Trad Gang

Hey Gang, been thinking about ordering a pair of high country hunters. Any info, pros, cons and how long have you had a pair. Also some field pics of any of the russell mocs would be appreciated.

Been wearing a pair since I did a review on them several years ago. Excelent in workmanship and comfort!!

Pete

I tried to order a pair a few years ago.  After being put off several times, I was finally told they didn't have sole material wide enough for my feet (the reason I wanted to order custom shoes to begin with--to finally get a good fit).

Other than that, I've heard a lot of good things about them.  Wish I could have given my personal experience of actually wearing a pair.

I ordered a pair of the Lace to Toe boots and  pair of shoes. The shoes worked out great, and I still wear them-the boots not so much.
Don't assume the foot tracing and measuring is enough to ensure a good fit in extreme circumstances, like lots of side hilling.
It is obviously a good company and they use top materials; just make sure the fit is going to stand up for more than the flats.

Went round and round for a pair of bow hunters over 6 months. One thing after another size, style they just kept mailing me PHs thinking I'd just takem, nope! Never did get any. There order dept is a mess!

I'm a big fan.  Hard to fit (like a 9.5 X 4E) have to buy 10.5 or 11 wides in tennis shoes or Rocky/Cabelas boots to get the width.

I thought alot about it (spending like $350 on boots) - then finally pulled the trigger in 2003 on a pair of TLC woodcock's, uninsulated, with the upland sole.  Just got those back from Russell's a month ago from resoling - the leather is like new.  I've worn those boots for LOTS of miles, from Midwest whitetail hunting, elk in MT and ID several times, on the basalt rock in Australia, moose hunting in BC, to north of the Arctic circle.  Love 'em.  They've saved me money as I used to walk through a pair of ($200) Rocky's or Danners every other year.

I also have a pair of insulated "mountain climbers" with a bit more aggressive sole.  Use these on real rocky/shale type ground and later in the season for whitetails (Dec-Jan) they are good for me down to about 15 degrees F.

Keep 'em greased with Montana Pitch Blend or something similar and they'll last a LOONNNGG time.

Ryan

I am a big fan too.I love the style and i own 6 pairs with the oldest pair bought some 20 years ago and still running.They are my main hunting boots on dry to rainy days,one day hunts.For elk hunting in the snow out from home for several days I have dreamed my Meindl anyway.It doesn't matter how much care you take waterproofing them,after a day in the Rochies with the snow they are no more waterproof.Sorry Ryan,also with 3 layers of MT Pitch Blend dryed with a hair drayer.

Cacciatore, I agree - it's wet enough NO boots are waterproof.  They'll dry, though.   :)

I was in camp with some better outfitted guys that they used a propane boot dryer overnight and it worked very well.2 pair is the way to go.They are more confortable and quiet than most of the other boots.In the past i had 2 pairs of Rocky booots that collapsed elk hunting,one pair on a horseback hunt.I had to walk downhill with the broken soles and foot beds,really unpleasing at least.Same happened with a almost brand new pair of Meindle,then they changed the design.Russells will never let you down,for construction.

I hate mine, I would never buy another pair. It was a waste of 455 bucks.

The soles were put on crooked, the right boot does not fit & there was a huge leather seam inside by the heel that blistered my feet the first 5 minutes I wore them.

Other than that, they are great! Anyone want to buy a nice pair of boots, lol.

So far I have looked at the Russel Mocs, SodHoppers and Alpines.

I'm going to get a pair of moccasin boots this year, I just don't know which ones yet.  So far I like the SodHopper bottoms the best.

I want quiet stealth for the woods.

You might check out Mukluk's stuff. I bought the felt-lined boots for next season, but haven't given them a workout yet. Heat index was 105 here yesterday. A little early yet...

I have the High Country Hunters. These are the absolute epitome of foot comfort in tough terrain. They are not waterproof...but get an 8/10 for holding out water. They are not a sheep hunting or mountaineering boot, but are well built. I recently wore mine 7 consecutive days while hunting mountain lions. My feet were happy. I'd maybe give the company 7/10 for customer relations...but that's not a deal-breaker for me. If you need a totally custom boot, Russell Mocs will do it as good as it can be done.

Have three pair and am very happy. Sent first pair back for replacement but it was my error in tracing. I think most issues involve the foot tracing. For better tracing try; put on sock, dampen bottom of sock, stand on paper, lift foot and trace around imprint.

I bought a pair of PHs last year. Good grief they were wide. I wear a 10D normally and these were marked 9 1/2 EE. Overall a bad fit(the right worse than the left) but I filed the inside with a pair of insoles from some NB running shoes I have and wear thick socks for an OK fit.

After I adjusted the fit and broke them in I have to admit they are very comfortable on level ground but not enough support for traversing around a steep hillside.

Thanks gang lots of good info here, keep'r comming

I've had 4 pair, from wading boots to Sheep Hunter.  Had a pair of Safari's resoled 3 times and the canvas finally wore out.  I would never buy a pair of boots without some type of Air-bob for mt work.  Their Air-bobs leave a lot to be desired.  Had knobs and tits break off after first sheep hunt.  They were pounded in that hunt, but I know that Danner Air-bobs wear out and don't break off.  All that said, they're still my mountain boot and have had another sheep hunt on them and a couple of elh hunts and don't need resoling.

Bowmania

I have a pair of russell and have been happy with them.  Was in WI on business not too far from the russell shop so go measured at the shop.  Spend the few bucks try to find a local shoemaker and get some more professional measureing help.  The more accurate the measurements the more likely to get a finished product that fits better.

I bought a pair of THUla Thuls Ph and a pair of Mtn PH a year ago. Best boots I have ever owned. THe Thula'a are a mocassin type and I wore them on a week long elk hunt and couldn't be happier. I put a lot of miles on in the fall and spring bird hunting and the Mtn OH are exceptional. Like anything custom built you may love them or hate them. I did go down and get them fitted.

Lovem.

Currently own 6 pairs.

Imperial Triple Vamp
Imperial Double Vamp
Safari PH
Art Carter Sportsman
Casual Trail Shoe
Huron Moccasins

I've had multiple soles put on the Hurons and the PH's as I tend to wear those most frequently.

Danners and Rockies seem to fall apart on me.  Russells are hands down the most comfortable durable boots/shoes I've ever had and I will not buy anything else.

When they make a sneaker I'll buy a pair of those.

I went to the shop & had them do the tracing, they still screwed them up. I think for a beat around boot they are fine, but for elk hunting & such,which is why I bought the "mountain hunters", they suck. You can do way better with Meindel, Han Waka, lowe or any number of mountain boots. I was really dissapointed in the company & the boots. I am sure they will last forever seeing as I can wear them without my feet turning into hamburger    :p

I'm a fan of them as well...extremely comfortable and durable for me.

I bought a pair of the bowhunter boots and had them replace the scentlok liner with insulation. By far the best boot I have ever purchased...having EEEE wide feet makes it kinda hard to find good cold weather boots that fit properly. My personal experience with Russell was a good one and if I ever wear these boots out I will most certainly be buying another pair.

I like mine.  I like the heavy duty Vasque better.  I have experienced some of the problems already posted but think the money was well spent.  I do not go to the mountains without them. Oh, i think i have the elk hunters.

Love mine.  I have to say they rank at the top for my Elk Hunting boots.

I wear their upland boots as my main hunting shoe - Texas to Canada.

I had a pair that were really comfortable but the big problem was that they wore out VERY quickly in the toe when I started wearing them in really rocky country (i.e. Snake River elk and chukar hunting).  The toe is the vulnerable part of the boot.  Not a big deal if you aren't in the rocks.

I had a pair of "Sheep Hunters" and thought they were the best thing since sliced bread until I took them on a backpack sheep hunt.  My experience leads me to say if you are doing anything short of sheep/goat hunting where you can expect fairly dry conditions, they would be a good boot.

I have a friend who recently had a similar experience to Big River's...they may be slipping in their quality and I'm not planning on chancing another pair.

I live 30 minutes from the store. I have boots off the shelf that people ordered and did not pick up. They cut one set down and made them 6" high for me at no cost.

The company has two brothers that have been working there 50+ yrs each.

President George W. Bush had a set measured for him so he can hunt with Chaney. (DUCK DOWN)

It is time for them to get new blood in and train the boys but they still do most by hand and the labor is to much work for the boys now days.

JMHO

Sounds like for the money you could do better...just an observation. There are some really great boots out there for half that price.

I looked at their site.  I have high arches and a wide foot; it's difficult for me to find anything that fits, but nothing they offer can justify Russell's prices, IMO. No matter how much money a man has to spare, he's be silly to give it to Russell.  People ought to think about that--just because you can afford it, doesn't mean you ought to waste it by getting ripped off. Just my 2 cents.

Russell boots are custom made from measurements off your foot.  Provide the correct measurements and they'll make every effort to make you a pair of boots that fit properly.

I'm very happy with the 6 pair I own.  Evidently I got "ripped off" by purchasing boots that fit, are comfortable and outlast anything else I've ever owned.

Good thing I didn't listen to someone who's never even seen a pair of Russells much less owned a pair.

Otto, if you have 6 pair, and you paid the prices he's currently asking, you didn't just get ripped off, you got ripped off 6 times.

My HCH boots are a cherished part of my gear. I've worn them on several difficult hunts and they've never given me a moment's trouble. I can't say that about Cabela's, Rocky, Browning, Lowa, and several others (built in Ying Yang Province) that I probably spent a sum total of over $1,000 to own. Given the price of my USA built HCH boots, I'd actually call them a real bargain...I plan to get 20 more years out of them.

Not everyone will agree of course. My impromptu tally is that the majority of Russell owners don't feel ripped off...are happy with their purchase...and would buy them again. Apparently most (not all) of the TG-ers who own them are quite pleased as well.

I've been a happy customer for the last 15 years. High Country Hunters, Snake Boots, Zephyrs, and a pair of Safari PH's. I have narrow feet (12B)and they are the only boots I've found that I can hunt comfortably in all day. And with the way they are holding up I doubt I will need another pair for many years.

I wish mine woulda' fit better-really worked at it too   :dunno:    :dunno:    

I am just letting people know my experience, just like you people who love them. They did my foot tracing at the store, took 2 months longer to make the boots then promised & when I received them, they had all the problems I described.

I dont really care if you buy 20 pairs & love them, my experience with the boots & the company sucked. Guys need to know both sides of the story with Russells.

It`s hard for some peolple to admit they bought something not up to the hype. I dont have that issue. I think there are way better boots for the rediculous amount of money you pay for Russell boots. Mine cost more than my first car.

Anyone wants to buy mine in brand new condition, let me know.

I have two styles of Russell Boots:

Mohican Stalker w/Air Bob Vibrum Sole & 200 Thinsulate lining, 9" height

Russell Tracker w/ MultiPurpose Sole, 7" height

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Both are excellent mocs..... the Tracker is a warm weather boot and with the addition of the Multi Purpose Sole they are quiet and comfortable to walk in and you can still feel the earth under your feet when you are stalking prey. Just like a true moc.(without the multipurpose sole)

The Mohican Stalker is more of a colder weather boot as it has the insulated liner and a vibrum outsole.

With wax that Russell sells they do stay dry for a while but under hard continuous wet weather they will get your feet wet.

I have found that a GOOD Pac type boot is the best to keep your feet warm and  dry in Cold weather and be comfortable to walk in.  For that I have a pair of 10" Schnee's Outfitter Boots with High Traction Advantage outsole and Thinsuate Ultra liner and Wool Felt insulation. They are extremely comfortable to walk in and will keep your feet dry and warm.


The boots you are considering have the claw air bob sole. They would not be as nimble and quiet as the multipurpose sole I mentioned above. I do see that Russell shows that sole as an option..see their web page...  Something to consider,,,     :dunno:        :dunno:        :dunno:


The quality of leather and workmanship of both shoemakers I mentioned are excellent. Also, I have had great customer service from both.

I have 2 pairs of Russell PH boots. Like any handmade product, the finished product varies with the individual making the boots as well as how he was feeling and working at the time the boots were made. As reflected by the comments here, the reactions to the quality of the boots has been very mixed. Some folks have had very good experiences with their Russell boots, while others have had poor experiences. Overall, I think the Russells are excellent when they are properly constructed. The materials are great and the basic design is good. The boots hold up well with use. The major disadvantages of the Russells are cost, inconsistent manufacturing, and lack of form fitting padding materials found on most modern boot designs. These lead to less than perfect fit and support as well as high cost. Both pairs of my boots had minor manufacturing problems, like thin leather half-insoles that were glued in with glue that did not hold them in place and extra length in a piece of the tongue that folded over and irritated the top of my foot. The problems were fairly easily fixed, but not without the hassle of getting them to a shoe repair shop. There is no excuse for poor execution in the manufacture of boots that cost $300 a pair! The boots take some time to break in, despite contrary claims by Russell. My foot slips around some in the Russells when walking on steep terrain because there is no form fitting padding like on most of my other boots. I do love the overall feel and fit, the ability to have the proper length and width, and the ability to choose the sole and have it replaced as necessary. It is also very nice to be able to send the boots back to Russell for repairs. Boots like these only become better with age because the shape to your feet more and more over time. Every year I use my Russells I like them better. That is also a big disadvantage of the boots, because they don't feel as comfortable out of the box or in the early part of their use as most other boots I have. On the other hand, boots like my Merrills are very comfortable to walk in but have very noisy soles that cannot be replaced. In Africa my professional hunters hate how much noise I make in my Merrills and love how quite my Russells are (one pair has the plantation crepe soles and the other has the Airbob soles). The Russells will outlast the Merrills by a large margin, but the Merrills cost much less and are more comfortable and more supportive. I can buy 3 pairs of the Merrills for the cost of one pair of the Russells, but I can never get rid of the noisy soles on the Merrills. I wish Merrill would build an ankle height, lightweight boot with replaceable soles, but they don't. So, I will continue to recommend Russells, but only with the caveats I have mentioned. They are good boots; however, there is much room for improvement despite Russell's failure to implement those improvements. The same can be said for boots by Merrill and others. While in Africa, everyone laments the fact that no company builds the kind of lightweight hunting boots that many hunters desperately need.

Allan

Too many horror stories for me to even consider the Russells.  They really seem to be hit and miss.  You see the same stories on several different forums.

Too bad the experiences are so divergent. Though impossible, would be interesting to know how many folks have had bad experiences with Meindel, Hanwag, Kenetrek, Lowa, Danner, Asolo and other high dollar boots.

I had a pair of the high dollar mountain hunting boots made in Italy. They absolutely wrecked both my feet on a high-mileage caribou hunt in the NWT. I went to Russell Moccasin for my HCH boots. A year later I was back in the NWT on the same hunt. I put on some serious miles through rock, water and muskeg wearing the HCH and I never even had so much as a hot spot on my feet. Quite a contrast to the supposedly superior boots built in Europe or Asia.

I was wearing the Russells when I stalked and killed the caribou in my avatar image. I most recently abused them on a lion hunt in Utah. I basically beat crap out them chasing hounds through the canyonlands. Again...not a blister or sore spot.

I can't speak for more than the one pair I've owned, but they've satisfied me way better...and outlasted several pairs of $150 - $300 boots. They're a good value to me.

If you think building a custom bow is hard, imagine trying to build custom boots... ;-)

Have two pair. First pair was the stalkers 9" been wearing them for about 12 years and had to have the soles replaced two years ago. Then last year I was in the market for another pair of boots so I bought the High contry hunters in 12" 200gram insulation. Fit was from my tracings and they are the best damn boots I have ever put on my feet. As for wateerproofness, they are second to none and this is without goretex. I wore the hell out of them for a whole season and they look as good or maybe better then out of the box.. Cant say enough good things about them.

Personally, the Cabela's Premium Bird Hunter Boot for most, and Danner for late season.

I have a pair of Foot Skins in the higher model and love them wish I could wear them everday.
Cheers KIM