Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska what hip boots for brown bear hunt?

I am looking for recommendations of what hip boots to use for my upcoming spring Brown bear hunt?

LaCrosse Big Chief insulated hip boots, been using them for years for bear and moose. Mine are finally starting to get worn out and i'll be getting another pair when they do. Ankle fit hip boots are the way to go if your going to be doing a lot of walking in them.

Maxx, What does your guide recommend?
The LaCross Big Chief were great boots and usually lasted for many years but since they started making them in China they add clay to the rubber/plastic material and now they usually last less than 6 months before weather checking and leaking.
Goretex pant waders or chest waders like fly fishermen wear are what most of my clients bring. The cheaper ones last longer than the hip boots and the really good ones last for years of hard use.

The fit of the boot is orders of magnitude more important in a one-time bear hunt... Especially if any climbing is anticipated. Some of the cheap Chinese boots sold at Wal-Mart fit me better than any ankle-fits and actually last at least a year of fairly hard use... But I have ridiculously high arches and cannot even put on many slip-on boots at all...
art

he recommends uninsultated ankle fit hip boots from cabelas, I was just wondering what all you alaska guys use,.

thanks

That's a big +1 on the fit. I never bear hunted per say but I've spent enough time hunting and walking in tudra and muskeg to know that fit is all important regardless of brand.

I used to have a pair of Lacross' that fit perfect and then they changed the mold and they didn't fit the same. I think the idea of lightweight breathable hip or waist high stockingfoot waders with a good fitting boot would be the ticket. I also just saw a Cabela's boot lightweight roll up hip wader that at least looked pretty slick.

Hip boots are fine if they fit just right, but depending and how much climbing you would have to do, the stocking foot idea might be better. All my friends used ankle fit hip boots, but I never had a pair that fit right or as well as regular hip boots.

fish head

+1 on the waist-high stockingfoot waders!

Ed

check oout Dan's Hip boots. They have muck boots on the bottoms with thick cordura tops. Everyone here uses em for coon huntin.

Cabelas Neopren Hip Boots

Neoprenes are great when it is cold... Not so much on warm days...

I have a pair of the cabelas neoprene waders that starting leaking (more like gushing) on me, after only 1 season. I had a cold lesson on wader quality last week. My old pair of Simms Gore Tex lasted me 7 hard use seasons before I gained 20lbs and tried to hike up a mountain wearing them.

My waist-high Cabela's neoprenes gave it up last Oct. on the Buskin River, they were several years old and had felt soles.

I stiil have a pair of LaCrosse hip boots that are holding on well after about 8 years, but they really did not get a lot of use here. I was always in the waist-highs.....

are neoprene hip boots better than rubber ones? thoughts?

They are miserable hot in warm weather, but comfortable in cooler temps... For fishing in cold water they are good, but hiking is likely to be quite a lot warmer...

I'm not sure if this is helpful, but for my fall brown bear hunt, I bought these.

I like them because they fit right over my 12-inch gaitored Meindl boots with ease, and can take them off and put them in my pack at will. I don't even notice them when they're one.

Here's an informal review.

thanks , I actually have those- barney's sell them as a Sourdough slipper- I am not sure if they would be adaquate for an all day in the field situation- thoughts?

The guy "Stid" in the link above and here basically hunts Alaska year in an year out about as much as anyone can.


Edit: I think my post above was partly non-responsive (perhaps one too many last night). I likely would not use the Neos/Sourdoughs as an all-day item. But, I like my gaitored boots for all but stream crossings. And I like the way the Neos fit around my boots. If I am in a rushes situation, I can leave them on and chase a bear. Or, it takes only about 30 seconds or so to remove them and stash them in my pack. It's not a conventional approach, but I really value having my regular boots on my feet. With gaitors, I can stride through a fair amount of wet stuff without getting wet, then use the Neos for the streams.

The above slip on waders would be great when hunting in sheep country and you need to forge creeks to access the hunt area but I wouldn't even consider using them on a daily basis as part of a hunt. I've considered the breathable hippers in the past but I worry to much about ripping them when walking through brush.

I bought my first pair of breathable waders two years ago when I moved to Colorado. Before that I lived in Alaska for fourteen years and never felt the need to have them. Neoprenes and hip boots worked fine.

A sporting goods store was going out of business and had a 40% off sale so I picked up some expensive waders and boots for cheap. They are absolutely the most comfortable waders/boots I've ever worn. The lace up boots with the right socks provide great support for walking anywhere. They're as, or more comfy than my regular hunting boots. The outside of the waders are really tough nylon material and I can't see a problem using them for busting through brush.

The only downside is that the nylon would be more noisy than rubber hip boots. A waist high set of breathables would be great for keeping your butt from getting wet which was always an issue when wearing hip boots in rainy Alaska weather.

I had one pair of ankle fit canvas hip boot that I used on a float hunt trip that I'd stay soggy in all day from sweat. They were awful and I never had this issue with rubber hip boots. They also had bob soles which I didn't like at all. With breathables, sweat wouldn't be a problem.

Just thought I'd add a few thoughts.

fish head

Phil; Interesting what you said about the clay, as I've had a heck of a time finding a good hipboot in the last few years. I've had them last less than one year, and I don't use them that much.
When you mention breathable waders I assume you are talking about stockingfoot. I've never had a pair of stockingfoot anythings, and always wondered if they are a pain as far as getting suited up and taking them off because of the boot/shoe...as compared to the bootfoot type. It has also seemed to me that the big neoprene bootie would cause rubbing and blisters under a laced up boot. Not so? That's what has kept me from buying stockingfoot anythings in the past, and I'd love it if I have been wrong about that because the selection of bootfoot waders is really limited.
After reading your post and fishhead's above, I may reconsider stockingfoot as an option.