Mukluks

[vwvanagon]

I'm in the process of buying a pair Mukluks, I need feedback by mukluk owners who can give me more info on these wonderful boots. I plan on using them recreationally(snowshoeing, tromping thru the woods , etc....). I'm leaning towards the traditional style mukluks, but any info would be much appreciated.

 

[Dalraida]

Caution

Please be aware that mukluks are only satisfactory if the temperature is well below freezing. They are not waterproof, nor are they designed to be. If you are out in the BC with them and the temperature goes up and they get wet, you can be in real trouble with frozen footwear/feet.

 

[spider solo]

Love em

I love wearing them !
My wife and I each have a pair of Steger Muklus. Mine are two sizes larger than my usuall foot size and I have easily worn them down to -25 degrees and lower. Mine are the expedition Weathermate style ...light as a feather a joy to wear.
A couple things I have learned about them...
..... Though they are not listed as water proof I have walked through streams with out any trouble... they can be made more water repelent using a silicon spray that leaves the boot breathable. I have found that if you step lively when crossing the streams all is well.
......I have used them with various snowshoes and have found that a woven snowshoe is a bit more "user friendly" and snow is not as apt to clump underneath them.
Mukluks are made of a wide variety of things but an untanned breatheable kind should help keep your feet from sweating...thus warmer.
The long rawhide laces of mine did stain the white canvas tops so I would skip the lacings or get a dark top next time.
I have worn them to a couple of 4,000 footers in deep snow but they are not for crampon conditions.
For a completely water proof mukluk you need just put a pair of felt liners inside a flexible light weight rubber boot and your fine and dandy.
I could go on but I know there are other Mukluk wearers out there so I will hush for now...spdr

 

[pedxing]

I've only found a few posts mentioning Mukluks and this thread. Elsewhere I've heard a few folks who swear by Steger Mukluks. I emailed the company and they tell me that they are frequently used for winter hiking and snowshoeing. They were more equivocal about their suitability for crampons (I'm skeptical there).

http://www.mukluks.com/index.html

 

[TomD]

I asked the same question on The Lightweight Backpacker (www.backpacking.net) in their winter forum. Stegers got good reviews, as did some from Cabelas, but I couldn't find the Cabelas on their website. The same issue came up about being waterproof or not. I was just looking at a pair to use around camp after skiing in somewhere. I have down booties, but they are pretty useless for walking around on snow.

I found reviews of the Stegers on www.backpackgeartest.org and www.backpackinglight.com (a free article) by doing a Yahoo search.

 

[spider solo]

For Spring or wet weather Mukluks I am trying out Chota's waterproof Mukluk. I had real good luck with them ths past fall.

The lightest most water proof Mukluk I know of is taking a felt boot liner and wearing a flexible lightweight rubber boot over it (Tingley brand comes to mind and you can get them at grain & feed stores etc.

This in a way, mimics the northern winter peoples whose wet weather Muckluk would have been made out of sealskin, but it would freeze solid and not stay flexible, or so I have read.

Though I have worn my Stegers through an occasional stream I think of them as a cold weather boot in nice dry conditions.

I have seen skis set up with a binding for Mukluks...I haven't really tried them with crampons, but I don't think it would be very comfortable.

 

[whcobbs]

mukluks

vanagon--
I've had happy times with my Steger Arctic Weathermates (now just Arctics).
Warm, breathable, super comfortable. Sometimes I wear them with neoprene socks so I can step out of the muklucks without freezing feet. For snow shoeing, I think they are the lightest warm alternative for dry conditions (36 to 40 oz with felt liners and insoles, the pair). That said, I've yet to get wet feet in them. Do get spare felt insoles. For XC skiing with Berwin bindings: this combination allows you to alternate skiing and shoeing without change of foot gear. The Berwin binding set up is really for slogging along in easy terrain. You don't have the control for other than primitive turns. You can put instep crampons on the mukluks to get out of a jam, but I don't recommend it in general because the soles are soft gum rubber. The mukluks don't come cheap. Call Steger and talk to their personnel if you have questions.
Walt