Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Best sheep footware?

take it for what it's worth Rackmastr, but my advice is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

if you've found boots that work for you, you've hit the grail

The pair that fits your feet the best...
For me that was the Cabela's Alaskan Meindls... Only used for about 1.5yrs now, but despite being in some wet places they always have kept my feet dry and no blisters...

I tried Danners, LaSportiva, Lowa, Kenntrek, and a pair of Asolos, as well as the other Meindls Cabela's sell...

La Sportiva are great boots if they fit your feet. I have had 3 different pairs over the years, but prefer the Meindls for hunting...

have some light weight La Sportiva's and they hurt my big toe and ball of foot like Hades just wearing them in town.

tried on some Merrels today after trying on some New Balance, both had Vibram soles and fairly light. They were both in size 12, the Merrels fit like a glove but wish they were just a skosh higher in the ankle, the NB's felt a little looser but higher on the ankle, maybe I'll see if the NB comes in an 11 1/2

but the Merrels may be it, got to go back when I have more time.

speaking of which reason I went by at all was in the neighborhood stopping by to see the ball and chain and I'd just received a g.card from SW in the mail that a.m. Anyone else get one from them?

I've watched this thread with interest, as I'm in the market for a new pair of boots.

After a couple of years of trying, I've finally given up on using a true mountaineering boot for rough country travel with a pack. I've tried Asolo Annapurnas and also older norwegian welted Asolo Yukons. I really wanted the Yukons to work because I've got an aversion to the current crop of "throw away" boots and the Yukons are of very high "decades of service" quality.

What I've found is that true mountaineering boots with mountaineering levels of support wear on the knees pretty significantly unless you're on a really sloppy surface. Think about it -- as you walk something has to give. If you are wearing a boot that is locked into your ankle with top notch support, it is going to be your knees that have to take up the slack. Unless you're on snow or scree, then it's the surface that takes up the slack. So now I'm trying to zero in on a boot with the right balance of ankle support and ankle flex.

Every one of the quality manufacturers makes something like this, it's just a question of which one uses a last that fits your feet. In my case, that would be Asolo and Lowa. I'm considering the Lowa Tibet Pro / Baffin Pro and the Asolo TPS 520 / 535. Same models in each case, with and without goretex.

At the same time, I'm probably going to experiment with goretex again. I swore off of it long ago in favor of properly treated all leather boots, but I spend a lot of time in the cascades now where it just gets wet and stays that way. I'm also surmising that since I'm going with throwaway boots that will only last 2-4 years, the boots will probably give way when the liners do anyway.

I've got the 520 Asolos. They are the leather models of the ones in the above post. Yes, they do need to flex, hence they aren't true mountaineering boots which are designed for crampon use.
I prefer the synthetic boots to the leather ones. The leather boots stretch. The synthetics don't.
I wouldn't have a Gore-Tex boot if i couldn't use Dahlgren socks. With even the highest quality wool socks, my feet get and stay too wet. If this goes on long enough, you can blisters. E

Brooks-4 me I'd go with the Kenetrek Hardscrabble hands down my fav boot ever! Second choice would be the Kenetrek Mtn Ext uninsulated.

Super feet in either one.

Dober

By synthetic, do you mean cambrelle liner versus glove leather liner, or the actual construction of the upper? If the latter, do you have some examples of the type of synthetic construction boot you are talking about that is heavy duty enough for rough country off trail travel with a pack?

If I've consigned myself to a throw-away, and if I'm going to give goretex a shot, I don't need leather for waterproofing. The aforementioned Asolo Annapurnas are mostly synthetic and they're a great mountaneering boot at a light weight.

Curious to see what you'd recommend in a synthetic boot.

The Annapurnas are a true mountaineering boot. Meaning they are designed for crampon use and have no real flex. I've used stuff that was close and will not go there again.
The crampons I use, the lightweight Kahtoola's, work fine with either of the Asolos I use. They have short, blunt spikes designed to handle steep, icy ground. All of the points/spikes point down.
The synthetics I use are the above 400 GV's. They are not plastic boots, but sort of a nylon synthetic. E

I spent a solid 10 days hunting sheep in my Lowa Sheep Hunters, feet never got sore, never developed any blisters. I wore them with either Thor-Lo's or Cool-Max hiking socks. I figure I've got another 1-3 years left on them and i've never had a pair of hunting boots last me more than 2 seasons.

I'd like to try the Kenetreks or the Merrils some day but for now the Lowa's are the ticket.

E

What do you use for liners with the Dahlgren socks? And which
Dahlgren sock do you use? I have Kenetrek mountain 400's and
Cabelas Meindhl Denali's. Just looking for another sock option. I've been
using Smartwools merino liner and Smartwools Heavy hunting socks
and Spenco hiker insoles, worked good last season, but not so well this year, with a week in steep back country with the Kenetreks.
Had to duct tape my heels and got black toe on one foot.
No hijack intended.

Thanks Craig

The Kenetrek Hardscrabbles look pretty much like the Lowa Tibets on the web pictures. What are differences if any?

I used a pair of miendle Taigas for a mountain goat hunt a lil while ago and they worked fine no issues at all . However I now have a pair of the Lowa GTX extremes as the result of a deal to good to pass up and am very please with these as well 3 years on them and they are holding up just fine.

I've had the Tibets and the 520's, multiple pairs of each but have switched over to the Tibets exclusively at this point. I have to get a wide in the Lowas which was a first but the fit is second to none for me.

I use Zamberlan boots. I use them each summer hiking the PCT, about 120 mi. each trip. I have also used them on several sheep hunts in AK as well as Idaho back country elk hunting.

I have only hunted sheep in CO so I don't know how well my experience extends to AK conditions, but my Lowa Tibets have been my best boots yet...

I've worn and still own Raichle, Vasque, Danner, Browning, Asolo, Rocky, Scarpa in various degrees of worn out, but when it's time for a long hike in tough country the Lowa's come out.

I have not been on a sheep hunt, but NM lava fields and colorado high country rough areas I really am happy with my Danner Talus and Military Hikers. They are very stiff and comftorble. I wore them this year on my elk hunt and they were alot more boot than what was needed. I would recomend them though if a stiff mountaneering boot is what you are looking for.

Uninsulated Kenetrek Mountain Extreme or Lowa Hunters, I think 200 grams of insulation, depending on if you want insulated or not...I like the Kenetrecs a little more...

That, my friend, is a really cool photo. All I saw my last time out was a few feathers of a grouse, leaving the county.
Don

So far I have used the Osolo Powermatic 500, Danner Sierra, Kenetrek Mtn Safari's and like the Kenetrek the best. The ankle support seems better on the Kenetrek's.

Though I didn't have a tag either time, I've tagged along on one sheep hunt and one goat hunt (both in ID). On the goat hunt I wore Meindl Island Pro's and the sheep hunt I wore Kenetrek Mtn Extreme's. Both had plenty of ankle support for the country I was in and kept me warm/dry enough. I would give the comfort nod to the Meindl's but that was with Lathrop insoles. Since the sheep hunt I've put a pair of Sole modable insoles in the K'treks which has helped, but I would still like them to be a bit more cushy. That said, if I don't go with one of these two brands in the future the only one's that I'm currently looking at are Hanwag's. Though they are spendy (more so now than when I got my original pair) the Lathrop insoles are the best money I've ever spent on footwear.