We are coming back to Alaska this summer, and need a little feedback about boots.
Last time I brought my Big Boy Burleys and while they work well, I don't think they are as suited for boat use as the Xtratuf boots.
There is a local sporting goods store near me that has USA made blems for a great price. I was thinking about boots for me and my wife. Should I get the insulated ones? Or are the uninsulated with good wool socks the way to go in July?

Uninsulated......

+1 on the uninsulated

I was at Sweeny's the other day and the guy there explained to me that the boots that they were making in China now were better quality that the boots that they made in the USA.

He showed me where the uppers were put together using better techniques and the soles were put together using glues that they couldn't use in the US. Also, the Chinese made boots don't come with the sticky gook on the outside of the boot.

I, too, was at Sweeney's to get a new set of LaCrosse ankle fits. Better or not it still pisses me off to see they are built in China. Need to bring back the old Red Ball's and make 'em here in the good 'ol U.S.A.

Non insulated, and get the felt insole.

I've always preferred, and bought, the insulated version.

I like the uninsulated Xtra-Tuffs, with a pair of merino wool socks. I need to new ones this year, as well. I've had my older pair for 9 or 10 seasons now, and they are finally giving up on me. They are cracking at the ankles.

The newer pair of XT's are a huge disappointment, though. I bought them in 2008, and they gave up after only three seasons.

While I hope my next pair of XT's are more like my first pair, I doubt I'll ever own another pair of Muck boots, though. The toe cracked on one of the boots at about six months, and they have progressively fallen apart ever since. They have been water tight up to this season, even though they looked like crap, but I got wet feet at the boat ramp last weekend. They're toast.

I like uninsulated with wool socks.

another vote for UNinsulated...and definitely another vote for the insoles....

I wear them pretty much daily...in fact, I've even been known to hunt goats in them...though I may or may not recommend that...especially when you have run out of Aquaseal and have to use duct tape to try and plug holes...

My wife likes the insulated but I go for the uninsulated with wool socks. And as someone else said, the wool insoles are great.

My moose hunting boots are X-tra Tuffs & I wear 'em everyday for 3 weeks of our season and are uninsulated. I get 'em so there is a snug fit while wearing 2 pair of socks, 1 light and one heavy. In addition, I strongly advise you put a felt pad in the bottom of the boot and then an arch support.
Doing this will allow you to wear them all day with a lot less discomfort.
When buying them, try them on with the socks you're gonna wear AND a felt inner sole AND an arch support. There should be a snug fit with little movement of your foot. Get 2 sets of felt inner soles and take the used one out at night to dry out.
X-tra Tuffs are great for what we do. Good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

Uninsulated XT's. Spenco insole.

Mucks if you want insulation.

uninsulated for me other wise my feet are on fire.

Dan, what size do you wear? I might be able to find some here, maybe these would last you longer.

Another vote for uninsulated.

+1 on uninsulated and wool socks and insoles.

Noice! Bloody decks make me hotter than insulated Xtratuffs...

Someone else makes rubber boots? Uninsulated for me too. Bought my latest pair (Blems) from Sweeneys 7 or 10 years ago for $50.

I guess I'm the odd man out here, but I like the insulated ones. But then again, I have bad circulation in my hands and feet so I need all the help I can get.

Well, since it was nearly unanymous,I bought uninsulated for me. Insulated for my wife as she gets cold hands and feet.
Thanks for the advice gents.

Thataboy! Always fudge your bets....

Bringing some of these to toss in your wifes gloves is highly recomended.

I buy a costco pack of both hot hands and hot feet for my wife every year. The hot feet are nice because they have an adhesive side so they can double as warming pads on sore/tight muscles. Just stick one on a sore shoulder and the pain get's worked out quick.

I have added a couple of packs of Hot Hands to the first day in Anchorage shopping list.

These XtraTufs are leaps and bounds better boots than the usual examples available around here.

Thanks for the advice folks.

Don't bother. I've got a bunch and I'm more than willing to share.



What kind of price did you find down there? They are about $80 a pair for the uninsulated variety, in Anchorage.

Dan, they are $50/ pair for blems for the uninsulated models.
I'll check with them and see what sizes and how many they have in the larger sizes.

One boot not mentioned here are Bogs. They're extremely comfortable and tough.

I do kee Xtratuffs for fishing.

Neither give the ankle support for serious walking. I have the Irish Setters for that.

Dayom wata fish

Thanks, but everything's relative.

Two more shots of the uninsulated models sported by my bud. I had to work that day.

I am always in awe of the size of those tuna.

On to boots; We bought Spenco PolySorb insoles, and with a good pair of wool socks, the XTRATUF's fit great!
Thanks for the good advice folks, these are going to work great!

You're going to look all local and stuff!

Love me some Ketchikan running shoes.

Don't forget the padded knee and shin guards...

I have a Plan. I think you'll like it.

Don't think I'll fool any locals though.

You guys sure put a lotta thought into your footwear!!

I just put my boots on in the AM and take them off at night,,fini,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

In some places, if you've been there three days, you are a local.

Presuming Mule Deer was in on this:
___________________________________________

Xtra-Tuff Record attempted in Ketchikan

Ketchikan residents Saturday attempted to break a Guinness World Record for the World's Largest race wearing Xtra-Tufs, during the Southeast Alaska Rainboot Festival there.

The existing record is 1,347 people and was set in England.

After the count came in, the organizers were considerably short but had managed to gather a remarkable crowd of over a thousand people, 1008 to be exact.

It was calculated that 1 in every 11 people in Ketchikan joined in the attempt.
____________________________________________

Spent the entire weekend in a new pair of Southeast tennies.

Put Superfeet coppers as a foot bed as I have flat arches. Carried a lot of [bleep] up and down a rocky beach. Man are my feet sore today. That's one gripe I have. A steel shank or another type of rigid would help on rough, hard-rocked terrain.

On a much smaller scale, we see that here at home. I live in a small town largely dependent on tourism.
Really looking forward to this second trip, I'm glad we decided to not wait longer before coming back.

Grayling is a great place. I used to stop in there often on my many trips back and forth to MSU from the UP. I still have a few Spike's Keg 'O Nails can coozies around somewhere.

Spikes owners are children of friends of ours.
It's funny to see these grown up kids I remember from their T-Ball days all grown up.
Grayling has been a really nice place to raise our children, I'm glad we didn't stay in the Detroit area.

12" or 16" XTRATUF the way to go?

12"... if you want to look gay...

and fit "in" in Homer...

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insulated, bought new in 1994

Thing One wears them, but the kid ones are slick on checker deck due to different sole rubber.

Hey! A safety orange fish bat! I know someone who needs one o' dem.

Vek and Brother Bill, very cool kiddo boot pics. Thanks.

Sayin' peoples in Homers are gay?

I bought 16" and would not consider the 12's at all.
But that's me, do what you like.

Only about half of 'em...

Putting on a pair of xtratufs is like walking with an old friend,first seen them in 66 bought my first pair in 68'my friend had been stationed in Ketch. And he called them Pulp Mill boots.

I never liked the insulated as they were to heavy when on Snow Shoes.

This past winter I bought some Muck boots as these old feet start getting cold ,big mistake,the soles on them are slicker than Deer Guts on Glass.

Agree with Muskkeg on heavy beach work.

The his of the XTRATUF thread.. Do the XTRATUF run big or size for size?

Me too.

Too funny!

One of my pet peeves about this place. People going to work inside buildings sporting a pair of rubber boots.....the Homer way.

sitkadeer doesn't wear xtratuffs. Those are for p##$@@##! He killed a porcupine with a crayola crayon (pink). He then skinned it out with his buck knife and made boots out of them...quills turned in. Because sitkadeer the man among men!

Hey sock puppet, go crap on your own thread , not mine thanks.

obama's going to take your guns!!!!!!!

Piss off dimmocrap

I will not buy another pair of extra tuffs, the last pair I bought lasted a whole week and fell apart. I here they have fixed the problem, but still. I have gone to wearing the LaCross with airbob sole, and love them. They are close to, if not equal to, extra tuffs on a boat, and they fit the ankle so much better. I will say that when the temp drops, those little extra tuff blue booties are the best at keeping your socks dry, and keeping those little piggies toasty.

I think they are pretty close, note you will need felt insoles.

Mark
He's not worth the bandwidth...

Yes Art, you are correct. Sometimes though, the urge to verbally slap them overcomes me. I'll not waste any more on the troll.

Were the ones that lasted a week were they made in the USA or in china?

I find XTRATUF boots too narrow. It's not that I have wide feet, but that with wide boots, specially uninsulated ones, I can wear thick synthetic socks when it gets colder during moose season. Narrow boots sort of constrict my feet and slow blood flow, which in turn makes my feet cold.

So, I went with Bogs boots. These are a wide, and the soles are more rigid and flat, which makes walking comfortable.

My last pair set a record for falling apart. If the chinese glue isn't available here, its because it sucks. They used to last me at least a year or two. Last pair, 6 months and the sole has come unglued, the rand is seperating from the sole all around and they cracked real quick.

If you only wear them occasionally they should last a while.

Anyway, uninsulated, wool socks and I buy them a size smaller than my usual boot/shoes.

Quite a few are. We don't hold it against them.... (kof, kof).

Mostly we refer to all residents of Homer as Homeroids.

My pair of (US-made)X-tra-tuffs are about 8 years old now and doing OK - showing scuff, fading and wear. Bought as "Seconds" at Sweeneys in Soldotna for $50 - didn't figure the slight off-color would affect their integrity, and it hasn't.. Having learned from earlier pairs (2 over the previous 30 years), I don't wear or keep them folded down, except to dry. My use isn't too excessive- maybe only 30 days a year. Last time I wore them was a month ago, on an ATV trip in 20 degree weather as the Tundra was freezing up- ya never know at that time when you might break thru to water in the low spots...

I've had the same 3 pair for a long, long time. One pair regular un-insulated, one insulated and corked, one un-insulated and corked. I don't log or commercial fish anymore, so they don't get worn every day like they used to. Hopefully they will last me another 10 years or so.

New xtratuf boots suck! I used to be able to get 2000 hours of wear out of a pair. The last pair I just bought blew apart in about two weeks. It's really unfortunate because they have the best tread pattern for safely negotiating a slippery slimy fishing boat deck. Does anybody know of another option? I was really depressed when they went to china for manufacture. When you spend all day every day in your boots you learn to appreciate a good pair.

I have been watching this thread turn from one about foot wear into something political and nasty? I don't get it?? Are ExtraTufs a political statement or are yu guys always pissed off?

Geeee...