Thinking About Getting Steger Mukluks, But…

[Atif Khan]

Steger Mukluks shine in cold weather (-50 F to 25 F) but wet out in milder conditions.

I am concerned that on an unexpectedly mild day when the temperatures warm up and things start to melt (e.g. slushy on day 3 of a 7 day winter hike, followed by freezing weather), the Mukluks will wet out. What do you do then? Waterproofing may affect breathability, the best part of a Mukluk, so want to resist doing that. Don’t really want to carry an extra liner.

What do you carry as a backup for Mukluks when things warm up? A VBL? Tyvek overshoes? And how do you dry your liners overnight?

[Luke Schmidt]

Where is the intended use?

All the insulation in Stegers does help if they get soggy. It takes a bit to actually wet your feet.

But Stegers are a deep powder snow shoe. If it’s steep, icy, or if the snow is soggy I use hiking boots instead.

[Atif Khan]

Ontario, Canada. Some hills but relatively flat. Plenty of snow and cold with occasional mild days. For a 10 to 20 mile winter hike, with some snowshoe and/or microspike use.

[Chris R]

We have Steger’s here in Manitoba. Not fun when wet. The worst part is when the lacing gets wet then freezes. We do have the luxury of using a tent with a wood stove so are able to easily get them dry. We have NEOS overshoes for when things get really bad. There are lightweight silicone versions on Amazon but you would likely need VBL socks as well. Many folk carry spare liners though up here in Manitoba most winter travel includes a freight toboggan or pulk so loads are not so much of an issue. We have used Kahtoola spikes on our Stegers several times to cross lakes with bare ice and they work fine.

You could check in at the Winter Camping Symposium website/forum if you’d like the collective opinion.

[Atif Khan]

Here is Steger’s response from earlier today:

“All of our boots are very light and warm! I would suggest either the Yukon or the Arctics they both go below -40, the only difference is the uppers Arctics are made with a weather mate canvas and the yukons are made out of a cordura but it goes about mid calf instead of under the knee and having to deal with the laces. Cordura is going to be warmer and the weathermate is water resistant. If you are looking for a more rubberized boot around the foot there is the Camuks Xtremes, they are best for hunting and ice fishing. They are also lightweight, warm and quiet.
You can use microspikes and snowshoes. You can use plastic but it will end up rubbing the moose hide, looking for a rubber type of materials would be less likely to ruin the moose hide.
These boots are not waterproof with the snow proof that we have or you can find is needed with the boots. Snow Proofing them helps not getting too wet, I would not be walking in rivers or even being in water with them for very long. The snow proofing does not affect the breathability once a season or however many times you would like to snowproof them will not affect them at all. 2 to 3 light coats and letting them dry for 24 hours before you use them out in the snow is recommended.
Honestly it all depends on your preference if you would like to wear socks or not, and the weather you’re going to be outside in. With mine I usually just wear ankle socks which keep my feet very warm. We put in an extra wool felt insole with the boot. You can put this in once your boots are stretched and everything is pushed down and this could be used for extra warmth in the boot if you need!
If you are getting an extra liner for your boots, which you should, especially if you’re going to be hiking in them, it’s good to switch out your liners in case they get wet. When getting a liner you want to get the same size as your mukluks.”

[Barbara O’Donnell]

I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I cannot imagine hiking 10-20 miles in Stegers like you want to do. Stegers are for cold (below 10 degrees F) and are fantastic in deep powder. There is virtually no ankle support, as they are basically a wool felt shoepak like you find in a Sorrel boot with a moosehide and canvas top. They are like walking barefoot. I wish you luck in finding the right footwear for your intended purpose.

[AK Granola]

I’m also in Fairbanks – three of us now on this thread! I use Steger mukluks for use in chilly cabins, as a backup on my sled in case my feet get wet or cold, and for events where I’ll be standing around a lot (dog races, winter carnivals, etc.). I use Salomon Toundra books for winter hiking and they are good to minus 40. They do get a bit warm and sweaty at 20F but dry quickly with heat of any kind. And you can switch out socks in them to stay totally dry. They are also really nice with snowshoes and have a decent tread for icier conditions. Around town I wear my Bogs, although I did just get gifted a pair of winter Ice Bugs, shorty boots with a zip, and they are super nice for not slipping on sidewalks. So that’s four pairs of winter footwear right there. I won’t start on the number and type of base layers I have, since this is a Steger thread.

[Chris R]

I have done 25km days in Stegers using traditional snowshoes. I wear my orthotics between the felt liner and outer boot

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

When my Steger Mukluks wore out, I did not get new ones.

I do not think they are a great option for overnight winter hiking.

First off, as mentioned, is the need to stay away from wetness. That’s pretty tough to do. Even in cold winters there may be rivers or lakes with slush or overflow on them. And even here in northern Minnesota, we are getting  some above freezing days each winter lately.

Second: the lack of grip/support from the sole:

if you have firm snow it is impossible to kick steps on a side/up/downhill. Even on fairly level ground, the lack of firm sole and tread lugs makes for less grip.

The super soft materials over the foot make snowshoes less comfortable to wear.

Unless you are hot-tenting, you will be building up moisture in your liners. To mitigate this, we use VBL for winter backpacking.
But, if I use VBL socks, the benefit of the breathable mukluks is negated.

So, instead now I use a closed cell foam (alpine ski touring) liner boot inside a (downsized) Neos Overboot:

It gives me the lightweight, easy on off, calf height gaiters built in, removable liners for drying, all like Steger mukluks, but with:

• Full waterproofing up to mid calf
• non absorbent (and much lighter) liner, so even if I fill my boot with water, I can pour it out, and I’ll be fine
• firmer, more cushioned material over the foot, so snowshoes are comfy to wear
• A firmer sole with tread, so better grip and some (still not great) ability to kick steps

 

Here are some liners. For a good deal, search for Scarpa liners, they often come up on close out it seems.

https://skimo.co/boot-parts

[Bill Budney]

Which Scarpa Liners? There appear to be several models, each designed for different Scarpa boots. Does it matter? Have you found a style of liner that works well with Neos over boots?

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

Bill,

The trick is finding out which boot the liner is meant for. Skimo.co is problay the best place for that. Look on their liner descriptions.

Basically, you want one meant for a more uphill oriented boot, not a more downhill  oriented one.

The more uphill oriented ones will be more flexible and lighter weight.

So, stay away from ones with plastic reinforced tongues.

Basically, the Maestrale/Ghea(wms Maestrale) is the upper stiffness end of liner I would consider.

Conversely, the skimo Race boots (Alien) will have a very thin and low liner that isn’t very warm.

Any of them will fit easily in Neos over boots (even sized down Neos), so that’s not an issue.

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

I just saw Intution revamped their product line.
they have this Winter boot liner, for a reasonable price. Nice thick, low density foam for comfort and low weight.

No heel flex zone though, so that might offset some of the walkabilty from the softer foam. I suppose you could always cut out your own flex zone on the Achilles,

https://intuitionliners.com/product/winter-boot-low-density-12mm/

[Author]

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