Hunting boots

Dogleg said:
They are true to British sizing. The quick conversion is to minus one, though there is probably a cordwainer who could point out subtleties. The British system has a size zero and that throws us off. I take a size 11 here so need a British 10. They also have 1/2 size spacer that fits under the insole for a little fine tuning in that direction if needed.
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That's good to know. Much obliged.
 
I've been wearing pronghorns for a few years. They are very comfortable but certainly not waterproof. Not even with my sitka gaiters over them. I still havent found my favorite boot. Might try schnees next.
 
Irish Setter Elk Trackers are holding up well for me, the Vaprtrex were lighter but I prefer leather.....Danner makes a nice boot and I use an uninsulated pair in summer.
 
big boar said:
Irish Setter Elk Trackers, best boots I've ever owned. I hunt a lot of swamp, wet stuff in Ontario and I've never had a leak. HOWEVER I Snow Seal them 2X a year. I got them a half to a full size larger and always wear wool socks. My feet don't even get cool, wonderful boots.
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im with elk trackers also
best boots i have ever owned
i bought the 1000gram insulation and boy is it warm
 
brybenn said:
I like everything but the soles. The danner site shows them as having a very flat sole with level lugs evenly spaced around the perimeter. Id think that would allow alot of slippage on wet rocks and logs. I find having an arch support mid sole really helps grip when climbing. How to you find them on rough terrain?
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Wear them and you'll know.
 
Well after trying many boots from many upper brands like scrapa lowa irish setter danner as well as various other brands i settled on a pair of 8" danner leather gortex pronghorns. I liked the irish setter havock but its just to warm for my style hunting i think. I may buy a pair for late season deer hunting or ice fishing though. The elk trackers i tried at 3 stores all felt akward while walking in. It was like they forced my foot to land unnaturally. The vaprtreks wow are they cheaply made. I see why they dont hold up and leak. Too bad they look like a nice boot. Redhead gear which i loved my old ones have really cheapened out. Pushing on the seems by the sole the material actually ripped and the glue let go. Cabelas iron ridge boots were much better built and what i was looking for but they just werent comfortable. Extremely stiff and i figured id be to blistered to hunt by the time they broke in. The danners felt like theyve already been broken in. Good strong stitching and leather and gortex were to features i wanted. They have an arch in the soles as well which is nice for climbing. The other danners and 5.11 boots with the flat even soles are not for me. They seem fine for walking but force my ankles to uncomfortable and dunstabile angles when climbing. I tested them on stairs edges and benchs and a rocky display in store. Ive torn an achilles tendon and have a major fear of doing it again and with having areas of my left ankle and heel that i cant feel i need all the support i can get.
I couldnt find a pair of the boots dogleg and hoyt suggested but im happy with the danners. I might order an uninsulated version as well for warmer temps
Thanks to all who gave comments
 
Danner's have narrow widths in some of their products and I have used the Acadians for a number of years. They are black but no one will notice in the tall grass!
The Fort Lewis is higher and more money but I never saw the need.
I resoled one pair with the Vibram AirBobs and they were great even walking on hard surfaces.
I did not like Meindl boots as they have one width and try to compensate with insoles.
The Irish Setter Elk Trackers with 600 grams of Thinsulate are good but tend to have a clumsy feel but their narrow width leaves lots of room for heavy wool socks.
I have a 30 year old pair of Irish Setters Camo with Thinsulate and Goretex in a 13B but they don't have much support left.
 
I wear Meindls when it comes to Leather/Gore-Tex. Mine are from Cabelas and they will warranty them for life so I’m pretty happy with that. I’ve tried many of the made in China Irish Setters, Danners or Rocky’s and they just don’t hold up or perform in the same ways.

Patrick
 
salarguy said:
To me Waterproof that doesn't leak, normally means sweat like a bugger. Milspec Gortex means It's got a big hole where your foot goes in and water can go in too. Until that point you're dry.
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Goretex means water doesn't come out either. That's a big problem when the big hole at the top works as designed. ;)
 
salarguy said:
Last time I checked sweat is mostly water and sweat comes out. Goretex is a one way valve. I don't know of any boot that water comes out of quickly unless you stop, take them off and pour it out, do you?
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Off topic but, a good method of drying wet boots is to stuff them full of crumpled news paper. Leave in for 5 minutes remove and add new, leave in for 30 minutes repeat and leave overnight. Boots will be dry by morning.
 
Ive never had issues with sweating while wearing gortex. Its always breathed well and kept my feet dry. Other boots and shoes my socks were soaked after a trek
 
salarguy said:
Last time I checked sweat is mostly water and sweat comes out. Goretex is a one way valve. I don't know of any boot that water comes out of quickly unless you stop, take them off and pour it out, do you?
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Yeah, my Altberg Jungle boots. They are made to get soaked; drain out the bottom, walk dry and keep going. In situations where staying dry is impossible, they are set up to deal with wet.
 
My feet haven't got wet with my Lowa boots, and I live on the wet coast. I don't wade across water thats deep enough to go over the top of the boot though. They make neoprene waders for that. A few wraps of electrical tape at the bottom of your rain gear and around your boot will help in a pinch.
 
pete dobinson said:
My feet haven't got wet with my Lowa boots, and I live on the wet coast. I don't wade across water thats deep enough to go over the top of the boot though. They make neoprene waders for that. A few wraps of electrical tape at the bottom of your rain gear and around your boot will help in a pinch.
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I have neoprene waders for float tube fly fishing but for hunting I have a pair of the long discontinued Bare Ultralight sharkskin waders. They roll up super small and weigh almost nothing. Have fished a few thousand rod days steelheading and salmon river fishing and many moose and elk seasons in those waders and when it comes to truly getting wet, they are a life saver.
every serious hunter should have a rubber raft and a pair of chest waders :) I've needed both
 
brybenn said:
Ive never had issues with sweating while wearing gortex. Its always breathed well and kept my feet dry. Other boots and shoes my socks were soaked after a trek
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Gortex is a material that will let sweat thru but not water. Water molecules are to large to go thru the gortex fabric, that's how it was designed...
 
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