What do you do with your shoes in wet/cold weather?

[sliver]

I thought about leaving them under my hammock but if the rain/snow blows under the tarp, they get wet (did that). Plus, I don't want to put my wet muddy shoes in my hammock. But, if you don't, they are like frozen bricks in the morning (did that).

The only thing I could think of was to put them in a plastic bag and stow them in one of my hammock saddle bags. That can result in frozen bricks too, though.

What do you more experienced people do?

[Spyvenom]

I personally haven't found a way to keep them from freezing but what I've done in the past is to carry a couple of grocery bags and keep boots in those. They'll still freeze but they won't get wet.

[Bobbinheadlodge]

Your feet add moisture to the boot. Drive sticks in near the fire, then put your boots Upside down on them.

If no fire that bag them and put under your quilt or in your bag. If in a sock, hang from the ridge line.

In summer I hang them from the end of the hammock to keep them dry and the critters out.

[SwinginIt]

For wet conditions just hang them from your hammock suspension under your tarp. For cold conditions I loosen the laces and open the shoe up as much as possible. Then I step down the heel (I use trail runners), that way in the morning I can just slip my feet in them like slippers and they are thawed out in no time.

[outbackpacker3]

If you have leather boots you don't want to have them by the fire it'll just lead to them drying out (not the kind of drying out you want though) and cracking, glues delaminating, and shrinkage. You could put one of those hand warmer things in each overnight and see how that works though

[DivaB]

Frozen shoes suck in the winter. If you have an extra that you can slip on and dry out the wet ones by the fires that's great, other wise......put them in a bag and bury them in the snow. Obviously they won't get dry, but handling like you would bury your extra water, perhaps they won't freeze. That was about as crazy of an attempt to answer I could get.

Purchase some of that special spray that keeps any and all water off of them, then they won't get wet to begin with. You know, the stuff that even causes wet mud to just fly off, yet supposedly remains breathable???

[vampiresmiley]

Based on my experience the best solution is to never have wet boots. Seriously though, having dealt with frozen leather boots on a multi-day trip, if I expect wet conditions I use water proof boots. With the water proof boots I also use a VB sock, so I am not soaking the boots from the inside out.

At the end of the day, the boots are dry and can be placed under the hammock and/or covered if needed to protect them from the elements. I change out of the VB socks and put on some nice wool and/or loose fleece socks for in the hammock.

Michael

[oldpappy]

In my younger days, I had 2 tricks:
1) put my hot water bottle (used in hammock during real cold weather) in one shoe for 15 min. while I fired up the stove and heated more water; put that shoe on and used water bottle to heat up the other. This was only done a couple times when boots were frozen solid, but it worked.
2) Most of the time I put a plastic bag (bread wrapper) over my socks and just put the boots on to wear while they warm up.
Now days I stay home until it is nice out :>)

[cliffhanger]

I put them under my rain jacket, pack, or groundsheet.

[altruistguy]

When I winter camp on the ground, I put my boots in a waterproof garbage bag and bring it inside my sleeping bag -- between my legs. While initially making me a bit cool, it ensures that the boots don't freeze at night.

I suppose this would also work in a hammock inside a TQ, but haven't tried it yet.