Schnees SUCK!

[squirrel]

Reading on the other thread how pack boots work for elk hunting, rather than hijack that topic...

Schnees suck bad enough that they warrant their own thread.

They suck so bad as to warrant their own schnees suck forum...

I bought a pair for several reasons and some extra liners. Now mama says if you've got nothing good to say say nothing so here it is, they are VERY comfortable boots with good traction. OK that is it for positive.

They leaked so bad you can't cross a 2" deep one step creek without being completely wet, not damp mind you but wet. Wet enough that on the second step out of the creek you are wet through the boot, liner, and socks, and sloshing. If it is a "two step creek" both feet are sloshing.

I tried treatments, I tried sealants, I sent back to the factory (twice) On the second re-boot from Schnees I took the "repaired" boots out of the box and immersed in water in a tub, went to the reloading bench for some lead ingots to hold them under and upright and by the time I got back they were standing quite upright in the water as they had filled to water level (about 8" deep).

Now they are my dry ground "chain saw boots" as even in 3-4 inches of snow they get WET within a couple miles. I've had non-waterproof boots before but never non-snow proof boots. And to top it all off by the time I bought them and the spare liners and paid shipping four ways afterwards they rank as probably the most expensive boots i've ever bought, which probably means I'm just not a big spender on boots compared to some of you high rollers.

I feel better now... carry on.

 

[JLS]

I'm certainly no high roller, but I've had very good luck with my Schnee's over the years. Sorry you don't like yours.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I've had good results with the boots but terrible customer service... which boots did you get?

 

[u1299]

I've had 2 pairs and think they're great, no issues whatsoever.

 

[MNElkNut]

Man, I am just shocked to read this! Schnees has had the best customer service of any company I think I have ever dealt with. I would call them up and explain the problem. I am quite confident they will "make it right"--which is (or was) their warranty by the way. Seriously, they are an awesome company. I wonder if their usual customer service rep was out sick and they got a temp or something?

 

[JMG]

I too have had nothing but positive experiences with Schenee Hunter II "PAC boots". I have crossed small creeks and small rivers with them. I march right through the water. There not waiters, but I have never had an issue.

 

[LopeHunter]

Zero issue with my pair being worn several years in dry, wet and snowy conditions. Now, a Cabela's parka with "lifetime" warranty ended my relationship with them. If was meant to be a short warranty not related to my life length then why did Cabela's not list the expiration as x months or x years from date of purchase and even stamp that date on the coat upon sale? Quick, I am thinking of a number for how long to warranty this parka, guess. No, wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Sorry, I had a number for the warranty in mind but....not any of those you guessed. The warranty is over though. Sorry the zipper tore away from the coat but, you know, lifetime warranty is up. Want to guess again? Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

 

[Buschy]

Another happy Schnees customer here. Great Pac boot and great customer service. I have heard very few people who are not happy with them. Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

[el unit]

I like my Schnee's Hunter II boots. Although I've had one bad customer service experience, the boots have been very good for me and my hunting/ working needs.
Too bad to hear of your poor experience with them.

 

[TheTone]

Look around long enough and you're bound to find a bad review for almost every boot out there.

 

[u1299]

Kind of like when I read a review for almost anything and you'll get a hundred 5 star ratings, then a 1 star pops up with nothing good to say, makes you wonder just a bit.

 

[Laelkhunter]

The main problem I found with pac boots (not Schnees), is that they are too warm. My feet sweat a lot, and then the liners get saturated. The moisture is from within the boot, and once my feet got wet, they started getting cold. Even having an extra pair of liners wouldn't help, the got sweat saturated too. Your problem was a leak that allowed water to get in. Sounds like you got into some bad luck with those boots.

 

[MTGomer]

I'm surprised to see this. I've never owned their pacs but I have absolutely beat the tar out of the Absarokas- on my second Vibram sole with them and just got the Granite a few months ago and so far love them.
I'm even more surprised to see the poor experience with customer service. Maybe a second call back speaking to someone further up the ladder would be worth it. A smart company will bend over backwards to keep a thread like this from becoming common place.

 

[Steve O]

Definitely not my experience. Can't say how many hundreds of miles I've put on them hunting 20 different states and 6 provinces over the last 20 years. They saved a Stone sheep hunt for me. They sat me in a river halfway up the leather for hours on a brown bear hunt. Ive had nothing but good out of my Schnee's Hunters.

 

[squirrel]

I'm not sure what the "name" of these were but they are 13" rubber/leather with what may as well be window screen filling in the weld area. The only equivalent is crossing a creek wearing crocs, with a nod going to the crocs cause they are easier to change on the far side of said creek.

First time back I broke a hook and they fixed, no charge (they were almost brand new) they did nothing to the leak, said they were fine I just needed more silicon on the weld. $20-30 in silicon later they went back and I explained that I wasn't duck hunting here I couldn't even cross a trickle at a run without being soaked.

They came back with an inch or so of dried goo smeared all across the weld area with what appeared to be shoe goo, but they only hit the high spots and stitching... and this lead to me soaking in the tub without even trying to put them on. I can get 1/2 day out of them with a quarter tube of shoe goo/boot and let them dry for two days, and of course the sage brush rips of the shoe goo in a couple miles. It's just not worth it. the girl I talked to said I ruined them by putting mink oil on the uppers therefore they were my responsibility. What a $400 f'n joke of a company

 

[Gunner46]

Tractor Store 'Barn Boots' a couple sizes too large and some heavy wool socks with a poly-pro inner. About $40, complete. No leaks, No squeaks, NO scent. May look ugly as H&ll, but....I don't care. If you have to do some walking, glue some Dr Shoal's gel pads in (now $50)

 

[el unit]

Tractor Store 'Barn Boots' a couple sizes too large and some heavy wool socks with a poly-pro inner. About $40, complete. No leaks, No squeaks, NO scent. May look ugly as H&ll, but....I don't care. If you have to do some walking, glue some Dr Shoal's gel pads in (now $50)

Ha Ha! True- I wear my uninsulated LaCrosse irrigating boots on quite a few elk archery hunts every season. Half mile walk thru a meadow called "The Swamp" and my feet are bone dry.

 

[Wapiti Warrior]

I have been wearing schnees pac boots since the early 90's. And I do have to say a few years ago something changed in the company.The last pair I bought the rubber bottoms knobs broke off the first time I took them out, they warrantied the repair. But when I got them back they leaked where the stitching is connecting the rubber bottoms to the leather. Schnees said to put some of this glue on them because that is all they would do if I sent them back. I was/am not impressed with the last pair I bought. Before this I had nothing but praise for the boot and company. My first pair of Schnees pac boots lasted me over 15 years, the next pair didn't even last 2 years, and I had them rebuilt 3 different times under warranty.
John

 

[Curvebow]

I've never owned Schnees. But, I own about 5 pairs of Lacrosse Burly rubber boots with air bob soles in various stages of wear, including one torn and repaired with duct tape and even a brand new pair still in the box. I love my Lacrosse!

 

[ssssnake529]

Zero issue with my pair being worn several years in dry, wet and snowy conditions. Now, a Cabela's parka with "lifetime" warranty ended my relationship with them. If was meant to be a short warranty not related to my life length then why did Cabela's not list the expiration as x months or x years from date of purchase and even stamp that date on the coat upon sale? Quick, I am thinking of a number for how long to warranty this parka, guess. No, wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Sorry, I had a number for the warranty in mind but....not any of those you guessed. The warranty is over though. Sorry the zipper tore away from the coat but, you know, lifetime warranty is up. Want to guess again? Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

I had this same issue with Cabelas. Their "lifetime" warranty was not for my lifetime, but for the (3 year) estimated lifetime of the product. (A fly rod that snapped in two while casting.) I have avoided Cabelas ever since.