I was wondering what you guy's recomend on a good hunting boot? I looked at rocky's,cabelas,irish setters etc...etc!! The rocky bearclaws look pretty good,they have a good heavy sole, but I was just curious to your recomendation's!! Thanks in advance, Jason
I wore a pair of Cabela's Ibex made by Meindl for about 7 years and hope to save up for a new pair soon. These are built like stiff hiking boots and are great if you hunt in hilly and/or mountainous terrain.
I mainly hunt whitetails and whatever else that run the hills and hollars of southern IN. Jason
I used to swear by the LL Beans also.I recent years I have been using Schnees and they may be even better quality than my old LL Beans.They have them in uninsulated,insulated and felt liner versions.
Depends on your hunting conditions really. Are you going to be hunting whitetails in the midwest or elk in the rockies or sheep in Alaska. Out here in Oregon we have ever weather condition from hot and dry to wet and cold. I love the Asolo 520. It is waterproof built tough and is comfortable even when carrying heavy loads. But they would be overkill if you are hunting whitetails in Indiana.
Vibram soles may be good for rocky mountainous trips. If in mud you can count on them filling up heavy. Much prefer the gumshoe sole of the Bean Hunting Shoe hands down above the rest for any environment.
I have athe Wolverine Bowhunter boot I picked up a couple of years ago. It has good insulation (thinsulate) and a soft rubber sole making for good stalking capability, scent avoidance, as well as comfort. Disadvantage is a low cut just below the ankle, so there is no ankle support, for backpacking or hiking in hills I would recommend a full length boot. I've had Irsh Setters that just seem to last 4ever.
I liked my Meindl Ibex, but two pairs got destroyed on their first hunt because the soles ripped off like birthday cake. Now am using the Meindly Alaskan Hikers for longer hunts, and the Danner Jackal un-insulated for day hunts and warm weather.
Both are great for what they are designed for. I have hunted treestands in N. Georgia for all day sits in sub-freezing and with only regular socks I was ok. Though I did use an old sock to hold a hot hands on the toe of them a few times!
Danner Pronghorns are good boots, also I wore my Lacrosse boots like the LL Beans for a decade before they got to flat on the bottom to get any traction. I keep them in GA and wear them on hunt that involve short walks and long sits in cold weather.
If you put your money where your feet are, you'll be wearing Russell Moccasin boots. I like the south 40 bird hunters with a soft crepe sole.
I like my Danners, got two sets, one insulated pair for late fall, early winter and a pair of hikers I will use for Turkey hunting and early Deer season.
Both required no break in period and are very comfortable.
I had a pair of cheaper Cabela's insulated boots but had to bring them back as the tore into the upper part of my foot and made it painful to walk. I forget the name of the boots, but reviews showed others had problems with them as well. They have a great return policy if you try them and they don't work out.
Danners for me if i am going to be walking...muck boots in the swamps and standing...LL Bean or Schnee's i have to put some kind of orthotic insole arch support in them if i will be wearing them all day...
Boots are very important to me, as work all day, everyday day in them. Irish Setter Upland boot,comfort all day!!
I found an evaluation here in TG in the "product reviews" recomending Wolverine "Archers", they are a 8-10" or so boot. Soft "molded rubber sole", waterproof, insulated, very light and supply great traction. They have leather bottoms and camo nylon uppers and provide excellent ankle support. No real "break in period" as they feel good the minute you lace a pair on.
I was impressed with the evaluation enough to purchase a pair and so far am very happy with them.
I think regular retail is abot $150-160. I was luck to get them during the closure sales [about $85.00] of one of our "Long Time" great sports and hunting stores [Joe's or G I Joes] here in the Vancouver WA- Portland OR area.
I highly recommend them to my "friends" here on TG. :wavey:
I appreciate all the feedback! I'll sure check into the brands that have been mentioned, because I value the opinion of my fellow TGrs :thumbsup: Thanks,Jason
I have been through alot of boots. I have owned the Rocky Bear Claw 3D I had to return 3 pair in a year because they leaked after 2-3 months. I now own IRISH SETTER ELK TRACKERS these by far have been the best hunting boot i have owned to date. They have great traction. They are comfortable for all day and they come in a couple different thinsulate weights and leather combinations. I work in them and hunt in them. So if you want a long lasting boot(only if you take care of them,AKA mink oil them once a month clean them periodically) they will last you along while. Plus the soles are replaceable because they have a welted sole.
Danner hands down
I got a pair of Danner Pronghorns last spring and liked them so well that I went back and bought another pair. I used them last summer every other day carrying a backpack, then during elk season in Colo. and thru deer season in Kansas and I won't use anything else. Ben
If where talking about whitetail hunting ONLY RUBBER boots never wear leather.
Asolo TP 535; been wearing them for years.
I have been wearing Danners since the first time I put my feet in them several yrs ago. Great boots with an exceptional customer service Dept...PR
Danner's or Irish Setters (red Wings) My last pair of Danners lasted me 8 years.......
Danner Grouse for lighter duty hunting. (made inthe USA and rebuildable. Aprox$250
Whites Rough Out Logger lace to toe for bullet proof wear under extreme rough conditions. Leather is twice as heavy. Unereal foot support over rough terrain. Made im Spokane,WA. 100% rebuildable. Approx $380 (order woth out calk soles) These are lifetime boots.
danner pronghorns or irish setters.
Danner makes a duty boot called the FT LEWIS it's black and laces to the toe but i use mine in the woods and the best boot i own
I wear hunting boots everyday- and wear out all kinds. I went through Brownings Kangaroo skin boots on ONE trip. The 'slide rock' wore holes in the sides of the boots...
I know in snow that leather sucks. Yes you can treat it with a freshly squeezed mink or snow proof or whatever; but walk in snow in leather all day; and your boots will be wet at the end of the day.
I do prefer a rubber bottom/leather top combination; but having cream colored boots in a treestand is the opposite of camouflage.
Then too- a good boot is one that fits you. I have 11 1/2 EEE feet. Ducks think I have sexy feet.
But often boots mentioned above do not come in wide enough sizes. The rubber bottom boots are made in regular and wide sizes; wide being size D.
LL Bean boots - if not for looking like they were made by antihunters in the way bears see them from below would be OK.
Some boot companies make their boots in China; where the Chinese save 1/100 of one cent on each pair of boots they make by making the eyelets sharp enough to cut boot laces. Lots of companies make there boots in China.
Having white soles on your boots is bad too- unless your doing all your hunting on the ground in snow. Elk will stare under brush to see where bugling is coming from; and actually black boots fool them ....but white on boots or shiny eyelets will put them in high gear fast.
I like the lifetime warranty idea; but the older I get the less that means. $380 dollars for boots might be the smartest thing- but .. ~side~ wear is what happens walking up and down and side-hilling in crumbling rock all day.
Not sure how the boot people feel about that...
I usually end up spending less than a hundred for a pair of boots that I know will not last me longer than a year.
I shop by who has what size - more than any other factor.
Anyone with wide feet that can suggest a boot without talking about insurance ???
RUSSELL BOOTS PERIOD!!!
Brian, I bought a pair of Kenetrek "rubber bottoms leather tops" and there great! you might check them out cause they run fairly big. I have the opisite foot than you, my foot is narrow. I ordered my size and had to send them back and get a smaller pair! but so far so good, I really like em!! Jason