Avoiding frozen toes...

A trip out to the highseat early yesterday morning saw me layered up to Michelin man levels. Even with innumerable thermal base layers and 4 pairs of socks (including thermal ones), the cold started get to my feet after a couple of hours. I always find it strange that I can endure the cold as long as my feet stay warm and dry. Whilst dry, they sure as hell got cold yesterday.

Had a deer obligingly shown up to be shot, the toes would probably not have been that much of an issue. However, and probably unsurprisingly, nothing showed up (and all I had to think about were my chilly tootsies!).

The lesson learnt yesterday was that, if it's that bloody cold that my toes freeze, chances are that the deer think its bloody cold too and have sensibly snuggled up somewhere under cover. It also didn't help that every step along the ride to get to the highseat unavoidably sounded like a gunshot as the grass and leaves were frozen brittle. Any deer that heard me crashing through would almost certainly have scarpered.

Next time, I may just stay in bed if the thermometer shows - 3C and go out later in the morning or leave it until the afternoon instead!

Absence of deer and cold feet aside, it was an incredibly beautiful morning to be out and it all serves as part of the learning curve.

And before anyone else says it, I'll accept that I'm a Southern softie and -3C isn't as cold as some people may stalk in :)
 
Try rubbing lots of Vaseline into hands before putting the gloves on, worked for me when I used to sit in a Pigeon hide for hours. Don’t know if it would work for feet, can only try?

Best, WIllowbank.
 
I then went out and bought a pair of Grubs Eskline 8.5 from Uttings on the back of it.

I must admit I did couple them with some disposable feet warmers, but I would thoroughly recommend those Grubs 8.5. Wish I had found them years ago.

Was looking for a pair of winter wellies and spotted your post. Bought a pair of the Grubs Snowline 8.5 and quite agree with your findings - very warm with a pair of woolen winter socks and liner socks on, plus don’t feel bulky when walking around.

Grubs Snowline 8.6
 
We've had ice on puddles only 3 times so far this winter.

My ice is in the freezer. and it will be quite a few months before I see a puddle frozen. As we live out of town I buy LL milk in one litre cartons having it.
Once emptied and flushed I refill with water and freeze them into Litre bricks so as to have at hand when the drinks are going in the chill bin or I stab chunks off for the dram glass.
I would love some frozen puddles right now.
 
A snippet of my forecast..there are NO puddles to freeze lol.

7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST
Summary Fri
Jan 25
Sat
Jan 26
Sun
Jan 27
Mon
Jan 28
Tue
Jan 29
Wed
Jan 30
Thu
Jan 31



Maximum 45°C 42°C 31°C 35°C 39°C 39°C 35°CMinimum 25°C25°C23°C19°C22°C24°C25°C
 
I've shot numerous flights on the foreshore and inland stood in freezing water, I opt for a pair if woollen socks with a pair of heat holder socks over the top. Seens to keep my toes toasty! And that's just with wader with bog standard rubber wellies.

Neoprene lined wellies or boots might help up the high seat
 
I often find that on really cold days the best way of keeping your feet warm is to get a thin pair of cotton socks and put your feet up by the fire and wait for it to warm up.
 
A trip out to the highseat early yesterday morning saw me layered up to Michelin man levels. Even with innumerable thermal base layers and 4 pairs of socks (including thermal ones), the cold started get to my feet after a couple of hours. I always find it strange that I can endure the cold as long as my feet stay warm and dry. Whilst dry, they sure as hell got cold yesterday.

Had a deer obligingly shown up to be shot, the toes would probably not have been that much of an issue. However, and probably unsurprisingly, nothing showed up (and all I had to think about were my chilly tootsies!).

The lesson learnt yesterday was that, if it's that bloody cold that my toes freeze, chances are that the deer think its bloody cold too and have sensibly snuggled up somewhere under cover. It also didn't help that every step along the ride to get to the highseat unavoidably sounded like a gunshot as the grass and leaves were frozen brittle. Any deer that heard me crashing through would almost certainly have scarpered.

Next time, I may just stay in bed if the thermometer shows - 3C and go out later in the morning or leave it until the afternoon instead!

Absence of deer and cold feet aside, it was an incredibly beautiful morning to be out and it all serves as part of the learning curve.

And before anyone else says it, I'll accept that I'm a Southern softie and -3C isn't as cold as some people may stalk in :)
-3 positively balmy T shirt weather.
 
Must admit, I spent the whole day yesterday in 5 to 8 degrees in lashing rain wearing my Grubs 8.5 Eskline and some smart wool socks. Having covered over 6 miles around the estate over the day I have to say that my feet were toastie if not a little roasted at times.
 
A snippet of my forecast..there are NO puddles to freeze lol.

7-DAY WEATHER FORECAST
Summary Fri
Jan 25
Sat
Jan 26
Sun
Jan 27
Mon
Jan 28
Tue
Jan 29
Wed
Jan 30
Thu
Jan 31



Maximum 45°C 42°C 31°C 35°C 39°C 39°C 35°CMinimum 25°C25°C23°C19°C22°C24°C25°C
To bl@@dy hot for me mate we hit 32.5 last summer a record for Scotland about as hot as I can stand,don't feel the cold to much at least not a frosty cold though wind chill can get to me though.
Hardly ever wear gloves needs to be really cold before I do, I must be one of the very few people to get frost bite or more correctly frost nip in Scotland , a combination of temperature below -10 and wet feet, both big toes turned black and I lost the nails they grew back but misshapen the nail beds are obviously damaged.
The joys of Highland stalking.
 
Sorels and smartwood sock, every time.
+1 on the Sorels. I was out last Saturday evening - had to wipe an inch of slush off the highseat before we could sit down. The snow in our tree was melting and dripping constantly onto us and there was a brisk Northerly breeze. Every part of me was freezing except my feet - a cheaper pair of Sorels and wool socks did the trick. As an aside - the guy I was with had Harkila boots, he said they were the coldest worst-insulated boots he'd ever had.
 
I suffer from white finger and carpel tunnel in my wrists I've tried loads of gloves best I've found is the diving gloves 5mm neoprene,
For my feet I've got a pair of dunlop purofort coldstore wellies nice an toastie.
 
I have a pair of these on order . . . . .


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