In cold, how does Gore's "Duratherm" compare to Primaloft 200 gram light with a Goretiex liner vs. 400 Gram Thinsulate with a Goretex liner?

Or, is Gore's Duratherm just their proprietary version that uses either Primaloft of Thinsulate?

I'm confused

They way I understood duratherm was it was a light fleece bonded with the gore liner to aid in breathability and waterproofness. I thought it really didn't add much insulation if none at all. I have seen a few pairs of uninsulated boots that have the duratherm liner.

Im pretty intrested to hear the other info on it though.

I'm in the market for a new pair of boots... Cabelas Mountain Hunters (which I absolutely LOVED) blew out an eyelet... Cabelas was supposed to get my size in to replace them, but after three mo's waiting I'm now told they're no longer available.

Got a pair of Lowa Hunters from Zappos at the cloeout price of $275 but they're too narrow and are going back tomorrow (Zappos doesn't offer Wides).

I'll likely just do a Schnees Sheephunter... they do the Primaloft 200 gram in their Lowa Sheephunter vs. Lowa's Hunter which uses Duratherm. The Lowas are a bit stiffer than I'd like...

The Cabela's Mountain Hunter's used a 400 gram Thinsulate with Goretex bootie... kept my feet remarkably warm.

What size do you wear Brad? I just picked up a pair of the hanwag trapper for cheap in the classifieds. If they work out im going to get rid of my mendel's.

Buying boots sucks too. No thoughts on the kenetreks?

I'm just not a used boot guy. I wanna break them in my way, but thanks anyway. Size 9.5D with an American last... 9.5E in the Lowas apparently.

Kenetreks? There's a few things about them that don't satisfy the inner boot loonie. I'm not opposed to owning a pair, but I'm going to try the Wide Schnees Sheephunter first (they're no available yet) to compare them with the Kenetrek.

Hangwag Trapper Tops would be excellent but they are FRIGGIN expensive ($485)... they're Duratherm, right?

I hear ya. Yea the are duratherm.

I have wanted to try them for a long time but couldnt shell out coin for them. I was super stoked to get them out of the classifieds for cheap.

So, just returned from a boot excursion... everyone in town is out of the Kenetrek's and Schnee's is out of my size in a Wide Sheephunter. Looking over what was available in the Kenetrek I suspect I'll need a Wide in that as well.

Talking to the boys at Schnees, they told me the 200 gram Primaloft Lite is the equivalent of 400 gram Thinsulate... they had no idea how the Duratherm compares.

So is cabelas not going to make the mountian hunter anymore?

Nope. "Customer Service" took three mo's to call back and give me the news. They have nothing but wides left on their website. After that, nada. They must have had mucho problems with them... I can't be the only guy that pulled an eyelet out... too bad. Phenomenally comfortable and the 400 gram Thinsulate worked well into the -F's for my cold-susceptible feet...

That's too bad. You find a pair of boots you like and then cant get replacements. Should start buying two pairs at a time

Can carters fix the eyelet for you?

Carters could might very well have been able to with a different eyelet, problem is I sent them back waiting for a replacement pair.

Cabela's customer service is usually on top of stuff, but they really dropped the ball this time. I repeatedly have given them my cellphone and email to contact me, yet they called our home phone (we don't use it and have no recorder) to inform me of the situation after two mo's, but never used the requested means of communication... when three mo's had lapsed, I finally called them.

Irritating. I also told the gal to quit sending me that damn, 2" thick abomination they call a catalog

So now you have a refund on a set of boots they no longer make. Sweet deal

good luck on the hunt. If you want to check out those hanwags when they get here let do coffee sometime.

Mac, what is it about the K's that don't satisfy you, and with which one?

Perhaps one of these days we should meet out at the shop and have you try some on?

Plus then you could ask Jim the insulation question you posed. He's been building boots for a long time and using them in the back country and knows more about boots than most in the world I'd guess. IMO he's pretty much the D'Arcy of the boot world...grin

Just a thunk,

Dober

Do the Kennetrek's come in a wide size?? I ordered some Mountain Extremes NI in 11 reg. but had to send them back. I wear an 11 wide in the Lowa Tibet's and they fit perfectly. I wish Kennetrek would make a wide.

They do in the 400's, as I know of they don't in the NI's.

Good to hear you tried them on, I've seen a whole bunch of people tell me they wear a wide and then when we sized them up they actually didn't...go figure

Dober

Oh and I almost forgot the K boot that is slam dunk my fav, the Hardscrabble and it comes in a wide in sizes 8-12 and 13.

During the last two years the vast majority of my hunting has been done wearing these and if it's cold out and or wet I put on the K brand gators. I've not had any issue wearing them right into the Nov elk seasons here.

If you're thinking about a NI boot Foxtrot then you should give them a call and check them out.

Dober

Thanks for the help. I sure liked the K's but need the wide. I have a pair of the Cabela's Meindls sitting here now. They're ok, but I think I will look around a bit more. I like my Tibets, just want something a little taller. I will look into the hardscrabbles now.

Fox-I'm pretty darn sure if you try the Hardscrabbles that you'll like em. If you try em let me know if you like em, I can't imagine that you won't, but feet do vary.


Dober

Mark, I called you Sunday but didn't hear anything... get my message?

Mark, I located one Wide pair in 9's... didn't fit as they're obviously a bit short but I definitely need a wide... other than that, no one in town had them in any size. Rob has them at Shedhorn but didn't think to try them on Saturday when I was down there.

They're a very nicely built boot. Obviously they're keeping cost down by the sole and midsole they use as well as the use of a different laminate (Windtex I think?) other than Goretex. Likely that's just as good. I'm also not a big fan of the collar dropping so low in the back of the boot... One reason I've never been keen on the Meindel's. Everyone's got their preferences for sure and at the end of the day fit is more important to me than every last detail being the way I want it.

If I can find a pair in 9.5 Wide ( I definitely need a wide), I look forward to giving them a thorough "in-store" trial.

The Lowa Sheephunter has a sole and midsole more to my liking as well as a collar. OTOH, I like the Kenetrek bellows tongue better.

At the end of the day it's going to come down to what feels best between those two.

Brad,

I have a pair of Schnee's sitting in my closet right now, and I tried on a pair of the 2009 Lowa Hunters and compared them side by side. As far as I could tell the only difference was that the Lowa was nubuck vs. full grain, and the extra row of stiching on the Schnees. I can't find the specs on the thickness of the Schnees leather but they felt the same.

I think that the original Lowa Hunter GTX had Duratherm, as compared to the Schnee's version which uses Primaloft. However, the current version of the Lowa uses Primaloft also. I did, just other day, look at an old version of the Lowa sitting on a dealer's shelf, and the upper felt noticeably more supple...but that may have been the fact that it was a small size. It also said "Duratherm" on the lining.

Even Lowa's website listed the 2008 model as having Primaloft. I'm not vouching for a company's website though!

I think the current Lowa Hunter GTX Extreme and Schnee's SheepHunter are nearly identical, save for perhaps one row of stiching.

Check out Baker Shoes out of Oregon. They seem to have good prices, and were very helpful when I talked to them on the phone.

Ordered a pair of 9.5 W Lowa Hunter's from Bakers last night... $349 deliverd. Will report back

Schnees, if they even plan on carrying Wide Sheephunter's any longer, won't have a shipment until AUGUST!

Brad- I hear you on the boot conundrum! I currently go back and forth between my Hanwag's (threw away the custom liners they rave about and quit getting blisters..go figure) and Cabela's Meindl Alaskans. I think I am on a quest to find a boot that has the Hanwag/Meindl upper on a sole that has more flex. That would be my heaven right there!

The irony is the Cabelas Mountain Hunter was perfection for me!

Aggravating they're no longer available... obviously there was some quality issues with them via the manufacturer, but you'd think those could have been resolved... go figure!

Hope the Lowas work for me.

You and I are equally picky about our gear

Say it ain't so!!!!! grin

Sadly, the Lowa's from Bakers didn't work... too wide. The "Medium" was too narrow, Wide's too wide. Would also add the Lowa Hunter Extreme is needlessly stiff.

I've bittched about German lasts in the past not working for my feet and, once again, I reconfirmed same!

Anyway, located a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extreme's locally... the 9.5 D's fit PERFECTLY. Not too stiff, not too soft. And, of course, they're made in Italy... my feet have always done best in Italian made boots and, once again, I reconfirmed same!

I walked out with a pair... got them on a good sale too, but would have happily paid full retail for the excellent fit.

Will prolly go shed hunting this weekend and give them a real trial...