best boots for the western hiker/hunter
Elk
what is the best boot for hiking the back country, doing lots of walking/hunting for elk in the early season?
If they fit your feet you'd be hard pressed to find a better pair of boots than Asolo Powermatics. I wore them exclusively for a 9 day elk hunt in a RUGGED wilderness area of CO & they were outstanding
Whatever one fits your foot.
There are literally dozens of extremely high quality boot manufacturers out their these days. Only a few rules apply to shoe shopping for the mountains. Don't pay attention to the name on the tag. Get yourself properly fitted (especially for a first time purchaser). With price comes quality, obviously with exceptions. $500 won't buy any less blisters than $100 if the fit isn't right.
Also take into account the use of the boot. One 7 day trip a year for elk all they will see? Not near as important of a decision/purchase as someone who plans to put several hundred miles a year on their boots. Sheep hunting steep shale vs deer hunting coulees? Different boots have different uses.
I settled on Lowa Tibets for my one boot for all needs and have loved my decision ever since.
Lowa tibets are my only experience with a mountain boot and I really like them so far . Worked flawless on my goat hunt. Hopefully kotaman will give his input or direct u to his link about boots.
Anything that doesn't have Danner or Pronghorn in the name. Burned for the last time on those!
Meindls but only if they say "made in Germany" If they say "imported" they are made in Asia and IMO are just not as good. Perfekt Hikers or Denalis are my choice. But as said, if at all possible, try them on for proper fit. It is hard to buy boots over the internet. I have had to send some back twice to get the proper fit.
Quality is important but as others said be sure it fits well. I have had good quality boots that didn't fit perfectly but I made do with them.
The last pair I bought are lightweight Keen Targhee II Mid boots. They fit me very well and I wear them a lot. If I do a lot of walking in rough terrain or am carrying a heavy load I switch to a pair of Cabelas Perfekt Hunter 7-inch boots by Meindl. They fit me like a glove, are padded well and support my feet in rough terrain. I don't like a high boot because they tend to restrict my circulation when up the leg so high. They aren't as light as the Keen's but do give more support.
Cabelas Perfekt Hunter link: http://tinyurl.com/kur5r3m
Keen Targhee link: http://tinyurl.com/kk9wrce
There's a lot of good boots on the market. Number one thing is go to a local store and try them out before purchasing. Remember everyone's foot is different and one boot that works for one may not be the boot for the next person.
Also make sure to get something with good ankle support. This really helps when side hilling and especially when packing a heavy load.
I'm a fan Kennetrek but this may not be the right boot for you.
I'm a very big fan of Keen boots. I have Meindles that I really like as well, but keep going back to my Keen's when hunting.
"Whatever one fits your foot."
That's about the best advice you will get. I have two favorites. The first are my Kenetrek Mountain Extreme N/I's (non-nsulated), which are a traditional style hunting boot. My Asolo Synchro's are the other, which are a lower cut, hiking boot style.
Everyone's feet are different. That's why you'll always see a multitude of differing opinions on what's "the best". The challenge is finding the boot that best suits YOUR needs and YOUR feet.
I have had great luck with my Kennetreks.
Good advice above, everybody's foot is different. I like my Asolo boots. I prefer a stiff boot because my Timberline's and Danner's both stretched terribly and the ankle support went south after they got broke in.
The Lowa Tibets always seem to come up in these discussions. I bought a pair this season after years of hearing how great they are. Don't get me wrong, from construction to stability, they cant be beat. But they are heavy, and hot. For any type of summer activity, this wouldn't be my boot of choice. If you're doing some serious climbing, you're probably not going to like the weight.
I agree on the comment of the Danner Pronghorns above as well. These boots have gone downhill. I have a 7 year old pair and recently bought my son a pair. No comparison in construction. His feet are growing, so he wont be in them long. Good thing, because they're already about worn out...
There have been many good threads here on this subject. I would search those out. Me personally, I went with Solomon Quest 4D GTX for my Elk hunt this year, best investment I made for my trip, hands down. Good support and weight, just replace the insoles with aftermarket ones, the original ones suck. I went with Lathrop & Sons High Country Synergy Footbeds, extremely comfortable! With all that said, it depends on where you plan on hunting and the terrain you'll encounter, I was in western Montana and these were perfect for that area.
For anything but sheep or goat hunting Cabela's Prefekt hunter by Meindl are my first choice even if a lighter boot would work. They are just a pleasure for me to wear. For sheep and goats I have been using Kenetrek with great results. If I did not already have 2 pair of Kenetrek I would try a stiffer pair of Meindls.
See link for a great thread from kota-man...he really put in a lot of boot leather with many different brands for a couple years, and then added updates as time went on.
You will learn a lot.
Best of Luck, Jeff
Are the Lowa Tibets that are suggested the GTX model
Guess it depends on the terrain more than anything else. The Cabelas (Meindl) Air Revolution are not bad boots the best I ever had were their Ibex Hunting Boot line, unfortunately they discontinued. The Air Revolution are the closest match.
I destroy boots in short order. I've wrecked some of the ones suggested above in as little as two weeks. Needless to say, I'm tough on boots. Last year I ponied up and bought the Lowa Cevedale Tech-light hunters from Lathrop and Son. They are far and away the best boots I've ever worn. I've got about 6-700 miles on them now and they look like new. I am more than a little impressed
My Lowa Tibets are the GTX model. Again, solid construction and comfortable. But heavy and hot.
I've got quite a few miles on a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX. Very light, watertight, and good traction and durability.
A good comfortable and reliable early season boot!
Best of Luck, Jeff
I second what fits your foot the best. With that said for hunting in September chasing elk or muleys I love my Salomon Quest 4D GTX. They do everything I need a boot to do.
When I hunt early elk/deer I don't wear a boot. I wear a Trail/Crosstraining running shoe with gortex. Quick and light, very quite, way easier to stalk in than a boot.
If I kill an elk and need to pack, or backpacking or climbing mountains I have Lowa renegades gtx mid
I like Lowa....I've had a few pair and they are great and do better than any other boot I own.
standswittaknife, Keen? Really? I thought Keen’s were for hippies. At least that’s what hippie brother in law wears...not a hunter. I might need to suspend your “Hunters Man Card” for your post....HAHA!
Like elkmtngear stated, I went through a major boot test a year or two ago. For MY feet Lowa's are the answer. In a lighter boot my favorite is the Lowa Ranger. I wear these everyday for work.
In a mountain boot, I love the Lowa Bighorn. So much I bought a spare pair to have on hand. IF you find a boot that is for you, I highly recommend buying more than one pair.
Remember, personal fit is everything when it comes to boots. The other thing is everyone is different in what they require for a boot. I absolutely cannot get by with a "hiking boot/shoe" for hunting the mountains. My feet just can't take it. Even the highly spoken of Saloman Quests aren't enough for me in the mountains. Also, in my testing, the highly talked about Kennetrek Mountain Extremes were about the only boot I could not tolerate. The Lowa Ranger is about the minimum for me for hunting in any conditions. Everyone is different.
In closing, I will say no matter how good a boot feels in the store or at home on the carpet, I cannot pass judgement on it until I hit the hills. Case and point was the Kennetreks. They felt great when I tried them on. They were blister machines in the hills. Another great boot: At the Wild Sheep Foundation show last year, I fell in love with the Schnee Granites. They felt awesome at the show and at home on the carpet. I took them on a couple hikes and hated them.
My point: none of this makes Kennetrek or the Schnee's boots a bad boot. They just didn't work for me.
Glad I read this post. I was going to get a pair of Danner Pronghorns next week. I think I will look at some different boots now.
Just bought a pair of Danner Bighorn GTX leather with gortex liners Haven't broken them in anybody own them.Any review?
I had a pair of Danner Full Curl boots that I really liked, found them to be a bit warm for early season temps though...
I've used the Lowa Tibets for several years on backpack hunts and have had good luck with them. But as stated, they're designed for serious backpacking and are heavy and stiff.
Last year I bought a pair of Lowa Renegades for a 2-week basecamp style hunt and I am very pleased with them. They are much lighter than the Tibets and of course don't have as much support and are not designed for serious backpacking but they are very comfortable. That being said, I recently wore them while packing an 85 pound pack for over 3 miles on relatively flat terrain and they performed well. I'm very pleased with them and would recommend them if they fit your feet.
I have the Lowa Ranger GTX...i'd break out your credit card and order several brands and see how they fit. Send back the one's that don't feel good on your foot.
Different brands fit people better than others. You may not know which one is good for you until you put it on your foot.
Lastly, if you make a decision on a boot and you find that it did not quite work for you...the higher end boots can easily be sold on classified ads and you can get some of your money back and you can switch to a different brand.
GR Heads Up Decoy
Schnees Beartooth has been an excellent boot for me. Slightly more flexible than the Granite boot.
I got a pair of salomon gtx 4d quests , great boot , just needed a new insole. wore them this year in Montana, mule resistant to. Had my mule step on my ankle packing out my elk , all that happened was my ankle swelled to twice its normal size.
"Whatever one fits your foot".
"great boot , . Had my mule step on my ankle packing out my elk , all that happened was my ankle swelled to twice its normal size."
It's bad when you're one footed and a mule steps on your one foot...no worse than that is if you're one foot is the left foot and the pic above it your one boot. Packing out an elk in one foot??? You got my respect!!!
"Whatever one fits your foot".
"great boot , . Had my mule step on my ankle packing out my elk , all that happened was my ankle swelled to twice its normal size."
It's bad when you're one footed and a mule steps on your one foot...no worse than that is if you're one foot is the left foot and the pic above it your one boot. Packing out an elk in one foot??? You got my respect!!!
Life is about tradeoffs. The "perfect" boot for all situations may be like a unicorn. Figure out what is most important to you.
Goretex will eventually leak and will make your boots hotter.
All leather will likely be more durable, but will be heavier.
A full rubber rand will increase durability, but also add weight.
A stiff shank will not allow you to feel the ground as well as a softer one.
A more flexible shank will not offer the same support, stability and protection as a stiff one and may contribute to injury and/or foot fatigue.
A taller boot will offer more protection in rocks and possibly more ankle support. It will also be heavier.
A shorter boot will be lighter but won't offer nearly as much ankle protection in rocks and steep terrain.
Are you backpack hunting, day hunting, riding an OHV? What works great for one guy who is backpack hunting in central Idaho might not really fit the bill for someone hunting in Arizona or New Mexico.
Find one that fits your foot, fits your need, and is made by a reputable manufacturer.
FWIW, I wear Lowas and Crispis.
I like Danners. They fit my feet. Never had the Pronghorn. Don't like Kenetrek or Meindls, the sole was too stiff for elk. Sheep OK. What I do like is Russells. I have the Sheep Hunter or Grand Slam with airbob soles (another reason I don't like Kenetrek or Meindls). I will admit that the airbob wear out faster than that vibrum, but it's second to none for traction.
I have to say that I don't own the Kenetrek. I've only tried them on and they were too much like Meindl. I actually think I'd choose the Russells for a sheep hunt too.
Bowmania
Going against the grain here. I suspect...but I love Danner Pronghorns......Over 5 years on my present pair with 2-3 out of state hunts each year along with local bird hunting, pig & deer hunting etc. For about $190, they do any and everything for me.
Joe
Going against the grain here. I suspect...but I love Danner Pronghorns......Over 5 years on my present pair with 2-3 out of state hunts each year along with local bird hunting, pig & deer hunting etc. For about $190, they do any and everything for me.
Joe
I have had my share of boots for early elk season. I DO NOT like Rocky boots. Danners have been OK (would buy again) and I currently wear Wolverines which I like a lot
What I look for in a boots is how pliable the tread / sole is. There are some boots that the sole is so hard and slippery when it gets cold.
How about a pair of THESE...??
I bought my first [and to date, only] pair in 1988...still going strong, and only resoled twice; 1000s of miles clocked up
Russell boots, built to your feet and made in the USA. You can have them built in many configurations to your desired needs. You can choose many sole types(15 or so), wedge type, ect.
Brotsky....so true!!! although if I pre-tape my heels they work as backups.
I bought some Keen Glarus from cabelas a couple of years ago. Haven't regretted them and they have been in some rough stuff.
My 2 cents, Danner Pronghorns are disposable boots, really comfortable for me but will leak after 1 year. I liked the older model not sure they make any more. Kennetreks, Hated these $400.00 boots, felt like there was a brick strapped under my foot very stiff was tripping all over the woods. Started leaking after nine days. Some people love them I really didn't like the stiffness. Glad they started leaking so I took them back. Now own RedHead® 10'' Treestand II GORE-TEX® Insulated. Little bulky but so far working well. Wish I would have gotten the uninsulated.
cnelk x2. I currently have 3 pair. Rocky, Danner, and Wolverine. My company buys my work boots so they are all safety toe. My Danners I've had for 2.5 years and have wore almost everyday. They have been on 2 elk hunts and are my favorite. My Wolverines are the newest and are a close second to my Danners. The Rocky's suck but my all time favorite pair a few years back were Rocky's so it could be the model. Everyone has a favorite brand so I would recommend trying on everything you can in your price range and go from there. I hunt out of a base camp so I take all three pair in case one gets bloody, filled with water in a deep creek.
The ones that fit you well and are comfortable..
Ones that fit extremely well trump design in my opinion! Till I went to a European fit boot I had a horrible time, their boots are built narrower. Biggest game changer for me yet, went from totally spent legs at the end of the day to feeling like I could go back up the hill for a load of meat at the end of the day!
I like lowa boots. The fit has been top notch for me. I started w/ the rangers which are great but noticed on long hikes I started dragging my feet and they made stalking near impossible w/ the harder soles. So I bought some renegades. These are my go to's for shed season and elk bow.
Anyone try the Lowa Z8S ? How do they compare to the Tibets ?
I like my custom whites boots. 6 inch rough outs with honeycomb vibrum sole.
Not sure how you can do any hiking in a steel or fiberglass toed boot, downhill I would probably be crawling!
Or a tennis shoe? What happens on those dewey days when you are soaked up to your knees, looks like you may need to pack an extra 1/2 dozen pairs of socks to make a hike of it...
The Danner pronghorns are now made in China, I believe. I have a pair of full leather Danner Elkhunters I picked up at the factory outlet in Portland about 7 years ago, with the airbob soles, they fit and hike like a dream. Still waterproof too.
My main boot is the Lowa Tibet. I just like the way this boot performs, had them for several seasons, still waterproof and still stiffer than Uncle Henry (he's been dead for years now). I love to climb in the stiff boot, so much easier. Almost ready for a retread.
Lowa Cevedale GTX Lathrop & Sons Tech-Light Hunter only sold by Lathrop & Sons, has anybody had any experience with these boots.
zimmy, read my post above, great boots
"My 2 cents, Danner Pronghorns are disposable boots, really comfortable for me but will leak after 1 year."
Elkfinder nailed it right there. I'll expand a little on my Danner comment above. Pronghorns will feel like a dream in the store and in the woods. They will start leaking immediately and most likely start separating at the seams after the first year of use. I'm on my 4th pair and never again will I buy them. I put a ton of miles on every year from chasing turkeys to chasing late season deer, upland hunting, etc. Over this 4 pair I've spoent about $600 on pronghorns that could have been used to get a great pair of Lowas, Meindls, or another quality boot that would have lasted me. If you want a great boot that you have to buy every year than by all means use Danner Pronghorns.
REALLY like my Lowa Renegades. The laces they come with suck, replaced with military laces and they feel better now. They used to loosen up on me.
Bought LUNA boots this past season for my first trip out. Extremely comfortable and rugged. best shoes I ever owned in 40 years of hunting.
Bought a pair of Cabelas Instinct Backcountry boots this fall for Colorado elk and deer. They offered plenty of support for backpack hunting and kept my feet dry when I stepped in boggy spots. They fill the gap between the Lowa Tibets and a lightweight boot. I still use lightweight for early season when the forecast is good.
Another Russell Moccasin vote. Build em exactly how you want. Made to fit exactly you. Ordered mine with soft brown rubber soles and no steel shank, quiet and flexible for stalking, still plenty of support for most packing, great ankle support. A boot used to last me maybe two years tops in the sharp lava rock. Had these close to 10, on my 3rd sole. Probably going to get a 4th sole at some point before it's all over.
"What boots you planning on bringing?"
"The Russells..."
"oh yeah, sorry, forgot who I was taking to...."
An actual conversation with HuntingStar.....(not OnStar) LOL!
These Merrel s have passed the test in every way from the swamps af Alabama to the rocky mts.
Crispi's! I have tried almost all of them out there and hands down Crispi's are the best.
Yeah, those Crispis look sweet. Might have to give them a try
Zimmy, Santa left me a pair of Chevedales under the tree this year. I liked my Lowa renegades very much and decided to try the Chevedales. Did a few hikes with them and hope to take them to Wyoming this fall.
Really like my Han Wags but the Gore tex has failed and they leak terribly. The boots still look and feel like new even after four seasons.
I like cabelas outfitters series boots. For warm weather I am using cabelas perfekt hiker. My feet are fussy.
Lathrop fits the boot to your foot and they want you to wear them! They sell a pair of foot inserts that are well worth the money. I swear that you can walk forever and never get sore or tired feet.
