Elk Hunting Boot Suggestions

[treillw]

I'm replacing my old hunting boots and thinking about either going with the Crispi Hunter GTX, or the Zamberlan 4039 Expert Ibex GTX. Anybody have experience with these? Does one company offer a better warranty than the other? Their warranty policies are not clear online. The warranty is pretty much my biggest concern. The boots will be used for hiking many miles and hopefully packing hundreds of pounds of meat

 

[ramrod79]

Check out Hanwag boots the best boots I have ever owned.

 

[treillw]

Check out Hanwag boots the best boots I have ever owned.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just curious if you have ever tried either of the other brands I mentioned? If so, what did you like about the Hanwag more?

 

[FEENIX]

What exactly are you looking for in hunting boots?

 

[treillw]

What exactly are you looking for in hunting boots?

The main goal is to not tear my feet up while walking 10-15 miles a day. Once your feet get covered in blisters, you might as well go home. They need to keep my feet dry. I don't want them to be too hot that they are unbearable in archery season, but do want them to keep me warm in rifle season.

 

[ramrod79]

I went wight the Trapper as they were the tall model ,and for sheep ,and high counrty Mule deer they seem to be prefect . I have went through Danner, Scarpa,and Asolo all great boots the dancers were very comfortable but these are by far the best I have had on my feet . I have never tried the ones you have mentioned though ,and there are a lot of great boots I prefer a full Gore-tex boot thats a little narrow to fit in stirrups as well as a tall boot for crossing deep streams .

 

[FEENIX]

Sorry, I meant the hunting boots warranty?

 

[treillw]

Sorry, I meant the hunting boots warranty?

Every pair of boots I have ever purchased leaks before the boot has been worn out - after a season or two. They have all had Gore-Tex. I feel that Gore-Tex is good stuff and I'm not bashing them and am somehow still looking at boots that use it, I just don't understand why they always leak. I want that to be covered, which it is through Gore-tex.

My brother has the Crispi Hunter GTX. He loves them and has not had a single blister in 300+ miles of using them this season. But the sole has separated from the boot already. He hasn't gotten one complete season of use out of them and at $500 a pair, that gets pretty pricey. I also want things like this to be covered. I believe Crispi only has a 1 year warranty on things of this nature, which is pretty poor for a $500 pair of boots. I have not been able to figure out Zamberlan's policy.

This is what Crispi sent me:

thanks for your email and for the Crispi quality choice .

CRISPI® guarantees its products against any defects in materials or workmanship. This warranty doesn't cover normal wear and tear, improper use, or improper care. There is no implied life span of footwear due to thewide variability of use and individual use and wear will vary depending on many factors. This warranty does not cover resoled, repaired or modifiedboots. All warranty boots must be returned to CRISPI® for evaluation. After inspection, CRISPI® maintains the right to replace or repair the item if found to qualify under warranty. If the product does not fall within the conditionsof this warranty, CRISPI® can repair or replace the boots at a reasonableprice to the owner. All warranty return items must be accompanied by an original receipt.​

​

i put you in contact with our new distributor Camofire, who reads us in copy , who will help you in the choice of your Crispi boots .

Best Regards

 

[treillw]

Crispi and Zamberlan both have the same warranty pretty much - I called a retailer who told me about it. I decided to go with the Crispis

 

[Mike 338]

Crispi and Zamberlan both have the same warranty pretty much - I called a retailer who told me about it. I decided to go with the Crispis

We're gonna need your opinion after using them for a while.

 

[treillw]

We're gonna need your opinion after using them for a while.

No problem. I won't be putting them through any rigorous testing this year - just deer hunting here in PA. Next fall may have an elk hunt in store for me though.

 

[azsugarbear]

I have no experience with either the Crispi or the Zamberlan. However, two of my hunting acquaintances do. One has the Zamberlan the other wears Crispi. Both of them swear their brand is the best. What I have found is that boots are a lot like optics: 1) You get what you pay for; 2) When you finally upgrade, you wish you had done it sooner; and 3) preference is in the eye of the beholder.

When dealing with top of the line models from brands such as Crispi, Zamberlan, Schnees, Hanwag, Lowa, Kenetrek, Meindl (I'm sure I am leaving several more out) - it will come down to personal preference. Some have stiff soles that excel in climbing rock, while others have a more flexible sole that helps you 'feel' uneven terrain better. Each boot is cut different, so naturally your feet will feel more at home in one brand as opposed to another. Sometimes the boot is right, but the insole needs to be replaced for a better fit and more comfort.

I have never tried to compare warranties between the boot manufacturers, so I can't help you there. I suspect that most brands offer close to the same warranty as their competition. For me, I ended up with a pair of Kenetrek Extreme boots. Just like buying my first pair of Swaro 10x42 SLC's, it was a "buy once, cry once" experience. It was also one that I have never regretted.

 

[338edge]

I'm on my third pair Meindl perfects one of their best features is they have never leaked. I love these boots. With that said I might try a pair of Kentrek mountain extremes next time.

 

[Pacecount]

My boots are awesome... ASOLO GTX for normal weather and Miedel 400 gram for the cold stuff.... I will only say that both have saved my ankles numerous times and when paired w the appropriate weather and wool socks perform above reproach.

As an aside the Midels run large and the ASOLOs I found my self stepping up a half size and a wide width.

So far as wet... Wear wool socks and I use Shitka gators!