Having rubber boots is a great idea if you live in a place where it rains a lot as they will be the best footwear option for protection against the rain and a wet environment.
However, rubber boots are not made for warmth and they often lack insulation.
Therefore, the best way to make them warmer is to wear the right type of insulating layers on your feet (like woolen socks) and make sure that the rubber boots are the right fit to prevent too much heat exchange and increase ventilation.
While rubber boots are good for your feet and lower legs against the cold imposed by getting wet, they are not breathable at all and do tend to make feet sweat, making them uncomfortable and cold at times.
Below I will show you how you can make rubber boots warmer by following just a couple of simple guidelines!
Contents
Do Rubber Boots Make Your Feet Cold or Keep them Warm?
Rubber boots will keep your feet warm, but they are not as breathable as for example hiking boots with breathable membranes (e.g. GoreTex), and therefore they get damp easily when you walk and cold again when you stand still.
The lower temperature range for rubber boots that are not insulated is good till around 23° to 41° F (or -5°C to 5°C), whereas well-insulated ones can go down as far as -50° F (-45°C).
Rubber shoes and boots are designed to keep your feet dry and warm. They are made of rubber, an excellent material for keeping water out of your boots.
However, rubber does not insulate heat very well. On the contrary, it conducts heat well compared to other materials like wool or down or synthetic polyester insulation materials.
Why Are Rubber Boots So Cold?
Rubber shoes can be uncomfortable and cold, especially in the winter. The reason for this is that rubber is a poor insulator. Its main purpose is to protect water, dirt, or chemicals, not warmth. There are some pretty good reasons why rubber shoes are so cold:
The rubber material
They are made from a material that does not retain heat well. This means that any heat that your feet generate will quickly escape through the material of the boots.
The loose fit
Rubber boots tend to be quite lose fitting, which makes them easy to walk in. However, this also means that there is a lot of space for cold air to circulate around your feet, which can make them feel even colder.
Thin soles
Rubber boots often have thin solid rubber soles. This means that they provide very little in the way of cushioning and insulation from the cold ground beneath your feet.
Rubber has poor thermal insulation compared to other materials. Rubber shoes insulate better than leather or nylon (it’s also worth noting that neoprene is often used in wetsuits), but it isn’t as good as wool or fleece.
That means the heat from your body will be trapped inside the boot more easily than if you were wearing something else on your feet.
Whereas thick rubber soles can be excellent insulators, the thin shaft rubber material of rubber boots cannot keep heat in (or out) very effectively.
They are primarily made to be waterproof, not warm!
Rubber shoes protect your dry feet from chemicals, but they’re not intended to keep your feet warm. If you want to avoid cold rubber shoes, try wearing wool socks inside your rubber shoes. That will help absorb some of the moisture from your feet and keep you drier.
The problem is often that if you do hard manual work, you will sweat, and your sweat cannot escape the rubber. This makes your feet wet and cold from the inside.
This means that if you’re standing around in cold weather with wet feet (like when you step out of the shower), your feet will not stay warm even in a pair of rubber boots because water conducts heat away from the skin very well (which is why we wear dry socks).
If you don’t have access to wool socks, try wearing two pairs of regular socks on top of each other instead of one thick pair. This should help keep your feet warmer as well as dry.
What Can You Wear Inside Rubber Boots to Keep You Warm?
One of the best ways to combat cold feet in rubber boots is to wear thick socks. Wool socks are a great option as they are very good at trapping heat. You can also try wearing two pairs of socks, or even tights, underneath your rubber boots to add an extra layer of insulation.
The problem with rubber boots is that they aren’t very breathable, so if you wear them for too long, they can start to feel like a humid shower cabin (with open windows!) on your feet. However, there are several things that you can do to make sure that your feet stay as cool as possible while wearing them:
Fleece Socks
Fleece socks are a great way to keep your feet warm when wearing rubber shoes. They help provide extra insulation and can even be worn inside other types of footwear if necessary.
Woolen Socks
Wool socks provide excellent warmth and comfort, and they are particularly useful if you plan on spending a lot of time outside in the winter months.
In particular, those made from merino or cashmere wool will keep you dry and warm while not being too bulky on your feet!
Wool socks are also very stretchy, so they are a great choice for people who want to wear their rubber shoes for long periods without feeling uncomfortable or restricted.
Wool also has an antibacterial compound called “lanolin” that prevents your feet from smelling after a long day in rubber boots!
Thinsulate Insoles
Thinsulate insoles are another great option for keeping your feet warm while wearing rubber shoes. The insoles fit inside your regular shoes and provide additional insulation while still allowing you to move around easily in whatever type of footwear you prefer to wear during winter.
What Other Hacks Make Your Rubber Boots Warmer?
The rubber shoes are great for keeping your feet warm and dry. But how do we make them even better? Here are some ideas that will make your rubber shoes warmer.
1. Start out with warm feet
If your feet are already cold before you put your rubber boots on, it’s going to be hard to keep them warm.
So start out with warm feet. Use a heating pad, take a warm foot bath, or put on some thick socks and walk around the house for a bit before going outside.
2. Make sure your rubber boots fit correctly
If your boots are too loose or too tight, they will feel colder on your feet!
Loose boots will let in more cold air and tight boots will restrict blood flow and reduce the amount of insulating (still standing) air around your foot.
A foot pressed against a thing rubber layer will eventually go really cold if it is cold outside.
3. Add insulating Insoles
Insoles help keep your feet comfortable and warm, especially if they’re made from memory foam or gel-like materials that conform to the shape of your foot.
It’s important to note that insoles should not be used in place of heat packs; they’re used in addition to them!
They’ll provide extra cushioning while keeping your feet dry and warm with each step you take in your boots!
Some of the warmest insoles also have a heat-reflective aluminum foil layer so that heat radiation is reflected back to your feet.
You can even get insoles with build-in electrical heating!
Insoles with active heating elements!
4. Wear thicker Socks
If you don’t already wear socks with your rubber shoes, now is the time to start! Not only will they help keep moisture away from your skin, but they’ll also help prevent blisters from forming on your feet while walking around outside in cold temperatures!
5. Use Heat Packs
Heat packs are easy to get and inexpensive to use. They can be placed inside the boots to keep them warm for hours. They’re also reusable, so you don’t have to worry about throwing them away after one use.
6. Try lining them with newspaper or bubble wrap
As a short-term emergency solution if you are out on the trail, lining your rubber boots with newspaper or bubble wrap can help to trap heat and make them more bearable in cold weather.
7. Wear them with leggings or tights
Adding an extra layer of clothing will help to keep your legs warm and will also prevent cold air from circulating around your feet. Generally, wearing warm clothes on the rest of the body will also help the warmth of your feet!
Are rubber boots good for winter?
Rubber boots can be comfortable, but they should not be worn in extremely cold temperatures unless you have a way to keep your feet warm.
This can be accomplished by wearing additional layers of clothing under your rubber shoes or adding a pair of socks over the ones with the shoes.
Can you wear rubber boots in the snow?
Yes, you most certainly can. There is nothing preventing you from wearing rubber boots in the snow if you follow the advice on how to keep your feet warm given in this article.
Rubber boots are especially practical when the temperature is around the freezing point where the snow is shabby but not quite frozen yet. In this king of snow, it will be very wet and therefore rubber boots are perfect for such conditions!
It is cold but not cold enough for rubber boots to be unbearable to wear.
A good pair of insulated rubber boots are a good idea though if you plan on spending a lot of time outside in the snow.
What are some well-insulated rubber boots?
If you are looking for a pair of well-insulated rubber boots, then we would recommend the following:
1. Bogs Classic Mid boots
These boots are made from a waterproof and insulated material that will help to keep your feet warm and dry all day long.
They also have a comfortable elastic fit that will prevent cold air from circulating around your feet.
2. Hunter Original Tall Gloss rain boots
These classic rain boots are made from high-quality rubber that is both waterproof and well-insulated. They also have a comfortable fit and come in a variety of stylish designs.
The long-shaft hunter boot is a classic worth mentioning!
They do not belong to the warmest and most insulated category, but their high shaft makes them warmer than most standard boots out there. And they can be used throughout the year.
3. Kamik Men’s Icebreaker insulated winter boots
These may be the ultimate winter rubber boots with great insulation and thick sols. They are rated to an extreme temperature of -75F! Probably the warmest rubber boot on the market.
Perhaps the ultimate winter rubber boot? Protects your feet down to -75F!
4. Muck Boot Men’s Arctic Pro Hunting Boot
These boots are made from a waterproof and insulated material that will help to keep your feet warm and dry.
The top part is soft and flexible, whereas the bottom part is thick and insulated, providing the perfect blend of both worlds!
5. Kamik Men’s Forester Insulated Rubber Boots
These winter rubber boots are made with extra insulation and a tight nylon collar that prevents air from entering.
It has a crazy comfort rating of -40C (-40F), which should be enough for even the coldest winters.
Wrapping Up
The short answer is yes; rubber boots can make your feet cold. This is because they are not very well insulated and do not provide much in the way of warmth. However, there are ways to combat this issue that I have discussed in this post.
One of the best ways to combat cold feet in rubber boots is to wear thick socks. Wool socks are a great option as they are very good at trapping heat.
You can also try wearing two pairs of socks, or even tights, underneath your rubber boots to add an extra layer of insulation.
Finally, you can also just buy a new pair of good, well-insulated rubber boots.
