OK, this thread may well belong in the Winter Camping forum but I'm putting it here B/C some folks need to think seriously about this topic.
Winter boots are (usually ) insulated boots. There are two main categories of insulated boots.
1. Built-in insulation (non-removable)
3. Removable liner insulation
For me category 1. is only for day hikes (unless I count my GI Mickey Mouse boots with SEALED felt insulation that can't be soaked by sweat.)
Category 2. includes the original removable liner boots, felt packs.
It also includes my backcountry plastic Scarpa T3 ski boots W/ removable foam liner.
"THE SYSTEM"
Here's my system for warm feet all the time when winter camping:
With both types of boots one needs a Vapor Barrier liner(VBL) to keep the insulation dry and thus your feet warm.
BUT, because bringing a category 1. pair of often wet boots into your sleeping bag to keep them warm is a bit much (even in a stuff sack) I always use category 2, liner boots for winter camping.
I use thin neoprene dive socks for my VBL over thin polypro liner socks and have never needed more than that as the closed cell thin neoprene sox are very warm. I've seam sealed these sox very well, of course.
The VBLs come off at night, the wet liner sox go in a dirty clothes stuff sack & the VBL sox get turned inside out to dry and later go inside to the foot of my sleeping bag to stay warm 'til morning.
The felt or foam liners come out of the outer boots and go into the foot of my bag. (Yes, to keep every bit of moisture out of the liners you could put them in a waterprof stuff sack if you're not using a full VBL sleeping bag sack.)
I put clean polypro liner sox on and thick wool "sleeping socks" over them.
In the morning I leave my "sleeping sox" in the foot of the bag & put on the VBL and then dress fully W/ the liners still in the warm sleeping bag. Then I put the warm felt or foam liners into the respective boots and get in them right away. No bitterly and dangerously cold feet in the morning.
BTW, the outer boots get their tops "telescoped" together and kept in the tent vestibule at night. Spindrift snow in the outer boots is a no-no.
So, what system for warm feet do you use when winter camping?
