RE: boots
This year I started wearing Calcutta hip boots. They greatly improved my hunting in the low areas, but I do a lot of walking. I hate not being able to cross water. I’ve worn swamp boots for quite a few years now and felt I needed them a bit higher, so that I could go more places. They fold down pretty nicely when you don’t need them up to the hips also.
The Calcutta’s have a neoprene liner, which I’ve found to be really warm. Probably the same as a 1200-gram swamp boot. I wear them over wool pants in the really cold temps and I stay really warm.