I went on a Dall sheep hunt in 2015 to the Chugach range - I had a successful and very fun hunt. Thought it would be my last great adventure but now in my mid 50s the sheep are calling my name again. This time I am going to the Brooks range in a few years and hoping for a great experience and maybe another beautiful white ram.

After much consideration and advice from my outfitter I went with plastic boots on the Chugach hunt. While the kept me safe and on the mountain (no small trick in the area I hunted) I HATED them. Left them in AK hoping to never, ever see them again.

Now some years later with mild numbness in my toes I am going back and need to protect my feet as much as possible.

What boot recommendations would you make for the Brooks? I am hoping to get them this year and take a couple of years to break them in/get my feet used to them.

I have settled comfortably into Hanwag boots, specifically the alaska gtx and trapper gtx (for late season). It’s the first brand I can walk into a store, buy a pair and then head straight out on an endless adventure without any concern for my feet (this from experience). They fit my feet exceptionally well and I know several others in the same boat. Construction is top notch and they last through constant abuse in the shale.

Meindel would be another top brand I’ve heard great things from.

No matter what boot, I always recommend upgrading the insoles. I will also recommend that the first step when bringing any boot home is to glue all the seams around the rand before waterproofing.

Those are great boots. Lowa has something similar -- Tibet GTX Hi (no insulation) and Hunter GTX Evo Extreme (200g insulation).

Paul, good luck!! In 2015 when I was on the other side of the mountain from you guys, I used the Hanwags on the right in Nashville's photo. They held up fine, and they are very comfortable.

Phil - I am thinking I may be stupid to try it again, but I just cannot seem to help myself!!

Those Hanwags look really good - I will add them on to my list to try out. I wish I had bought a pair in 2015

I have also been looking at the Crispi Colorado and Birkdale -- at the end of the day I will buy several different boots and try them all on to see.

What upgrade insoles are people using?

I've had really good luck with the Hanwag Yukon LL and the Lowa Tibet LL. For insoles, find a model of Superfeet that matches your arch.

Mine are custom made, sorry no help.

I tried a handful of OTC insoles and noticed the arch was different between brands ie forward/back from my arch or too aggressive. Like boots, I would try a few different ones. I use Superfeet greens (high arch), because they fit me the best. I use them in all my shoes/boots and replace them at a cadence based on useage -- ie most heavily used is typically an annual replacement. Also, I had custom growing up, and I prefer Superfeet but as always YMMV.

Been a long term fan of Lowa in general and have enjoyed 2-3 pair of Tibets. Great suggestion on the superfeet insoles. Game changer on most footwear. Good luck!

Lowa sheephunters....So comfortable..(for me)

Remember, fit trumps name.

I’ve never sheep hunted in Alaska but I’ve been hunting Stone Sheep in BC for a lot of years. This last season I tried a pair of Kennetrek Hardscrabble boots and I was very impressed with them.

Nashville,

Hello.

What type 'glue' do you use?

I’ve been using “gear aid aqua seal” for the past few years. Seems to hold up well if you prep the boot first. Store the tube in the freezer after opening.

I think most of the boots mentioned will work. Fit is key.

The brooks are not as rough as the chugach, although there are certainly rough parts. You will likely do more walking than climbing, but you will still want something with a good rand as there can be tons of scree.

Good luck, again!

Best insoles I've used are those by Lathrop and Sons. I'd not be afraid to try their boots either. That said, Meindls fit my feet better than anything else I've tried.

I've been wearing some custom for many years, but last year, bought a set of Sheep Feet. So far the Sheep Feet have worked well and having an extra set keeps me from having to switch from one pair of boots/shoes to another.

https://meindlusa.com/collections/mens-collection/products/comfort-fit%C2%AE-extreme

These are awesome

Elk,

My favorite by far are the ones that I wore yesterday. They are one piece Italian leather and craftsmanship. Vibram Norwegian welt soles that go hundreds of miles with confidence soft enough to be grippy on rocks, yet supportive at any weight. I haven't hunted your area, but have been in wet woodlands, steep hills, bouldering, and all conditions...feel like a mountain goat. Comfortable Glove leather lined. 6" Tall and 3 sets of hook quick lace up and differential adjustments. . I've never seen better boots.
They usually go on hunts and hikes. They breath very well too compared to anything else I've worn in the weight category. That's probably because it doesn't cut corners with synthetics.
Just $300 ms. Not a bad price because they last far longer than my other boots. However many hundred miles later, the calf skin lining in the heel box is worn through, but just as comfortable as ever. We are expecting snow Sunday, so I will be wearing merino socks as insulation and a light coat of conditioner for water repellent/salt protection.
Alico one piece smooth grain Italian art.

i'd not go too stiff of sole. my .02

Is the brand a secret? I think that was the question.

He prayed for them and the jesus delivered them.

I can't believe I read his drivel twice trying to find the brand name....

Cut and paste from an online catalog but nothing compared to the whoppers he tells on the "Hunters Campfire."

Now that made me laugh --- as I read it twice looking for the name only to be annoyed twice ...

I will say those Meindls look good - any actual experience with them?

Lowa GTX sheep hunters for me. They last without blowing seams out and grip rocks well but I found they need an insole. Even with a Dr. Scholls insole the balls of my feet were absolutely killing me last year after getting my ram out 8 miles one way, two trips. The insole lasted only about 40 miles total and were wore through. The brand new socks I had were also wore through on the ball, after the two days getting the ram out. That may or may not have been partly due to the internal part of the sole on the Lowas.

I plan to use the Lowas again this year but want a better insole.

PM

Off topic, but I'm curious what it costs to hunt Dall sheep twice today?

Lathrop sold me hanwags custom fit years ago. Loved em. The soles fell off with only a weeks use a year etc.. IE Boots still great. No way to repair.

I see they sell their own now. My boss has em. Other than price says so far over all the boots he has tried they have been the best. And thats considering that any other boot has died in a season on the mountains generally speaking.

Thats not the answer but I'm with a few others. Fit is the most important with the exact socks you will wear. Thats because I assume I'll get only a year or two out of them basically as hard as we can run them at times.

I have only used the Cabelas version, but have done a couple trips in the Brooks with the perfekt and the Denali. The perfekt was insulated, has more of a walking sole, and no rand. Denalis were stiffer, shorter, lighter, uninsulated, with a full rand.

I agree with ND, that a less stiff sole is ideal there. That said, I would take the Denalis if going back, based on the lack of insulation and rand.

We hunted the brooks from the highway, which means a minimum 5 mile walk before you are legal to shoot. And that means a 5 mile minimum pack out with a ram. If you are flying in, you will likely be doing a lot less walking, so that's something to consider when weighing the advice here.

A good bit more than 2015 on his first trip. Back then in the Chugach that hunt cost $15K to the outftter.

Alico or Peter Limmer. Next level custom fits & quality but might not be the aesthetic you prefer.

My last pair of sheep boots were Lowa Tech Lite Hunters with the foot beds from Lathrop and Sons.
The footbeds were very comfortable and the only problem I had with them was absorbing water if you wind up with a few days of soaking wet boots. My last sheep hunt with them I wound up with soaked boots for days and the insoles turned into swollen up, soft gooey gel. And because the gel swelled up, it separated from the top fabric in some areas. Once they eventually dried out they reverted back to original size, but the separation from the top fabric was permanent.

Those boots were the best fitting, most comfortable, best performing mountain boots I’ve ever used. Expect for one thing. They were not great at keeping water out. I’m not sure if the gortex liners got damaged in the first year, but I wore those boots until there was nothing left of them. I used a pair of gortex socks to compensate for the leakage. The last couple years of use my sheep hunting partner kept asking me why I hadn’t thrown them away yet because of how worn out they were lol. But they were so close to perfection for my feet, I wasn’t ready to risk going back to something else.

I’ve hunted Stone sheep every year except for one since 2003 and what I’ve learned makes a perfect mountain boot for me is a combination of support, but still have agility. So I don’t like high top boots because they’re heavy, and too restrictive for long heavy pack hikes and have a lot less agility/mobility when climbing and dealing with rocks.
The Lowa Tech Lite Hunters had a minimalist design to save weight and add agility/mobility without sacrificing support and durability where needed. For example the souls were narrower than other brands I’ve used and really made a difference in the performance in rocks. Can’t get them anymore so my new pair last year is Kennetrek Hardscrabble. They could use a little narrower sole for my liking, but so far very happy with them.

I will recommend the Meindl Denali. They have Vibram soles. While I haven't hunted sheep I am involved with both of my kids Scout Troop's and after several years wearing these boots I'm way into the hundreds of miles hiking either with a daypack or an Osprey 65L stuffed to the max. I've never had any boot problems.

These boots did take a couple of camping / hiking trips to break in. In all honesty the Vibram soles still look great! I know the soles aren't Meindl, but these soles may outlast the actual boot.

A friend of mine hunted Stone sheep two years ago in Schnee's uninsulated Granite's and raves about them. He also has a pair of Divides, and convinced me to buy some. I'm taking them out on short hikes to break them in, but so far am liking them a lot.

For those who rely entirely on a Gore Tex bootie in the boot--don't. Gore Tex ain't waterproof to begin with, and the bootie gets small tears easily. Leather boots should be waterproofed. I've been using NikWax wax for boots for years, and really like it. When I ordered my Schee's I noticed they recommend the NikWax too.

Thanks for the tip about NikWax

Another tip about nikwax is, if you wet your boots before you apply it, the leather absorbs it better.

I've had good luck waterproofing/conditioning with Obenauf's. I've used Nikwax, but my experience is I had to reapply more frequently.

There is a reason that people make sure that there is a rubber rand around their boots. Alico boots look ok but if you are side hilling in shale for miles which you are likely to do in the Brooks because you hunt off of summit ridge spires then they won't work as well for you. My feet like Zamerlans and Kennetreks but it takes a while for the Kennetreks mountain extremes to get broken in properly and then they are extremely comfortable. I probably have almost every brand except plastics and I probably should have gone that route. I have a pair of Lowa Tibet GT highs and I don't like them as much. I have two pairs of meindl Denalis type boot that are actually from Germany and there is a difference. I haven't tried Crispis but I saw of a lot of boot failure during last season albeit it was wetter than it has been in the past during the main part of the season. I do have a pair of Hanwag GT Alaskans and they are a good boot. Believe it or not the best boot for me is a Zamberlan GT Ibex low cut. They are amazing. I am interested in the Zamberlan Pro Mountain Tech. We will see how they match up.

My hunt is booked for 2023; Brooks Range as well

I've been using Crispi Thor II's for the last couple of years here in Montana, decently stiff for a relatively light boot and very comfy for my feet- roomy toebox (my number 1 concern!), yet the midsole and heel firmly hold my feet with no slop. I put 500+ miles on them in a season, even some of those miles loaded with meat I'm super impressed with the boot.

Evidently the Briskdal is made on the same last as the Thor, so I'm going to give those a go as I want an all leather boot

I agree with the above poster to glue/seal the rand right off the get go.

Good luck on your hunt!

I did 4 glacier hunts on a pair of Alico Guide boots. The older version had one more eyelet above the ankle and didn't have the goofy bulky padded ankle collar. These are thick 3mm+ roughout leather on a norwegian welt, and I melted pure beeswax into the welt and the parts of the upper that don't need to flex.

After trip 3, which was rather epic, they needed a resole because the rock chewed through the outsole and part of the midsole at the arch.

They're now retired...trip 4 chewed its way to the midsole again, and some heel strap stitching is starting to go.

The rock didn't eat the upper to any great extent (where a rubber rand would be), and I credit the pure beeswax for that. Lots of hard marks, that slid over the leather. Pretty remarkable boots, but really heavy, and break in was a serious commitment. I miss their ironclad, unfailing ankle support. Flex was just right.

For a single guided trip, any of a number of full-rand leather as identified above would be fine. Whatever fits and works.

Thanks for the responses - a couple of quick questions:

Would you go with non-insulated or "lightly" insulated boots?

Leather upper only? Is it a durability question?

I prefer lightly insulated as temps can drop fast in the mountains on top of just sitting and glassing for hours on end not moving. To combat any issues of hot feet, I always have an extra pair of socks in my bag which I swap out as needed. I also take off my boots and pull my insoles any time I will be stationary.

Material is a matter of preference. I’ve had better luck with leather as far as durability and I also like that it stretches better and shapes to your foot.

For me, no insulation for an August hunt. 'Twas a bit nippy in early Sept but no big deal.

I think it was mentioned above somewhere, but I like the idea of an all leather upper as it can be waterproofed independent of gore-tex, if the goretex membrane stays in tact- all good, but if it does go, you’re still covered- not so with a syn upper

My feet generally stay pretty warm, so I’m planning on non-insulated for my August hunt.

Non insulated for sheep for me, generally.
That being said, the Brooks can have snow in any month.

I am going to try some Salewa Hawks this summer hopefully. I think they could work for sheep, but never tried them.

La Sportiva Glacier's, have been my go to boot for a number of years. They are a climbing boot that is crampon compatible. I have not sheep hunted but have covered some very nasty terrain. Water resistant, and grip like a goat. They take some break in time. I put on over a 100 miles a year on these, and I am on my second pair.

Fit is everything. Go to a store that has dozens of hiking boots and buy the ones that fit well.

I do a lot of summer hiking and I've settled on Lowa boots, good durability and comfort. As others have said, fit over brand would be my recommendation as well. I'd also suggest having custom insoles made then find a boot and size that fits the insoles well. I have high arches and insole fit is the difference between tolerable comfort and discomfort causing pain and fatigue. I've typically found that if my feet are good, the rest of my body follows. Good luck!

tag

Ihave used Hanwag alaksa gtx for sheep and mtn goats, worked great! Bring some Leukotape for hot spots, have a great hunt!

Never been but going this August to the Wrangells and will be wearing Crispi Briksdals. Done some western ish hunts and hiked a fair amount with them a very pleased.

Those going this fall prepare for major hikes. The sheep over most of the state have taken a hit. We dropped 3 hunts this fall since we just don't feel we have the rams or sheep left to hunt them that much.

It will mean the possibility of many more miles than normal hoping to find a legal ram.

Just an FYI if your outfitters have not told you going into this fall.

Break em in good. Prepare to possibly have to do lots of miles.

When you get your top choices, you need to try them all on for fit.

Everyone's foot is shaped different.

I have used Meindl on 3 Sheep hunts, one Goat hunt and a bunch of other hunts. The boots are also rebuildable in the factory in Germany or now by Dave Page for about $150. The soles are hand stitched on. Very little break in. I never got one blister from their boots.

Meindl Extreme Comfort Fit $375 on their web site.

Full Leather upper is the only way to go IMHO if hiking.
Leather breaths, while plastic / even goretex never seems to allow enough ventilation. Leather gets wet, but dries quickly unless in boggy areas. I picked a size and fit that allows a range of sock thickness. I can wear thick wool and a sock liner in temps like 11° the other morning. I can also wear my normal daily socks without too much space and slop like warmer weather we have now. Everything is a tradeoff, but I like the versatility of my full wrap leather and sturdy lug vibrant soles.

One more thing. I was carrying a 35# pack in the last snow and ice we had. I wore the boots that I mentioned in the previous post. I compared those after hiking around two miles with a lightweight pair of boots with a less aggressive sole.
Guess which was easier?

I expended less energy in the heavier full lugged " knobby tires."
All else was equal from my other clothing to my pack. What I found was that despite the extra weight on feet, I was stable and able to relax my legs, and core muscles while briskly hiking. With the lighter ones I had to be uber aware of the ground, and keep readjusting my balance. That gets tiring fast on snow or rocky terrain.
Stability wins with weight and on trails that aren't predictable.

Happy, have you ever been sheep hunting in Alaska?

I've only been once and I used leather boots. But all the guides had plastic boots and they seemed to work better than leather in the terrain we were in.

Mink oil

https://www.crispius.com/hunter-htg-gtx-insulated-hunting-boot

Love mine could wear them to bed.

Don't hunt sheep but see them often while hunting/hiking/shed hunting in Hells Canyon.

Lots of good boots mentioned so far. I have used Meindl perfect hikers and hunters ALOT here in CO and love them. Have a pair of extremes as well that I considered for my sheep hunt last year in AK, but they were just too tall for my taste. I ended up using the crispi Briskdal SF for my hunt in the south Wrangells. Spend a lot of time in glacier country similar to the chugach, and 2nd half of the hunt in a different spot was long approach, bushwacking, and forest marching to get to rams. About a varied terrain as you can probably get on a sheep hunt. Boots performed great through all terrains. Worth a shot if they fit your feet. Slightly more technical fit than the Meindl comfort fit, but wider than lowa tibets(which even in a wide, we’re too narrow for me).

I will say that all the guides with the outfit used plastics. But they need boots to hold up for 2 months of continuous use, and ideally multiple seasons worth of abuse. I view boots as a consumable product. If I get 2 solid sheep hunts out of a pair of boots, that fine with me. With leather boots and the amount of scree you traverse in glacier type country, they definitely take some abuse. The Briskdal do show some wear, but easily have several more hunts left in them. I usually wear through a set of Meindl perfect hikers every year. They fit my feet to a T, but are not the most durable when traversing screw fields in CO high country all summer. But a years worth of use is worth the $300 in my view.