Boots

[NW307]

Kenetreks changed my whole perspective on what a comfortable and nimble boot can be. I used a lot of high end boots when mountaineering was my job and none of them have come close to the comfort of these boots. Despite the hype, I've put 4 hard seasons on them and they're still stand-in-water-proof, but the soles are about shot and will probably need a re-tread next year. But I guess thats the trade off for a quiet and grippy sole. My 2 cents

 

[Don K]

I didn't see the other pair as I was looking at the un-insulated pairs.

You don't have a problem with these being to warm in the early season?

I have been a Danner fan for many years. Had a couple pair of radicals and loved them. This year I picked up a new pair of Danner "Gilas" and I don't like them at all. If I was pheasant hunting on flat ground they would be great. Stand on any slope that's muddy, or step on rocks and you on the ground. Don't know what it is about the soles but are they slick

Shopping for new boots, and have 400 in Cabelas certificates ready to burn !!

 

[7mm08mo]

When I bought the one of the pairs of meindls I have I was set on having danners, I found the meindls to be far more comfortable. One pair is asian and the other is german and I will say the german pair is more comfortable with the cork insole. They are the perfekt hiker uninsulated, my other pair is very comfortable also but not quite as much as the german pair. The asian pair is taller and has 400 gram thinsulate. Both pairs going with me to Idaho this fall.

 

[grizzly_]

I intended to buy the Zamberlan Guide 960 today but after trying them on I bought the Lowa Tibet Superwarm instead. I wear Kenetrek Bridger Ridge when it's warm so I needed an October /November boot and with my frostbitten feet I need extra warmth to go with my poor circulation and perpetually cold feet. Very happy with them and with the price at CampSaver (they also have a 60-day no hassle return policy if i don't like them so that gives me time to check on the break-in).

 

[MooseCaboose]

I love my Zamberlan Outfitter 980 gtx boots. Finally made the move over to them after being encouraged by many friends. There was almost no break-in period. These boots are tough yet cradle my feet perfectly.

Before these boots, I used Kentrek Mountain Extremes. However, even after walking many miles, I would still get heal slip and large blisters whenever I went up a steep grade for a prolonged time (basically every time I was out hunting). No such problems with the zamberlans.

Do yourself a favor and get some merino superfeet inserts, they make a world of difference.

All that being said, everyone's foot is shaped differently and different manufacturers will work better for different people.

 

[Tradewind]

I also have a pair of pronghorn's. They don't hold out the moisture. I have been a Danner fan but will upgrade after the season

 

[deer_shooter]

I'm a big fan of Lowa. No real break in needed and very comfortable. Shoe buy.com often has good deals on Lowa. Hard to go wrong with meindel too. I generally steer clear of any Cabelas branded products as I feel their quality is not what it used to be.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I didn't see the other pair as I was looking at the un-insulated pairs.

You don't have a problem with these being to warm in the early season?

I have been a Danner fan for many years. Had a couple pair of radicals and loved them. This year I picked up a new pair of Danner "Gilas" and I don't like them at all. If I was pheasant hunting on flat ground they would be great. Stand on any slope that's muddy, or step on rocks and you on the ground. Don't know what it is about the soles but are they slick

Shopping for new boots, and have 400 in Cabelas certificates ready to burn !!

I'm lucky when it comes to feet. They don't sweat and they don't get cold either. I not only wear the insulated boots year around, but I also wear heavy wool socks with them.

I wish I could say the same for my hands. My hands are always cold when hunting no matter what I wear for gloves.

 

[Eyeguy]

Again great discussion so far. I think with boots that some will fit some better then others. What works for me may not work for you. But fit is one thing....and leaking is another. I think the challenge is finding which reputable brand fits you the best. Good luck all!

 

[PRM]

I've tried a few different boots. Settled on the Salomon Quest 4D GTX. VERY COMFORTABLE, water proof, great ankle support, great traction. My feet tend to sweat so I need boots that breathe. My feet stay perfectly dry in these. Ankle support is another concern, as the last thing I want is to be miles from the truck, with no connectivity, and twist an ankle bad. These are very supportive. I've done back country hunts with the worst conditions being temps in the lower teens and 9" of snow. They are marginal in those conditions if standing around much. Probably the same for most uninsulated boots. For all my other CO 1st rifle hunts they have been great.

 

[Irrelevant]

Asolo Fugitives from Backcountry.com. Best boot I've ever worn. Waterproof for three years before they leaked at all, they only made it another year before the soles wore out. I'm a firm believer that hunting boots are still way below backpacking boots (high end vs high end). And if you need stout ankle support go with a 3/4 carbon stank mountaineering boot. They'll last forever if you take care of them. I wear Scarpa mountaineering boots once the snow falls (and obviously on all peak bagging trips).

 

[jeremys4]

I have a pair of oboz bought the from a scheels last year for elk hunting. They were so great I wore them all year. I got lazy and didn't boot oil them so they cracked this summer. Worth looking into I spent 180 I will be buying a new pair come October. I'm a plumber so the toes on boots ware out pretty quick but not on oboz with the rubber front.

 

[Mason326]

I am an absolute boot snob, I hate almost every hiking boot I've ever worn for one small reason or another until this past year.

Bought me some all-leather Alico Summits off of Sierra Trading Post and sealed them with Obenauf's and threw a pair of Superfeet Greens in (stock insoles were junk). They are dang excellent and much less expensive than custom all-leather boots. They breath much better and are less prone to random un-sealable leaks than all the gore tex boots I've worn. I am a wetlands delineator so I have spent literally hours standing around in standing water after hiking through brush for miles and have never had them leak. Tread is rock solid, wide, and easily replaceable for years to come by a competent boot repair shop. I will never go back to glued-on soles or gore-tex. Both seem wasteful or gimmicky in hindsight...

EDIT: This is after about 300 or more miles on them. Not just breaking them in. I walk a LOT.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Let me know how they're doing in 10 years.

 

[James Riley]

I've got a pair of Lacrosse boots with leather uppers (pretty high up) and rubber lowers. They lace up, and have some kind of replaceable felt-type liner inside and I can were wool socks with them. They've been around the horn and they're still working fine for me when I want my feet dry and warm.

Generally though, I wear combat boots and I get cold and wet.

 

[timberman56]

check on the warranty before buying at Sierra Trading. They would not warranty my Asolo boots that had a factory defect. I will never buy any boots they sell again.

 

[coppermushroom]

Asolo boots for me. Take a little longer on the break in than the Danners I have had but fit like a glove afterward. Have had two pair over the past 12 years and they have never let me down.

 

[windymtnman]

I have "average" feet, meaning that they are shaped normally, not particularly narrow or wide. I bought a pair of Meindl's from Cabela's a year ago. I am not impressed. They seem quite wide around the ball of my foot, and I had to put additional sole pads in them to take up the space. Meindl's and Danners are mostly made in Vietnam these days. I have a pair of Pronghorn boots, and the label on the tongues of the Meindl's and Danner's looks a lot the same. I suspect they may be made in the same factory??

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I have "average" feet, meaning that they are shaped normally, not particularly narrow or wide. I bought a pair of Meindl's from Cabela's a year ago. I am not impressed. They seem quite wide around the ball of my foot, and I had to put additional sole pads in them to take up the space. Meindl's and Danners are mostly made in Vietnam these days. I have a pair of Pronghorn boots, and the label on the tongues of the Meindl's and Danner's looks a lot the same. I suspect they may be made in the same factory??

You should have bought the Meindl's made in Germany. Read the thread.

 

[pre6422hornet]

I have 3 pair of Cabela's Meindls. One pair of Perfect 11 inchers, a pair of 9 inchers, and a pair of Duty Boots. All three have been bulletproof.

The 11 inchers I bought back in 2014 and have logged hundreds of miles on them. I keep them generously lubricated with Obenauf's. Great boots IMO. The 9 inchers I use for hiking around the house when training for elk hunting. The duty boots I wore as work boots for a few years, now they are reserved for yard work and snow shoveling.

I have not had any issues with mine, but I have read about the toes falling apart and such.