Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Lightweight vs heavy boots?

Jeff;
Good morning to you sir, it's been a long time since we've chatted here, I hope you've all been well more than less in the interim.

My goodness do I hear you about ailments having ailments.

I'm a wee bit older than you and definitely some mornings feel all the horse and motorcycle wrecks that a younger me perhaps rashly put myself through.

You'd mentioned watching how hard one trains and that's been a bit of a fine line for sure, as last summer I somehow needed to wrap my knee to just do our daily 2 mile walk in the morning and so help me I don't recall what brought it on - but there it was.

I'll admit to not delving into anything newer/lighter than the Zamberlan Vioz that I picked up a couple years back. It's tough to say if I'll wear them out or I'll wear out first, but I'm certainly not opposed to looking at something different for sure.

That all said Jeff, as MIKEWERNER mentioned, it's the downhill that cripples me when the pack is too full. One of the "must have" items on any boots that are going hunting for me is the ability to lace to the toe or at least over the arch enough that I don't bash my toes up any worse than necessary.

On the adjustable trekking poles subject, I picked up a couple maybe 5 seasons back and can't say enough about them, though I usually only carry/use one at a time to be honest.

What brought them on was me coming out solo from a fairly rough spot in the snow and having both feet come out from under me.

As I was laying there in the snow - hoping to catch the wind that had been knocked well out of me, whilst watching the puffy clouds float past - it occurred to me there had to be a better way to not do that quite so often. Again Jeff that not getting any younger certainly plays into this.

I had a very similar situation with horses a few years prior and had a moment of epiphany after being unceremoniously unhorsed and having some unscheduled meditation on life afterwards. Funny how that happens or seems to in my case for sure.

Best to you all down there in Oregon Jeff.

Dwayne

Boots aside..... I would be honored to buy you a beer (or even two!) if you have time in town. It's a crazy time of the year, and I am an idiot on a good day, but I would love to hear that story firsthand.

I have a question if you don't mind...the fabric at the top is frayed, yet the boots are almost perfectly clean.

I just slop around in crappy cheap work boots and they are a flaming mess, even in town. They get worse when out in the paddock.

The below boots have (both pair) three months of use on them (alternate days), so six weeks of constant use each.






The big question I have...how the hell do you keep your boots so clean?

And I should add...I have owned issue Belleville's, Altama, as well as Danner and Rocky with cordura fabric. And not a single pair of them came new with frayed tops

Those are surplus (Grade 1) new, Belleville, they came that way out of the box from MidwayUSA on Clearance.


Those now have several hundred miles of field use on them, and look considerably different.

But they hose off nice and dry pretty quick.


Anything else on your mind, besides your hurt feelings?

Like, maybe, how they work in the field?




GR

Generally US manufactured boots have a narrow last...and when you purchase the wide boot the heel is also wide which allows your heel to move about.

So no...you have nothing I wish to hear.

Go ahead and post some current pics, I'm curious as to how they look after several hundred miles.

These light weight field boots fit my feet very well, and hold up very well, too.

Got them a half size smaller than my regular shoes, and fit allows for both single boot socks when it's hot, and the addition of a Kirkland wool outer sock when it's cold.

The treads are great for hard surface, hard pack, rock, sand, and mud.

Not the best in steep, loose rock conditions.

Probably why they were surplus to the heavier Vibram waffle sole for Afghanistan.




GR

Get used to disappointment, little one.

Took the pictures when they were new.

Pleasing you, is your boyfriend's job.




GR

LOL, I knew it. You can post pics of the boots from a few years ago when they were new, but not now.

You haven't hiked several hundred miles in your life, much less with one pair of boots.

Are you insinuating the Light Weight Trail Boots are great for NOT hiking?!

That would break my heart. I’ve become a bit…. attached… to the sexy beasts.

No, I'm insinuating that nobody here believes "garandimal" is anything but a sock puppet.

And he's not even a very good one.

Well, like I said… the troll quality has really gone to poop around here.

FWIW- I agree. If I thought the dude was for real, I’d show him some old-school Campfire troll quality. Make his head asplode.

Wow, I learned something new - get your boots smaller than your regular shoes so you can wear heavy socks in cold weather. And here I always bought mine a 1/2 size larger...

These ran large.

Half size smaller was perfect.

Single boot sock in the heat, second wool sock in the cold.

No complaints.




GR

Look, understand why all y'all hate these light weight field boots.

- They have MeraMax Polyurethane soles that are half the weight of Vibram.

- The uppers are cordura nylon and silicone impregnated suede leather.

- They don't come with matching purses.

- They don't come in colors that match your yoga pants.


News Flash, ladies... you don't have to wear them, either.

Regular Men like them, especially at $35/pop.


Psychotic Cultists.

Ha!




GR

Be that as it may, real people going real big hikes are not using Light Weight Field Boots.

It's obvious in these threads who's done what... as the saying goes, "you can bullchit the fans, but not the players."

BTW Jeff, got my Hoka's. Frigging comfortable. They look like something you'd see in the rest home - fuggly! They're 4oz's lighter than my Salomon X Ultra's (they run larger than the Salomon's, so ordered 1/2 size smaller). Definitely more comfortable. We'll see how they do backpacking. Good thing I use a cane rather than trekking poles - I'll look right at home in the geriatric center I turn 62 this month...

For hunting in mountainous country where I am going up and down rocky slopes a lot, mostly on game trails, I prefer a more substantial leather boot with Vibram type soles. I've been using Asolo's for a while. They work well for backpacking too.