I'm lQQking for recommendations on hunting boots. My bear claws second sole finally gave out so their trash now. I have a pr of Ice Kings that just wouldn't die so I'm good for cold winter hunting and snow blowing.
I see the last posting for hunting boots in the search was 2010 so I'm sure technology etc has changed.
I'm here in the NY hunting from ground blinds and drives.
I had a pr of Mucks Woody Artic Ice Tall and Irish Setter Vaprtrel LS 800g 9" in my hand. Both felt great on and about the same price.
Mucks rubber so no scent and I.S. have Scentban.
I've been wearing the Meindle Perfekt Hiker boots for over 5 years and they look almost new and are still waterproof. They have a cork inner sole that molds to YOUR foot. Here is a link for the hunting boot. A little expensive but I would say they would last a long time.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/MEINDL-SURROUND-GORETEX/2429
I have a pair of Scrapa R-Evolution Trek GTX from Kuiu and love them.
Miendle Perfekt Hikers or Mucks depending on what and where I am hunting.
I've been wearing Muck boots for what seems like forever. Almost all of my hunting is done from blinds or tree stands, no rocky terrain or mountains.
I'm on my feet walking up and down steep terrain in all sorts of weather for work on a regular basis. I have a pair of Justin work boots and they are what I wear for hunting. I spray them with snow seal regularly and with scent killer before I go hunting. My feet are always comfortable and dry. I was a Rocky boot guy for years but the last pair I had about 4 years ago never broke in and fell apart after about 6 months.
My left ankle has been giving me grief for years ( I'm 65 ) and my podiatrist says one day I'll need ankle replacement. Already had two TKRs. My old Lacross rubber boots were becoming very uncomfortable. So after a bit of reserch ( last Dec. ) I went for the Irish Setter Vaportrek boots.
Immediately I noticed I could cover a lot more ground than before w/o pain making me stop.
I'm in swamp areas of Florida and got the tallest ones and very glad I did. Break in period for me was walk in the woods.
So looking forward to next fall now.
Thanks all for reply. :thumbsup:
I got the Irish Setters for the ankle support as Bob also mentioned. Mucks seemed would be great on all level ground but I don't feel that would work for me. Plus when I went into Dicks to return something else they handed me a 15% discount good for 3 hrs. :bigsmyl:
Check out some Crispi's. Just found em last year and they are my new go to boot. Was a Meindl guy for twenty years best replacement i have found.
I wear Muck Boots in the Woody Elite model. I love them and wear them pretty much the whole season. When it gets cold I just layer up the socks and they work just fine.
Meindl's are the best I've found.
I've been wearing Keen's for a few years now,and like them a lot. Light, flexible, supportive, and the soles have good grip and friction. Extremely comfortable. I use 'em in northern VT.
The soles are molded, not sewn on, so they can't be re-soled. I got maybe 3 years with one pair, wearing them winter and summer, working in the woods, carpentry, hunting, and everyday wear. Have another pair - Summit County's - for near 3 years now, and they show little sign of wear at all; but these are my winter boots, and I haven't beat them up as work boots.
I hunt in Muck boots most of the time but if I find myself hunting in rocky, hilly terrain I wear my Mendl's from Cabela's. Very comfortable durable boot.
I'd just pick what fits your foot well. Honestly only you can answer that. I personally own and use a variety. I truly wouldn't want to be without any of them because they all get used a pretty good bit and each pair serves an entirely different purpose which doesn't always overlap:
- Danner 800 gram - sedentary or treestand hunting in wintertime
- Cabelas (Meindel) uninsulated - warmer hunts when I want ankle support for climbing trees or riding 4-wheelers or something
- Merrell hiking tennis shoes - hunting on the move. These are 1/2 size large so I can double wool socks if needed
- Irish Setter Vaprateks for snake boots - spring scouting and turkey hunting. Occasionally I hunt in bogs and across shallow swamps or in areas with a lot of stickers, especially for pigs. These come out for this as well to give me a higher mouth for better water proofness and some leg protection against things that bite or poke. These Vaprateks aren't the most durable but are the lightest snake boot I've found and they wear and feel almost like a tennis shoe which is fantastic for hunting on the move through swampy stuff.
- MUCK knee boots - standing in shallow water and wading into duck blinds or for canoe hunting in wintertime when I won't be walking very far but want a taller boot for getting into/out of the boat, these are easier to clean off than my Vaprateks from heavy mud, have a slightly taller mouth for deeper water, are a bit more comfortable for long days of standing, and have better insulation for those cold duck hunts. It's worth it to have two options.
I wear and swear by my LL Bean Maine Hunting shoes, (boots),. Light weight, water proof, great warranty, comfortable and scent free. My father has a pair that he bought in the early 70's and been resoled twice since then, free of charge. They come bigger to compensate for extra socks. I won't wear anything else in the field.
As mentioned, fit is important. Personally, I like LL Bean plain leather and insulated version. Chippewa snakes boots for areas and seasons needed. Sometimes just a mid-height hiking boot.
Quote from: slowbowjoe on April 10, 2019, 07:28:28 PM
I've been wearing Keen's for a few years now,and like them a lot. Light, flexible, supportive, and the soles have good grip and friction. Extremely comfortable. I use 'em in northern VT.
The soles are molded, not sewn on, so they can't be re-soled. I got maybe 3 years with one pair, wearing them winter and summer, working in the woods, carpentry, hunting, and everyday wear. Have another pair - Summit County's - for near 3 years now, and they show little sign of wear at all; but these are my winter boots, and I haven't beat them up as work boots.
absolutely the best boot out of the box I have ever owned. Tough, light and extremely comfortable. AND very affordable.
Miendle Perfekt Hikers
All my boots have " Superfeet " insoles
Another vote for Keens. I've been wearing them for around 15 years for everything - work, hiking and hunting. I've found that the US made models such as the Durand while pricier, do last longer. Just got a pair of Danner Radicals to try. So far liking them ok.
Cabelas Miendle...
,,Sam,,
Most of our deer and turkey seasons are warm enough that snakes are out. Having stepped on one several years ago, I now wear my Cabela's snake boots all the time. Fortunately, they are comfortable, warm, waterproof, and give pretty good support. The only problem is that they are about worn out. I hope I can find another snake boot that will work this well.
If only there were a pair of boots that were best for everything. If you only hunt in one place and a relatively short season you might get by with less. But I hunt a wide variety of different places with temps ranging from below zero to 90+ and I can hardly imagine needing less than 1/2 dozen for different purposes and temperatures.
All of the above are good suggestions in some situations but would be horrible in others. A few of mine that tend to see the most use are LaCrosse uninsulated rubber knee boots. (IMO neoprene defeats the purpose of a knee boot) Schnees insulated Hunter pac boots, and Kenetrek Mountain Extremes. Those 3 would get me through the vast majority of my hunting. But they still don't cover extreme cold, deeper water, or maybe antelope hunting very well.
And that's not even considering how they fit YOU! A boot that is perfect on my foot might cause blisters on yours. Figure out your primary use and then try on a number of options to find the one that feels best to you. Footwear is a very personal choice.
Footwear is also something that I won't buy online. I want to be able to try them on and am willing to pay a little extra for that ability.
High top LL Bean boots. Period. Unless you spend a lot of time in temps far below freezing, they work for everything. I have used them for everything most of us hunt from elk above timberline to hogs in the swamps. Been using them since high school and I am about to hit 70.
My Russell moccasins are 20 years old and are in great shape