Those boots were made for walking
Re pre operation of the boots, mostly the aircraft was prepared at 23 dark thirty, and already well below zero so no blowing mosture out of the lines.
New boots, YES, old boots most improbable.
Mad Jock: Most 31's have more bicycle patches on the boots than Goodrich supplied rubber.
Good pressure YES, average NO.
I flew a wet winged PA31 for a while, (as well as HS125, wet wings too), a pleasure to operate in icing. ( G-ICED ?????)
The PA31 is not approved for flight in severe icing, so as already mentioned, when it looks like a snowball, it will fly like a snowball.
When MP is at the max you are warm and fuzzy with and still no respite, then max MP and descent is the only option.
Consider a flapless landing too.....
Best flying I ever experiences, the lounge in EMA was always full of night flyers, (not the Moscow ladies). fantastic fun.
The GLF is boring.....
Glf