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I just spent 8 solid days hunting Muleys on foot. I wasn't the shooter, but put the guys with tags on more than two dozen different bucks. I wasn't backpack camping -- had a little tent trailer for camp -- but I do normally backpack, thru-hike, trek, and mountain climb. The weather on this trip was freezing, near zero F with the wind blowing ice and all our water froze solid. The terrain was steep mountains and deep canyons. I humped many miles a day with a backpack, heavy optics (80mm spotter and porro binos), rifle, tripod and more (I was carrying other people's stuff).

I did it all in Crocs.

I had heavy wool socks and it was (frozen) dry the whole time. The crocs did fine. I had no complaints. I don't actually like Crocs and never wore them before now, but they worked fine. The reason I wore crocs is that I started taking terbinafine for some fungus on one toenail and I don't want to reinfect it. So I put all my Whites and Redwings away for at least a few years until all my nails are healthy. The healthy ones I have now don't seem vulnerable.

I took some new Muck boots that I just bought last winter. I soaked them in a spray made for disinfecting footwear and being rubber/polyurethane I figured that would work better than it would on leather (why I also use Crocs). But the Mucks pinched my shins badly and I couldn't stand them after half a day. They're the second pair of Muck boots I've hated. (and I used to wear cheap PVC wellies and never had a problem with those).

I like the Redwing Heritage (iron ranger, blacksmith etc.). Whites are well made, but they always screw up the custom sizing for me and I've got three pairs three different times that are too narrow or just too small so I gave up on ordering more.

After I had been on the terbinafine about a month wearing nothing but crocs, I ordered some new boots, brands that I'd used in the past but haven't worn for more than 15 years: Zamberlan, Scarpa, Asolo, Danner, Irish Setter. I also ordered some Sorel Caribou's (packs), something that I've never worn before.

I couldn't make up my mind before the trip, so I just went with the Crocs.

Now I'm wondering what I'd want the $500 Zamberlan's for. Ok, yeah, the Crocs won't work in wet snow or with crampons but those backpacking boots aren't ideal for that either. I have plastic mountaineering boots and backcountry ski boots for those things.

The packs (Sorel Caribou) actually seem pretty comfortable. They're a bit heavy for everyday use when it's barely even freezing. I know they'd be better than Mucks for what Mucks do, but not sure I want to rock them everyday and not sure I'd want to backpack in them.

Whatever I get, I'll be using for upland and duck hunting into Christmas and backpacking in them next year. I might just go with more of the harness leather Redwings that I waterproof with Hubbards (beeswax and pinetar).

What else should I try?

I have two pairs of hanwags, the Alaska’s and trappers. I love the boots. Hiking, hunting, back packing. No break in time for me and other than re-glueing the rand on one pair (several years old) after a season in steep shale, I haven’t had any issues. I wear crocs or NF Thermoballs for camp shoes depending on weather.

Nice. I like the double-stitched series like the Grunten. Remind me of the old Merrell Wilderness they discontinued or the Danner Mountain Lights. Old-fashioned waffle-stompers. The Alaskas and Trappers are more modern cemented sole, but look quality.

I highly recommend them. I prefer the Alaska’s for an all around boot, trappers for winter. I’ve heard very good things about Aku boots though I haven’t tried them.

I had scarpas for a bit. I loved them at the start and hated them after one season. I gave them away in the end.