Post by: Wildflugel on 07/12/01 at 14:12:44__________________________________________
I have a very difficult time finding a hunting boot that will fit. My foot is too small for men's boots and too wide for women's boots. Last year after trying to poke my foot into a boot that was not the right size, only to get blisters and a Charlie-horse in each foot, I decided to purchase a pair of Russell featherweight, double-vamp bird shooter leather boots. They are 9 inches tall, have air bob soles, and are waterproof. I hunted last season in them and really like them. It will be interesting how they hold up as I am very hard on boots.
Boots for the ModernSportsman
A Gear Review by Daniel Wood (Nov. 2003)
When it comes to outdoor gear, there are some items you just don't want to compromise on, and your footwear is one of them. I know I am not alone when I say that at one time or another I have skimped on price when buying a pair of hunting boots, and it took me awhile to learn that $30, $40, or $50 for a pair of boots every year, for four or five years in a row, adds up to the price of a good pair of boots that you only buy once. Think about it, take $150 pair of boots that last you 5 years, you get $30 per year for usage; and you only break 'em in once. Since you don't always wear your hunting boots year round, a quality boot can last you 10 years, now that cuts cost to $15 per year. The good news is the price of some quality boots has come down considerably, which lowers the cost per year even more. You might say that a person cannot afford not to buy a good quality boot.
As editor of the Outdoor Gear Forum for ModernSportsman, I took a little poll just to see what kind of boots the members were wearing in the fields. I was not surprised to see that regardless of the brand of boot, the large majority had invested in a good quality boot. Rocky and Danner were two popular brands mentioned, with names like Russell and Meindel also being named as the "boot to have". The sporting goods chain Cabela's, sells a boot very similar to the Rocky boots, and came recommended as well.
I took comments straight from the member's postings in the Outdoor Gear Forum located right here within the confines of ModernSportsman.com and have arranged them as they relate to one particular brand of boot. However, the placement of the boot brand in the article does in no way reflect any superiority over another brand of boot. I've started out with my own report.
Rocky Boots; "Bearclaw" and "Cornstalker"
I am entering my third year of use on a pair of Rocky "Bearclaws", and they are every bit as good as the day I bought them. I have heard of men wearing this same type boot for ten years. I truly believe mine will last me at least that long. My pair of "Bearclaws" have the Cordura outside material (mossy oak pattern). They are GoreTex lined and have 1000 grams of Thinsulate and are totally waterproof. I paid $150 at Bass Pro Shop. In the two years I have had them I have encountered mud & water, briars, rocks, snow, and cold weather of near 0°F. My feet have never been wet or cold since buying these boots. I am a "stump sitter" when I deer hunt, and long periods of little movement are a good way to get cold feet. The 1000 grms. of Thinsulate have never let me down. The GoreTex material is very durable, and dried mud is easily cleaned off with a wire brush. The lugged sole offers excellent traction also. - Dan -
Post by: ok_quail_hunter on 07/06/01 at 11:29:12___________________________________________
Rocky Bearclaws. Cordura (mossy oak pattern) instead of leather. 1000 grams of thinsulate insulaton. Totally
waterproof. Cost about $150 (and worth every penny, IMO). For years, I tried several different brands of boots, and was never satisfied. About 7 years ago, I tried a pair of Rocky Boots, and now I'll never own anything else. They're extremely durable, light weight, have good arch support, and are waterproof but breathable. I also love the Bear claw sole's excellent traction even in mud. I highly recommend about any boot from the Rocky product line.
Post by: Pat_Comer on 07/11/01 at 19:40:06_____________________________________________________________________
I wear Rockies for everything. There are a pair on my feet 99% of the time that I have a shoe or boot on. I wear them for work, play, and serious hunting. I have some that are a size too big for when I need extra socks for cold, and I have some ( turkey hunting boots ) that only allow a cotton or light polypro sock for hot weather work or hunting. I do have to admit that it is only an hour or so drive for me to be at the factory but I have had Rockies since the late 70's and have only had complaints about one pair and they fixed those as I watched and sent me back home with new soles! They are a good boot!
Post by: Birdman on 08/24/01 at 14:38:57 _______________________________________________
I really like my Rockys. I've got a pair of Cornstalkers that are great for turkey hunting when its still around 0 degrees at 6 in the morning. For quail hunting I've got a pair of Rocky Outbacks. They are uninsulated and waterproof. Very comfortable too.
Post by: Marine_Hunter on 07/06/01 at 11:36:00 ____________________
I purchased and have been using for the past two seasons - a pair of Rocky Cornstalkers. These boots consist
of a Cordura nylon exterior in Advantage camo. Cambrelle lining w/ 600 grams of Thinsulate. The booty is
gore-tex lined and provides excellent durability, waterproofness, and comfort. Overall the boot is an 8 on a 10
scale. These Rocky's cost between 125-175 dollars. As for issues or areas of improvement, if you get rained
on enough all Gore-Tex materials, either boots or rain gear, will eventually become wet and waterlogged. This is what happened to me in Montana last year. The boots took two days to dry even hanging upside down over a wood burning stove about 5 feet high inverted. I just could not get these boots dry! Also, the sole is not great for snow or wet terrain. After considerable research I have decided to get these boots resoled w/ an AirBob sole. These AirBob soles are hands-down the most recommended soles for anyone who will be hiking/hunting in mountainous terrain where traction is a must! They are great for slippery rocks and in snow and are much quieter than normal Vibram style soles.
One last area, in the past few years the outdoor "experts" have always recommended two layers of socks. If we're talking boots we should always discuss this because it goes hand in hand. A "wicking" layer made of a thermastat, polypro, coolmax, type material was recommended. With the insulating layer being something like wool. Now, I've been hearing that w/ the new "merino" style wool design which is much softer and easy on the skin you can wear the wool w/ no liner sock. I love wool. It's warm, breathes, keeps you warm even when wet. You can wear it in the summer and stay relatively cool. Hope this helps!
Post by: Skipper on 08/03/03 at 08:05:11________________________________________________________________________
I've got an insulated pair of Rocky's that I have had for several years. I hunt and fish in them in the winter. No leaks so far. In the summer, I have a pair of Redwing steel toe cowboy boots that I love. They are as comfortable as tennis shoes.
Post by: Biff on 08/13/01 at 17:12:45____________________________
Danner "Pronghorn"
Cabela's "Outfitter"
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Post by: ALASKANASSASAN on 07/13/01 at 13:40:22_
I have to chime in with Cabelas "outfitter" series. The boots stayed wet for 10 days
at moose camp last year and my feet were warm and dry the whole time. Even after
it snowed the last few days! I used them in combination with gore-tex gaitors and
was able to ride my four-wheeler across rivers and through swamps with no trouble at all.
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Post by: Bill/Nv on 07/09/01 at 11:39:16 _
I have worn a pair of all leather Gore-Tex boots from Cabelas they call Outfitter for the past 4 years. The boot is holding up well & is comfortable. After this years use will resole with an air bob sole. As for socks, for me it is wool.
Post by: RRC on 10/25/03 at 08:16:34 ________________________________
My wife being the sweetheart she is bought me a new pair of hunting boots for my B-Day. I ordered a pair out of Cabela's catalog: Cabela's brand, Cordura 100% waterproof 800gr. Thinsulate boots in Mossy Oak. I have put these boots through one heck of a test on my recent moose hunt in Northeastern Ontario. The terrain varied from bog to clear cut, to slash, to old forrest to very hilly. These boots held up in every sence.
My feet stayed warm, comfortable and most importantly dry. I would recommend these boots to any hunter.
They are pretty inexpensive compared to other boots on the market and fit the bill for any hunter on a budget.
Post by: Wildflugel on 07/18/01 at 13:27:45___________________________
A person does not realize how important a good pair of boots are until you (1) do not have them and (2) you finally own a pair. Over the years I have owned a pair of most, if not all, of the name brand boots referenced on this thread. I can echo most of what everyone has said about Cabela's, Rocky, and
Danner boots regarding their quality. Mine withstood the pounding I gave them from season to season. But because my foot is a difficult size and shape, the boots never really fit right. I put off purchasing a pair of Russell boots primarily because of the purchase price. Little did I realize that for what I had invested in boots over the years I could have bought numerous pairs of Russell boots. You are right in that my problems are gone and I can walk in the field in sheer comfort.
Post by: howard_keith on 07/23/01 at 20:48:14 ___________________________________________________________________
Russell Boots made to fit are my choice--been real happy with them in Canada and OK. Sent pair in for repairs before started up here this summer assuming they would be waiting at home when got there. Still haven't figured out how they found me but boots repaired like new and sent to me in Canada.
Post by: JW on 08/01/03 at 13:56:42 ___________________________________________________________________________
I WEAR RUSSELS - SOUTH 40 BIRD SHOOTER AND AM ON MY 10TH! SEASON!
Now I also wear these ever time I judge and for all grouse, pheasant, timberdoodles.......
They are really quite water proof but in heavy dew I do slip on a cheap pair of Milkmans tingleys (streach rubber 15" Size G). And when the dew is almost gone, off come the rubber baby booty bumpers!
Post by: Nate_Smith on 01/23/02 at 10:35:43_______________________________________________
I have sworn by my old Browning Mountain hunting boots for three years now. I have gone through two pairs now. Both are repairable as the soles are not worn and the uppers are not destroyed. Now...I know a lot of guys go through a pair of boots every ten years and some go through a pair every year. I think I put my boots through some extreme conditions and a year or two is all I could ask from them. Well...I decided to try a different pair this year. I have two hunting buddies that have always worn the Cabellas Canada boots and have really liked them. One guy goes through a pair every three years and the other guy uses a pair every ten years. I figured that since both of them swear by the same boots, I better give them a try.
My hopes were that the boot would be rugged enough for the rim rock I hunt. That's how I judged boots...by
Post by: Nate_Smith on 09/03/03 at 11:49:02 _____________________________________________________________________
Canada Hunting Boots by Meindl - GORE-TEX® lined/Thinsulate insulation
These are the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. I wrote a review about two yerars ago. The first time I wore them when I got home my feet felt like I'd been lounging in front of ESPN2 all day with bedroom slippers on. Only problem with them is in the summer they are hot...so I recently purchased the summer version of the same boot. I buy them from Cabelas...but understand you can not order them from Mendel as they are a dfiscontinued item. I hope Cabelas never runs out...my buddies report 5 years average use...average that out against your own cost/length of replacement and maybe they are not as expensive as they first appear.
Nate
I'm on my 3rd pair of Danners, leather/Cordura, w/ 400 grams of Thinsulate. 1st pair lasted 6-7 years; 2nd pair w/ air-bob soles only lasted two seasons. Wore off all the air-bobs and cut up the soles chukar hunting, so have gone back to a combination Vibram/bob sole. Great feel, light, and the most comfortable boots I've ever had. Break in time is minimal.
Well there you have it folks. Men and women both have stated their preferrences for footwear, and all have agreed in one way or another that the money spent on a good quality boot is well worth it. So the next time you are considering a new hunting boot, think about the area you will be using your boot the most. The terrain and environmental conditions will help you decide as to how much insulation, if any, that you may need, and the type of outer surface material you may prefer.
As I stated in the beginning of this article, there were several other boots mentioned in the Outdoor Gear Forum located within the forums of ModernSportsman.com. A high, rubber boot may have been the next popular boot worn by ModernSportsmen, both containing Thinsulate, and without. And as I said, the boots listed above were in no specific order. I hope you find the information provided helpful the next time you need a pair of boots for the field.
Post by: Chuckhunter on 07/13/01 at 19:10:12__________________________________________
10" All leather Danners, 200 gram thinsulate, gore-tex, cambrelle lined, Great Boots, very comfortable, 3 season boot, very rugged and great ankle support for rocky terrain. Only complaint is they are a little Heavy, but it's tough to get the strength and durability of leather and still be light.
I put the boots on the first night I got them in the mail (Meindl). I felt like they had a good fit for my foot. I didn't realize how bad the Brownings fit until then. I immediately waterproofed them with Sno-Seal. Then I wore them (un broken in) to hunt on Saturday. We waded the river several times and my feet never felt damp or cool. At the end of the day I felt like I had been in the lounge chair all day. Felt energetic. Heck...I didn't even take a nap. Really couldn't tell why I felt so good. Sunday's hunt was for chuckar and we hit the rim rock hard. I usually get very sore feet from this type of hunting. A blister or two has never surprised me. I always considered it to be part of the experience... being tough, ya know. While hunting I noticed that these boots are much lighter than the old boots and very sturdy. It was almost like having a ski boot on...my ankle barely moved. All my weight and strain was taken from my ankles to the entire leg. I got up to the top of the hill faster and had more energy once I was there. And I used it all day.
When I got home, I took the boots off and was amazed at how wonderful my feet felt. It was like I'd been wearing bed room slippers, lounging in the living room all day. The boot encased my feet in a caccoon of sorts. My socks didn't even seem soiled...they were like fresh socks from the dresser. I took a shower, got dressed and went dancin with my honey that night. I usually have enough energy after a hunt like that to crawl into bed and crash. I guess I'm sold on these boots. They are well built, rugged and darn tootin comfortable. Priced just under 300 bucks, I'd say they are a steal since they should last longer than a year and a half for me.
Never again will I suffer with sore feet in the field.
