Lets talk boots

[revturbo9967]

im in the market for a new hunting boot. i will be going on my first elk hunt next year, and will need better footwear then what i have now. the farthest i walk now while hunting is maybe 3-4 miles total in a day, so my rocky mountains are good enough. id like something that is lighter, and better support for side hilling and general climbing as well as waterproof. ill be hunting first rifle season in Colorado so who knows what the weather can bring. id like to see whats available in all price ranges , then maybe make a decision rather then try and choose in a certain price range first . any suggestions would be great


thank you

 

[wyosteve]

My suggestion is to find a store that has several brands that you can try on. Boot fit is so individualized that what works for me likely won't work for you. Having said that, I've had Meindls, Danners, Crispi and Salomon 4D's. They all work for me, but I prefer the Salomon 4D GTX.

 

[revturbo9967]

Unfortunately all I have anywhere near me is a cabelas. They only stock one upper end boot. I want to check them out , but don't want to rule out any other brand either

 

[Catahoula]

Kennetrek!!!
Best boot I ever stuck my feet in and I do a lot of hiking in rough terrain on spot & stalk black bear hunting.
Thanks, Kirk

 

[shooter7]

So I'll throw in my input here. First off, I'm a forester. I spend most of my work days in the field from Idaho, western Montana, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. When I first started working I had danner pronghorns. They were extremely comfortable but they only held up for about 3 months. Then I went to danner flashpoint fire boots. Those got me a year but took a solid month of bleeding feet to break me in. On my work crew right now we're all split between kennetrek, lowa, and scarpa boots. I have scarpa fuegos and have never been happier. They're a straight up mountaineering boot and have found that works best for me. The main area I hunt is in central Colorado and my secondary unit is in north central Colorado. If you can get used to it stiff mountaineering boots are the way to go. Keep in mind that 5 miles a day is leaning towards an easier day when chasin these critters. Whatever your choice buy them well before the season and do some hiking in them before hand. I would suggest goin with REI as you can try them out for a full year and if you aren't satisfied you can send them back in used condition and get a full refund or exchange.

 

[revturbo9967]

So I'll throw in my input here. First off, I'm a forester. I spend most of my work days in the field from Idaho, western Montana, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. When I first started working I had danner pronghorns. They were extremely comfortable but they only held up for about 3 months. Then I went to danner flashpoint fire boots. Those got me a year but took a solid month of bleeding feet to break me in. On my work crew right now we're all split between kennetrek, lowa, and scarpa boots. I have scarpa fuegos and have never been happier. They're a straight up mountaineering boot and have found that works best for me. The main area I hunt is in central Colorado and my secondary unit is in north central Colorado. If you can get used to it stiff mountaineering boots are the way to go. Keep in mind that 5 miles a day is leaning towards an easier day when chasin these critters. Whatever your choice buy them well before the season and do some hiking in them before hand. I would suggest goin with REI as you can try them out for a full year and if you aren't satisfied you can send them back in used condition and get a full refund or exchange.

thanks for the info . I figured a 5 mile day is an easy day in the field , I plan on walking much much more. As far as a mountaineering boot, what sets them apart to classify them as such ? I've never really looked at them ever

 

[spdcrazy]

my 1.5c

I have a pair of danner 8in side zips. GTX2's or something. They are super comfy. and gortex lined. easy to put on and take off. great ankle support. but I practically killed them when hiking in Alaska for two weeks. brown and black bear hunting.
still use them for day trips sometimes tho.

now I wear soloman 4d's. most comfortable shoe/boot I've ever worn. these are a bit shorter, but still well over the ankle. the lace system is great. and hold my foot tight with room to breathe. I've put a few miles on and i'm still very very happy. even wear them around town and to work with the top couple laces loose.

I tried on some lowa's, wow. i felt like it was some 2x4's held together with c clamps. could have been my foot shape but i knew instantly it wasn't right.

I'd find an REI and try some one! make sure to wear some hiking socks like you expect to wear in the field.

 

[shooter7]

The best way to describe the boots that my coworkers and I use is extremely solid and relatively stiff with incredible amounts of support. They feel kinda like a ski boot or ice shate when you lace em down good and tight. Some people just don't like em but a month after I got my first pair I just about ordered a second just because they were that phenomenal. mine have a vibram sole as well that h ave been holding up amazingly well so far. I believe the shank on mine are also a solid piece of nylon type material. The boots haven't really seemed to get any softer since day 1 either.

Just curious what unit are you huntin?

 

[revturbo9967]

The best way to describe the boots that my coworkers and I use is extremely solid and relatively stiff with incredible amounts of support. They feel kinda like a ski boot or ice shate when you lace em down good and tight. Some people just don't like em but a month after I got my first pair I just about ordered a second just because they were that phenomenal. mine have a vibram sole as well that h ave been holding up amazingly well so far. I believe the shank on mine are also a solid piece of nylon type material. The boots haven't really seemed to get any softer since day 1 either.

Just curious what unit are you huntin?

ill be in unit 55 out of gunnison. ive been told weather can be 70 and sunny one day, snowing blizzard the next. so i have no clue what kind of footwear to bring.

 

[shooter7]

Yeah, the weather can be kinda tricky up in the mountains for sure. But one thing to consider is that you'll more than likely be moving a lot. My scarpas are uninsulated and do well with wool socks down to about 20 degrees with snow. I have pack boots for the late season when negative temperatures are fairly common but they are less than ideal. They kinda feel like big pillows on my feet. In 1st through fourth seasons I don't think you'd need anything more than 400-600 gram thinsulate, unless your feet get cold easily.

 

[revturbo9967]

Yeah, the weather can be kinda tricky up in the mountains for sure. But one thing to consider is that you'll more than likely be moving a lot. My scarpas are uninsulated and do well with wool socks down to about 20 degrees with snow. I have pack boots for the late season when negative temperatures are fairly common but they are less than ideal. They kinda feel like big pillows on my feet. In 1st through fourth seasons I don't think you'd need anything more than 400-600 gram thinsulate, unless your feet get cold easily.

Thanks for the advise . I wasn't sure what I was going to need . My feet stay warm with the right socks . I'm going to give the scarpas a look .

 

[scott63]

There's a couple pretty good posts about boots, I wrote one myself. How much are you wanting to spend? If you're gonna spend more than 300, I'd say buy them from someplace that wont hassle you if you want to send them back, like Black Ovis. Or, take a road trip to somewhere that you can try them on.

Have you had your feet sized? Checked for width? Cabelas probably has the old fashioned metal shoe sizing thing.

The Crispi boots that I bought initially did seem too narrow, but after wearing them for an hour were pretty good, and after my first hike are perfect.

I've worn a lot of boots over the years, I think if I was buying without trying them on I would feel confident in Crispi and upper end Lowa. If you have anything unusual about your feet, wide, flat arches, etc then you MUST try them on and walk around in them a bit.

 

[duckhunter175]

Whatever you choose make sure you break em in well!!

I am a big fan of Salomon 4Ds but they do wear quickly. I would also look at the Lowa Renegade GTXs.

 

[jaybo]

I have only done one mountain hunt but I am a backpacker so let me go at it from that angle too. Are you going on a guided hunt? If so, ask your outfitter how much walking you will do each day. We were also required to carry a pack with us with a certain amount of survival gear, first aid kit, rain gear etc... See what you will carry and what it weighs. A lot of backpacking boots are rated as light, medium, or heavy backpacking. The difference being the weight of the boot and how ridged the sole is. I have read that for every pound your boot weighs it is equivalent to ten pounds on your back. Your pack probably won't be more than 35 pounds so I would go with a medium weight boot with good ankle support. It would be better for them to be a little on the loose side vs too tight. If you do a lot of hiking your foot can swell a little. Also it will allow you to use a second pair of thin socks if it gets too cold. Just make sure they are not so loose that they slip or you will get blisters.

Every ones foot is different. For years I used Asolo and they were very comfortable. I read an article on the Salomon 4D and tried them on along with a pair of Lowa. Salomon won for me hands down. I would go to a sporting goods store that carries a wide variety and see what fits your foot the best. Make sure it has a rigid sole to give plenty of support on uneven terrain and try to keep the weight of the boot under 3.5 pounds per pair. Good luck.