Spending Money on Good Boots

[Muley_Stalker]

if its below freezing snow is very dry. If its melting, you will have wet boots...

If it's below freezing I won't be there. At my age i'm a little thin in the skin.

 

[Jape]

Even though it's not your "typical" hunting boot, the La Sportiva Trango gtx boots were excellent on a 10-day elk hunt last year. I was really impressed and they are on sale right now.

 

[Irrelevant]

Even though it's not your "typical" hunting boot, the La Sportiva Trango gtx boots were excellent on a 10-day elk hunt last year. I was really impressed and they are on sale right now.

Those are great boots

 

[Deleted member 28227]

If it’s that humid and wet I wonder how much of the moisture inside your boots is getting there in ways other than leaking. In high humidity your socks are almost saturated before you even sweat in them. If it’s raining or water is dripping from vegetation above your boot height, and you’re not wearing gators or waterproof pants, then a lot of moisture could come in from the top of the boot. Not only that, but in high humidity, once moisture is inside the boot, it won’t evaporate out. I’m not saying you aren’t getting leaks. I just wonder.

Walking the river as long as water doesn’t get above my boot tops my feet are always bone dry, but I’m not having water run down my legs into the tops of my boots.

My experience backpack hunting in AK is identical to @Bambistew 's. My boots were waterlogged the entire time, and nothing really ever "dried out".

I butchered an elk in a stream once in CO, totally different experience. My feet stayed dry the entire time.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Huh? What can be wetter than standing in a creek?

 

[ImBillT]

My experience backpack hunting in AK is identical to @Bambistew 's. My boots were waterlogged the entire time, and nothing really ever "dried out".

I butchered an elk in a stream once in CO, totally different experience. My feet stayed dry the entire time.
View attachment 129400

I have to assume that the problem is not leakage. Not saying I’m definitely right. Would you agree that leakage isn’t the issue?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I have to assume that the problem is not leakage. Not saying I’m definitely right. Would you agree that leakage isn’t the issue?

Honestly... no idea. Stood in a creek before, AK and after AK in the same boots.

I wonder if it's a acute versus chronic permeability thing?

I would be curious to see how hard shell boots fair.

 

[rwc101]

My question is who has the best return policy? I've never had the chutzpah to throw down on a premium pair of boots with my train wreck pair of feet.

 

[tjones]

My question is who has the best return policy?

Vortex, of course.

 

[Deleted member 39961]

I was inspired to ask this question while reading the "Getting Started Hunting Fishing $$$" thread, but didn't want to hijack that conversation so I am starting a new thread.

There were a few in the other thread that said that would go used/cheap/borrowed on many items, but would not skimp on spending money on good boots. My question is what you look for in a good boot. I am so confused by the high dollar brands that I am paralyzed from spending the money on a pair. I have looked at some Kenetreks that are so stiff I can't imagine wearing them. Is that what you are going with and, if so, are they actually comfortable? Other boots look just like pairs that are $200 to $300 cheaper and I wonder just what I am getting that is worth all that extra money. Can you all help me out. What am I looking for? What am I missing out on with my cheap boots?

Thanks.
FamilyMan

I bought a pair of schnee absaroka talls (discontinued) which were stiffer than the granites and uninsulated and lined with eVent. First trip out, I shit you not, they leaked. I used the obenoffs and that seemed to help. Hundreds of miles in them, and they worked well, but my socks were definitely wet on more than one occasion -- hot days and cold. Helped butcher an elk in a creek, and I poured water out -- to be expected.

Prior to that I used a meindl that were almost half the price. In my opinion, those boots did just as good as my high-dollar schnees. I spent 22 days in those boots in 2013 (100 year storm) and they were dryer than my schnees.

Bought new boots -- scarpa charmoz with Outdry. Only 100 miles or so in them and I haven't had an issue but we'll see.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Personally, I like the Danner Pronghorns. At least the ones I bought a few years ago. They have a new model. The problem I find with Danner American Made Boots is that they use a different lasts and they don't use the one in the Pronghorn, which I find is the most comfortable.

The problem with all these high end boots is that they really just might not fit your feet and you can't tell till you've walked a bit in them.

Another example is some Solomon Quests I bought a few years ago. They were quite comfortable and had that quick lace system..... After a few days of walking in them, the tops of my feet were hurting bad. I found that the lace system with the light weight upper allowed the little cables they called laces really dig into my feet and caused extensor tendonitis.


I've had so many failures with boots being right/comfortable/fit or whatever that I have a hard time just dropping $400 on a pair of boots I can't try out. Plus, the expensive ones I've tried often don't fit me right and I have to send them back..... which is a pain.

 

[Bambistew]

Oh, its leakage... I can cross streams, or traverse along streams and feel cold water come in, thats when I know they're done for. There isn't a goretex boot made that will keep your feet dry for an hour of walking through wet grass either.

goretex requires a "dry" layer or space for moisture to escape from sweating. If that area (outside of the boot) is saturated/wet, the moisture inside can't escape and the moisture from the outside will wick right through given a little pressure, i.e. flexing. If goretex is so perfect, then how come you can purchase "upgraded" versions of goretex rain gear that come with extra layers? I have 3 versions of OR rain jackets with goretex, ranging from $100-350. The only difference is how long it takes for them to saturate and finally leak. I find its about an hour per $100.

@Mtnhuntr Buddy of mine wore I believe an earlier version of those La Sportiva Trango gtx boots on a sheep hunt a few years ago. I distinctly remember his socks matching the outside color of the boots.

 

[Jape]

Oh, its leakage... I can cross streams, or traverse along streams and feel cold water come in, thats when I know they're done for. There isn't a goretex boot made that will keep your feet dry for an hour of walking through wet grass either.

goretex requires a "dry" layer or space for moisture to escape from sweating. If that area (outside of the boot) is saturated/wet, the moisture inside can't escape and the moisture from the outside will wick right through given a little pressure, i.e. flexing. If goretex is so perfect, then how come you can purchase "upgraded" versions of goretex rain gear that come with extra layers? I have 3 versions of OR rain jackets with goretex, ranging from $100-350. The only difference is how long it takes for them to saturate and finally leak. I find its about an hour per $100.

@Mtnhuntr Buddy of mine wore I believe an earlier version of those La Sportiva Trango gtx boots on a sheep hunt a few years ago. I distinctly remember his socks matching the outside color of the boots.

I believe it! Definitely not for sheep hunting. BTW, have had about the same experience with the Meindl's as you.

 

[ImBillT]

Oh, its leakage... I can cross streams, or traverse along streams and feel cold water come in, thats when I know they're done for. There isn't a goretex boot made that will keep your feet dry for an hour of walking through wet grass either.

goretex requires a "dry" layer or space for moisture to escape from sweating. If that area (outside of the boot) is saturated/wet, the moisture inside can't escape and the moisture from the outside will wick right through given a little pressure, i.e. flexing. If goretex is so perfect, then how come you can purchase "upgraded" versions of goretex rain gear that come with extra layers? I have 3 versions of OR rain jackets with goretex, ranging from $100-350. The only difference is how long it takes for them to saturate and finally leak. I find its about an hour per $100.

@Mtnhuntr Buddy of mine wore I believe an earlier version of those La Sportiva Trango gtx boots on a sheep hunt a few years ago. I distinctly remember his socks matching the outside color of the boots.

So if I put my Danners in a bucket of water 6” deep with a roll of dry toilet paper in each one over night tonight and they’re dry in the morning what’s the answer? I know TX water ain’t dryer than AK water.

I’m hoping they’re dry on the inside in the morning! I had them submerged to my ankles an awful lot on two different hunts this year, but I don’t know that I stood still in the water for an hour.

Of course there has to be dry air on the outside for moisture on the inside to escape. That’s obvious. My point was exactly that. If it’s too humid outside the boot, any moisture on the inside whether it’s sweat, or water that came in from above, rather than leaking, will be unable to escape. But that’s not leakage.

I’m definitely not saying Gore-Tex is perfect. I just haven’t had wet feet a single time in these boots.

 

[ImBillT]

Honestly... no idea. Stood in a creek before, AK and after AK in the same boots.

I wonder if it's a acute versus chronic permeability thing?

I would be curious to see how hard shell boots fair.

I could see how fully saturating the Gore-Tex might change its permeability. Considering I spent a few hours going in and out of shallow portions of a river with wide open seams, it’s hard for me to believe that I didn’t saturate my liner. I did not stay in the water for hours though. Perhaps that’s somehow different.

 

[VikingsGuy]

look at you like a squirrel is crawling out of your pocket

Ahhh, so many times I have heard, "is that a squirrel in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

 

[ImBillT]

Well I dunked both boots when I got home and neither one lasted past my first check on them. They didn’t look waterproof in their current condition, but I’ve never had wet feet in them. I guess walking through 4”-6” of water here and there all day is different than sitting in water continuously for a while.

 

[Sytes]

I spent a fortune... $400 on one pair of boots. They were comfy though I've found it hard to define a noticeable difference between those and boots I now wear that are $120-220.
My favorite, most comfortable shoe/boot for off work wear are Keen.
Since this discovery, I tried Keen Summit MTN boots.

Men's Summit County Waterproof Boot

Introducing the ultimate winter boot, with targeted insulation, a breathable waterproof membrane and a rugged rubber sole that reacts to cold weather by hardening for a tough grip on packed snow.

www.keenfootwear.com

These are comfy as heck and snug enough for mountain hiking.

We all have our preferences and boots are a definite individually valued item.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Hard to make a gamble on a quality brand/style and then be out $400 or so and stuck with a boot not optimized for you. To help mitigate this problem you can go to REI and have the footwear expert help you try on several different mountain style boots and this helps you get a good match for your particular foot shape / foot needs, which are not best-suited for some brands. Also, if you can’t return or exchange the boot, new-ish higher end boots can be sold used at about 80% of their cost, so really you’re dumping maybe $100 and some hassle on your way to find something that works well for you.

Personally, I have strong ankles and don’t need stiff ankle support. However, it can be tricky for me to find the right footwear that has good heel cup fit.

I have a light boot for covering miles, or flat/mild terrain. I also have a hefty pair for heavy loads, and/or rocky terrain. Switching to a 8-9” high boot was a game changer for me to help protect the soft tissue around my ankles that was getting beat up.

The best pair of boots I owned were my first pair: Caterpillar work boots. They lasted 11 years and about 1500 miles until the sole wore out. Foolishly, I did not get this discontinued model resoled, instead opting to buy another cheap pair, and nothing has worked as well since.

 

[Edwin]

I spent a fortune... $400 on one pair of boots. They were comfy though I've found it hard to define a noticeable difference between those and boots I now wear that are $120-220.
My favorite, most comfortable shoe/boot for off work wear are Keen.
Since this discovery, I tried Keen Summit MTN boots.

Men's Summit County Waterproof Boot

Introducing the ultimate winter boot, with targeted insulation, a breathable waterproof membrane and a rugged rubber sole that reacts to cold weather by hardening for a tough grip on packed snow.

www.keenfootwear.com

These are comfy as heck and snug enough for mountain hiking.

We all have our preferences and boots are a definite individually valued item.

I thought I was alone on the keen train. Unmatched comfort and reasonable compared to many of the top brands. Durability has been an issue for me but silicon repairs keep them going for me