This is a gear review about the best down booties for backpacking and camping in 2023.
When camping and backpacking in cold weather I’m sure that I’m not the only one who suffers from cold feet. The best solution to cold feet is lightweight down booties.
Down Booties are the ultralight solution that will keep your feet warm. They pack up very small and keep your feet warm inside your tent, your sleeping bag, while walking around camp, or when staying in a cold mountain hut.
If you choose to invest in the best ultralight down booties in 2023 then I can help out with a review of which ones are best for you.
Best Down Booties for Camping 2023
The Best Best Down Booties for Camping in 2023 are:
- Feathered Friends Down Booties
- Zpacks Goose Socks
- Western Mountaineering Flash Down Booties
- Enlightened Equipment Sidekicks Torrid Booties
- Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties
- Goosefeet Gear Down Socks
Best Down Booties for Hiking 2023 – Overall
Feathered Friends Down Booties
Pros:
> Two drawcords for more effective insulation
> They’re filled with 800+ goose down
> Weather-resistant shell fabric outer
> Thick, durable, and waterproof soles outer and a separate lightweight down sock inner
> Available in a range of sizes and colors
Cons:
> It’s not as lightweight as some of the others in this review but does include down socks and a durable outer slipper for walking around camp.
Now, these are some of the best down booties. The Feathered Friends Down booties are actually two items rolled into one. They include ultralight down socks and a separate water-resistant cover that acts with a durable sole that is strong enough to walk around mountain huts, ski lodges, on snow, or if you need to make a trip outside your tent around camp. They could also be used inside the house on those cold winter mornings.
The drawcord is quite high on these booties, which means that you can tuck your baselayer into the booties if you choose. Yet your feet will remain perfectly snug, because there’s also another drawcord just above your feet, before your ankle, to trap as much heat in as possible.
They’re filled with 800+ goose down, and feature a weather-resistant shell fabric. What’s more, the soles of the booties are quite thick, durable, and waterproof. Perfect for when you have to pop out of the tent.
It’s available in a wide range of sizes, starting at XXS, and going all the way up to XXL. If you click on “Check price” the product page will open on another tab where you can examine a size chart.
And it’s available in a nice range of colors, including subtle colors such as black and ash, or in some bolder, brighter colors, including arctic blue, purple, grass green, or red.
Overall, these are the best down booties for backpacking in 2023. They are best suited for all things camping and backpacking in cool weather. The down socks can be worn inside the sleeping bag and the outer can be slipped over the socks when needed.
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Best Down Socks
Zpacks Goose Socks
Pros:
> Uses ethically sourced down
> High 850-fill level of insulation
> Outer material is water repellant
> Ultralight at 1.0 ounces
> Soft ventum breathable nylon fabric
> They are made in the USA
> Backed by a 2-year limited warranty
Cons:
> There are no small or extra small sizes available, but the medium and large sizes will fit most adults
The Zpacks Goose Socks are the best Down Socks on the market in 2023. If you suffer from cold feet then they are the mini-sleeping bags for your feet that you need.
They’re filled with ethically sourced 850 plus down. The outer material is both ripstop and tear resistant, and water repellant.
They weigh only 1 ounce each so there is no excuse for not carrying them.
They are made in the USA and backed by a 2-year limited warranty.
It’s available in two main colors, namely khaki green and cobalt blue. And it’s available in two different sizes, medium or large.
Overall, these are the best down socks on the market in 2023. They are ultralight and best suited for those ultralight backpackers, thru-hikers, and campers that suffer from cold feet at night, even when inside a warm sleeping bag.
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More Down Booties and Socks
Western Mountaineering Flash Down Booties
Now, these flash booties from Western Mountaineering are primarily intended for use in a mountain hut, inside your tent or sleeping bag. It’s packed with 850 loft down and based around an ultralight 12 Denier ripstop water-resistant nylon upper.
They’re very lightweight, coming in at just 1.5 ounces each or 3 ounces for the pair.
Each bootie features a good, quarter-inch thick outsole, which means that if you have to pop out of the tent in the middle of the night, you could do so, and do so in comfort.
Overall, these are one of the best ultralight down booties on the market in 2023 and best suited for use inside tents and sleeping bags.
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The Enlightened Equipment Sidekick Torrid Down Booties are another excellent pair of down booties. Technically speaking they are not down booties as they use a synthetic fill. This will offer better weather resistance than down but I would not want to use these booties outside in cold wet snow or walking around outside in the rain. These are for inside the tent only as they don’t have any protection on the sole.
They have a smart, sleek appearance, with a drawcord at the ankle top to keep all that heat in.
The nylon fabric is ultralight, and overall they weigh in at a mere 1.15 ounces each, and they pack down very small, making them easy to both pack and carry.
It’s available in two main colors, namely black or high-visibility orange. And it’s available in a range of different sizes, too, starting at XS and going right the way up to XXL. Sizes run about a half size large for a loose, comfortable fit. And they are handmade in Minnesota, USA
Overall, these are one of the best-insulated down socks for backpacking.
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Now, unlike most down booties that are predominantly intended for use in tents only, these booties feature a very thick sole along the bottom of the bootie. These booties are perfect for use at basecamp, around camp, or at home. They will not be so good as a down sock.
Although they are mentioned as Down Booties they feature synthetic insulation which provides great warmth, without adding too much to the booties weight.
And, there’s also a compression-resistant insert, which serves as a powerful thermal barrier between your feet and the cold tent floor.
At the same time, it also features a weather-resistant exterior shell, so melting snow won’t be absorbed through to your feet.
It’s available in two understated dark color options, namely black and loden. And it’s available in a range of five sizes, from XS through to XL.
Overall, these are the best down booties for mountain huts and basecamp and would also be great for use at home as down slippers.
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Goosefeet Gear Down Socks
Pros:
> You can really customize colors & fabrics
> The standard insulation is a cozy 850-fill
> You can order extra fill for more warmth
> Can be worn in temps as low as 15ºF
> Elasticated ankle rather than drawcord
> Can be worn under waterproof over-booties
Cons:
> The weight of each bootie goes up with size, and with the thickness of the fabrics
Now, the great thing about these down booties is just how much you can customize them. You can choose the thickness of the shell fabric, 20 or 8 Denier, and from a range of a rainbow of colors. And the same goes for the liner fabric, too.
Their standard insulation fill comes in at a cozy 850-fill. But if you feel you need an extra boost of warmth, you can order an overfill of down.
And with the maximum overfill, the manufacturer claims that you can wear them in temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
And with their elasticated ankle, they make an excellent choice for those who don’t get on with drawcords.
They also sell a pair of waterproof overboots for the down socks. So if you should need to answer the call of nature in the middle of the night, you slip these over your down socks and head outside. Or they work equally well inside mountain huts or at basecamp.
Overall, these are a very high-quality pair of down socks that when paired with their separate waterproof overboot will work well in most situations.
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Buying Guide
Let’s walk you through some of the key things to think about before you buy ultralight down booties for hiking.
Size
If you’ve never bought down booties before, you can be forgiven for imagining that they all come in one universal size. However, they do not.
Before buying be sure to check the sizes with the manufacturer. Most are measured using regular US shoe sizes and then converted on a scale ranging from XS to XL. Take a look into the sizing of any down booties you might be interested in to judge what would be the best size for your feet.
Insulation
The key spec to look for in down booties is the level of fill. The higher the level of fill, the more insulated the bootie, and the better protection your feet will have from cold or freezing temperatures.
Thick Sole or No Sole
There are two options when it comes to down booties. ones with a sole for use as Hut Booties and ones without a sole which are for use inside a tent and for down sleep socks.
Hut Down Booties feature a thick sole for use in mountain huts or ski lodges. Some can even be used in base camps if you are climbing high altitude mountains. These are awesome to keep your feet warm at camp and walk around inside huts. They also make great down slippers for home use.
Down Booties without any reinforced sole are great as down sleeping socks and down booties for inside a tent. These Camping Down Booties are the best choice for people who suffer from cold feet when being inside a warm sleeping bag is not enough. If you are the sort of person who is nice and warm inside a sleeping bag but have cold feet, then these will solve that problem for you. And they are ultralight and worth the investment.
Value For Money
It’s surprising just how much down booties cost, given that they probably use the offcuts of fabric from sleeping bags. But they can range in price from $25 to upwards of $100.
Prices can change so you can check current prices by clicking on “Check price” as you go along. In my view, “cheaper” doesn’t always mean better value for money. Also keep in mind that the best down booties in this review should last many years and hundreds of nights in a tent.
Down Socks Vs Down Booties Vs Overbooties
There are Down Sock, there are Down Booties and there are Down Socks with an overboot that can be used to protect the down socks when outside the sleeping bag or tent.
Down Socks are awesome inside the sleeping bag to keep your feet warm. If you are like me and suffer from cold feet, even when the rest of your body is warm then down socks are for you and worth every cent.
Down Booties can be worn inside the sleeping bag, tent, mountain hut, at home or walking around camp as long as the ground is not too rough and rocky. They usuallu have some form of reinforced sole to offer protection to the base.
Down Socks with Overboots are an awesome combination that provides optimal warmth both for sleeping inside a sleeping bag and for excursions around camp. They also make a great option for walking around at home on those cold winter nights.
Overall, which one is best for you is your decision but each has pros and cons.
Conclusion
Overall, the best down booties, down socks, down slippers and insulated socks are the following:
The Best Down Socks are the Zpacks Goose Socks. They are ultralight and perfect for people who want warm feet at night inside their sleeping bag.
The Best Down Booties that include an Overboot are the Feathered Friends Down Booties. They are lightweight and have the option of being used as down socks and with the addition of the overboot that is included they can be used around camp, at home or in mountain huts.
Other great insulated booties include:
- Western Mountaineering Flash Down Booties
- Enlightened Equipment Sidekicks Torrid Booties
- Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties
- Goosefeet Gear Down Socks
Frequently Asked Questions
Down booties are basically a type of shoe but in some cases are more like a very warm sock. They have an insulated body and sole, and a closure at the top to seal in the warmth. If you should find yourself in sub-freezing temperatures, they’re a must.
You can slide a down bootie on in the same way you could slide on a sock or a boot. Then you need to pull the drawstring closed around the ankle to keep the heat in.
Down booties have some of the best warmth to the weight of any material. they are much warmer on your feet than any other material for the same weight.