Why not use pac boots Elk hunting?

[Addicting]

I am gravitating towards the SCHNEE'S Beartooth Insulated. I like that they have 200 grams of thinsulate. I think that is a good compromise between the NI and 400 that most of the Pacs come with. I feel 400 is too much if we end up with 30 degree plus temps.

Does anyone have experience with these?

 

[brymoore]

I wear uninsulated Lowa Tibets. I've never felt the need for insulation for 95% of my hunting. If it's cold enough for insulation, I'll wear my pacs.

 

[Addicting]

Well, I took my hunting socks and went down to get measured for new boots. Looks like I need an 11.5 for those socks. Seeing none of the Pac boots that I was considering come in half sizes that made my decision on what type of boot I am ordering. Now its either Kenetrek Mountain extremes NI or the Schnee's Beartooth NI. With the Military discount they are close to the same price, (19 dollars difference in favor of Schnee's) The Kenetrek are taller, stiffer, and 3.9 lbs per pair. They would be better for side hilling and creek crossings. The Schnees are not quite as stiff, little smaller and only 3.6lb/pair and would be lighter for the miles we are putting on.

This makes my indecision problem indecisively problematic. LOL

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Not sure if this helps you on your decision any but while I actually like my Schnee's boots a lot... there customer services is horrendous, if you ever need to have your boots sent in for any reason be prepared for it to be an epic disaster and for them to take no responsibility whatsoever. Have had it happen three different times over two years so I feel like my experiences were pretty indicative of their customer service in general.

 

[el unit]

Not sure if this helps you on your decision any but while I actually like my Schnee's boots a lot... there customer services is horrendous, if you ever need to have your boots sent in for any reason be prepared for it to be an epic disaster and for them to take no responsibility whatsoever. Have had it happen three different times over two years so I feel like my experiences were pretty indicative of their customer service in general.

I've had 2 experiences there with rebuilding- I take them to the downtown store. The first time, they rebuilt my 14 year old 16" Hunter II's for free and were done in one week. The next time, after one month, my other pair of old boots were still out on the store floor and no one ever sent them to be rebuilt until I pestered them enough and they found them. Both times the finished product was great,
There's one employee that really seems to be on his game. Some others not so much.

 

[shootbrownelk]

PAC boots are great for ice fishing. Slippery, ice & snow covered rocks while hunting...not so much. And they can be heavy.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I've had 2 experiences there with rebuilding- I take them to the downtown store. The first time, they rebuilt my 14 year old 16" Hunter II's for free and were done in one week. The next time, after one month, my other pair of old boots were still out on the store floor and no one ever sent them to be rebuilt until I pestered them enough and they found them. Both times the finished product was great,
There's one employee that really seems to be on his game. Some others not so much.

Yeah I had an eyelet break the first time I laced them up... they changed me $20 to fix in and it took a month, I brought the boots back into the shop within 4 hrs of buying them... should have just given me a different brand new pair or fixed for free. Second time was with a pair of packboots that were getting resoled, took them into the store and bozeman after a month I called to check the status, they hadn't been sent, called a month later weren't done, another month goes buy and they say they came in but they lost my number so had had them for 2 weeks and didn't contact me. Third time had to get gravel guards fixed... look like an unsupervised 5 year old with a glue gun did the work took 2 months and again they didn't call me and I had to go into the shop and identify my boots to get them back.

Honestly if you are out of state I would never send my boots to them because they will probably get lost.

 

[Ben Long]

Funny how I have one rifle I use for everything and a garage full of boots for different occasions. I have Schnee's pacs, uninsulated, for rare wet, autumn days above freezing. I have insulated White's Elk Guide, which I use for ice fishing. I have Kennetreck Mtn Extremes, 400 gram, which are my go-to November hunting boot, snow and wet. I have White's Smokejumpers that I use for heavy woods work (when I do that anymore) and Sept/October hunting when the woods are wet and quiet. Plus every summer or two I blow through a pair of medium-weight hiking boots. (Current pair is Mammut, which fit my feet great) which I wear when the woods are dry. That's a lot of boots! Any given day I never pick quite the right pair. But for mountain elk hunting, good tread and ankle support are key. I want my foot to stay where I put it, no matter how steep the slope.

 

[HSi-ESi]

I think Ben Long needs more rifles to choose from. At least one for every boot choice.

 

[HowaMini]

Hoffman used to put the removable caulks on their pac boots. I don't know if that sole is still an option.

They are terrible on rocks but corked boots work pretty good when it's wet and slick.

 

[1_pointer]

I think Ben Long needs more rifles to choose from. At least one for every boot choice.

I think he's got his priorities properly placed. More bandwidth and handwringing is spent on rifles/scopes/bullets (I am guiltier than most) rather than the stuff that, IMO, is more important for a successful hunt. I bet the "tales of woe" due to boots is 10X greater than that of rifles for hunting trips.

 

[dcopas78]

I have a pair of Hunter 2 boots as well. I like them well enough, but haven't had them on all that much. I took them and some Meindl's to Montana last year with the thought that if it snowed, I would use the pac boots. We never got the snow, so I stuck with the Meindl's, which are a good boot in their own right. This year, I had a pair of Salomon 4D 2 GTX for New Mexico. Love my Salomons....wish they had a taller hunting/hiking boot. I'd be all over it like flies on ****.

 

[6mm Remington]

I think Ben Long needs more rifles to choose from. At least one for every boot choice.

Has more boots then my wife has shoes! Well maybe not quite but sure giving her a run for her money!!

 

[Ben Long]

6mm, I bet mine are more expensive! My wife can have whatever shoes she wants! (Although she has her own pair of Mtn Extremes).

 

[Addicting]

Well after much deliberation I ordered a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extremes NI and a bunch of their Knee high socks. I may end up ordering a pair of gaiters but the bill was big enough for now.

Do you find the need to take boot dryers with your on these hunts? We are backpack day tripping with access to power during the night at the campground.

 

[1_pointer]

I've never used boot dryers.

 

[MThuntr]

Well after much deliberation I ordered a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extremes NI and a bunch of their Knee high socks. I may end up ordering a pair of gaiters but the bill was big enough for now.

Do you find the need to take boot dryers with your on these hunts? We are backpack day tripping with access to power during the night at the campground.

If it's wet eventually your boots will soak through even a little bit...bring the boot dryers

 

[kansasdad]

Bring them. You may not need them, but your friends probably will, and you will be the hero.

 

[Khunter]

I've never used boot dryers.

ditto. bring 2 pair though.

 

[6mm Remington]

Take boot dryers with you! My feet sweat a lot and get wet just from that. It is nice to put on dry boots in the morning. Peet boot dryers work great and I think they even make one that runs on propane or those small fuel cells too!