Gents,
GOOGLE Andrew Skurka and Vapor (vapour?) Barrier Liners. Andrew Skurka is the US equivalent to your Chris Townsend. Andy has backpacked many very long trails and several long solo expeditions such as Alaska where there were no trails. He has also, like Chris, written a few books.
Vapor Barrier Liners is a well known concept among US backpackers who do longer winter trips. It is an absolute necessity to prevent body moisture from soaking clothing and sleeping bags to the point that they are no longer able to insulate very well and are heavy with moisture. Vapor barrier suits, socks and gloves are used in cold weather to keep insulation dry.
The ill-fated Scott Antarctic Expedition suffered tremendously from their down "sleeping robes" accumulating body moisture at night, freezing during the day and becoming gradually more useless over the duration of the trip. Read the account. It is a series of tragic mistakes in gear selection and use compared to Amundsen's expedition.
Owen,
Those felt insulated Koflach climbing boots would have worked had you been wearing a VBL.
My warmest winter boots are Canadian made Sorel felt pacs. A felt pac has an outer boot that is rubber up to the ankle and then has a sewn-on leather 10" upper. Inside is a roughly 1/2 cm. thick felt removable felt inner boot. By the end of the day it gets very wet from sweat and loses its insulating ability. I began using commercial coated nylon VBL socks and found they wanted to migrate to my toes. Then I discovered the 3 mm thick divers socks and never looked back.
But I also more often wear mySCARPA T3 Telemark ski boots with removable foam liners.
Is anyone familiar with the US military Korean boot? Often called Mickey Mouse boots B/C of their size, they are merely felt pacs with a sealed rubber inner lining. In the Korean war soldiers had to remove them every night, change to dry socks and sleep without the boots, natch. This kept them from getting macerated foot skin and Trench Foot. These boots are Vapor Barrier boots.
THE WINTER CAMPING VBL & BOOT LINER EVENING DRILL:
1. take off insulated boots and remove the liners
2. immediately place the liners in the foot of your sleeping bag & telescope boot shell tops to keep out spindrift snow
3. remove closed cell neoprene divers socks, turn inside-out and let dry in tent for a while
4. remove wet polyester/polypropylene liner socks and place in plastic freezer bag
5. put on clean thin liner socks after feet have dried and put on thick "sleeping socks" (carry one clean pr. liner socks per day)
6. place VBL socks in foot of sleeping bag
In the morning stow the sleep socks in the clothing stuff sack and put on the VBL socks.
Place the boot liners inside the boot shells and put the boots on before the liners get cold. Now you will have warm and dry boots all day.
* If you want to make your own VBL suit buy a men's pajama pattern from a fabric shop and the necessary amount of silnylon from an outdoor fabric supplier (online) and make the suit. The top needs to be a pullover with a zippered opening and a turtleneck. Sew elastic at the cuffs and neck and be sure to seal all the seams with silnylon specific seam sealer.
You cannot rely on a sleeping bag with DWR treated down as the total answer to the vapor problem. (I know, my -20 F. bag has "Down Tek" DWR treatment snd still collects moisture.) It works for two nights and then progressively begins to fail each night after.
Eric B.
*In my experience the very best winter camping book is a little paperback called, "Allen & Mike's Really Cool Back Country Ski Book". About 50% is on camping, the rest on skiing. It is well illustrated with Mike Clelland's instructive cartoon-like drawings.