moccasins for still hunting?

[Greg Skinner]

I just recently got a pair of the H.S. Trask Gallatin Gates that look as though they were made for bowhunting.  I haven't had a chance to give them a real field trial yet, but hope to soon. Probably not as good as L.L. Bean for wet conditions, but look pretty good for when it's dry.

http://www.hstrask.com/product_details.aspx?ItemCode=H8515&Sub_Cat_ID=36&sp=N

[Frank V]

I have worn a pair of Carl Dyer's for years in dry weather. Frank

[wihill]

Has anyone considered the over-boot items such as Safari Stalkers or Sneakyfeet?  One is a thick plush fleece type that covers your boot, and the other is a triple thick felt sole that attaches like an ice cleat.

Of the two, I'm more interested in the fleece bootie.  

While I'm not against moccosins, a set of knee high rubber boots have never done me wrong (just wish they breathed more).

[redfish]

Tingley (sp) makes rubber pullovers that you can put over the mocs that will add waterproofing and traction. They are real thin rubber. I use them over boots in nasty conditions. They should work good over mocs.

[wollelybugger]

I like to hunt the Crab apples and the long thorns will go through  a soft sole. Nice for around the house but my old ankles need more support.

[Jeremy]

wb, there are two styles of mocs being talked about here, the real soft ones and the arrow moc/dyers type that are heavy leather.  My lace boots from Arrow Moc have nearly a 1/2" of tough leather for the sole.  You can still feel every twig, but there's tons of protection there and more ankle support than most boots I've owned.  It's a heavy chromed tanned leather with a firm temper... tougher than a knife sheath.  A thorn isn't getting through that.

I think when most people hear "moccasin" they're thinking "slipper".

[Sharptop]

I got some Boggs boots this year. Similar to Muck boots but have a soft tread pattern sort of like the LL Bean boot but better traction and quieter to me. They offer decent ankle support for a slip on boot and are waterpfoof. Comes in regular neoprene and 1,0000 gram neoprene.

[JC]

If I had Bill Gates allowance, I'd buy the Russell Thula Thula. Saw a pair of those at a well heeled (both literally and figuratively) customer's house and it looks like the perfect tool for stalking. Pretty awesome piece of gear, it's a shame that it has a $$ that goes with it.

I love the look, tradition, and concept of mocs but I don't think they would be much use to me in my area since I hunt from a tree 90% of the time and when I do hunt from the ground it's typically in a swamp/wet area for hogs. Maybe some more hunting with my ghillie will change my mind.

[JockC]

I used to wear a very good (and, I see now, inexpensive) moccasin named Kaibabs as a kid.  They had a very tough horsehide sole that was like bearing grease on wet concrete.  I read about a compound to put on them called Sole-Saver, made by Edward Schlosser Associates in Ridgefield Park, NJ.  Unbelievably tough, grippy, and waterproof.  I spent an hour yesterday trying to google it and the supplier I got it from, Carpet Products Co.  I see where the folding kayak crowd use it and another compound named Flexane for hull repair.  If anyone can locate Sole-Saver (I know it was still available in 2007) or knows anything about Flexane (which is expensive and of unknown traction qualities), please post it here.  I've gone to Bean boots too for stalking, but my feet sweat like the end of days in them here.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Have you all considered Tabi shoes? They are from Japan and used for martial arts and fishing...

Here is a link:

http://www.tokunagastore.com/Menu/FishingTabis.htm

Look at the second pair on the page. Essentially a rubber impregnated sock with a split toe and a felt sole. Very quiet, quite comfortable, and grip like gecko feet! I hiked the Na Pali coast of Kauai with a pair and while the other tourists were slipping all over the place I was litterally running down the trails. Awesome grip and great for sneaking around.

[Ol Man]

Check in to the Hunting Sneakers they sell at Sportsmansguide...  the same as mocs but a little better.  For year I used mocs to hunt in and man I fell a lot cause they were so slippery.  Finally got some with crepe soles - back then they were a lot chepaer than toady.

[JockC]

I bought a pair of the sneakers that Ol Man refers to and, at least for me, found then very uncomfortable and poorly molded.  I was really excited, because they looked like a shoe I loved until they changed the sole--the Cabela's Silent Stalk Sneaker, which now has a more aggressive and noisy sole.  That had been my absolute favorite fall elk and deer boot.  I should have bought 5 pairs...

[JockC]

This thread motivated me to call Cabela's and ask to file a complaint with their product development department about the new sole on the Silent Stalk Sneaker.  The old chevron rubber sole was virtually silent, had very good ground feel, excellent traction, and surprising durability.  The new one is just another crappy rounded lug sole.  The old version was the best stalking boot I ever had, and many different people I have hunted with remarked on them and wound up ordering their own.  So, here's the deal--if you know this boot or think it sounds good, please consider calling Cabela's to request a switch back.  The person I spoke to said that they actually respond to customers' input when enough people make the effort to contact them.

[Problem Child]

These should be illegal for hunting.  :D   http://dev.ranchosafari.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=22&zenid=cbf3282425323b77afdcfaaaab68a87e

[William Tell Not]

Originally posted by Magwa45:
 Any of you ground pounders use moccasins to hunt? If so, what kind? Arrow Moccasins seems to have some nice ones.

Ive been using the same set of arrow mocs since 1993

 http://www.arrowmoc.com/s.html  

In that time I broke one lace, which I repaired with sinue. Ive never had wet feet, and here in the pacific northwest during hunting season, its always wet.

Originally posted by NorthernCaliforniaHunter:
Have you all considered Tabi shoes?

Tabi are socks with a hard sole. WHat you showed there are some kind of new fangled contrapsion.

[gudspelr]

Found this thread looking for stuff about hunting in moccasins.  So what do you guys wear for the quietest ground hunting?  Seems like a lot of the moccasins aren't necessarily waterproof and are certainly expensive.  Traction also seems to be an issue...  Any of you who've worn mocs hunting, do they provide enough cushion/comfort after a day of walking all over?


Jeremy

I use Steger mukluks and moose hide Apache mocs made in Ely,Mn.  They have a gummy rubber sole that does not slip on dry leaves or wet rocks.

[Earthdog]

I tried moc's a few times an found them great on flat dry country.
Trouble is most of my hunting ground is wet a steep.
I wear Enginers Boot's for everything.

[GingivitisKahn]

Once you get Bean's Main Hunting Shoe to fit right (took me a while), those are pretty quiet and moccasinish.  Traction on wet hills is still suspect but far better than a slick leather sole.

Nice zombie thread resurrection!  :-p

[reddogge]

I made these about 30 years ago and also have a pair of Dyers same age.  The elkhide winter ones have thin rubber golash and felt liners so your feet stay warm and dry in winter.  I agree, all mocassins are death in wet, muddy, hilly terrain.  Strictly dry weather footwear.