Different Perspectives and Boot Suggestions

We’ve been having some typical end of fall weather in the last week. It went from 70’s and sunny, to 50’s and then 40’s and raining, and as of this afternoon we were back in the 60’s. This time of year Mother Nature tends to exhibit multiple personality disorder. One thing that has been consistent in the last week is the morning temperatures have been cool, anywhere from around freezing to mid 4o’s as we start our day.

It is no secret to anyone who has read this blog that I really dislike cold weather. Jason with his Canadian roots does not have as many issues with cold weather. This morning as we were getting ready to start our work day I compared our outfits. Jason had on his jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and he had a jacket with him. I had on long underwear (top and bottom), jeans, two pairs of socks, a turtleneck, a sweatshirt, my heavy coat and gloves.

It was a bright and sunny day and Jason’s jacket lasted about 20 minutes. After about 45 minutes I did take of my gloves, but the rest of my ensemble remained. At noon I took my coat off, but the long underwear, jeans, turtleneck, and sweatshirt remained. I was able to continue to work comfortably like this for the rest of the day, even as the thermostat finally worked its way up to sixty degrees. Jason kept asking me if I was hot. I kept replying that I was comfortable. He absolutely could not fathom this and all day long I kept having to answer the same question, “aren’t you hot?”

One would think after several years of marriage and working together in the great outdoors that Jason would have clued in to the fact that it takes a lot of heat and sunshine for me to be hot. But apparently he still doesn’t grasp this concept. I guess when my box of winter apparel arrives from REI tomorrow he will be surprised, although I don’t know why. I’m most excited about the Sealskinz gloves I ordered, I hope they live up to their claim of being waterproof. I also have some more Smartwool socks on the way, more long underwear, hand and foot warmers, sweatshirts, etc. I’m trying to be prepared, and hoping that being prepared will keep me from needing all of this stuff.

My only source of frustration is my ongoing hunt for winter boots. The last couple of years I’ve worn insulated paddock boots that were waterproof. However I always manage to kill the waterproofing and put cracks in the foot within a few weeks. Jason told me to order Sorel boots, a Canadian brand. I ordered those and wore them twice last week. My feet still hurt from wearing them, they are the clunkiest, heaviest, most uncomfortable things I think I’ve ever walked around in. To be fair they were very warm and dry (they are rated to -60F!) but I was crippled after two days of wearing them. I’ve also tried two pairs of Muck Boots in the past but they always pull my socks down and rub my heels. And surely I am not the only person who has managed to put cracks in Muck Boots?

If anyone has any suggestions for winter boots to try (waterproof and warm are my goals) please share!

Sebastian