I've had a pair of LL Bean Maine Hunting boots for as long as I can remember. They're uninsulated and when it's cold I usually wear extra socks, but still end up being a little cold. The Alabama winters can get surprisingly cold, and I'm thinking about purchasing removable Gortex liners for $65. Do any of you have any experience with the liners? How warm are they? Any other Mud opinions?
Thanks
Personally, I think the Bean boots are great for the wet/slop/mud...but not great for the cold or extended periods standing or hiking. They are rubber with leather uppers. While the rubber is great for keeping the moisture from getting in...it does the same from letting your feet breathe, causing a lot of moisture build up and cold on the inside. Now, if they were insulated, or felt lined, that would solve your problem. But they're not...so the best option is not to buy the gortex sox/liners, but seek an alternative boot that may have those other features and put your money there. Goretex liners or VBL (Vapor Barrier Liners) have been used on Everest and other extreme climbs to help with the cold. In Alambama, you'll end up with wet socks and wrinkled toes. Keep your Bean boots, as I have, for the slop, get a new pair of boots to supplement your needs.
I used the Seal-line Gortex once, on a Boundary Waters paddling trip. The seams shifted and shuffled, don't recommend them for other than paddling work.
I should have mentioned that the liners are sold by LL Bean specifically for uninsulated LL Bean Maine hunting boots...if that changes your opinion BJTLC, although I understand what you're saying. Also, I will primarily wear them for bumming around the farm, no extended periods of rough hiking. I usually wear Redwing Cowboy/Roper boots, but in the winter the farm gets so muddy that it forces me wear bean boots.
For the farm muck I wear one size larger pair of rubber muck boots with two to 3 socks in them. When the toes get cold I change the socks. For me that is 4 to 6 hours hard work. Also the sock against my foot is always a moisture wicking one. The others are chosen for their insulation capacity.
I still don't know for sure about the gortex liners for the boots. Here's my thoughts. When I ski hard, or hike in a rain storm, I sweat wearing a gore-tex jacket. It does a good job keeping moisture out...and it does "breathe" to some degree, but I still sweat, everyone does. Your feet will be moving, and probably sweating, so the gortex may actually make them sweat more. It's not a matter of keeping them moisture from getting to them...the rubber boot part already does a good job at that. Insulation is what you need for cold feet in this case I think. Maybe a different pair or pairs of socks???
Well I'll stick with the extra socks. I did some more research and around the foot it's 200 gram thinsulate and up the ankle it's Gortex, but they only sell them aftermarket for women, so my problem's solved. Plus I have had experience of wet feet in the freezing cold, and agree with y'all about the sweat.
I've had a pair of LL Bean Maine Hunting boots for as long as I can remember. They're uninsulated and when it's cold I usually wear extra socks, but still end up being a little cold. The Alabama winters can get surprisingly cold, and I'm thinking about purchasing removable Gortex liners for $65. Do any of you have any experience with the liners? How warm are they? Any other Mud opinions?
Thanks
Just to be clear - I've worked for Gore for 22 years.
Cold feet is about heat-loss. Specifically,the rate of heat-loss is greater than the rate of heat produced. Insulation reduces the rate of heat-loss, but heat-flow is 23 times faster for wet insulation than dry insulation.
To keep warm in cold conditions you need to keep your insulation dry. How much insulation you need is dependent on your physiology, your activity and the temp. Regardless of those three variables, you need to keep your insulation dry.
The foot is the sweatiest part of the human body. More sweat glands per square inch than any other part of the body (though maybe similar to your scalp - I forget right now... )
Rubber bottom boots don't allow moisture to evaporate out of the boot. Sweaty feet + non-breathable boots = wet insulation = cold feet.
Since you love your boots (I would too if I owned a pair!) I think a better option would be to swap socks every 2 hours or so. This way you'll have dry insulation, and most likely warmer feet.
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