Boots for Goat Hunting?
Mountain Goat
Any suggestions on the type and brands to consider?
Right now I have been using under armor boots, light weight enough support for the scree, up hills and down hills. Four weekends of scouting and no complaints. Looks like Mendel boots would be a good choice, but I have no experience with them.
Lowas worked well for me. Mike
I don't like my Kenetrek Mountain Extremes, I have always had heel blister issues even long after break in.
I plan to buy Lowas at some point.
One companies Last may fit you better than another. Zappos can send you some Lowas,Lathrop some Hanwag,Cabela's some Miendl,Kennetrek the same and try to get the fit you like in a Euopean made boot.
Asolo.Zamberlan also fit a little differently.
Grant...I'm a Lowa guy for my mountain adventures. Most recently my Lowa Bighorns have been getting the most use. I've also used Lowa Sheephunters, Lowa Tibets, Lowa Cevedales and the new Lowa Hunter Extremes.
Hanwags have also served me well, but Lathrop doesn't really carry them any more. I have seen them at Scheels and Barney's though. Lathrop is big in to Lowa's now.
I'm NOT a Kenetrek fan as they are the ONLY boot that has ever given me blisters on the heel.
I've owned at least 20 pair of mountain boots the last 5 years and even had a review thread going on here for quite awhile. Seach "Boots 2 years worth" and it should come up. I'll try to find the link...
I must have the only foot on BS that Kennetreks' fit. I love mine. That said, you will want a mountain boot for goats and sheep. Lowa, Hanwag, etc. Find one that fits.
Everyone's feet are a little different but I like Lowa Tibets. Knock on wood I've never had wet feet or blisters.. and they are nice for side-hilling it. I also like my Scarpa Mustangs and Hanwags. I had horrible luck with Kenetrek Mountain Extremes....felt like I was on stilts because the soles were so thick and tall. If you want bargain prices on boots take a look at Sierra Trading. You can get an additional 20 to 30% off their already incredible prices with a coupon code.
Lowa Tibets for me too. Goats and sheep when I lived in AK. I tried plastic Koflach Alaska Hunters once on a goat trip.
I know most folks favor big heavy boots for mountain hunts, but consider the weight of those boots and how many steps you'll be climbing up steep hillsides. Personally, I favor as light a boot as possible and would rather have less than two pounds on my feet versus over 4 pounds.
I guess I may have stronger than typical ankles, but I use Cabela's Ultralights by Meindl. My feet don't bother me at all and they are such a pleasure to hike and climb in compared to heavier boots. If you have strong ankles, consider lighter boots.
Well I'm that guy that Lowa Tibets didn't work out for me. They killed my feet and I tried and tried.
I've been wearing Meindl boots now and they fit me much better. They are the European ones from cabelas, not their imported ones.
Blacktail Bob love that Billy...
Blacktail Bob...nice billy and photo!
I have flat feet. I have tried a couple of different pairs of Meindels and always ended up with blisters. Called Lathrop and Sons and they recommended Lowa's with their inserts. I have been on a few mountain hunts in them and no blisters.
I used Meindl. They work very well, no blisters at all. All the brands are very good, it is a matter which one fits better on your feet.
Nice goat Toby! I would also recommend throwing the boot inserts that come with them in the trash and buying ones that are comfortable for your particular feet. Socks are also just as important!
I have a pair of Lowa Tibets, and they do allow you to manhandle loose sidehill terrain & boulder fields, and will guard your ankles during ultra-heavy backpacking jaunts. The trade-off is they're heavy and the soles have a hard-as-a-rock feel to them. Retrofitting them with good padded footbed is a must. But IMO they're more boot than needed for most mountain hunts. Personally I prefer a lighter and shorter boot. My current favorite is the Lowa Renegade, due to their light weight, comfort, and IMO they provide enough support to get by. Especially if you use trekking poles. I'll be wearing my Renegades with a set of Kennetrek gaiters on my next Goat hunt this Sept.
Meindl's have served me well in my mountain hunts, no blisters and good support!
I have Lowa, Meindl, Asolo, and Krispi. Each and every one is a different fit. Some better then others but all are excellent quality boots. Insoles can make a big difference in the boot fit and function also. Try as many as you can and see what you like best.
I've used Kenetrek Mountain Extremes and had no issues with blisters. They worked great on my goat hunt and sheep hunts.
Just make sure you try the boots on before buying, and remember everyones feet are different.
Kenetrex are the best boots I've ever worn.
Lowa's 100% but the Meindl's are great boots to.
Aaron
I used the Asolo Titans as recommended by a few on here.
I found they took a while to break-in but were very comfortable, gave great support and held-up well. I got mine for about $170 at Sierra Trading Post.
Though I liked them, I would probably look to go with a leather boot, probably Kenetreks. My buddy had them and loves them.
Take care. Mike
One goat trip...on sheep trip...Sangres...and continental divide...Meindls' treated me vert very well.
I have used a pair of Lowa on 4 or 5 sheep hunts in AK now. they instill confidence in my footing when on STEEP terrain, whether it be grass, loose shale or jumbled rock...
Lowa Tibets have worked well for me. Were awesome on my goat hunt last year and the pack out of an 80 pound load. But like others have said. Lots of great boots mentioned, find ones that fit you well and go with them.
12/05----by: kota-man The last two years I've been on a mission for the perfect mountain boot. I own or at least have owned the following boots: Lowa Tibets, Lowa/Schnee's Sheephunter, Lowa Hunter GTX Extreme, Lowa Ranger's, Meindel/Cabelas Alaskan, Meindel/Cabelas Denali, Kennetrek Hard Scrabble, Han Wag Alaskan GTX, Crispi Spider HTG and the new Cabelas/Meindel 50th Anniversary Boot. I will give my brief synopsis below, keeping in mind "fit" is really what a good boot is about. I've put most of these boots through the paces by either wearing them on week-long hunts or wearing them on my daily hikes through some moderate terrain. My ultimate goal was to find the perfect boot for upcoming Mountain Goat, Mountain Caribou and Dall Sheep hunts.
Lowa Tibet - I've owned these for over two years. When I put them on they feel like an old favorite glove. However, in rough terrain they are not my favorite. For some reason my right foot comes away sore after severe hiking. Overall a pretty awesome boot. I wear them for everyday use and like them, however, they will not be my go to mountain boot. For the right person, these should be fantastic boots.
Lowa/Schnee Sheephunter's - These are the boots I keep coming back to. The fit is incredible and I can wear them all day any day in any terrain. At the end of the day, I usually come back to these. The only downside to this boot is that they are a little heavier than the rest of the boots tested.
Lowa Hunter Extreme - This boot is very similar to the Sheephunter. The only differences are the type of insulation, and the stitching. They appear also to be a little different finish but overall the same boot. Another favorite of mine. These are my "go to" snow shoeing boots.
Lowa Ranger - Very comfortable boot, but not enough boot for me. I wear these everyday for work but struggle with them in the field.
Meindel/Cabelas Alaskan - One of the first boots I tested. The fit wasn't perfect for me on these, so field use was limited. Ended up giving them to my brother. Durablity was also suspect for me.
Meindel/Cabelas Denali - I wanted to like these, but they just didn't fit, and the "crease" killed my toes. Sent them back to Cabelas.
Kennetrek Hard Scrabble - These are great little boots. I don't know that there is enough boot here for extreme mountain hunting or not. I love the boots on gentle terrain, but the heels really dig in to me on severe incline. I am hoping this gets better as they are broke in. I wish this was an 8 inch boot.
Han Wag Alaskan GTX - This is a solid, iron clad boot. THe seams at the end of the laces bug me a little bit. More so on the right foot than the left. Overall, a solid performer for the right fit.
Crispi Spider HTG - These didn't fit me at all. The volume of the boot was huge for me and the slope towards the toe box hit me wrong. Looks like a real solid boot however for a person with a large volume foot. I took them out of the box, tried them on and sent them back.
Cabelas 50th Anniversary Meindel - Not enough experience with this boot to form an opinion yet. I haven't even wore them in the field yet.
Overall, I think all of these boots are decent boots. My least favorite of the bunch have been the Meindels and the Crispi. More so due to fit than anything else. Unless the Cabelas Boots show me something special, the Lowa/Schnee Sheephunters will be my boot of choice for my extreme hunts next year.
It's been fun trying all of these. If anyone is a size 12 and would like to try some of these boots, there are a few I'd part with for a great price. (NOT THE SCHNEE"S though!)
Grant...took you awhile, but you found it! After my Lowa Sheephunters "gave up the ghost", I bought a pair of Lowa Bighorns and never looked back. In fact I liked them so well, I bought two pair. They'll be on my feet again this fall chasing Stone Sheep.
One not mentioned but one I'd highly recommend or the Schnee's Granites or Beartooths with the later being the lighter. I'm not sure who makes these fro Schnee's but they're super comfortable, have good support and seem to have a softer rubber Vibram sole that grips better than my other boots.
I'm a big Lowa fan but got a pair of the Beartooths at the Sheep Show a few years ago and they're my go to boot for most applications including chukar hunting. I still go back to my Lowa Sheep Hunters for extreme hunts that are going to cover several days but I've got to replace those this year and I might look at the Schnee's Granites for that.
Here on the coast we wear Caulk boots ....
I see in the lowa Tibets they offer a standard and a hi model. Do you guys like higher boots or are the normal height fine.
I prefer "normal" to high.
I prefer the normal to high as well!
Tibet HI for me. I have a tendency to roll an ankle ever so often.
I have went to the lightweight ones from now on. Asolo fit my feet and not the same with Kennetrek boots. Lowa boots better but no more heavy leg casts for me. The lightweight mountaineering boots are very good and light and not rubbing my heels from the get go. But someone else could have problems with break in like I had with my Kennetreks based on there foot. I believe boots are very personal and you have to find what you like, and I did!
I just bought a pair of Lowa Caminos that I am liking for my goat hunt. Not too heavy but good support and comfortable.
I'll be wearing plastics on my next goat hunt. Leather hikers might work fine in milder terrain, but they darn near ruined my first goat hunt. I wore Meindl AK hunters, nothing against the boot, it was the terrain and conditions that made them fail. Toe kicking with crampons means heel lift. Leather means wet feet. Wet feet with heel lift means blisters. Blisters mean misery.
Plastic boots have an inner liner so you move the friction point of the boot to the plastic liner instead of against your skin. You can also toss the inner bootie in your bag at night and dry it out. Plastic also doesn't absorb water and get heavier. They make them these days with rubber vibram soles so they aren't noisy. I should have known when all the guides were wearing Koflach Degre. Next time...
Have heard good and bad about the plastic boots. I would consider them if the conditions were extreme and when crampons are truly needed I am thinking extreme. I have been a Meindel fan for the last 4 boots and was pleased until the last pair when the toe cap basically separated off of the boot before it had enough miles on to be barely broke in. Before that I was a Vasque fan until their quality went South. This last scouting trip I found a close out sale on Zamberlan gtx pros real cheap. When they came I almost sent them back they were so stiff. They are taking awhile to break in but I am starting to really like them now. Kind of a compromise between a leather hiking boot and a plastic. Would never wear them on an elk hunt but think they will be my go to in the rocks and shale for now. They do have a smaller toe box than I am used to but it has not presented any huge problems and I am getting used to it. Lots of good stuff out there and lots of sales if you don't mind searching. One thing my wife just taught me is if you are going to try a lot of stuff you just need to get used to getting several pairs sent to you and the hassle of sending several pairs back. It is a pain but it gives you a chance to wear the stuff around the house for longer than 10 mins and really see if you like it or not. It is worth the hassle and opens up lots of unique options.
IMO I would only consider plastics if hunting the most extreme goat country. I've been on two goat hunts and three sheep hunts and never once wished I had plastics. My guide was wearing them on one sheep hunt. If you want a great, stiff boot for use with crampons either KUI U boot would fit the bill. (Last years Zamberlan or this years Scarpa), but both of these boots are really stiff.
That said, if I was hunting an extreme goat unit in AK, I would probably go with the new KUIU Scarpa, for everything else, my Lowa Bighorns will work just fine.
That's just the thing... Toe kicking with stiff soled boots is asking for heel slip. So IMO, knowing you are gonna have heel slippage, I want it happening in such a manner that it's not slipping right against my heel. Hence, the beauty of plastics. To each their own, but I see stiff soled leather Mtn boots only compounding the problem. Maybe I haven't found the right fit yet, but I've tried too many makes and models of quality, stiff mtn boots to count and in every single case, when climbing technical stuff on my toes, the heels slip.
I have Lowa Tibets on my feet as we speak. I don't get heel slippage with them, but for me, they are too flexible for technical climbing. Great mtn boot for anything except goat country, IMO.
Great info keep it coming in details
I consider the terrain I'm hunting. In some areas of the world it's just too dangerous to hunt. Plus the season you are hunting.
I know of one goat guide in BC that will never guide again in winter conditions. Risk reward isn't worth it.
The problem with leather boots in wet or snowy terrain can be wet feet as mentioned. I think most of the time it's caused by water infiltrating the TOP of the boot, through soaking-wet pant legs. If your boots have Goretex liners, are waxed up real well, and have no breaks or separations along the rubber lowers, IMO that's about the only way your feet can still get wet. I make it a habit to pack a small film canister of boot wax to re-coat my boots every few days. And unless conditions are bone-dry, I always strap on a good set of gaiters. I use Kennetreks and I try to cinch them down as low and tight to the rubber lowers of my boots as I can get them.
After last posting on this thread in '14 and having done two more alpine hunts, I'll be sticking with fly-weight Lowa Renegades and Kennetrek gaiters for my next excursion to BC in August.
