I’ve been struggling with making sure my feet don’t come back in pieces from our Alaskan sojourn. The weather can be manageable on Denali in June, but then, your summit day can also involve little party favors such as a 30 below zero Fahrenheit breeze. It’s tough to keep your feet warm in those kinds of temps. Because no matter how much you punch out a ski boot, and no matter how many sock layers it then holds, you’re still talking mere inch fractions of insulation.

Think about it. In those kind of temps you might wear a parka with three puffy inches of loft, and you expect your feet to stay warm with three sixteenths of an inch? That’s why overboots are popular for arctic mountaineering.

Boot Glove by Dry Guy is a clever option for colder temperatures. I'll probably bring a pair to Denali, with some modifications for climbing use.

Thing is, overboots such as the well known models from 40-Below are beautifully made but somewhat bulky for something I might only use for a few days up high. They’re also difficult to configure for Dynafit bindings, and thus might require one to use the “climb with ’em on, take ’em off to ski” method of use. That sounds like a hassle to me, but I’ll do it if necessary. Another option are the neoprene boot covers known as Boot Glove by Dry Guy. I’m currently in a dilemma about which to use, 40-Below overboot or Boot Glove, so I figured I’d do my best to configure both options then go do some testing. Today, the Boot Gloves.