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[sharps4590]

When it's cold, cotton kills.  bluebirds advice is right.  If you're wearing heavy cotton socks and only one pair your feet will get cold.

The best I've found for socks, and that includes "Wyoming cold" and electric socks, is a pair of sock liners that will wick the moisture away from your feet, then a pair of thin wool socks, then a pair of heavy wool socks.  You'll need to buy your boots according to the extra thickness.....and don't waste money on cheap boots, get good ones and don't lace them tight.  A change of socks is a good idea but using the above method I've not had to change and that includes a lot of winter activities over a period of years down to 20 below.

My problem with electric socks is that my feet sweat even more.....and that was just as uncomfortable.

The problem with Missouri winters is that it hasn't gotten cold enough in the last several years for folks to learn to dress properly for the cold, especially the younger generation.  Scot is dead on about layering and don't layer with cotton!!!!!  Cotton absorbs moisture and sticks to your body.  Cotton is great for keeping you cool for this very reason.  Cotton long johns are near worthless and dangerous.  You'll be hard pressed to beat a good pair of polypropolene long johns followed up by layering with wool.There is an old saying that goes, "to keep your feet warm put your hat on" and that is true, alluding to exactly what Scot said.  70% of your body heat is lost through your head.
Vic

[sharps4590]

Blue jeans are cotton, as is the typical flannel shirt, most socks are a cotton blend.  Oh, and speaking of socks I like mine to be AT LEAST 80% wool and prefer 90% or more.  Merino wool is the best.  I believe sock liners should be poly, the cotton ones are.....well, cotton!

Here's my layering method.  Poly next to the skin, a light wool vest then a heavy wool shirt and pants, (military surplus pants are cheap and plentiful and of a high quality and pretty darn good camo in and of themselves), and if necessary a wool coat.  Down to about 30 degrees I don't find the coat necessary unless sitting on a stand.  My feet layering is in the post above.  The warmest head gear I have is a shearling aviators cap....but it has to be COLD to wear it, and I mean below 0 cold.

In addition to wool be warmest, it will maintain 60% of it's insulating value when wet, will turn light to moderate rain, and is super quiet in the woods. 

Make my winter hunting gear wool.....everything else is trying to be wool.

Vic

[anthonydooley4]

Thanks for the info!!  Guess i'll be checking for wool for now on and try that out!