Keeping feet warm in trail runners

Well, if you keep moving your feet will eventually get warm…. but that means little when it's time to stop or your feet get wet. If you are going to use trail runners for winter then I would seriously look at a pair of goretex trail runners or similar. Your feet would definitely freeze in regular trail runners around camp. You can use a vbl sock or bread bag trick. It does work, but isn't my prefered method.

I think once winter really turns around that a change over to a more insulated boot is warranted. Hyhoh and all that jaz

Hey Leigh,

I wear trail runners in the winter down into the single digits (and below) and find an over-sized pair that accommodates RBH insulated vapor barrier socks and/or very thick mountaineering-style Icebreaker/Smartwool socks does the trick when moving, and getting out of the trail runners and into down booties (like Nunatak or Feather Friends) is absolutely essential at camp. With this combination, even my formerly frostbitten toes are comfortable.

I usually wear 9.5 shoes and went to 10.5 with a pair of GTX Salomons. The combination of VBL and GTX is great because the vapor barrier prevents you from getting your other socks and the inner part of your shoe wet from inevitable sweat when you finally get your feet warm racing up uphill slopes.

Evan

Leigh,
I get cold feet from no reason. I can be sweating while my toes are getting numb. Go figure. Hands are the same.

I buy trail runners for the winter season that are at least a size to big. (Get anything at the end of the hiking season at half price. Fit doesn’t matter)

I start with a very thin liner sock commonly used in hardshell ski boots. I add a thin poly bag (tortillas, vegetables, etc.) I usually punch through it by the end of a day, and then throw it in the recycle bin. By slowing and containing foot perspiration you keep your insulating layer dry so it can do its job.

Then I add thick wool boot sock, then a NRS half millimeter neoprene “sock” – Hydroskin, $28 at REI. This will help keep the wool sock dry. Your feet will be damp at the end of the day, but not soaked.

Then the shoe and a gaiter, to keep the snow out of the cuff. The mesh on the trail runner gets filled, but no big deal.

It sounds bulky and awkward, but I do about 20+ miles a week in this setup in snow, and/or on snowshoes, and do just fine. Air temps 15° – 20°. Snow temps around 20°.

For colder days I go with a “Forty Below” Light Energy Overboot, with just a heavy wool sock.

YMMV

I had the same problem when I transitioned to trail runners during the winter. The next year I made a point of wearing them exclusively as it got colder and voila! No more cold feet for me (in Texas anyway). If it gets down into the 20's I add a midweight wool hiking sock if I'm not already wearing one. I find I can sit for about 30 minutes with this setup between 20-25 degrees if it's fairly still before I need to generate more heat.

the lightest, easiest, most inexpensive suggestion i would make is to simply put a grocery bag or bread bag in between your thin liner sock and regular wool sock…

edited: saw greg and ken suggested this as well :D

I can usually take my gore-tex trailrunners to 15F before they start to feel the cold. I have used these to -5F with a thick wool sock and an aerogel insole but I have to keep moving the whole time.

I just invested in some 40below trailrunner overboots. I got the shorty version (not on the site yet) this winter ( 2 weeks ago). Since then the weather has warmed considerably so I haven't used them yet.

These looks ideal for me since I use a similar setup for cycling in the winter.

These overboots do need to be used with traction devices (crampons/snowshoes).