Hey everyone, I recently made the mukluks featured in Garrett and Alexandra Conovers' Snow Walker's Companion (Winter Camping Skills for the North). I recorded the project if you are interested in making your own. These are an excellent for adventures off grid in the Winter. They are a lot more breathable and warmer than boots. They are made from elk hide and canvas. I highly recommend them! See link: Thanks! TheWildYam
One good item or two separate items. Mocs are a good camp shoe and a good hand made shoe anywhere and that would basically be the leather bottom. If you are going to be in snow, brush, etc, you will need gaiters to go from your boots to about your knee, that would be the top part. Three excellent reasons to watch this presentation. Actually worth watching for the advice on making patterns and sewing leather and some of the tools you should have in your kit if you wish to sew leather. I prefer hand stitcher and awl, and using a harness makers vise but the method she shows works fine.
Interesting video. I ware Steiger Muckluks a lot in the winter. Much lighter and warmer then most boots.
Interesting topic. How many different types of foot wear do you really need? A mud season boot would not be suitable for snow shoes, nor around camp. Hiking boots are great for hiking and sneakers are great for going to the mall, but neither are optimal for mucking out a barn or deep snow, or walking thru a swamp, or getting up at 2 AM to feed a wood stove or tend to a child and what would you put on if the perimeter alarm goes off at 2 AM? What could you make or improvise if you had to? The old cow boy boots with the high heels look strange until you fall off the horse and your foot doesn't get stuck in the stirrup. How many different ones can you carry with you, do you need protection from snakes, thorns, sand, mud, punji sticks, etc. The Rockefeller Foundation solved a major health problem in the south with intestinal worms in the 1930's by convincing the people to wear shoes and build out houses. Hate to relearn that lesson the hard way. The method shown in the vidieo would seem to be a good start to several different problems, now I need to look at a good leather tanning vidieo.
