Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Hunting Boot Thread

Gents:

Some of you may know that I suffered from a bad right ankle for many years. It's a long story, but the end result is that now it has been surgically repaired, and I've recovered mostly. Pre-surgery, I had to buy overkill boots ... something that would positively absolutely keep me from rolling my ankle in the field. That lead to me using lots of heavy, tall, sometimes cumbersome boots.

Ankle support is still important, obviously, but now, I find myself able to shop much more "normally" for boots. I'd like to hear what people are using, in what conditions, and why.

I'll start:

Tried lots of boots: Danners, Red Wings, Rocky, Meindls (Cabelas), Hanwag, Asolos, Merrells, and others (Schnees, Sorels, Mucks) . Meindls seemed to work best for me as a hunting boot, even though I had to return two sets of Canadas due to stitching failures (when they were double-stitched only). Then Alaskas, but they were heavy. Then some hikers (pre-Perfekts), that were solid, but heavy for hikers.

Got into some Hanwag Trapper Tops and also some Cordura hikers. Good, but .. heavy. Felt like Herman Munster in them.

Finally tried some Asolos post-surgery, Echo, Neutron, and Fugitive GTX. Loved the Echo (non-Gore-Tex version of Fugitive GTX). Tried the Neutron but the last is not the same last as the Echo, and they just were not the same. Looked for Echos, but they had been discontinued, and then I read reviews on the Fugitive GTX and saw where they use the same last as the Echo and that special-ops guys love them in the sandbox, and so I bought a pair to replace my Echos.

Put some miles (kilometers ) on them in Argentina, and whooee ... did my ankle like these boots!

Asolo Fugitive GTX is my new favorite boot. Light enough, tough, easy to walk in all day due to their very stable last, protects my ankle ... love them. Top of the list for me for a new pair, but am very interested to hear others' experience and what they are currently riding.

How about you?

Thanks for the review Rick. I have rolled both ankles out hunting. Gopher holes, hill sides one wrong step and down a guy goes. Surprised I haven't broke one yet. Close but not thankfully. Been wearing Danner GTX which has little ankle support. Bought the Meindls (Cabelas) for a sheep hunt in 2009. So far mine have held up. I need to wear them more when I am hunting but you are right they are heavy. To easy to go light in antelope season. I will look into those Asolo Fugitive GTX.

I've settled on Hanwag Mountain Lights and Lowa Renegades. Also Vasque Bitteroots.

I've worn White's Magnum boots with Airbob soles for probably my last twenty years of hunting. I've been running the same two pairs for all that time and they've been rebuilt and resoled by White's at least three times.

They've been incredible boots.

White's are probably "old school" and way outmoded by today's standards, but they've always worked for me.

Oh yeah, in really, really cold (like -20º) and deep snow, I have two pairs of Grizzly Boots. They're leather pacs with ½-inch wool felt liners and Air Bob soles. They were made in Montana probably twenty-five years ago (even back then, they were $275 a pair). I think Schnee's bought them out and probably screwed up one heck of a fine snow pac.

Blessings,

Steve

I like light weight boots for hunting, particularly sheep hunting.

lol, my faves were a pair of Nike (boots btw) ACG that a pard bought out of STP that were too tight for him.

they've been put thru the mill and I just them for around the house now.

I'd have to look in my sheep box to see what I've got as a replacement.

I've never needed a lot of ankle support, but have picked up a hitch in my getalong in the ankle bone that's connected to the shin bone as of late.

for moose hunting I either wear my, Danners, Hanwags or hip boots, (mostly hip boots)

but for mountain hunting, I really like to keep the footwear light, those and a last that fits me and a good sole (I prefer Vibrams) are the ticket for me.

gonna give your new faves a looksee Binster, thanks for prompting this.

Thanks for letting us know about the GTXs. I'm in a cast right now with a screwed up ankle. Will check them out when I get it off next week..

I've learned to wear boots for the hike out, not in.

My main boots are Lowa, boots change as fast as cell phones so I'm sure mine are noncataloged now.

Urban desert GTX model for most my hunting here in Az, high top, light for a boot made to carry heavy loads.

Baltoro model, low top yet again sturdy enough to carry heavy loads.

Hunter GTX extreme... have to admit I've never worn these, Frankenstein boots, thought I may have to move north for work and bought them for work and play. Not much use for them here in az now.

For snow I have asolo sasslong if needed, another tough boot but heavier, I use these quite a bit.

Main thing for me is tough enough for side hilling with a heavy pack, either packing camp in or packing meat out.

Danners, the midpriced chinese lightweight comfortable ones are fine for day hunting on fairly flat country, but can't hold up to loads and sidehilling, the sides blowout and ankle support gone. Same with the old rockies. I still have some around.

My Lowas and asolo will last me the rest of my hunting life, not sure what new models are the hot thing. Look at what's hot in the backpacking community, that's where technology is advancing.

Hunting store name brand camo boots are seldom even close to the best that's available for price... though they may look outdoorish...

Kent

I have four pair of russells, two light weight pairs, one triple vamp pair that I wear most every day, and a pair of triple vamp with insulation for the winter, this are the only hoes I wear, 7 days a week and I hunt for a living so hey get used, till I find a boot that holds up as good and feel s good as Russells I will keep wearing them

Ive bad ankles, one of which I've sprained more times than I can count. I need the ankle support too. Used to wear Buffalo smokejumpers (Cheaper Whites) that then became Hathorns. Love them, but heavy heavy heavy. The best I've found were Zamberland, I think they're called Elk GTX. Most comfortable boots I"ve ever had. Worn out 2 pairs now. Light, and good support. The hooks for the laces seem to be the weak point though.

So, uh, what size and price on those you dont like, Rick.

I grew up in East Texas and had cousins handmedowns for Sunday and a yearly pair of high top tenners for school and cold weather hunting.

My first pr of steel toe Redwings for the oilfield summer job seemed to be a dream of a hunting boot for me.

The old Scarpa Rios were the chit. Best boots I've ever had, though a bit heavy.

I've some AKU's now that do pretty well. Lighter than the Rios, but not quite as stiff and supportive.

I ruptured some tendon in my foot, so now my big toe doesn't work and I have a knot on the inside of my ankle that gets hell for sore if I don't watch it.

For warmer weather and shorter hunts i wear a set of high end merrils.

If long distances or steep i wear 6" Asolo Sassalongs.

For cold, snow and real heavy work i like my Lowa Hunter GTX

Hello Rick,
I am a fellow weak ankle guy and consider my footwear by far to be the most important piece of my equipment when I travel to hunt. I am so paranoid about losing my boots when flying to Africa that I normally wear them.

The boots I have settled on at Russell Moccasons, in the Joe's PH style. I find them sufficiently ankle stabilizing and at the same time fairly lightweight. Of course this is for hunting dry warm climates. I have not tried their other styles of footwear.

Bad ankle almost 30 years before complete fusion.
Worked and played in the woods or on uneven ground a lot.
The boots that gave the best support were good hand made boots such at White's or WESCO.
Probably heavier than your looking for, but the support probably can't be beat.

Last November the cold, snow and freezing rain came early to central Minnesota. My Uncle, a few years old than me, slipped on the ice and managed to dislocate his shoulder and tear several tendons. Surgery and six months of physical rehab got me thinking, I rarely wear the best shoes for snow and ice when running errands. Plenty of slippery driveways and parking lots put me on the hunt for a pair of winter boots. I finally settled on a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boots. After wearing them all last winter I couldn't be happier with the choice. Warm, stable and oh so comfortable, they're the best boot I've worn for anything a Minnesota winter can dish out.

I wear White's loggers. Doubt I will live long enough to wear them out.

I wear Russell Moccasin boots. I bought my first pair in 82 and wore them out after 20 years. Bought a pair of TLC triple vamps with air bob soles and a pair of Kangaroo bird shooters. I expect to wear them both for the rest of my hunting life.
They are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned but they should be. They are made for my feet. I have never seen any other boots that compare.
I wear LaCrosse Burleys for hunting in the swamp.

I foolishly tossed my last pair of whites survivors instead of rebuild. I personally like meindls of years past.....but qc seems to be slipping. Scarpa, la sportiva and the like are more boot for even money if you can handle the color. .....which I can.

I have pretty much stopped wearing boots all together. Keen sandals for the most part, or Danner low top shoes.
When hiking or hunting in certain areas, I will put on the zip up, knee high Rocky snake boots. They are water proof as well, and reasonably comfortable to wear.