Winter Flying Boots

[wxguy]

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good pair of winter (as in Canadian winter) work boots for flying?
Thanks

[Just another canuck]

If you're spending lots of time outside, you need those crazy military ones... chimo winter boot... I think they're a few hundred bucks though. Some of the guys I worked with used them, but they are quite bulky. You may be able to get a second hand pair from an army surplus.

I spent the winter pretty much north of 70 and just used a really good pair of work boots from Mark's... whatever you do, don't get a steel toe. Put up the extra cash for composite... if you even want that kind of protection.

[Liquid Charlie]

Acton Wear -- expensive ($300) but the only thing for the high arctic -- You can also try surplus for the same thing but difficult to to get good ones with liners that match

[Just another canuck]

Acton Wear -- expensive ($300) but the only thing for the high arctic -- You can also try surplus for the same thing but difficult to to get good ones with liners that match

Are these the white ones I'm thinking of???

[Ref Plus 10]

Columbia Bugaboot, available from MEC. Works great in the Antarctic, haven't had a chance to get them up north yet.

[wallypilot]

Columbia Bugaboot, available from MEC. Works great in the Antarctic, haven't had a chance to get them up north yet.

Ditto. Used them for a few years in the arctic. comfy, warm, and still leaves you with a bit of feel for the rudder. I think I paid about $120 back in 2002 at Mark's. Not so bulky as some other boots.

[polar one]

Mickey Mouse boots...serious.. google it. Buy them new in the US for about USD$80.00 Buy the white ones...not..the black ones. There is a difference even though the black ones can apparently take fuel spilled on them.
Also, Baffin boots..you can buy them rated for -50 or -100. Very comfortable. They wont take their temp as rated but will get within about 20 deg or so. They are as easy to fly in as normal shoes. They used to sell them at Marks work warehouse or the NOrthern Stores.

I know these are not MEC stock, but they are comfortable, durable, and in comparison the the "brand names", very reasonably priced.

[shinysideup]

I liked Merrell's Chameleon Thermo 6. Set me back about $160 at Sport Chek. I used them North of Churchill up to Resolute Bay. I didn't spend lots of time out in the cold ie. plane to terminal, loading the plane, avg. 20 minutes outside. They are light and comfortable, good sole, doens't slip on the ice. You can still feel the rudders too, they're like wearing running shoes. Have fun.

[Liquid Charlie]

Are these the white ones I'm thinking of???

Indeed but more practical to buy them in Blue -- unless of course you like to see white ones turn black

[snoopy]

As mentioned above, the Acton military boots are the best - mukluk style with flexible sole (a must for rudder/torque pedals!) and double wool duffel liner keeps you warm even if you get damp. The rubber on the sole is very good quality and stays flexible and reasonably slip free in extreme cold. The boots used to come in Black, but now you can only get them in white (yuk!). You can buy them from Weaver & Devore in Yellowknife or the SIR store, but last I checked, W&D was cheaper, even considering mailing costs to wherever in Canada.




The boots require some work to maximize efficiency - best to a pull the liner and both sole inserts out every night and dry them out - pain in the ass to reassemble every morning, but worth it.

You can buy hand made wool socks from Egli's Sheep farm west of Dryden http://www.eglifarm.com/index.php - the itchy scratchy grey kind - but those, along with the double wool duffel will keep your feet toasty in the extreme cold. You have to call and ask about the hand made ones as for some reason they never list them on the website. $25/pair (trust me, they're worth every penny) - hand wash or gentle cycle only COLD water - NO DRYER!!!

Also, you'll want to ditch the laces that come with the boots and buy hockey laces so you can lace 'em up properly - mukluk style (thanks to Jim Smith for that trick, may he R.I.P.). I like the red laces just to be a bit rebellious...

Cheers,
Snoopy

p.s. I also recommend these: http://www.eglifarm.com/product_info.ph ... cts_id=134

[Just another canuck]

How much are they at W & D in YK... about 300 bucks right?

[snoopy]

I paid $240 when I purchased a new pair back in August, plus taxes. For a number of years they were $200, about $100 cheaper than the SIR store - not sure of current SIR store pricing, or whether these boots can be found cheaper elsewhere. One thing is for sure, you'll get great service at W&D.

From their website, that price looks to still be the case: http://www.weaverdevore.ca/product_info ... cts_id/129

http://www.weaverdevore.ca
3601 Weaver Drive
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2S9, Canada
(867) 873-2219

I have no regrets with my purchase - this is about my seventh pair of Actons, but I'm definitly going to write a letter to the manufacturer... white doesn't go with my wardrobe and doesn't stay white! Black was always my preference - since I'm not with the military, my need for stalking terrorists in snow camouflage is pretty low.

Cheers,
Snoopy

[Doc]

Them is great boots if you're spending much time outside in the far north. If you spend most of your time in a airplane though, just outside to toss the covers on and head for a building, a good pair of hiking boots are what I use. I toss a pair of the big white things on board, but I don't wear them all that often. Too big. To bulky. Too warm. For me, at least.
The real trick is keeping dry feet. Socks are the key here. Forget the big wool itchy socks. And avoid cotton socks like the plague! Buy "smart wool". Nothing else is even close to these. I've worn nothing but for years. A good pair of hiking boots, with a heavy cushion "smart wool" sock will keep your "dogs" happy in all but the coldest wx. If you have a drawer full of the big wool itchy socks, wear a very light polyester sock next to your skin to wick the smelly moisture away from your feet.

[Just another canuck]

Buy "smart wool"

I second that for sure... best socks you can buy. I actually wore work boots from Mark's... really good composite ones and a pair of smart wools. They're about 25 bucks a pair but well worth it. I was even spending up to a couple hours at a time outside and still didn't get cold feet.

[HS-748 2A]

Go see Hanna Moosenose in Fort Simpson. Bring fresh fruit of some sort - She'll offer you a cup of tea and a piece of bannock. Sit and chat her up for an hour or so and then tell her you need Mukluks. "What size are your feet? What'chu want for trim?"

Anyhow, budget 300 bucks but you'll get a hell of a pair of boots and they're light weight too.

the lt weight is the only way to be if you have to any walking, particularilly in deep snow.

Sorel type liners fit inside and 2 pair of thin wool socks.

If she likes you, you get bead-work too - complementary.

Don't wear them on the gravel; you'll wear out the soles.

The only dissadvantage is you cant kick frozen stuff out of the snow. (You can, it's just hard on your toes.)

[av8tor_assrope]

You can pick up a good pair of used Acton Wear at most army surplus stores. I picked up mine for $50 and they were in great condition.

[wxguy]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, they have been very useful!!!

[just curious]

So far, I've gotten 30 years out of my acton boots.

[Doc]

So far, I've gotten 30 years out of my acton boots.

He speaks the truth....I've been downwind of them!

[Carrier]

just curious wrote: So far, I've gotten 30 years out of my acton boots.

They were great in their day but how many people are still using footware with laces? The zip and velcro fasteners have been invented! Save time fastening and unfastening laces and do away with the problems of laces coming undone or breaking, particularly in places where spares are not readily available.

I used to own and appreciated some Sorrels more than two decades ago but I have moved forward. For the past three winters I have used zip up boots from Mark's Workwearhouse. With suitable socks these have been more than adequate for winter in the southern parts of the territories and the northern parts of the provinces. It’s great to do away with the hassles of laces.

Let’s hear about effective winter footware that has zip or velcro fasteners.

[Liquid Charlie]

that's for those who never learned to tie their shoes --

[snoopy]

You there with the velcro... obviously you don't have pets - hair, and even general dirt and lint render velcro inop! And you don't think velcro or zippers ever require "spares"? If you fly in the north, surely you have enough imagination to create a "spare" for a shoe lace???? rope, string, lockwire, neck tie, duct tape folded in on itself, moose gut, ripped up bedsheet, braided bits of birch tree... shall I go on???

JC, you must not walk the dog very far if your Actons last you 30 years! I'm usually making repairs after a couple of years of hard use...


cheers,
snooopy

btw... apparently T'Pol's great grandomother introduced velcro to the human race...

[Just another canuck]

You there with the velcro... obviously you don't have pets - hair, and even general dirt and lint render velcro inop!

Exactly!!! And if a zipper breaks, then what do you do? You're fucked.

[Doc]

You there with the velcro... obviously you don't have pets - hair, and even general dirt and lint render velcro inop!

Exactly!!! And if a zipper breaks, then what do you do? You're fucked.

That's what duct tape is for...DUH!!