Steger mukluk question

[Alec Muthig]

Has anyone used the Steger Arctic mukluks for snowshoing or running? I was in Ely, MN last week and stopped into their shop to try them on. Very nice and much lighter than boots. I wondered how they would work for running on packed snowmachine trails in -20 or colder temperatures. Would they grip? Be durable enough to last a race of say 100-135 miles? Breathe well? Give enough support to the foot for hours and hours of travel?

I thought the following system would work: Injinji tsoks as liners (keep toes blister free when damp), VB sock, wool sock, Arctic mukluk… Comments?

http://www.mukluks.com/arctic.shtml

[Bill Fornshell]

Interesting timing. I am sitting here with my Steger Mukluks on. Mine are the Tall Ojibwa. I have been playing with them and will be wearing them to snow shoe with toward the end of next week. I have been trying them with different socks. I have had them about 12 years but haven't worn them in several years.

They work well for snow shoeing once you get your snow shoes set-up for them. As for running I never tried that but the soles on mine don't have much traction. I have walked on ice as on a frozen lake with little trouble but don't think I would try running on ice with them. The Steger Mukluk are very are durable. If you could attach a traction device of some type you might be able to run in them. Yak-Traks might work but I think you would have a problem keeping crampons tight.

The mukluks come with a wool felt bootie and a wool felt insole. If you add a good wool sock that may be enough. Running should help keep your feet warm.

I am going to try my RBH VB socks and see how they work. I will find out first if my feet sweat enough to make the VB socks necessary. Steger says the Mukluks will breath. How much I don't know. I should be wearing mine everyday for a couple of weeks.

The Arctic Mukluk uses the same sole material but has deeper cuts in it for better traction. Foot support while running needs to be considered also.

[Alec Muthig]

Hahahaha. Good timing indeed. Let me know how they work for you …

[Eric Parsons]

Seems a bit overkill for running. The swinging of your legs should keep circulation flowing well. People who race in the winter races (100-350 miles) up here just use running shoes and different combinations of socks.

From what I've seen the soles on the Steiger's are a soft compound and might no hold up to running very well.

[Alec Muthig]

I used neoprene socks, GoreTex trail runners and Crescent Moon neoprene overbooties glued to the shoes at the Arrowhead 135 race in Minnesota last week. It was -30(f) at the start (-45 wind chill) and stayed cold throughout the race. Many of the runners wore just trail runners and sock combos, most of them dropped, some got bad frostbite on their toes, one may lose most of his toes. I'm not sure how they do it when the temps plunge. My feet can stay fairly warm when running, at least in the system I used, but what about during a stop to melt snow, make a meal, campout for an hour or two? Trail runners would leave my feet ice cold (although the neoprene overbooties prevented that). Some racers push hard to a checkpoint and warm up there, but what if you don't make a checkpoint? I know that I would never venture out into the winter wilds for very long without something else. I even carried insulated overboots in case my feet got bad. Guess I don't trust my running shoe combo.

[ROBERT TANGEN]

Oh, I see you race report below. Never mind.

[Kenneth Knight]

I've used mine when snowshoeing and they do work, but their are some caveats.

1. Steger mukluks are really overkill unless the temperatures are consistently cold. If you are going to be travelling in temperatures that don't drop below 20 degreees you'll be rather warm. When those temps. drop into the single digits they work much better.

2. If you go with mukluks make sure you tie them really tight. Tie them as tight as you can stand and then make them a bit tighter. This will prevent them from loosening and untieing. Seriously, I thought I was tieing mine tight until a musher friend (mushers love them) of showed me what to do. I thought my leg was going to die from blood loss at first. But once I began to move it really felt great and I never had any trouble with the lacing unlacing.

3. If you are looking for something with support especially when doing sidehilling mukluks aren't going to be the best choice since they are completely soft.

[Eric Parsons]

Great race report Alec, Congrats!
One option would be to use the same system you used in the Arrohead, but pack a pair of insulated NEOS overshoes to put on over your running shoes if you had to stop or you just couldent keep them warm enough. They are light, waterproof, durable and you would have extra versility.

We use them alot up here in AK for winter biking.

Kenneth – your comments on tightness go against the logic of circulation, Intresting it works for you.

[Alec Muthig]

Thanks Eric. Actually, once I saw that it was going to be -30, I threw NEOS Explorers into my pulk. You're right, they are pretty nice, especially when stopped. I might give the mukluks a try during training, but they really may be not supportive enough for the long-haul.

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