View Full Version : down booty recommendations
pgustaf249
01-23-2013, 23:45
I'm thinking about getting some down booties. Because I want to wear them around camp as well as in my hammock, I need to soles to be very sturdy. I used to have some (don't remember the brand) where the soles wore out just by wearing them around the house. I welcome your recommendations.
I searched a couple of years ago. What I decided on were Feathered Friends. They have an inner booty with just a cordura sole and an outer shell booty with a closed cell foam, rubberized sole if want to wear them for a quick trip out. $88 but good booties are well worth that for cold weather comfort.
I have Feathered Friends down booties and love 'em. I cut some spare closed-cell foam to add an extra layer to the sole of the outer shell for times when it's particularly cold, but just as-is they're very very nice. I like having the ability to take along just one or the other piece as the trip dynamics require. Practically speaking, that never means that I take the shell and not the down booty, but sometimes the opposite makes sense.
After re-reading your post, I want to stress. Most down booties are lightweight gear. They are designed a camp shoes. Most have some type of sole for a quick trip out to pee, but are generally designed for in your tent/shelter use. Not sure how long any of them would hold up to everyday use around the house either.
The above should have read: They are NOT designed as camp shoes.
Sorry bout that.
I've seen some down booties with sturdy soles, but they were so heavy and bulky that I didn't bother to remember who made them. I don't think they're worth it at all.
I think a better solution would be to get any other down bootie, even an ultralight bootie like goosefeetgear.com makes, and use them with slides. That will give you a nice lightweight bootie that you can use in your sleeping bag, a bootie that you can wear with the slides around camp, and slides that you can wear in the shower.
LIhikers
01-24-2013, 00:33
Another vote for the Feathered Friends down bootie
I don't know personally but my son just asked for these for his birthday this week... (he seems to think they are great)
Western Mountaineering Flash Booties (I bought them from HikeLite) ($50.00)
http://www.hikelight.com/assets/images/products/westernmountaineering/6512.jpg
ChinMusic
01-24-2013, 01:43
Here is a vote for Nunatak Booties. They have a sturdy sole minor camp use. I love mine.
The WM Flash are very much tent/sb only and occasional pee run .
The WM Down Booties or better the Expedition booties are closer to the ones the OP is after , however they are still not really designed for extended camp use.
REI have some a bit like the WM Down Booties but less expensive, however if you want a sturdy sole you can take a look at the North Face Nuptse III.
They have a "boot" type sole so better around camp but maybe not that good inside the hammock.
And this is why some do it in two layers like the FF version.
The Cleaner
01-24-2013, 08:47
Check Sierra Trading Post. Got some Sierra Designs low cut down booties for 20$ last year...
I have the REI down booties and they are great...I only wear them in my hammock! Maddog:D
Down booties are down booties - there's not going to be a significant difference between any of them so I'd suggest just picking some and buying them.
Goosefeet, Nunatek, Feathered Friends, STP, etc. It's not an item that needs to be nitpicked about.
pgustaf249
01-24-2013, 09:32
Thanks for the input. I never thought about booties plus slides. that may be what I end up doing.
I searched a couple of years ago. What I decided on were Feathered Friends. They have an inner booty with just a cordura sole and an outer shell booty with a closed cell foam, rubberized sole if want to wear them for a quick trip out. $88 but good booties are well worth that for cold weather comfort.
+1
got em, use em, love em
yellowsirocco
01-26-2013, 12:29
Down booties are down booties - there's not going to be a significant difference between any of them so I'd suggest just picking some and buying them.
Goosefeet, Nunatek, Feathered Friends, STP, etc. It's not an item that needs to be nitpicked about.
The FF are significantly different though. The outer shell gives them much more usability around camp. I can go to the spring with the shells on and then use the bootie itself in my sleeping bag for extra warmth without getting my bag muddy.
On my FF booties I use a thin strip of CCF around the peremeter of the shell to give them some more structure so they act more like shoes.
The FF are significantly different though. The outer shell gives them much more usability around camp. I can go to the spring with the shells on and then use the bootie itself in my sleeping bag for extra warmth without getting my bag muddy.
On my FF booties I use a thin strip of CCF around the peremeter of the shell to give them some more structure so they act more like shoes.
Goosefeet booties also have a removable shell, except the shell is waterproof instead of water resistant.
Yeah, I've got the goosefeet and the shells and they're alright. I never considered down booties as anything other than something to wear in my bag.
Personally I think they're a luxury item and a nice thick pair of wool socks is probably a better choice.
Personally I think they're a luxury item and a nice thick pair of wool socks is probably a better choice.
Wool socks work ok for me in relatively mild temperatures. Once I'm out in single digit or below zero temps, down booties make all the difference in camp and sleep comfort. Wool socks, unless they are very over-sized, constrict the blood flow to some degree. I notice this. Down booties are more like sleeping without socks - much more comfortable, at least for me.
Wool socks work ok for me in relatively mild temperatures. Once I'm out in single digit or below zero temps, down booties make all the difference in camp and sleep comfort. Wool socks, unless they are very over-sized, constrict the blood flow to some degree. I notice this. Down booties are more like sleeping without socks - much more comfortable, at least for me.
I can see that... I took my booties with me on my last hike and they were nice to have. Like you say - it's like sleeping without socks.
ChinMusic
01-26-2013, 15:22
I view the booties as primarily a luxury item as well. I also view it as an item that may save my toes should TSHTF.
Warm feet and warm head keeps the rest of the carcass toasty in bed - or something like that :) I bought a pair of Sierra Designs Down booties that were on clearance at REI - best cold-weather sleeping investment I've ever pulled off. Soles are good enough for mid-night nature calls, but not something to sit around a campfire with.
Drybones
01-26-2013, 17:27
I couldn't justify the cost for down booties so I made some from a 750 down jacket I had cannibalized to add down to a sleeping bag that wasn't warm enough, made booties from the arms, can't wear them as shoes but they will keep the feet warm at night if needed.
ChinMusic
01-26-2013, 17:55
I couldn't justify the cost for down booties so I made some from a 750 down jacket I had cannibalized to add down to a sleeping bag that wasn't warm enough, made booties from the arms, can't wear them as shoes but they will keep the feet warm at night if needed.
Excellent use of old gear. Great idea.
ferdinand the bull
02-07-2013, 23:12
seems like that's a lot of weight for something like that. Unless you're out in sub freezing temps socks should be fine.
On a limited budget and not overly concerned about wt consider REI, TNF, and Sierra Designs. Want UL, pricey, of highest standards look at FF, Nunatak, Goosefeet, and WM.
Indeed, Chin Music, that's using your head, i mean old down jacket, Dry Bones.
I have a pair from LL Bean that I got cheap on clearance. Great for popping on to jump out of the hammock to water the plants but I don't wear them around camp much. Maybe I'm missing the point but to walk around camp I just pop my boots back on, leave them untied and walk around.
spike camp
02-09-2013, 12:55
FF or WM for sure.
lukabrazi
03-05-2013, 12:19
For those of you with Goosefeet. What combination of fabrics did you get? You get to choose the inner and outer fabrics. I'm thinking pertex quantum outer and 10d inner. Here are the choices.
20d - This ripstop nylon is the most durable fabric that I offer. It has a DWR treatment applied to the outside surface, so it will resist a small amount of water before allowing it to get the down inside wet.
Pertex Quantum - This is a different 20d nylon that is softer and slightly lighter than my standard 20d fabrics. It also has a DWR treatment. A very good all-around fabric.
10d - There are two varieties of this fabric, both of which are very light and soft: the black has a good DWR treatment, and is thus better for the shell of a garment, and the gray and tan are more breathable, and thus better for the lining of a garment. There will be very light down leakage from the gray and tan 10d fabrics.
M50 - limited quantities - very light, very water-resistant, very wind-resistant, but has limited breathability.