# Waterproof glove and boot advice



## jbos333 (Nov 7, 2012)

Hi there,

I am looking for advice from anyone out there with a favorite pair of gloves and/or boots to work in the woods with.

This would be for the upcoming winter so I am looking for waterproof/insulated gloves that I can still run a saw with. As well as chainsaw resistant boots that are waterproof, but not rubber. My feet can't seem to breathe and sweat a lot in rubber boots. Maybe Gore-Tex?

Surely someone has been through this before!

Thanks in advance.


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## Oldtimer (Nov 7, 2012)

Gore-tex. Worth the money.


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## ShaneLogs (Nov 7, 2012)

Oldtimer said:


> Gore-tex. Worth the money.



Yes, Goretex, Light and completely waterproof.


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## jbos333 (Nov 8, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, guys.....I probably should have worded my question differently, though. I know Gore-Tex is the way to go, generally....I have a favorite pair of Wolverine Gore Tex boots that I've had for probably 5 years now. No leaks yet. Unfortunately they're not saw resistant.

I was looking more toward what actual BRAND NAMES you've had success with.

For example, I have a great pair of insulated leather Wells Lamont gloves and a pair of Carhartt gloves that are great wearing, warm but not waterproof. I bought a pair of West Chester "Yeti" gloves at Tractor Supply which claim to be medium insulated, waterproof and windproof. Kind of like a mechanix style glove that doesn't have lots of bulk to it. I tried them for a couple hours handling saw/chain/logs in the woods and the seemed to stay dry inside the glove, and were easy to work in (not too bulky). At $25 a pair, I hope they wear well in the palm area.


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## 2dogs (Nov 8, 2012)

Viking rubber boots. Vibram or caulks, your choice. (Or Wesco/White's/Nick's?Vyberg and grease them well). Cotton rigging gloves. Buy a dozen or two and change them when they are wet. Bailey's or Madsen's has both.


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## Plankton (Nov 8, 2012)

I run wesco caulks with large amounts of huberds shoe grease, axle grease bar oil etc.. as long as you keep them well oiled there as waterproof as can be and warm with wool socks. As for saw proof you can get steel toes, I dont like them because there cold in the winter but any of the good caulk boot brands are great for winter boots.


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## slowp (Nov 8, 2012)

For snow, wear the rubber caulks--Vikings or White's Packs. I don't know about youse other guys, but snow has always stuck to the bottoms of my leather caulks, and that makes walking extremely unpleasant, not to mention making the caulks worthless. Think platform shoes and that's what you'll be walking on. Carry an extra pair of socks to change into and put your boots on a boot dryer at night. Some of the guys who work in the rigging swear by Viking caulks and Bama socks. 

I have found Gore tex to be too fragile for the woods.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 8, 2012)

good thick leather boots well greased. Vibergs or Whites are my favorits, Got a pair of the vikings, lots of saw protection, but don't breath so well, good for working in swamps. Seems that the newer caulked soles I have seen all have a rubber bottom that the nails are set in and then rubber or leather from there, shouldn't be an issue with snow then? My Vibergs haven't been out in the snow to find out yet, but the vikings always did good. Gloves I don't need no stinking gloves, unless I'm pulling cable I usually don't wear gloves, and then leather palmed cloth backs, the cotton rigging gloves are just to bloody small, I can remember when they would always fall off cause they was to big


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## 2dogs (Nov 9, 2012)

2dogs said:


> Viking rubber boots. Vibram or caulks, your choice. (Or Wesco/White's/Nick's?Vyberg and grease them well). Cotton rigging gloves. Buy a dozen or two and change them when they are wet. Bailey's or Madsen's has both.



I forgot to say buy a Peet boot dryer too.


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## slowp (Nov 9, 2012)

I guess we shall soon see if the new, non-leather boot bottoms become Lady Gaga shoes. Please keep us updated on that. 

For Forestering, I would use the floppy gloves in the winter. The outside is mitten, then inside are open finger gloves and you can flop the mitten part over and it will velcro open and you have use of fingers without too much exposure. Like northman logging, when I get to moving, I don't need no stinkin' gloves. My hands stay warm. It caused surprise when I took off my gloves and went bare handed in -20 temps. My coworker couldn't believe it. When I stopped walking, the gloves went back on.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 10, 2012)

Arm pits the original hand warmer, even better if they are someone else's that's not expecting it...:eek2: Actually pockets werk pretty good too


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## Samlock (Nov 10, 2012)

jbos333 said:


> I am looking for waterproof/insulated gloves that I can still run a saw with..



I believe that's called a "contradiction" in English language.

Just pack in enough pairs. And get used to it. Once you freeze your hands numb and defrost them in the armpits, just as Northmanlogging says, they'll take a lot of cold for the rest of the day.


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## OlympicYJ (Nov 10, 2012)

Keep your leather boots greased well. I found Obenaufs oil to be really effective (I've used Hubbards, and Obenaufs Heavy Duty LP but the oil seems to do a better job. Soaks into the leather really well and more effectivly than the heavy duty.

As for clothing. I haven' tried gor-tex but that's because I know most would get torn up in nothing flat. Get something heavy duty. You're going to get wet. Eithr outside in or inside out. Trick is just to keep moving. I did a thinning job last winter mostly in just a sweatshirt. If I wore my rain coat I'd overheat and just sweat to death. I could stay warm and comforatable if I just wore my sweatshirt and thermal and kept moving. Once I stopped I would get cold. As long as the steam is coming off your body you're fine. When it stops that's when your cold.


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## redprospector (Nov 10, 2012)

northmanlogging said:


> Arm pits the original hand warmer, even better if they are someone else's that's not expecting it...:eek2:* Actually pockets werk pretty good too*



Might not want to try that with someone elses. 

Andy


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## Gologit (Nov 10, 2012)

The Viking caulk boots are the only ones I've found to be totally, permanently water proof. They're heavy and a bit clumsy but with a good pair of socks your feet will be dry and warm all day. If you caulk yourself you can patch the holes with almost anything.

Leather, even when it's treated with good stuff, is only waterproof until it's not. Eventually they'll leak a little and then a little more and then they'll let water in like the Titanic. That's usually when you're too far from the truck to walk back and get your Vikings. 

I don't know much about waterproof gloves...I've never found any that didn't feel like boxing gloves. I usually carry extras and change them out when I can. On the way home at night there's always a row of drying gloves on the dashboard...nothing in the world smells quite like that.


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## Rounder (Nov 10, 2012)

Wear whatever boots you like, just put a plastic grocery sack/bread bag over each sock before you put your boots on. Boot dryer is key. So are really good socks. That you don't wear on the drive.

Rag wool gloves, two pairs, when one pair gets too wet, put them in an under cut (Don't do this if you're tree lengthing down the hill ), turn it loose, and stick that pair inside your shirt, put on the dry ones that were already stuffed in your shirt. Repeat as needed.

Works good enough for me - Sam


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## hammerlogging (Nov 10, 2012)

Rounder said:


> Wear whatever boots you like, just put a plastic grocery sack/bread bag over each sock before you put your boots on. Boot dryer is key. So are really good socks. That you don't wear on the drive.
> 
> Rag wool gloves, two pairs, when one pair gets too wet, put them in an under cut (Don't do this if you're tree lengthing down the hill ), turn it loose, and stick that pair inside your shirt, put on the dry ones that were already stuffed in your shirt. Repeat as needed.
> 
> Works good enough for me - Sam



anywhere fro 2 to 10 points, as many as you want, for a brilliant glove wringer method. can't wait to try that one!


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## Gologit (Nov 10, 2012)

20 points for the glove ringer method! Even us old guys can learn a new trick. Great idea.


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## hammerlogging (Nov 10, 2012)

20?

Man, thats tough to beat.


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## Gologit (Nov 10, 2012)

hammerlogging said:


> 20?
> 
> Man, thats tough to beat.



You can do it!


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## Rounder (Nov 10, 2012)

I can't take credit for the glove deal, there was a bit about it in "Logger's World" a few years back. One of the best damn tips I ever picked up, and it does work very well with woolies. 

Makes the day go by a lot nicer.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 10, 2012)

I half wonder if that trick will work on Hooded sweat shirts and wool socks too? I already know it don't work on tin hats...


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## slowp (Nov 10, 2012)

The pitch might add some waterproofing capability. At least your gloves will be grippy.


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## R2D (Nov 10, 2012)

Gologit said:


> On the way home at night there's always a row of drying gloves on the dashboard...nothing in the world smells quite like that.



Especially after handling Red Oak :bad_smelly:


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## northmanlogging (Nov 10, 2012)

buddy of mine told me to wire a coffee can to the muffler on the skidder and when my gloves get nasty toss em in there, kinda like those hot dog cookers for snowmobile exhausts


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## palogger (Nov 11, 2012)

Just take a small piece of thin wire and tie it to the grill on the skidder and hang gloves on it


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## dhskier2 (Nov 16, 2012)

Want dry feet, all day, in rubber boots?
Then it's worth the $20 for a pair of XTRATUFF bama sokkets. Fishing salmon in AK, I'd spend the first month of summer, 6 days a week, in my boots from 3am to 9pm!! Turning net in Chalmers sucked!!

check 'em out- XTRATUFF Bamma Sokkets

I wore cotton socks... Never a wet/clammy foot, until you wear holes in the sokkets that is :msp_biggrin: If I remember right, I'd go through two pair a summer-sometimes three.


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