If the Boot Fits . . .

I’ll be writing more about why we decided to travel with Lindblad, but right now, I want to write about muck boots. Once you book your trip to Antarctica with Lindblad, you get a gear list. Most of the items are pretty unsurprising, and not too hard to find (I hope), especially with internet shopping.  But perhaps the single most important item to bring on an Antarctic expedition is a pair of knee high, waterproof boots — muck boots!  (Or, rather, Muck Boots, if you buy them from the company of the same name.)  These are needed for the “”wet landings” — getting out of the zodiacs in the water and stepping onto the White Continent!

The boots are made of formed rubber bottoms, with somewhat stretchy neoprene just above the ankles all the way up to the knees.  I was worried about whether boots this high and tight would fit my calves, which are not exactly slender.  In fact, for the past few months, I was pretty obsessed about this.  (That’s how I am.)  Finally, just after the holidays, MP and I went off to a Dick’s Sporting Goods to see if we could find boots to try on. I was sure we’d never find actual arctic muck boots (it’s too warm here for that), but I figured we’d find higher temperature rated boots, and indeed we did.  Dick’s had Wetlands Muck Boots, same sizing as the arctic boots, and MP and I modeled them, above.  They fit, whew!

So we ordered them from LL Bean (sorry, Dick’s, but LL Bean  has a lifetime guarantee).  Yesterday, I put mine on and test drove them right into a creek.  My feet stayed dry and warm.   And so . . .

Gear List: Arctic Muck Boots: √

Now I just have to worry about how we’ll get these things all the way to Antarctica! 

(cell phone photo by turtles06)