurized when at altittude.
They sure are warm tho, I have a pair of surplus ones I wear when the temps get below 30* because I am standing on a steel deck and concrete most of the day, and even the Bates and RedWing winter boots get too cold on my piggies....

 

Some of us biker dudes rely on electric vests to keep our core temperature up which helps keep warm blood pumping to the extremities.

 

Now, on the flipside, what about summer temps? Around here it gets up to 110 plus on a regular basis during the summer. I wear steel toes, and work outside a lot of the time...and yes, it sucks. My boots are Goretex, should I use the same principle of a wicking sock and a thin wool sock or what?

thanks
Josh