Interesting discussion despite the unnecessary sniping. It confirms that boots are a personal choice and what works for you may not work for others. Like many realize, you can put up with a lot of subpar equipment on a hunt, but "bad" boots could end a hunt.
Or just require you to take a day or two off or cut down your mileage. Not so with through-hikers, bad shoes will end a through hike, period.
I don't get the sniping either. This ain't a contest.
smokepole;
Good Sunday morning to you my cyber friend, I hope the upcoming week looks to be lined out and headed out properly for you.
It has been an interesting discussion for sure, for me at least and I'll extend thanks to all who've added their personal take on the subject.
Way and I do mean WAY back in the mid '80's my wife and I along with some friends did some backpacking runs up onto the Kokanee Glacier which is straight north of the Washington and Idaho border in the Kootenay range as well as up to the Cathedrals which is about half way between the Chopaka and Skagit. The Kootenays were tougher or better said steeper, with the Cathedral run still more rounded in most spots than it is over towards the Skagit country - which is northish of the Picket Range mentioned here.
Anyways we had on whatever heavy boots we used to buy back then and looking back we might have been much better served with lighter footwear as we were on trails for the most part other than the wet areas.
Whenever I've tried on lighter weight footwear such as Jeff was showing, it's felt like they'd be fine under some conditions alright, but so far I've resisted.
Now I am cognizant that Brad packs out elk and having not done that but have packed/dragged a moose out solo, I do have at least a distant understanding of what the feet might be facing.
When we were younger, full of vim, vinegar and a tad crazy, we backpacked mulie bucks from some truly ugly places. On a couple of those runs I found the necessity of having boots that laced way down on the toes for me, as I beat up said toes pretty thoroughly before we reached the pickup.
Last fall when my good friend pulled the LEH ram tag - think the odds were 350:1 for me this year, but yes I did put in since I think I can still do it if drawn - we beat the mountain behind the house flat, putting in more rough country time than either of us had in the previous 20 years. I must admit that I did feel extremely blessed to be able to be in the same spots on the day I turned 60 that I'd travelled decades previously.
He ended up killing a ram 31 years and 2 days after I'd taken one off the same mountain, as close as I could figure within less than a kilometer from where mine came out in two trips on my back. His died further down into the canyons and not up on edge of the big timber, so it was silly steep with a lot of loose dry areas which made footing less than great.
We'd split up when we'd gone in so his young nephew and I might see the rams from the opposite side of the canyon and direct them from the other side. When he shot, we of course had to gumboot back up to the head of the canyon where we'd split up and then go down to find him. As we're heading down, his nephew - think he's in his late 20's, said to me something like, "For the love of God Dwayne, you've got to find a better way out of here than this!".
As it turned out smokepole, we came down the best/easiest way.
Anyways in that sort of a mess I was happy to have boots which I could really tighten up extra well before we headed back up and out.
It's those sort of scenarios - that and the shin tangle blowdown jungle where the whitetail, moose and elk seem to love to hang out - that always affect my decision making when it comes to footwear.
Thanks again for the discussion to one and all. All the best in the upcoming week.
Dwayne
