Have you taken a recent inventory of all your outdoor footwear, by chance? In the process of post-fall cleanup and storage, I made a special effort to consolidate all my hunting shoes, boots, chukkas, and Sorels in one area for easier access next autumn. Excluding several pair of chest waders and hip boots, I found I own 14 pair of footwear suitable for woods and water pastimes. Sadly, many are in pristine condition from lack of use because they didn’t meet my needs and expectations.

Quality boots for a wide array of outdoor activities need to be quiet, comfortable, and durable, and forever and always provide warm, dry feet regardless of conditions. As many of us have found out through first-hand experience, read this to mean frustration and discomfort, just one set of footwear is never going to suffice for Maine’s extremely diverse weather conditions and outdoor opportunities. Through personal trial and error, as well as the praise or condemnation of hunting and fishing companions, specific footwear I’ve tried has not only met but excelled in keeping toes toasty and dry, regardless of Maine misery factors.

Aside from fishing waders, I now depend on only three specific styles of boots to meet the requirements of all my cast and blast outings. My first option is a warm-weather model best suited to upland bird gunning and stalking big game from September through mid-November, although I’ve worn them for crow, groundhog and rabbit hunts as well as for early season scouting. L.L. Bean’s Gore-Tex Kangaroo Upland Hunters boots are my favored footwear for temperate weather trips afield.

Kangaroo leather is 60 percent stronger than cowhide of the same weight, yet is supple, foot hugging, comfortable, and rugged. A padded collar keeps debris out of these 7-inch boots and provides calf-hugging support even after hours of walking. I used a pair right out of the box for three days of bird hunting on the lava-strewn slopes of a Hawaiian dormant volcano on Maui without an ache or blister. Gumlite rubber soles offer superior traction and sensitive flexibility on rough terrain, and a fiberglass shank improves rear foot stability without the weight and stiffness of steel.

Available in full leather or leather/fabric combo, the Gore-Tex keeps dew, mud, and standing water out while allowing perspiration to escape, keeping feet cool and dry. Although I change to a different boot when temperatures drop and snow accumulates, Bean’s Kangaroo boots can be ordered with 200 grams of Thinsulate for chilly conditions or for sportsmen who always have cold feet.

Knee boots

My second set of all-purpose boots are camo-colored rubber pull-ons that go almost up to my knees. Buddy Horr of Dedham, one of my regular waterfowling partners, began wearing a set of Woody-Max Muck Boots for duck and goose hunting. Hip waders are cumbersome and restrictive, even dangerous in some situations when waterfowling from a boat. Short boots won’t provide leg protection from wet conditions when hunting in cut grain or high grass, nor will they offer warm, dry feet and calves in slush, mud, and snow when afield or at streamside.

Buddy visited Winterport Boot in Brewer, knowing he needed a versatile, comfortable alternative between short hunting boots and waders, and in short order Jeff Battick had him trying on a pair of Woody-Max. Featuring a fully lined CR waterproof insulated bootie and an Airmesh and fleece lining which allows air circulation to maintain warmth yet wick away perspiration, these 18-inch-high boots assure toasty, dry toes from 40 to 60 degrees below. A 2-millimeter thermal foam instep underlay adds cushioning over rough field or streamside terrain, and the neoprene uppers hug the calf all the way to the knee yet offer great flexibility.

On a couple of occasions I have even seen someone who shall remain nameless (see previous paragraph) step into water over their boot top, and the leg-hugging neoprene kept any water from leaking into the boot. Heavy rubber sole tread offers excellent grip in mud and snow and solid arch support.

Outdoorsmen who do a lot of bear baiting and deer hunting might want to consider the same style of boot in an all-rubber version, which won’t hold scent like the neoprene. LaCrosse’s 18-inch Big Boy Burly Outdoorsmen or Burley 1200 with 1200 grams of Thinsulate will keep feet warm and dry in miserable conditions. Featuring 100 percent waterproof, ozone-resistant rubber, an advanced Traction System lug sole, ankle fit, and oil-resistant sole, these boots are made to endure.

In the way of comfort, Burly’s offer a removable EVA insole, antimicrobial lining, a lightweight but rugged fiberglass shank, and a cam-lock calf buckle for individual fit. A choice of two or three camo alternatives is available, too. Aside from hunting applications, this style of knee-high footwear is awesome for early-season ice fishing when a layer of water often covers the ice or a thick layer of slush coats the entire lake surface.

Prevent frozen feet

For daylong sub-zero ice fishing forays, trudging through deep drifts in search of rabbits, or sitting stationary in a snow bank for several hours of late night varmint hunting, warm feet are a must. Nothing ends a winter fishing or gunning outing quicker than cold feet, and sedentary sports where footwear are in constant contact with frozen ice or ground or engulfed in snow require heavily insulated boots. Appropriately named, the Iceberg II by LaCrosse has never let me down and sent me home early with frozen feet.

These 10-inch high frost fighters are rated to keep feet comfortable at a minimum of 85 degrees below zero – tough outdoorsmen or not, anyone out in that temperature needs to worry about their thinking, not their feet! What makes the Iceberg such a great boot is its two-part construction with the removable 3/4-inch foam liner integrated with 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation. Outer boot materials include a triple-insulated rubber bottom with polymeric foam, 600 grams of Thinsualte Ultra insulation, and a 9-millimeter felt midsole. Uppers are made of full-grain leather with 1,000-denier Cordura nylon panels for long-lasting wear, waterproofing, and ozone resistance. A solid-formed Tuff-Cup nonmetallic toe offers protection from impact and retains shape.

Among all the positives, these boots have a couple of minor inconveniences; they weigh 31/2 pounds apiece and their tough construction makes them a bit stiff. Since frigid-weather outdoorsmen tend to spend more time stationary than walking, which is why they need such intense cold protection to start with, boot weight and rigidness are small sacrifices. I’ve tried a lot of winter boots for ice fishing, snowmobiling, and rabbit and varmint hunting over the years and, so far, Icebergs are head and shoulders above the others for keeping warmth in and snow, slush, and cold out.

Added warmth

During the years it took me to find my trio of all-purpose outdoor footwear, I learned a few tricks to keep my feet warm in other boots. I still use these alternatives when wearing hip or chest waders for cold-water spring fishing and late-season waterfowling in cold, icy streams or on the ocean. As far as I’m concerned, nothing feels as comfortable or retains warmth, even when wet, as a pair of wool socks. I still have a mother-in-law that hand-knits me a couple of pair of heavy-duty, high-rise wool stockings every year, and I wouldn’t trade them for any other high-tech, wonder material socks on the market. Rural church sales and community bazaars are a great place to find hand-knit stockings and mittens if there are no knitters in the family.

Gore-Tex stockings are a good option as well, but for all their heat retention, waterproofing, and water-vapor exchange, they lack the suppleness of wool. They are, however, a fine second option. Another great method to keep tootsies toasty is with a set of battery-operated heated stockings. These wool socks have fine wires woven along their length that radiate heat supplied by a set of D-size flashlight batteries. One style has the two-battery pack attached at the boot top, while my preference has an extended wire that allows attachment at the belt for use with hip waders. One pair of batteries will last at least a full day at full power and do a very efficient job in even lightweight boots.

Innersoles not only add comfort but hold and reflect heat back into the foot while keeping cold from rising from the boot sole. One product called Toasty Feet uses a space-age material created by NASA that provides the highest thermal insulation of any solid material available today. Light and thin, they can be interchanged between boots and are a great addition for any cold weather footwear. Finally, small chemical warmers that fit into the toe area of most boots are an inexpensive, short-term answer on extra-frigid outings when boots alone aren’t keeping the cold at bay.

Since it’s unlikely one set of sporting footwear is going to provide dry, warm feet year round, and since weather is likely to get colder before a warm spell sets in, it’s time to favor your feet with some comfort. Visit you local boot shop or sporting goods store and check over the great options on hand. My three suggestions are readily available or perhaps you’ll find a favorite of your own. Either way you won’t regret the effort.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com