Should one remove their boots in an emergency bivvy situation?
Is there an argument for removing your boots to prevent frostbitten toes. Lets say you are at 4000m in the winter in a snow cave with no sleeping bag and frostbite is probable, but death is unlikely.
I'm guessing that if there was a benefit to removing the boots, it would be from increased circulation.
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@Willis has a great answer which I don't entirely agree with. However, I do not believe there is a right answer so am not saying leaving boots on is wrong - its very situation dependent. Generally I would advocate removing boots unless there is good reason not to.
Leaving feet in boots means little movement, loss of blood flow therefore loss of heat. In such a situation of a force overnight bivy, frostbite is very likely unless you can maintain blood flow to the extremities - leaving boot on all night will almost certainly mean frostbite by morning. You need to get heat to the feet.
The only way to increase blood flow to cool extremities is movement - massage or exercise. With boots on, in a forced bivy, movement of feet and toes is extremely limited. With boots on, there is not way to add heat.
By removing boots, you can massage feet and use hands to get cold muscles moving and increase blood flow- you can also stick the feet under armpits etc (your mates, not yours) to obtain heat. Clearly this is not an option if solo, leaving blood flow as the only way to get the heat where its needed.
Unless you are extremely disciplined about looking after your feet, once you stop feeling them, you will not be bothered removing your boots, and sacrificing hand warmth in the process, to warm them up.
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I only see an advantage if your boots are wet:
Then I would advise to remove the wet shoes and socks. Maybe you are in the lucky position to have some dry spare socks in your backpack. If not you may have a bivi sack to heat up your extremities. Otherwise you can at least put your feet in your backpack. This would help immensely.
If the boots are dry, I don't see any advantage in removing them. You can loosen the laces so they won't fit too narrow but they will still give you lots of urgently needed insulation. In general your feet shouldnt swell because of the cold environment but your feet might swell when they warm up again in the snow cave.
Another important point: It might seem you have wet socks only because your feet are sweating. Or you have just this false friend feeling. Keep in mind that it might be difficult to get the feet back in the shoes if those are damp (or your feet swell by warming up again) so think twice if you wanna remove the shoes, you might not be able to get them on your feet again.
Regardless of wet/dry feet with shoes on or off: Always observe your overall condition and in particular your extremeties (hands, feet). Especially when you get numb feelings, try to massage them, try to swing the arms and legs to get the blood flowing. Work as a team, observe each other, maybe massage each other, don't forget to melt snow if possible. Drinking is important not only due to acclimatization but also to get the blood thin and therefore flowing to the extremities.
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As an anecdote, I did. I unexpectedly bivied overnight during a snowstorm at 14kft in -15F, 50mph winds with a pack, bivy sack and warm clothes. I had dry feet prior, didn't have an issue getting the boots back on, and walked out in the morning without frostbite.
I used my pack and boots to stabilize the loose snow ledge and provide insulation. I alternated between warming my toes and fingers throughout the night. I've always found my feet are warmer without boots, but I have had severe injuries and my feet swell quite a bit so perhaps the pressure adversely affects them.
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