Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska XtraTuffs

What is the latest build quality?

I got some this spring that are holding up fine. The folks at the store assured me that they're better now. My limited sample of one pair bears that out.

Got a pair out of a new shipment in Bellingham in April on the way up (great price) ... been wearing them hard. Almost everyday in the last 2 months fishing guiding and they are wearing great just like the old ones use to.

Probably just make sure you get them from a recent shipment.

How does one tell?

Is there some production date or code on them?

I got a pair about a year ago and they're still going strong. No major complaints.

MY 10 year old US made "seconds" from Sweeney's in Soldotna are still going strong. They were "off-color"- so 2/3rds the price.

Sad to say, I threw out my Cabelas Iron Ridge boots from 5 years ago just yesterday, worn mostly daily on the job since. Ramping 737s 2 or 3 times daily are hard on boots. Only got one pre-employment hunting season out of them.

I thought about sending them back to Cabelas for warranty. Probably a non starter, considering there was no sole, side-panel integrity, uppers, or lacing attachment left to speak of. Holes, cracks, and gaps everywhere. Airline attendants made fun of me. And pilots. The knotted lacing was probably the most secure part... Real comfortable tho... in dry warm weather. Hated to give them up.

The new ones are totally different in design. God I hate that.. I'm gonna use the other two pairs of different used boots as much as possible until winter.. I might have to go hunting sometime and need a decent pair of hiking boots....

But my old USA made Xtra Tuffs are good.

Purchased a pair of the lacross arrowhead boots (from sportsmans). so far real comfortable to walk in and they do good on boats.

I also bought some LaCrosse Alpha Burly Pro boots (18"), love these things but they seem to run a bit big. Can't wait to use them this year for moose hunting instead of waders.

have got to the point that I can't wear xtra tuffs without inserts.

feet hurt like hades in them without em.

but mine are holding up fine, it's the damned old man that goes in them that's starting to break down.


wonder if Cabela's warranties that?

I just wished they had put sizes on the damn things... left 2 pair with friends in AK so we don't have to bring em every fall...

And I"d like 2 pairs for wife and I down here. Can only find a place to mail order, no one close enough to us to go find and fit them.... ugh...

Who heard of making boots without putting sizes on the damn things...

magic marker is your friend Jeff, but I agree, craziness not to size the damned things.

The issue is they started making them in china about 2 years ago and the quality is not there anymore like they were when made in the USA. We used to get a few years outa of a pair ,,,now your lucky if you get through two hitches of work with the [bleep] bastards ,,, sad .......hopefully the 10 year olds over there making them will figure out how to build them before the queen quits Payne for em.

Sucks, especially with my typical timing... I"m usually not around any stores during open hours when up there.

I hope to be this fall, but that will only get me a pair to take home, the wife will have to do the same on another trip..... ugh

Kodiakearl is on spot about quality suffering when production switched to china my 1st Chinese pair lasted all of 2 weeks before water tight integrity was compromised. The store I bought them had myriads of complaints and gave us all another pair for free. The 2nd pair has held up fine about like the old ones. I would say they got the kinks worked out.

I went through a few pair that came apart quick. I was done with them, but the employer pays for them and second place is a ways back, so I got another pair.

They've been great!


I heard about glue this, glue that, china......apparently there was something to it.

Mine, bought at Log Cabin, are still going strong 10 years later! wearing them today (well, later today).

I have a pair of the old sterile, USA made but I made the mistake of buying my daughter who works in the Fishing industry a pair for the 2013 season. The new pair are nice and shiny but are not holding up worth a hoot.

I hope the new design is as good as the old design.

I wore my 12 year old pair this week and they are holding up fine. I talked to the guys in the fishing supply at the landing. They told me that the extra tuffs were extra bad for a while but the new ones are good again.