Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Hunting Boots who prefer them?

I've had a pair of Cabelas ? Meindl ?, can't remember the model but maybe 9'' leather boot.

Have Lowa Banff, I consider them heavy and stiff, I've used them in mountain terrain and liked them but don't love them.
They're not my go-to boot, for the reasons mentioned.

Anybody else went back to light'ish hikers for hunting.

Zamberlan Boots good?

Got Meindl's, Schnees, Cabela's Pac's....wore my Lacrosse medium weights all year...didn't get cold enough to break the others out.




Mike

Check out Crispi's. They have some light hikers I wear daily which would be great as long as there isn't cold or alot of snow. They're light and pretty supportive. I packed out in some lightweight Asolo's a couple years ago. No sense in putting on Kenetreks if you don't need to carry the weight around.

Zamberlans have held up real well for me.

I never went back to light weight hiking boots for hunting, I started out with them. They serve in about 75% of the hunting terrain and weather conditions I encounter. Pair them up with gaiters.

For the last 15-20 years I have settled on Cabela's Rimrock hiking boots and wear them almost daily on the farm and logging.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-rimrock-mid-gore-tex-hiking-boots-for-men

These?

Lowa Renegades are worth checking out. Full leather and durable, but fairly light and not stiff at all.

They're my go-to now, except for late season or lots of snow.

Yep.

I was a big Danner guy when they were the older usa made ones, but like many brands they are what the used to be.

I bought a set of Crispi Idahos last year, love them, worth every penny.

I still have my pair of old danners. Second set of soles on them. I hope I wear out before the boots. These have been my favorites for a long time.

I haven't used traditional hunting boots in years. I've used various uninsulated hikers ever since. Many of them are glorified high top sneakers, and in certain conditions that is fine. But I've always liked to have at least one pretty rugged pair for rougher conditions. Last Fall I found these discounted at Sportsmans Warehouse. Yea, they ain't cheap even at $50 off. But they are the most comfortable I've ever worn. They aren't terribly heavy and the leather uppers are relatively soft. When laced up they simply conform to my foot and ankes without binding.

https://www.sportsmans.com/footwear...d-gtx-waterproof-hunting-boots/p/p229377

Crispi Thor

You won't be disappointed

I was disappointed. In less than a year a cloth eyelet broke, later two eyelet studs pulled through.

I wear Zamberlan 1030 Sella.

They're very well made and comfortable.

Good info. folks, the Crispi and Zamberlan look nice.

Got my Lowa Banff boots out this afternoon, laced them up walking around in the house was going to wear them to walk my water/trash bill to the office a 1/4 mile away.
Noticed dark stuff on the floor, thought a dark dirt-clod had come out of the soles of the boot, the soles have completely disintegrated and delaminated.

They're old bought back in 09 and didn't use them until 2010 hunting season. The top edge of the rubber was coming apart, so I put a product Lexell around the top edge of that rubber. I should have sent them back but just too busy with more important things. It's a measure of one but I'm not impressed with boots like this going out the door at Lowa.
ReSole of the boots $140+shipping, as I stated I don't love them, but I'll likely get a new sole added.

Roundoak,

Have you bought a pair of those boots since BassPro acquired Cabelas? The reviews are all over the place.

Brian,
Those aren't on the site now.

I have been wearing gortex lined Vasque mountaineering/hiking boots for years. I wish they were a little higher, like 7-8 inches for better ankle support and shin protection, but they have worked well for hunting, packing meat, and general hiking. The tread has been good, and foot/ankle support has worked well. I use them for every day wear once they have worn out a bit. Granted they are not a winter snow boot, and I use pac boots once it is cold.

I used to have some Cabela's brand hunters that worked really well but they discontinued those. I tried the Mendle boots, but they had a low toe box and blistered the tops of my toes. They must be better for skinny, bony feet than they are for meaty thicker feet. I know some people love them. I had some Danners that were good years ago, but now they are too high at 9 inches, and the top chafes my calves. But others I know like theirs, and there is a choice of lasts, toe boxes, and even better widths.

I wonder if they're out of stock. I hope they weren't discontinued. With all the "Pandemic" stuff going on, who knows. My favorite work boots were made in Australia, until the pandemic fügked that up.

Yesterday I looked at Zamberlan pronounced ZOMberlan, every pair I clicked on they were out of my size, notify when in stock, blah blah---.

Ran a pair of Lowa ranger 2’s for a few years and really liked them but they are starting to get tired and I wanted to change it up a bit. Ordered a pair of Hanwag alverstone II’s and have been real pleased with them thus far. Don’t put the miles on that some western guys do, but it’s not hard to put 15 miles on a pair in week here in Appalachia in some crappy country.

Been wearing Salomon GTX3's for a couple years and they are quite light. Really started appreciating a lighter boot, but the Salomon's leak pretty easy despite being Gore-Tex and not all that durable. They are nice for kick-around summer and dry land hikers though and they work well for that.

That got me looking for other light boots and I recently picked up some Crispi Lapponias (sp)? Light as heck, around a pound apiece, but still have some rigidity to them. The guys at Black Ovis said the Lapponias should hold out water better and be more durable than the Salomons and the price is virtually the same. Hoping they might be the answer? As soon as the snow leaves some, I'll start wearing them.

Mike,
I had delamination and wear issues with a pair of Lowa Zephyr GTX Mids last year. I sent them back to Lowa and they said normal wear. I submitted pictures of the same model boot I bought 9 years earlier and wore all over Afghanistan in 2012-2013 for wear comparisons. They decided to send me a new pair free of charge and these are wearing much better. Seems some boots makers have off days too.

Yes, last pair was purchased last December.

I have a couple of pairs of Miendl's and like them. I also have a pair of LaCross that have been good.

I'd do quality lightweight hikers, but I hate short boots because they let grass seeds/sticks/weeds into them more than tall boots. I guess I could run a pair of gaiters, but that is just another piece of gear to have to keep up with.

I will add that my Meindl's were some of the ones with the decomposing of the sole so they had to be resoled and I used Rocky Mountain Resole on the suggestion of the Fire!



I ordered a pair of the Cabela's boots listed above with my Rewards Points from Bass Pro.

I've been needing a second pair of midweights to wear during the majority of our season so I can alternate to allow time to dry!

Thanks for the heads up on them.


Mike

I use several pairs of Crispi boots, mainly their Guide and Wild Rock. I bought Salomon XUltra Winter this past year. Excellent tread pattern, stable foot platform, and about 1 lb lighter than my Crispis. The X Ultra Winter has 200 gr Thinsulite. I liked them until the snow got shin deep. Even with gaiters, I would get snow in the boot by working its way up under the gaiter. I'll still wear boots when snow is more than 2-3".

Ive had a couple pairs of Kenetrek extremes. I will give the mountain guide a shot for my next pair…I got 6 years out of my last pair with very hard use.

Used Lowa GTX Renegades for the last 12 or so years and they have been great. This past year I switched to Oboz Bridger premium waterproof and was amazed. As comfortable (if not more) as the Lowa and much better support. Check em out:

https://obozfootwear.com/en-us/product/mens-bridger-premium-waterproof

Asolo boots with Gore-Tex for most of my hunting. Muck Chore boots for the shorter walks, turkey hunts, etc.
Zamberlan makes good boots, just not big enough for my paddles.

Asolo bajura, Salomon's, La Sportiva, and Lowa for me.

Hunting boots suck.

Ol mike: Maybe it don't get cold where you Hunt but I need warm feet for the last 30 - 45 days of our Hunting seasons here in Montana.
I go with Danner Elk Hunters (insulated) and when the snow is wet I go with my Schnee's.
I used to use Danner Antelopes for my Antelope early season Hunting til one year we had an early snow - rather be warmer than colder.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I just got back from several days hunting last night. Between the hunters in camp the boots ran the gamut - there were some Meindl's (Himalaya and Island models I think), Lowa Tibets, some unidentifiable brand elasticised steel toe work boots and my lightweight Salomon quests. When the support and stiffness of a proper mountain boot isn't required I would rather something lightweight and quicker drying given the regular and frequent river crossings...