Anyone else use OR Mukluks for winter camping?

[kaibar]

I have found these to be one of my favorite items for winter camping. Essentially it's a cordura and nylon oversised sock/gaitor that you can put a Down slipper (Parbat booties) inside of. They weigh next to nothing as do the down booties and stuff down very small. We hike all day in plastics and change into our "Ultralight Sorels" at camp.. I purchased them at Campmor about 10 years ago. Here is a link to a picture of them in use... These things rock!!

http://home.maine.rr.com/halekai/The Kitchen.JPG

 

[dug]

What kind of a name is kaibar, anyway?

You still in one piece after that tumble on Saturday??

On a more serious note, I will second kai's mention. Nothing like pulling into camp and taking off the boots. These are a staple on any trip.

Of course, the feet in the picture linked by kaibar are mine...

 

[Rick]

I swear by them - Mine are are around 12 years old and I later got a pair for my wife around 8 years ago.

I cut out closed cell foam from an old sleeping pad and stuck it into the bottoms to reinforce the existing foam bottoms - They still work great.

I was looking for another larger sized pair recently and I wasn't able to find them anywhere - I figured maybe OR has taken them off the market. I do see a lot of folks wearing down booties nowadays in winter camp - I don't know if they are better, but I have been very pleased with my modular mukluks.

BTW is this like a Kaibar like a marine corp knife?

 

[kaibar]

It sounds like they no longer make them?????

I just did an internet search and could not locate them. As for down/synthetic booties we put them inside the mukluk shell so you can walk in deep snow without filling the down slippers up. As for Kaibar it's not a knife Kai=Ocean and Bar=Gin Mill put the two together and you have a great boat name that no one else has...?? As for my fall I haven't located any serious bruising except to my liver???!!! What kind of status are you guys pulling to be senior members I notice that I show up as a freshman do I need to pledge or something???

-Kaibar

 

[bogorchis]

Mukluks for winter camping

I've used Steger Mukluks that I bought in Ely, MN, and they were just great on a trip into Baxter a few winters ago. I actually wore them for boots when we snowshoed into Roaring Brook Bunkhouse. They were lighter then wearing the plastic boots, and I put a pair of arch supports in them, and my feet were very warm.

I have also used them on a winter camping trip in Mt. Blue State Park, where we made a snow cave and slept in it.

I have waterproofed mine, and I swear by them under certain conditions.

 

[John Graham]

I have used the Brooks Ranger Low Overboot for the same purpose. It is heavier, but has multiple uses. I use a pile bootie and pull the liner boot out of the shell, speading the laces all the way, so I have plenty of room to get the pile booty in. I use a VBL sock, so my liner boot is not wet, I find this combo to be extremely warm. I sleep in the pile booties and leave the overboots at the head of my sleeping bag, so I can hop in them for a quick nature call. I also have cut out an extra blue foam insole for the overboot. They are great over my plastics in the morning, I pull them off just before I go for a climb.

 

[Mark A.]

Absolutely. The OR mukluks used to come with fleece inner booties, which I replaced with some homemade Polarguard booties (ugly but very warm). I use the booties alone inside the tent, but the mukluks whenever I'm outside. Warmth and comfort even in wet snow...what more do you want? I can't imagine winter camping without them. No longer available? Say it ain't so.

 

[bobmak]

Wow... that is a drag! I'll have to take better care of mine! I use them with down booties... right after I make camp the plastics come off and the OR mukluks go on. I wonder why they were canceled... here is an opportunity for someone that can stitch!

 

[bobmak]

Got this in response to an email I sent to OR yesterday:

Robert,

Thanks for the e-mail. Yes it is true that the Mukluks have been discontinued. These were discontinued because of low sales, sorry. The only place you might be able to find them is sierra trading post or campmor. Good luck on the search.