Ultralight Booties: What’s Out There?

Derek Hansen (The Ultimate Hang) has a chart up with different insulated bootie options.
(http://theultimatehang.com/2014/09/down-synthetic-bootie-comparison-chart/)

The only ones that I don't see listed are the Baffins.
(http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=baffin+cush&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abaffin+cush).

Shower Caps. Brilliant!

Just got a pack of 10 for <$3 from the local beauty supply shop. They look the shiz.

I prefer the idea of a pee bottle, eliminating the need to exit the tent, but the last time I tried that I scared the carp out of myself…bottle was *just* barely large enough. Really don't like the idea of fouling my tent (and down gear) at 3am.

I love my Goosefeet down booties(I have the over booties as well). Don't think you can go wrong with GF or EE's synthetic ones. Both great companies

As they say, information is NOT knowledge. I wish one of our scientify members would finally put to rest the idea that insulative value = loft only. 3M has been marketing Thinsulate since before many of us were born. It achieves its insulative value with fine Olefin fibers that reduce the size of air spaces in the batt. OK, it's much heavier than down, but the point is that the insulative value is not governed solely by the loft.

Despite the weight, I do prefer Thinsulate booties, because they take up little space, there is no danger of loss of loft, and they still function when moist.
But I would know better than to argue with downers, especially DWR downers.

The concern is that I depend on the booties to avoid cold feet, and don't want them to get wet on nighttime forays, mostly because if wet, the will soak the interior of the down bag. If I take them off, I've lost the whole benefit of bringing them – warm feet when the temp unexpectedly drops below the insulating capacity of the bag and sox.

So Doug's post about the Goosefeet Over-Booties looked promising, although the 1.7 oz is for a medium. But Goosefeet don't state whether the weight is for one booty or one pair, an issue that seems to come up too often on these pages. Also, the light sole is Dyneema, which is of doubtful traction. The optional Toughtek is over twice as heavy, and it's still not clear whether the weight is for one or a pair, and what if any slip resistance is on the sole. There's no photo of the cover or its sole.

So once again, it's back to MYOG. Maybe a thin convoluted EVA sole made with a hot wire foam cutter, bonded or sewn to a 2 oz water resistant balloon cloth upper with a zip closure (It's pouring rain, the ground in front of the tent is irregular and slippery, and I'm groggy with fatigue. It was a hassle getting on the wet rain cover. Now I have to tie on booties? Mercy!) (#3 coil zips weigh only 0.1 oz per running foot – #5 about 0.25 oz.) Once up and outside, the rain is actually refreshing for a few minutes.

EMS once actually had a booty/cover combo item like this, but long since discontinued them. They sold out before I could grab some in my size.

Not UL, but the Feathered Friends booties are well made, warm, and have a removable outer. The bottom of the outer is textured, and there's some kind of stiffener in the sole (feels like foam, which helps keep the cold at bay from below). Booties w/outers weigh just over 9 oz for the pair (mediums).

Pretty Nice. Will go to the FF site and check them out.
Hope they have good DWR or WP on the upper. Thanks.

P.S. Ah, Pertex Endurance. Yes.

+1 w/FF. I bought mine from them. With Goosefeet's up charge for overfill and large sizes these cost me $5 less than from Goosefeet. I like the double snaps at the top so you can have them tight or loose. The outers have held up good so far padding around camp.
The double shock cord system keeps them on your feet well also.

Goose Feet Med pair is 2.15 oz on my scale. 2.01 for the overboots. But mine are a two years old so they weight might be different now.

Here are my weights of an order that I just received a month ago ->

– Waterproof Over-Booties
color: Gray, size: Large, sole: Dyneema X
2.0 oz (for the pair…so 1oz each)

– Down Socks
down: + 75% overfill, Liner Color: Green Pertex Quantum 10d, Shell Color: Black – 10d, size: Large
2.7 oz for the pair (website states 3.225 for 20D and 75% overstuff, ..the 10D and pertex made it lighter.

Very happy about the quality!

Re: "2.0 oz (for the pair…so 1oz each)"
Thank you! Will email them about the Toughtek, also.
They could go over some MYOG thinsulate foot warmers.

Right now I'm using some neoprene dive sox with a textured sole that provide no protection above the ankles, or stiffness under the feet, about 4 oz for the pair. The Thinsulate booties are surplus, and could be a lot lighter if MYOG.

I highly recommend these
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/minimus-down-socks

Fantastic cottage industry type company, everything is made in-house.
Only downside is they are in England so shipping and taxes may put the price up

PHD does make great kit, Uk taxes are exempt if shipped outside the EU.

Good to know thanks.

Do you not get hit by import taxes for goods coming into the states though?

Max,

I normally wear heavy "sleeping sox with my boot liners in a stuff sack in the foot of my (longer) bag.

But if it's really too cold for my bag's rating I put my boot liners on along with extra insulating jacket and pants. The liners collect very little perspiration at night with sleeping sox catching most of it.

In the morning I have warm boot liners and warm, thin neoprene VBLs over clean thin poly liner sox. This system is sooo nice to wear while preparing breakfast and breaking camp. No freezing toes. I usually carry a pair of thin poly liner sox for each day.

We have been hit only once for
import duties in 3 years or so, to be honest
I don't even know what the threshold is.

"You all know you want my booty!

-Tim"

I heard Tim's booty leaks in the middle of the night. Just sayin'…..

Matt