# Boots!



## bekins24 (Sep 22, 2015)

With the new hunter topic going around right now, there is a lot of talk on there about boots. So I figured I would throw it out there to see what everyone's favorite hiking boot is?

I picked up a nice pair of winter hiking boots from Cabela's last season and this summer I was going to get a summer pair of hiking shoes/boots. I'm leaning toward Under Armour just since they don't seem to feel like I have huge clunkers on my feet. That is the main issue I run into with hiking boots (especially being a size 12.5-13 )


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

My favorite boot is the Meindl Denali from Cabela's, been using them for the past six years. They are very comfortable and extremely durable.


----------



## Jmgardner (Sep 17, 2014)

im a danner fan myself. I do think there quality has gone down slightly in recent years. but I still have a pair that I bought in 2005, that I don't really use anymore but are still useable. and my main pair and back up pair right now are both danner pronghorns. super comfortable and durable. and I have wide feet and they accommodate that nicely


----------



## nelsonccc (Jul 8, 2014)

Jmgardner said:


> im a danner fan myself. I do think there quality has gone down slightly in recent years. but I still have a pair that I bought in 2005, that I don't really use anymore but are still useable. and my main pair and back up pair right now are both danner pronghorns. super comfortable and durable. and I have wide feet and they accommodate that nicely


Danner fan here too. I wear the Fowler and love them. Sturdy, not too tall, and appear to be extremely durable.


----------



## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

I wear Danner 8" High Ground boots. They've been good boots. This last season I put just over 52 miles on them in 4 days and didn't get any blisters or hotspots. If I could afford them I'd wear a pair of Meindls, but alas even the Danners were at the top end of what I could currently justify for boots. If I made it out more often, I'd be more comfortable paying more. 

I'll add that good insoles, socks, and sock liners are just as important as good boots IMO.


----------



## Blackie6 (Jul 7, 2014)

I was a big fan of the cabelas brand, thought they were comfortable. But I found myself wearing through them in less then a year in the hills. Last year I spent a little more and picked up a pair of Irish setters. They have been great.


----------



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I bought a pair of Muck boots from Camofire two years ago and absolutely love them for comfort and durability. They don't breathe well but I knew that going in. My only gripe is that they don't grip worth a nickle in the snow.


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

willfish4food said:


> I wear Danner 8" High Ground boots. They've been good boots. This last season I put just over 52 miles on them in 4 days and didn't get any blisters or hotspots.
> 
> I'll add that good insoles, socks, and sock liners are just as important as good boots IMO.


+1 on the 8" High Grounds. Very comfortable, and so far they appear to be durable.


----------



## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Danger promghorns are hard to beat. 
I have several in different insulation levels and two uninsulated one for hunting one for work. They are light weight and comfortable.


----------



## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Well in early 2015 I picked me up a pair of the Under Armor Brow Tines. IMO if you are over 150-160lbs, avoid this things at all costs!! I'm 240lbs without my pack and other gear and the arch in these things could not support my weight. After my first 3+ mile hike, it took over a week for my feet to heal. I took them back to Sportsmans and the kid there told me they have around 50% of these boots returned, and most by guys over 160lbs. He turned me onto the Irish Setter Vaprtreck which is a similar style 8" boot. I was hesitant at first but he insisted they were far better constructed. I logged a ton of miles on them and couldn't be happier! An 8" boot, with 400g of Thinsulate, light weight, and comfortable. I was able to wear them right up until I took my deer in late October and my feet never got cold. I believe I was able to get them for $160.00 or so and I would say worth every penny.


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I just replaced my Columbia Diablo Pass boots after 6 years. They were great. 

I got the Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX and they are way better. I tried out lots of boots (including Kennetrek and other high end stuff) and these were by far the best. I absolutely love these boots.


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I rarely use actual boots... unless its really cool, or really wet. Normally just use Cabelas Grand Mesa Hikers. Normally get 2 years out of a pair wearing them every day. Normal boots are too heavy :?


-DallanC


----------



## muddydogs (Oct 7, 2007)

Red Wing King Toes. Going on 6 years with my original pair. Had to get a new pair this winter that had some tread on them but now that most of the snow is gone I'm back to the original pair. Just might wear them out this summer. Can't beat a boot that will hold up to a 300 pound guy stomping around in them for 6 years. If the snow is deep enough I switch to a pair of Irish Setter pack type boot. Just an opinion from a guy that spent the better part of his youth working in the woods wearing some high priced custom built boots.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Meindls:

Wind River Mtns, end-to-end twice
Uinta Mtns, end-to-end twice
Every lake and every drainage on the North Slope of the High Uintas (and a bunch on the South Slope)
Wyoming Range Trail, end-to-end
Thru-Yellowstone NP, northwest-to-southeast
27-mile stretch of Adopt-a-Highway Mirror Lake Highway for 22 years

blah blah blah

Always Meindls; just carry a little bailing wire:


----------



## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> Meindls:
> 
> Wind River Mtns, end-to-end twice
> Uinta Mtns, end-to-end twice
> ...


This is why, even though my Danners have served me well, I would buy Meindls if I had the money. If the man himself endorses them, I'm pretty sure I can trust the durability. I mean crap, just look at the places Goob takes his boots on a regular occasion.

Also, I tried a pair on just for fun and they felt great.


----------



## hemionus (Aug 23, 2009)

I have jumped around in the boot world a lot of the years. I am very picky. My feet hurt easily. For all those that say danner I wonder if you have ever had a high quality boot. Sorry if it offends people but I wore danner and got sick of buying boots so often. I have tried about every pair out there now. I used meindls, kennetrek, crispi, salamon, zamberlan. I wear saloman in the early season for archery hunting and bird hunting. I interchange that a bit with some more aggressive zamberlans if needed. I have a pair of danner elk hunters that are ok but my feet DON'T thank me for the danners at the end of a long day. I recently (last week) thought i'd give danner another chance and bought some mountain assaults and gilas. The mountain assaults run $300 and look similiar to the kennetrek, crispi, etc..so I thought hek maybe danner stepped up there game. Nope. They are painful to wear at this point, both pairs. Holding my zamberlans next to them you can just tell the cheapness. The heel for example has some padding between your foot and the hard heel part of the boot on the zamberlans. The danners there is a very thin piece of cloth. 

That is my experience. Every foot is different and different boots fit different people but danner is at the bottom of my list for quality. It hurts forking over so much for a boot but the higher quality usually costs I have found.


----------



## huntn30inchers (Apr 21, 2014)

I finally broke down last year and bought the Lowa tibets and they are without question the most comfortable pair of footwear I have ever owned.


----------



## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Another vote for Lowa.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The problem is that what boot works well in wet/cold situations may not work where it is hot and dry. 

I have a pair of Meindl Perfekts for the wet and cold. They have taken me to Canada on a bear hunt and all over Utah and Colorado on deer and elk hunts without a problem. 

I also have a pair of Cabela's Meindl air active day hikers that have taken me all over Arizona and Colorado during the spring and summer and surprising they are quite a light weight hiker. They are also the boot that I took to Africa last May and they didn't miss a beat. Over rocks or in the sand they performed flawlessly. They are either discontinued or our of stock right now. The web site just says "sold out"


----------



## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Vote for Meindl

For an all purpose general hiking/hunting boot I really like the Meindl Perfekt Hikers

For Chukar hunting in snow and cold I like the Cabela's Meindl "Perfekt™" Extreme 400-Gram Hunter Boots

For early season Chukar stuff I like Meindl Alaska Hunters although they might be discontinued


----------



## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Meindls:
> 
> Wind River Mtns, end-to-end twice
> Uinta Mtns, end-to-end twice
> ...


I'm sure that when they can no longer be held together with duct tape and bailing wire you have a recipe to make a meal out of them;-)

TOP OF PAGE.....YEHAW!


----------



## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

For me it depends on what the weather is like.

If its not sopping wet I just take a hiking shoe that are light weight and grippy.(less weight on the feet will be felt less when resting after)

I haven't hunted too much in rainy conditions, but for snow and cold I use THESE


----------



## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

Keep it simple!

Danner Pronghorns for October hunting and Keen hiking boots for summer or early season. The Keen-Dry system is even more water resistant than any Gore-Tex I've ever had and the boots break in immediately, just try to get the non-safety toe versions.

I found that the Chinese made Danners are fine for me, but if you want to spend a lot more they do still make an American made version that I hear is of slightly better quality.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

willfish4food said:


> This is why, even though my Danners have served me well, I would buy Meindls if I had the money. If the man himself endorses them, I'm pretty sure I can trust the durability. I mean crap, just look at the places Goob takes his boots on a regular occasion.
> 
> Also, I tried a pair on just for fun and they felt great.


Thanks. I kinda took 1998 and 1999 off and just walked. Like Forrest Gump with a backpack. And for 35 years I've been trying to hit every lake in the Uintas and the Wind Rivers so I've put on some miles walking.

In the last 25 years I've had 2 pairs of 11"-tall Meindl Alaskans, never had a blister. Now I'm wearing Denalis and have had a blister or two from trying to wear the same sock combo as with the Alaskans.....little too tight.

My Meindls have packed out over 20 elk, 2 moose and who knows how many deer and antelope.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*tall boots*

I like a tall boot with medium weight insulation. A lot of the younger dudes make fun of my boots when we stop and visit on the trail. 


I'll wear the same boot on the Colorado Plateau in June covering ground as I wear bow hunting in September or ice fishing in January; just different socks.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Hoopermat said:


> Danger promghorns are hard to beat.
> I have several in different insulation levels and two uninsulated one for hunting one for work. They are light weight and comfortable.


Some of my friends have used the pronghorns for years.

I'm not making this up; I do I have friends.

.


----------



## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> A lot of the younger dudes make fun of my boots when we stop and visit on the trail.


What's a trail? I see no trail there!


----------



## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

For me it depends on what I'm using them for. In rugged terrain where I expect to pack out big game I like a quality, stiff boot. After trying a few (kennetrek, Lowa, Hanwag, Crispi) I found out the Crispi's fit my feet best. That's unfortunate cause they are the most expensive of the bunch but I've been very happy with them over the last year. 

If I'm out hunting pheasants or turkeys, those boots are overkill and a bit on the heavy side. For that I go with a light hiker. Currently it's a Lowa Zephyr but I've been wanting to try the Schnee's Bridger's. I've heard nothing but good things about the E-vent. Supposedly it breathes a lot better than goretex but is equally waterproof. 

I've used Danner's, Irish Setter's, Rocky Boots, etc. in the past and they work okay for a season but they don't provide the same support when in the really rugged country or with a heavy pack. They also don't last very long. I've never made it past one season with any of those brands before they started leaking on me. They cost less, but I found I was replacing them more often as well... Just my take.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

willfish4food said:


> What's a trail? I see no trail there!


Yeah, I might be a little off of the trail in that picture.

I bought my 1st pair of Meindls in like 1989. I think they were around $200. At that point most of the vehicles I ever owned didn't cost $200. 

Around 1996 the boots were just worn out; they leaked and the tongue was coming apart. My best guess was I had over 2,000 miles on the boots while wearing a backpack. I thought it was cool, so I wrote up a little story braggin' on the boots, the mileage they had on them, and sent it off to Cabela's along with some selfie pics hoping to get my mug in the Cabela's catalog. Boy, talk about some cred points. ;-) Anyway, I'm sure my letter was lost in the mail cause I never heard from Cabela's and they didn't put it in their catalog. 

When I get old I'm gonna get one of those ATV thingies and some tennis shoes; heck with all that walking and the heavy boots.

.


----------



## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I bought a pair of Georgia Boots Vibrant line a couple of years ago. They are part of the Red Wing boot company. They have been very good for me. I also have a hard time getting comfortable boot. These have been very good. I even bought another pair last week. 
I also tried the Danner boots a few years back. They did not hold up or last for me. They were pretty comfortable, but did not last.


----------



## Buckriser (Mar 27, 2009)

I've used a few different type and brands of boots always looking for the best boot for my type of hunting/hiking. So far the Crispi Nevada's have been by far my favorite. I'm not buying new boots every year looking for a better one. Best all round boot imo. (For my feet)


----------



## Aggiehunter (Jun 10, 2016)

I know this is a few months old, but how do you feel about the Salomon Quests for providing support while carrying weight (elk quarter plus gear)?


----------



## maffleck (Jul 23, 2015)

Zamberlan. I have purchased all the Danner stuff and for tough Elk hunting they just aren't adequate. They don't last either in that type of terrain. They were super comfortable. I bought the 960 Outfitter and am in heaven. My brother bought a different Zamberlan boot and he loves his. I recommend them for sure.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I guess it all depends on what I am doing...

For shorter hikes that I need a little ankle support, I like these:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/adid...z_l=Header%3BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=adidas

For flat land hiking, I like Adidas Terrex shoes.

For hunting, I like my Danners followed by an old pair of Wolverine hunting boots....

A shoe for each job I suppose.


----------



## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I am a La Sportiva foot. No other company fits my narrow foot as well. Just bought a pair of the Trango TRKs and I think it will be my go to for most pursuits between March and November. Been wearing them around the house to make sure they fit properly and then I will start hiking them. I need a boot that I will backpack in and hunt in as I currently cannot afford to buy a shoe for each endeavor.

If anyone has a size 45 foot and is looking for a mid-to-heavy boot I need to offload one from last year. It was just a 1/3-1/2 size too long (likely due to being handmade). Like new condition and will sell for a good discount. La Sportiva Pamirs.


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Aggiehunter said:


> I know this is a few months old, but how do you feel about the Salomon Quests for providing support while carrying weight (elk quarter plus gear)?


They would be great for packing out quarters--they have a pretty stiff chassis and good ankle support. I haven't packed a heavy load with mine yet, but I'm confident they'll be up to the task.


----------

