They say you shouldn't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. We say bag that honker, stuff him into some ripstop nylon and make a nice pair of socks. Great minds think alike, and Feathered Friends has come up with the ultimate down camp booties named, after a worldwide branding talent competition, wait for it... Down Booties!
Quality and design set these booties apart. They use only the highest quality 800+ down, 4oz fill weight in a pair for a total weight of 10oz for men's medium (sizes 8-10). Design is top-notch: the inner bootie is basically a down sock with a waterproof sole and snaps at the cuff that allow you to choose three degrees of snugness. The outer bootie is a nylon shell with a Schoeller waterproof/breathable rand, two drawcords at the ankle and cuff, and a thin but surprisingly effective foam insert footbed.
The shell plus insulation layer design essentially mimics what you would wear on the rest of your body, and on Denali we found it proved versatile and performed great. We couldn't wait to park our dogs in these booties after humping all day and making camp. At night we'd slip off the shells and use the inners in the sleeping bag. If you want to get all Stevie House you could bring just the inners, and replace the inner boot on your mountaineering boots for camp use, assuming they're double boots. The down inners only weigh 5.2oz for the pair. Great kit from a great company.
