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These in green. Sierra Trading post had them for $119 last spring, I bought a 2nd pair in brown to put back for when the green ones wear out.

https://www.rei.com/product/881783/salomon-quest-4d-ii-gtx-hiking-boots-mens

I ran Danners for 15 years when I went to get a new pair I thought they were crappy.

Just received my Kenetrek Mountain Extremes from MIDWAYUSA and the free gaiters they are giving with the Kenetrek's. They look good and I hope they last a few years!

Early Danners were good, the last pair I had were American made East Ridge (I think) Switched to Mendl Ultralights and have been happy with them. I'm hard on boots, bought the first pair of Mendl's in 2013 and finally threw them out a month ago-almost no tread left, torn in several places but still waterproof. I average over 8 miles a day, in 2016 I put over 1,700 miles on them (mostly at work and the rest largely on a mix of asphalt and fairly easy terrain).

They made a mule deer hunting to Wyo in 2013 and an elk hunting run again in 2014, if there is anything to complain about with them is they may be a little soft soled under a heavy load but traction and ankle support worked well for me. I guess the best thing I could say is that I bought them again.

I had 2 pairs of the Meindl Perfekt Hunters in the past year and both pair went back due to the rand separating. The first pair saw moderate use while the second pair I lived in for 2 months this summer and probably logged 200-300 miles in them over some nasty terrain. I won't be buying them again.

I also have a pair of Asolos and those have been working out well. A pair of Crispi's is in order before hunting season as I need something with insulation for fall.

For years I used Danner Canadians for western style hunting. Great boots as are the other made in the USA Danners. The over seas made ones are junk, however. Last year I bought a set of Meindl Alaskans. I really like them once I through the crappy cork insoles in the trash. They are a little stiffer than the Danners l, but not overly so. If the weather gets really cold and snowy and im on a horse I use Schneee pack boots. For ice fishing or stand hunting I use the white colored mil surp bunny boots made by Beta. The Chinese made bunny boots suck and bunny boots made by other brands don't seem to be as good as the Beta made ones.

Pretty sure Salomon snuck into my bedroom, made a cast of my feet, put it on a pedestal, then designed their boots around it... but the perfect fit notwithstanding I love my Quest 4's and low top 2's. Flexy where they should be, stiff where they should be. Try a pair on at a minimum.

I have spent some $$$ trying to find the right boot for our style of hunting. We do large scale deer drives as a gang. As a "driver" you want some nimble, almost cat like schit on your feet. Cold feet isn't a issue. While being a "watcher" you're trying not to get so cold where it's a problem considering you just got sweaty "driving" the drive before. Most of us drive one, watch one and so on. Amassing a set of gear that works for me doing both roles was a learning experience for sure. Boots? http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Meindl-Mens-Perfekt-trade-Hikers/748580.uts

Love em.

I bought a pare of Salomon at the advice of Dober via Brad for the early season. I haven't really tried them out yet, but Salomon tennis shoes were pretty comfortable at my last job where I was walking on concrete all day. Boots should be no different.

Brad knows his footwear. I did the first backpack with the Q4's with maybe an HOUR of break-in on mine. Not even a hint of a hot spot when backpacking. The low top 2's are divine. I will buy a non-Goretex pair next summer; it'll be wet here in a couple months so there's no point at this late date this summer. But man are they comfortable and more to the point they are downright therapeutic for my feet.

Meidle Perfekt hunters are what I am using now. Happy with them. Previous pair of Danners where terrible. Leaked down through the tongue and hard as heck to pull on. All of these problems with the Danners could be attributed to skimping on amount material.

I like a lot of the boots mentioned here. But many of them are more suited for rocky, steep, elk hunting in cold and perhaps carrying heavy loads. My Meidle Perfekts and my old Danner Elk Hunters are such boots that work well for these purposes.

But what about a lighter boot, warmer weather, not such hard ground. An upland grouse or pheasant or quail boot?

Needs to be light, probably waterproof, and durable (which the Meidle Ultralights are NOT?) and maybe a good bit less than $300 as a result. For example are the LLBean Kangaroo boots worth a look (~$200)?

Any suggestions?

I use Cabela Meindl Denalis for big game, Danner Grouse for turkey and pheasant. The Danners are not a boot for all purposes, but they are very comfortable and have been waterproof. The Denalis are tough as nails and took a while to break in, but I can go for days in them.

Thanks, that looks like the old Danner Antelopes I think they were called. They were a good American boot years ago. I suppose these are made in Asia, but might be worth a shot.

Most of $300 pluss Danners are made in the US. Though most anything under $300 is imported. Seems F'd up can't make a boot for $200 in US. Some companies can, but not many.

The cheaper boots use injection molding for soles. I am starting to thinking that is more comfortable than sewn bottoms. Ya they are throw away. But by the time the soles are shot often boot is. Worn leather may not give the support either. Sure it is soft. I suspect many of us keep our boots to long. I have a boot fetish and quite a few. Always looking for better.

So far meidl hunters with cork are best hiking. They lock the heel in, unlike denalis. Though I think I need to new cork. I got custom orthotics for work boots. Every year when I get new ones, I think why did I wait. Cheap orthotics are another thing people probably keep to long.

For early season hunting at my farm and bird hunting about anytime I use Russell Mohican Stalkers. I use orthotics in them and they offer pretty good all day comfort.

For late season when it is cold or snow is involved then I wear Pacs. I don't hunt high or in rock and scree environments these days but would have to try the Meindl boots should I do that.

Danners & Redwings for me. The American made ones.

I have started using the Meindl boots as well. Really like them and have not had blisters at all in the last 2 years with them.

I think that you will like the Lowas.

FWIW, I flat out love the fit and feel of my latest pair of boots: Salewa's.

They are now into their second full year of use and I hunt something almost year round, so they get a lot of wearing. They are so comfortable that I seldom switch out of boots into running shoes anymore for the drive home after a hunt. They are so comfortable I would wear them to weddings if appropriate.

A young climber who was a salesman at Second Ascent in Seattle talked me into them. For decades I have stuck to almost seamless leather boots, wrap around, folded bellows tongue etc. with the only stitching and seam up the back. These Salewa's are Goretex lined leather with a cloth tongue, rubber rand, some odd wire bracings--- and they are super light weight and superbly comfortable on steep scree or shopping mall steps, whatever. They are a little stiff for trail hiking but I don't do a lot of that nowadays.

I had never heard of Salewa boots. They are worth a look. Maybe their last merely fits my feet, but for whatever reason, they are the most comfortable or equal to my most comfortable shoe of any kind ever, plus they handle steep rock, snow, wet coastal moss and brush – and so far they have stayed dry inside.

Okanagan:

Which of the Salewas are you wearing?

On the size tab inside the tongue on my boot it says MS Rapace GTX.