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Hey fellow hunters,
So I have been a HUGE fan of Danner Pronghorns for so long, however after my new pair flooded walking through some wet grass this weekend, I do not want to take them on a week long elk hunt. If they cant handle wet grass in the rain, they will not handle snow or creek crossing very well.
Im not concerned about the cost, as boots can make or break your hunt! So please let me know what you use and any recommendations, would be greatly appreciated! If they have a decent warranty and anything other than performance, that's just a bonus. I use my boots for all hunting, from elk, to spring turkey to pheasant fields to tree stand hunting.
Thanks everyone!
Lots of choices here. I'm still a Danner Pronghorn user, but I won't buy the foreign made ones, I'll search for the American made ones. Those have not leaked for me, and my newest ones are 4 years old.
Kota Man is a boot fanatic, if he doesn't see this thread, send him a PM. He knows as much or more about good boots as anyone I know.
My suggestion is try on as many pairs as you can and let your feet tell you what you like. There are a lot of great brands out there. I personally like Lowa Renegades, you may like something else. Lowa, Asolo, HanWag, Vasque, Crispi, Zamberlan and on and on. Try as many as you can until you find the one that's best for you.
Brotsky summed it up nicely. For me Lowa's feel like they were made for me. There are lots of great brands out there, the key is finding something your feet like. I tested over 20 pairs of mountain boots before finding my Lowa Bighorns. I can tell you this: The foreign made Danners are NOT the answer. If you have specific questions about Lowa, Kennetrek, HanWag, Zamberlan, Crispi or Meindl, shoot me a PM, more than likely I've tried them.
Tried on a ton of boots and I had my heart set on Zamberlans or Kenetrek until I tried on Asolo Powermatics. As soon as I put them on I knew I was going to buy them.
A lot of mountain miles and an elk trip later and I have no regrets whatsoever
Try on as many as you can. You might be surprised at what you like
I also have the Asolo Powermatics. I have gone to Asolo for almost all my mountain boots now. There are plenty of other brands that are great quality, as mentioned above. The key is to go someplace where you can try on lots of different brands and see what your feet like. I went with the Asolos because their size 12 wide fits my foot better than any other boot I have tried, and they are good enough quality that I can count on them. The biggest thing is to move past the typical "hunting boot" brands, and start looking at backpacking and hiking boots as well. Lots more selection, more high quality brands, and you can choose the features you want in a boot. You won't have your favorite camo pattern on the boot, but the elk are not likely looking at your feet...
I have the Asolo Powermatics for backpacking and any serious mountain terrain. For more gentle terrain, I have the FSN95 and Fugitives, both from Asolo. The powermatics are a little stiff for some things, but they fit my foot well enough that I can use them. The stiffer the boot, the more important fit will be...
I agree and I'll expand a little on what glacier said.
For serious mountain hunting focus more on backpacking boots and less on "hunting" boots. Serious backpackers know their footwear, trust me
There was just a thread on the elk wall, hopefully the link works,
http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?forum=5&threadid=453338&MESSAGES=46&FF=5
I have run danners a couple years good boot but nothing great. Picked up a pair of Cabelas Mindles and they are great for the money. Waterproof and a great boot for hunting steep country. Kenetreks are next on my list to try.
Check this clip out. I put alot of stock in this guy's "resume"...he spends an inordinate amount of time in the backcountry and tests more gear than anyone I've heard of. When he speaks I'm of the opinion folks should listen. In the first few minutes they cover the pronghorns and their pros/cons...
I have several boots to choose from depending upon the terrain, weather, and conditions. Lowa Renegades GTX are great if you want light weight to cover lots of country and to stalk quietly. In snow and if I'm not hiking too terribly far I like Lowa Tibets. My mid weight hikers that are good all round boot are Scarpa Kailash. The Scarpas are about my favorite boot if I'm hunting Alaska or rougher/steeper country here in Colo or Wyo. Keep in mind it's pretty tough stalking quietly in stiff/heavy/large soled boots.
I've gotten killer deals on name-brand boots at Sierra Trading. I can usually get 20 to 30% off their already great prices with a coupon code. I got my Scarpa Kailash for $100 (which is a steal!).
I'll second the Lowa Renegade GTX for elk hunting. (Coming from a former Danner Pronghorn owner.) No comparison in quality or comfort.
