Hanwag Yukon Boot Review

[kitnayakwa77]

Picked up a pair of these after being a regular La Sportiva boot user over the years.
Their solid construction on a leather lining (not a fan of Gore-Tex lined boots) are what drew me to them.

Quality: Excellent - well made, good stitching and few seams, good leather, and attention to detail. 9/10
Durability: Too soon to tell, but looking at the stitching and eyelets, I expect that they will last really well. 9/10
Fit: Straight lasted, with a relatively narrow heel, small heel pocket, and slightly narrow across the forefoot. Once broken in they are fairly comfortable.
For my foot, I would prefer a deeper heel pocket, a semi-curved last, and a wider forefoot, but these are workable. 7/10

Waterproofness: So far so good, they performed well in stream crossings and in wet snow on bushes for a non-Gore tex boot. 8/10
Mountain Performance: This is the major knock against these boots. The sole is fairly tall and made of PU, and seemed to lack a substantial shank. As a result torsional rigidity really suffered on sidehilling and contouring mountain slopes. These are not the boots for edging and kicking steps in steep grassy slopes, let alone snow. Having a fairly tall sole that twists made these boots feel sketchy to me in this type of terrain. The tall bendy sole also puts unnecessary strain on your lower joints. 4/10

I will be keeping these boots for use in general forest hunting and hiking, but will stick with my La Sportiva Karakorums for mountain hunting. Hope this review helps someone considering.

[twoSevenO]

Thanks. Plz post a review after some more time as I've heard that the thinner leather lining can tend to tear after it gets wet from foot moisture and hasnt had a proper time to dry off before wearing them again. I'd be curious if this is the case for you.

Also, there are no gore tex "lined" boots. Theres only leather and textile lining. Gore tex itself is nothing more than a "bag" that goes between the outwe leather fabric and inner leather/textile lining.

Cheers.

[swampthing]

I purchased the hanwag trapper tops this year and have been very impressed. I have been a die hard kenetrek guy for the last dozen years but the last pair I bought wasn't fitting as well as previous pairs. I tried on the hanwags in a wide model and they seemed good so I gave em a try. This boot was nowhere near as stiff as my kenetrek guide boots so I was a bit worried. Turns out they have enough ankle support and they do have a stiff sole that I like. They also are designed to "roll" when you walk! My kenetreks "clunk" when walking on flat ground. This "roll" makes for less impact on the knees and my comfort. These models are goretex and work great. I have had some good soakin wet days in them where I was wet head to the top of my gaitors. Dry from gaitors down! Another thing I like about them is after a hard day in them I am not in a huge hurry to take them off. The comfort is very good. Sounds like this model would have served you better?

[kitnayakwa77]

I purchased the hanwag trapper tops this year and have been very impressed. I have been a die hard kenetrek guy for the last dozen years but the last pair I bought wasn't fitting as well as previous pairs. I tried on the hanwags in a wide model and they seemed good so I gave em a try. This boot was nowhere near as stiff as my kenetrek guide boots so I was a bit worried. Turns out they have enough ankle support and they do have a stiff sole that I like. They also are designed to "roll" when you walk! My kenetreks "clunk" when walking on flat ground. This "roll" makes for less impact on the knees and my comfort. These models are goretex and work great. I have had some good soakin wet days in them where I was wet head to the top of my gaitors. Dry from gaitors down! Another thing I like about them is after a hard day in them I am not in a huge hurry to take them off. The comfort is very good. Sounds like this model would have served you better?
Maybe. Stiffness and torsional rigidity is key for me coming from a mountaineering background. The rolling thing sounds good but not sure you can have a rolling boot that edges well. Plus once I started wearing leather lined boots not sure I could go back to Gore. But different strokes for different folks.

[Boondock]

I purchased a pair of the Hanwag Trapper Top GTX boots recently for a fly in hunt I just did out of Dease Lake. I'm super happy with them!! I had a pair of the Lowa Hunter GTX boots that I ruined last year by drying them too close to the fire (so stupid). The makers of Lowa and Hanwag are actually brothers! Hans Wagner (Hanwag)and Lorenz Wagner (Lowa).. They're basically the same boot but have minor differences in the design and materials. I like a higher cut boot for extra ankle support, I did find the Lowas to be a stiffer boot and thicker leather. Both very well made boots and worth the money IMO

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

Hanwag Trapper tops . i have wrote a review somewhere

[BgBlkDg]

I have several pairs of high end mountain boots and my Yukons are among my favourites for general hunting use.

[DStewart]

I really enjoy my Alaska GTX. I would definitely consider them a stiff boot, so am surprised to hear of your issues. I was under the impression that the Yukon and Alaska were the same, apart from goretex. I did run into a rand issue with my second pair (first we’re stolen), on my sheep hunt this year. On both boots, the rand has begun to peel back from the boot, first starting at the small seam mid sole. I contacted Han Wag explaining to them I can’t go without boots for the season. They offered to send me a new pair, then only after I have fully broken those in, can send the old ones back. Was super impressed with this

[corywilson13]

I experienced some last minute issues with previous boots 3 weeks before leaving on my mountain hunt this year. Upgraded to the hanweg Alaskan gtx as they felt great in the store. The first day I got home, hiked 6km around the local trails with a bag of concrete strapped to an old frame pack and at the 5k mark began to experience some extreme pain and numbness on on foot near the toes. Felt like there was a pressure point on top of the foot. Continued to hike over the next week to break them in, and one I had done about 35k with weight on trails I just couldn’t do it anymore as the pain was too great. Called Valhalla Pure in Victoria where I purchased and they were extremely helpful. Over the phone I explained my issue and that I didn’t know if it was a me issue or a boot issue. They found a pair in the same size on the island and so I drove to Courtney that night and exchanged for a brand new pair. This was clearly outside the hanweg warranty, so I was a bit shocked, but very happy for the opportunity. I was about to get about 25k on the boots before leaving for the sheep hunt, and they were the best piece of gear I had on the trip. We hiked 180k in the 12 days, and daily I had gratitude for the service Victoria Valhalla Pure provided. I can’t see myself giving anyone else my boot-business after service like that. These boots are considerably stiffer than what I have had previously. I suffered from plantar fasciitis for about 6 months at the start of the year due to excessive trail running and weight training with a heavy pack. Since purchasing these boots I have not had a flare up. I do have the superfeet trail insoles installed.

[Talltimber1]

I have the Alaska gtx. Had to return first pair immediately as footbox was too narrow. Exchanged them for a wide model and really like them.

[RiverOtter]

Another vote for the Alaska GTX. Just had my first pair caulked for logging and replaced them with a brand new pair for hiking. Added a pair of Sole foot beds with the metatarsal bump in the middle and they are hands down the most comfortable boots I've ever owned, including Meindl, Scarpa and la Sportiva.

[RiverOtter]

As per inner leather issues, I apply a light coat of Obenaufs to the inner tongue and collar occasionally, as foot sweat takes its toll on leather over time.