Hey I'm looking for some advice from you seasoned adventurers as to recommended footwear for a winter trip into the BWCA.

My Dad is putting together a winter camping/fishing trip on the east side of the BWCA and I'm not sure what kind of footwear to get? I went on a dogsledding trip 5 years ago up there and had way to thick of boots and then I was watching a video of some people hiking in to do some trout fishing it looked like they were only wearing waterproof hiking boots?

If I were to go in for 4 nights and be using snowshoes or Hoks as my transportation what kind of shoes should I be buying? I wouldn't want rubber winter boots would I? Seems like they wouldn't be super comfortable for travel.

Any suggestions of use and brands would be highly recommended.

If I'm missing a token piece of information to help answer this question please let me know.

Thanks!

All depends on conditions. In dry cold Mukluks are the way to go and for wet and slushy conditions you can use the Mukluk liners (or purchase felt liners and inserts) and put them in cheap Tingley rubber overboots. You may want to get two pairs of liners, so you always have a dry pair while the other one dries out. Neo Overboots are another options when it's wet.

You didn’t mention if you are cold camping? Hot tent?

Kraut has a good method to use. Slush on ice will be a great burden if you encounter it since you plan on ice fishing I would go that route.

If it’s warm I go with waterproof hiking boots in my snowshoes. I have my Steger Mukluks back at camp to change into. First boot I had that has kept my feet warm all the way down to minus 20. Now you know why I bring them.

No matter what you plan on doing have a backup in case you get wet. I have down booties I bring for around camp only as they are light weight and pack easily in case my first two sets of boots are wet. Synthetic booties are cheaper.

Good luck and I hope you have fun.

There are lots of options, and sort of like summer every one finds what works well for them. Two big factors that might influence what works well for you are temperature and slush..

Don’t think of winter as one steady thing. Temps can easily change from +30 to - 30 in no time. That’s a huge range; the same as +30 to + 90.

I started winter camping using insulated hunting boots to snowshoe in, and then heavy pac boots around camp. This worked ok for me, but the hunting boots were hard to dry and the pac boots seemed big and heavy.

Now with several trips I really love my Steger mukluks as my main boot. They are super light weight and comfortable, warm, and dry easily overnight in my hot tent. Extra liners can be handy, but now I usually bring two pairs so I always have one on and one ready. I also very much like my NEOS Adventureres, which add warmth, are waterproof, and can fit over my mukluks or be used with just a liner.

I don’t have a pair yet, but I also think highly of US military Mickey Mouse boots. They are relatively inexpensive and very warm, just not breathable. I see a good many dog mushers using them.

Kraut88: "All depends on conditions. In dry cold Mukluks are the way to go and for wet and slushy conditions you can use the Mukluk liners (or purchase felt liners and inserts) and put them in cheap Tingley rubber overboots. You may want to get two pairs of liners, so you always have a dry pair while the other one dries out. Neo Overboots are another options when it's wet. "

Sorry, this would be hot tenting

lyontyl: "

Kraut88: "All depends on conditions. In dry cold Mukluks are the way to go and for wet and slushy conditions you can use the Mukluk liners (or purchase felt liners and inserts) and put them in cheap Tingley rubber overboots. You may want to get two pairs of liners, so you always have a dry pair while the other one dries out. Neo Overboots are another options when it's wet. "

Sorry, this would be hot tenting"

yes, I use the above setup for hot tenting. Your advantage will be that it's much easier and faster to dry out stuff, which includes your boot liners. Waterproof hiking boots will freeze up when wet (vs the Tingleys or Neos), so if you end up using them, you can dry or thaw them out by the stove.

Kraut88: "

lyontyl: "

Kraut88: "All depends on conditions. In dry cold Mukluks are the way to go and for wet and slushy conditions you can use the Mukluk liners (or purchase felt liners and inserts) and put them in cheap Tingley rubber overboots. You may want to get two pairs of liners, so you always have a dry pair while the other one dries out. Neo Overboots are another options when it's wet. "

Sorry, this would be hot tenting"

yes, I use the above setup for hot tenting. Your advantage will be that it's much easier and faster to dry out stuff, which includes your boot liners. Waterproof hiking boots will freeze up when wet (vs the Tingleys or Neos), so if you end up using them, you can dry or thaw them out by the stove. "

Drying liners can be done by hanging them up high, but I get better results by sticking 4 sticks in the snow to the side of the stove. My liners go on two and my muks on two. Rotate them around depending on heat.

I always bring two pair of boots for winter camping. A comfortable pair of lightly insulated winter hiking boots (Vasque 400g Thinsulate waterproof) for the snowshoe/ski in, and super well insulated knee-high rubber boots (Lacrosse Alpha Burly Pro 1600g).

I would prefer to bring my mukluks because they are super comfortable and have the built-in gaiter, but they do not do well with wet conditions. it is very rare that you wont run into slush or open water when BWCA winter camping, even if it is 20 below zero. I would wear my mukluks for the hike in, but they do not work well with snowshoe or hok ski bindings.

Another good option for boots would be the traditional Sorel style winter boot with the removable liner. Anything with a removable liner is a plus so you can take them out and put them in the bottom of your sleeping bag if you're cold camping or put them by the stove to dry out if you're hot tent camping. Once rubber boots are wet, they take a long time to dry, even with removable insoles.

I love my mukluks. Spare liners and insoles. Overshoes that fit the liners and insoles. Great versatile setup. Being able to dry your footwear is one of the most important details. You don’t want to put on frozen boots in the morning. I’ve used this setup for over twenty years.

So I am looking at the Keens Revel IV Mid Polar for a boot to wear in while we are hiking. They are waterproof and 200g thinsulate. I have had good luck with Keens in the past. Does anyone have any experience with these?

*FYI I appreciate all the recommendations for the Mukluks and if I continue to do this I may look into them. My only hang-up with the Mukluks is the price and the limited usage they would receive.

Vapor Barrier Liner (VBL) *vital gear*

For decades I have worn 3 mm closed cell neoprene divers socks over thin polyester liner socks as a VAPOR BARRIER LINER. This keeps the insulation of my boots DRY and dry insulation is far warmer than sweat-soaked insulation. I've found US Divers brand to be the best with factory sealed seams and Right and Left shaped socks.

For camping I take one pair of liner socks per day, changing them out at night and putting the sweaty socks in a quart ZipLoc freezer bag. Then I turn the divers socks inside-out to dry in my tent for 15 - 20 minutes before putting them in the bottom of my sleeping bag overnight ALONG WITH my removable boot insulating liners. Finally I put on a pair of heavy wool "sleep socks" over the clean poly liner socks.

Warm feet in the morning are now a reality, avoiding painfully cold toes during breakfast and breaking camp.
My bona fides are 10 year Nordic (XC) ski patroller and US army ROTC Cadet winter survival instructor.

One note on winter footwear which is semi-obvious is to have two *actual boot* sets. Last trip I had used the standard waterproof Sorel which worked great and a waterproof goretex winter running shoe as backup (my back up boots have some cracks so went with lighter/still waterproof option).

Sorels were bulletproof until I tipped one of them into the water under the stove. The second back up footware have to be high enough over ankles that the powder skirt on snowpant leg can cover. Thankfully it was in evening prior to dinner and the liner and boot dried fairly quickly. Realized that little dampness creeping through the cracks in my old boots would have been much better than a hike out which packed snow into my shoe/ankles the following morning.

Litehiker: "Vapor Barrier Liner (VBL) *vital gear*
3 mm closed cell neoprene divers socks
"

Do you use ankle or high cut? Going to order some on this recommendation.

I have used Canadian military mukluks and U.S. military Bunny / Mickey Mouse boots. I prefer the U.S. boots. I felt that they were more durable, comfortable, waterproof, and maintenance free. The only advantage I found with the mukluks is that when dry they felt warmer.

Litehiker: "Vapor Barrier Liner (VBL) *vital gear*

For decades I have worn 3 mm closed cell neoprene divers socks over thin polyester liner socks as a VAPOR BARRIER LINER. "

This runs opposite to what I've always been taught about keeping your feet dry. I think you're saying that wet feet don't matter, it is wet insulation that matters. I think the whole point of mulkuks is that they breathe, so any vapor your feet create goes out through the breathable moose hide.

If you're ignoring breathable footwear, what do you recommend over the neoprene socks?

Did you wear these under your XC ski boots too? I'd imagine my feet would be dripping in sweat if I had on a VBL. Do your feet feel wet most of the day?

I'm genuinely interested in your system.

My bona fides are 10 year Nordic (XC) ski patroller and US army ROTC Cadet winter survival instructor.
"

Where did ROTC cadets receive winter survival training? I went through Army ROTC training in Buffalo, NY and our winter survival training consisted of being yelled at to stop whining about the cold.