You can wear the warmest jacket and still lose the feeling in your toes after an hour on the ice. The cold reaches your feet, hands, head and neck first, so they decide whether you last the whole day outdoors. Here you will find why they get cold first and what to do about it: which socks and boots to choose, when mittens are better and which hat works in the wind.
Short version: for your feet, choose a wool or synthetic sock, not cotton, and boots with room for a thick sock. When you stand on the ice, what chills you most is not the air but the ground under your feet, so you need a warm sole, for example EDGE down to −20 °C. For your hands in hard frost, mittens are warmer than gloves, and a spare dry pair in an inside pocket will save more than one day. In the wind your head needs a membrane hat, not a knitted one: STORM blocks the wind, and SPORT is made for down to −25 °C. And one more rule for the whole body: whatever is tight gets cold.
Why your feet, hands and head get cold first
When the body starts to cool down, it protects the heart and internal organs first. The blood vessels in your hands and feet narrow, less warm blood reaches your fingers and toes, and so they cool first. That leads to an important conclusion: cold feet often mean your whole body is cold. If your torso is dressed too lightly, even the best socks will only help so much.
The head is the opposite. The blood vessels in the head and neck hardly narrow in the cold, so an uncovered head loses heat all the time, especially in the wind. That is why a hat and neck protection warm the whole body, not just your ears.
Three more things chill you faster than the temperature itself:
- Moisture. A wet sock or glove conducts heat away much faster than a dry one. Moisture comes not only from snow but also from sweat.
- Compression. A boot that is too tight, two thick socks in a tight boot or a close-fitting glove squeeze the blood vessels, and warm blood does not reach your fingers and toes.
- Wind and cold surfaces. Wind carries heat away from the skin, while ice, metal and snow draw it out through your sole or palm.
Feet: socks, boots and what is under your sole
Socks: material matters more than thickness
A cotton sock soaks up sweat and stays wet, which makes it the worst choice in winter. Choose merino wool or synthetics: both move moisture away from the skin, and merino keeps you warm even when damp. Our warmest merino socks are EXTREME MERINO 3203, with a thicker knit made for deep winter. Why merino usually beats synthetics for your feet is explained in more detail in the article Thermal wear: merino wool or synthetics?
Two socks only keep you warm when the boot has room for them. A thin synthetic sock underneath and a wool one on top is a good combination, but two thick socks in a tight boot are worse than one, because they squeeze the foot.
Boots: room, warmth and the sole
A winter boot should fit looser than a summer one. When your toes can move freely inside, a layer of warm air stays around them and the blood flows without restriction. If you will wear a thick sock, choose boots one size up, and tighten the laces just enough for the boot to hold your foot without squeezing it.
When you stand still, especially on ice, heat escapes downwards from your foot. That is why for ice fishing and waiting on a hunting stand the most important things are a thick, insulating sole and insulation. EDGE 7520 have 5 mm neoprene and 1,000 g of “Thinsulate” and are made for down to −20 °C. For deep snow and days of active walking there are snow boots. How the rubber boot models differ is covered in the article Rubber boots: how they differ and which to choose.
Three habits that warm you more than new boots
- Put insulation under your feet. A foam mat or a wooden board on the ice separates your sole from the cold ground.
- Carry spare socks. Changing into dry socks at midday warms your feet faster than anything else.
- Dry your boots overnight. Take out the insoles and dry them at room temperature, not on a radiator. A damp boot put on in the morning is cold from the first minute.
Hands: mittens, gloves and a spare pair
In a mitten your fingers lie together and warm each other, so in hard frost it is always warmer than a glove. A glove lets you work with your fingers, but it gets cold faster. In between there is the “lobster” cut: two fingers share one pocket while the thumb and index finger are separate, so your hand stays almost as warm as in a mitten, but it is easier to grip a rod or handlebar.
Choose by what your hands will be doing:
- Long hours standing in hard frost: NORDIC 2942 mittens with THERMALRATE insulation down to −45 °C and a hand-warmer pocket. For larger hands (M–XL) there is NORDIC 2941 with a double HARD-TEX membrane.
- Cold and movement together: LOBSTER down to −30 °C with a HIPORA membrane and removable liner gloves.
- Snowmobile and ATV in winter: FREERIDE down to −25 °C with a long cuff that keeps snow out, or WINTERSPORT down to −25 °C with a goggle wiper on the index finger.
- Finger work, hooks and knots: OPTYMUS from +10 to −10 °C. The finger cover folds back and is held by a magnet, so you tie a knot without taking the glove off.
- Everyday use and your phone: VENOM down to −15 °C with touchscreen fingertips.
Choose glove size by the circumference of your palm and do not buy a tight fit: there should be air between your fingers and the fabric. For cold work, layers work best, just as with clothing: a thin liner glove and a warm outer one. Do not keep wet gloves on hoping they will dry. Put on dry ones and dry the wet pair. Keep a spare pair in the inside pocket of your jacket, where it stays warm.
Head, neck and face
A knitted hat keeps you warm in calm weather, but the wind blows straight through it. On an open lake or when riding you need a membrane that keeps the wind out and lets moisture escape from your head:
- STORM 9719: a membrane hat for wind and sleet down to −10 °C, close-fitting, so it fits under a hood and a helmet.
- HAT WATERPROOF 9729: insulated and waterproof, 5,000 mm, for a rainy autumn and wet winter down to −10 °C.
- VENOM 9718: stretchy, covers the ears, down to −15 °C. A good spare hat for your backpack or car.
- SPORT 9715: membrane, down to −25 °C. Our warmest hat for hard frost and wind.
The neck is where heat escapes and wind gets in behind your collar. A zipped-up high collar, a hood or a neck gaiter closes it off. On a snowmobile or ATV the wind blows straight into your face, so a balaclava or face mask comes in handy. Before going out into hard frost, put a rich cream on your cheeks and nose, not a moisturiser: a water-based cream cools the skin in the cold.
Five common mistakes
- Boots and gloves that are too tight. Squeezed blood vessels no longer warm your fingers and toes, even if the boot is warm.
- Cotton next to the skin. Cotton socks and base layers soak up sweat and chill you all day.
- Too warm on the move. Walking to the ice hole you heat up, and once you stop in damp clothes you get cold fast. Unzip while you walk, zip up when you stop.
- An open neck and face in the wind. Wind takes heat away from these areas fastest.
- Not changing wet socks and gloves. A dry pair in your pocket warms you more than any thicker glove on a wet hand.
When it is time to go somewhere warm
The first signs of frostbite are tingling, numbness and loss of feeling in the fingers, toes, nose or cheeks. The skin turns white or greyish. Then go somewhere warm and warm up gradually: with warm, not hot, water or body heat. Do not rub the skin with snow and do not heat it by a fire, because frostbitten skin does not feel heat and burns easily. If the skin is hard or blisters appear, see a doctor.
When these tips are not enough
- When your whole body is cold. If you are shivering, not just your fingers, the problem is in your layers, not your socks. Start with the articles Clothing for cold weather and winter and How to layer your clothing correctly.
- When you stand in water. When wading in winter a wool sock will not help, you need waders with neoprene socks.
- When your hands and feet get cold unusually fast. If your fingers turn white in only light frost, it may be a circulation problem. In that case talk to a doctor first.
Frequently asked questions
Both. Wear mittens while waiting and walking, and gloves or gloves with a fold-back cover when you tie knots or change bait. Many anglers carry both pairs.
Only when there is enough room in the boot. A thin synthetic sock and a wool sock in a looser boot work well. Two thick socks in a tight boot squeeze the foot and keep you less warm than one.
Usually for one of three reasons: the boot is too tight, the sock is wet with sweat, or you stand on the ice for a long time without insulation under your feet. Check your torso too: when your whole body is cold, your feet get cold first.
A close-fitting, thin one, so the helmet does not press: STORM, VENOM and SPORT fit under a helmet. When riding in hard frost, also cover your face with a balaclava.
No. Frostbitten skin does not feel heat and burns easily. Warm up gradually with warm water or body heat, for example in your armpits.
Do not wear them outdoors and keep the tags on. Write to us at pagalba@finntrail.lt or call +370 614 98366: within 30 days we will exchange the size or refund your money. All terms are on the page Delivery and returns.
FINNTRAIL for your feet, hands and head
You will find all gloves in the Warm gloves category, and hats and socks in the Accessories category. Which sizes are available right now is shown on the product page next to the size selector.
- EXTREME MERINO 3203, 29 €: our warmest merino socks for deep winter.
- EDGE 7520, 189 €: tall insulated rubber boots down to −20 °C.
- NORDIC 2942, 35 €: mittens down to −45 °C with a hand-warmer pocket.
- LOBSTER 2800, 79 €: “lobster” gloves down to −30 °C with a HIPORA membrane.
- FREERIDE 2700, 79 €: snowmobile gloves down to −25 °C.
- OPTYMUS 2702, 35 €: gloves with a fold-back cover for angling tasks.
- STORM 9719, 29 €: a membrane hat for wind down to −10 °C.
- SPORT 9715, 20 €: a membrane hat for hard frost down to −25 °C.
Free delivery from our Vilnius warehouse, a 24-month warranty, and if the size does not fit, we will exchange it. Not sure what to choose? Tell us where you will be and for how long, and we will help you pick.
Looking for a gift: What to give an angler, ATV rider or hunter. There you will find gifts that do not require knowing the size, and ideas by budget up to 20, 50 and 100 €.
Choosing a full outfit: Snow suit: how to choose by temperature. There you will find which model to choose for your activity level and the cold.