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| Keep your feet warm this winter with Yukon boots |
| Author: [ xtremepeaks ] Istvan Hernadi Contact Author: xtremepeaks | Wed Dec 24 23:36:51 EST 2008 |
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Winter is here, I love all the snow, and keen to go out each day for skiing in the backcountry or a walk on my snowshoes. This winter has been unusually cold for the west, but this hasn't stopped me from doing my daily excursions.
The important thing is to dress properly for the weather conditions, using several layers for warmth and comfort. This takes care of your core but what about the feet. Usually my toes feel the cold first when temperatures are below the -20 degrees range. But not anymore, my new pair of Yukon boots made by Charlie Van Gorkom are designed to protect my feet from the snow and the cold.
These boots are my constant companions for long walks in the snow as they are made of soft leather and feel just like mocassins. They are 14" high so they keep out the snow even as I walk in some deep fluffy stuff. Everyone I meet remarks on the workmanship, they immediately notice that these boots were hand-made individually for the customer's feet.
While the Yukon boots look large, they are actually lightweight, each one weighs 1 pound 12 ounces, much less than most hiking boots, making it less effort to make trails in the fresh snow. They are handmade of full grain leather and are waxed and oiled for water repellency. They are highly flexible, have a welt-sewn construction for durability and include a removable felt liner, to insulate well even at -40 degrees. The soles are a Vibram sole with good traction on packed snow. Note that the soles of these boots will be larger than your normal shoes or hiking boots. They can be worn with micro-spikes, polar cleats or crampons, but they need to be adjusted for the larger size.
Leather can be treated as often as needed with a bees-wax based product such as "Sno-Seal" to keep it dry and waterproof. Boots can be repaired and re-soled to give you years of trouble-free usage. I used these boots in the Yukon last fall, not just hiking in the snow, but also on some cold and wet trips across the tundra and crossing many creeks and rivers. My feet were really warm and comfortable, as the waterproofed leather kept out all the water. I just had to dry out the boots and keep the liner dry, in order to keep its insulating properties for the next trip.
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