Recommend Hunting Boots

[dak0ta]

In light of the great discussion for my "Recommend a Hunting Backpack" thread which probably should be stickied for newbies, I was also wondering what you guys are wearing in the field and bush in terms of boots. I've just worn an old pair of waterproof, leather, and steel-toe Hi-Tec hiking boots for the last 8 hunting seasons, with countless more years of regular hiking before I started hunting. They're starting to wear down now, and I'm in the market for something waterproof and lighter with good ankle support.

[RyoTHC]

Zamberlan tofane or vioz if you’re on more of a budget.
never look back. True hand crafted leather boots made in Italy. Welsh stitched replaceable sole and more waterproof than you ever need.

forget the scarpas and all these other boots, they wish they lived up to the Zamberlan boots

[whitlers]

Your best bet is to stay with the top lines and go try them on and see how they fit your feet. They all fit alittle different. I ended up with Hanwags and they have been decent after 4 semi hard seasons.

[madcalfe]

kennetrek, lowa, scarpa, zamberlan, hanwag, la sportiva, salewa and so on, pick your poison lol. alot of top tier mountain boot brands. full leather, synthetics, backpacking/trekking/ mountaineering. Finding great boots is a never ending battle, same brands might cater to your feet better than others.
have fun and good luck :P

[Ron.C]

Since I bought my Hanwags (6 seasons back), they have been my go to boots for most all of my hunting from spring bear, early season deer, kootenay elk and deer, grouse, to shed hunting, and even hikes with the dog.

The only time they don't get worn is on cold days I plan on sitting on stand or if I'm day hunting in really boggy areas.

I don't mind putting the wear and tear on them outside of the backpack hunts I bought them for. A $400-$500 investment is a low price if I get 6-10 years of use with happy dry feet. I spend more on Tim's coffee in a year then average spending on my boots.

[Pauly]

Meindels are a great choice just keep the sport wax on them and wash the mud off because leather doesn’t like that. Recently I’ve gone back to a stiff ankled rubber boot one pair with no liners for early in the season the others are lined for cold weather hunts. After last season I think I’ll stick with the program no maintenance required and they hold up better against sharp rocks over leather boots. Unlike a pack I’m willing to spend $$ for my feet .

[Ride Red]

Some good advice already; just try different brands to see what fits best. I’ve been using Kenetreks for many years as they fit me like a glove and have lasted in wet conditions to shale slopes.

[knothead]

I've been using Meindels and love them but all boots fit slightly different so look for a high end boot that fits your feet best. Meindels are not sold by any reputable dealer in the lower mainland now so I had to get mine from a place in Kelowna.

[Wentrot]

Everyone’s feet are different-my personal preference are Hanwag trapper tops. Very comfortable and have survived a good bit of abuse. Don’t cheap out on your feet.

[Banker]

I just checked out those boots (Hanwag trapper tops), they look really tough. How are they for insulation?

[Wentrot]

I just checked out those boots (Hanwag trapper tops), they look really tough. How are they for insulation?

With quality socks my feet stay warm. In extreme cold snaps they can definitely get a bit cold though. Nothing that has made me think about anything different though, when my current boots wear out I will buy another pair.

[jac]

I have 2 pairs of hanwags the Yukon’s and trapper tops. Last year on backpack sheep hunting trip having the high ankle support worked out really well. The Yukon’s are leather lined they took a long time to break in they are like wearing my hockey skates. I like both boots but for heavy loads and wet conditions the taller boot like the trapper top workers great

on the trip last year there was 3 of us all with higher boots Mendles, kenetrack and hanwag. My brother had the kenetrack which were the most expensive of the bunch I think his were around $600 they leaked and he had wet feet for 8 days was very unhappy. They did send him a new pair but still had sore feet for a week.

[ACB]

I've been using Meindels and love them but all boots fit slightly different so look for a high end boot that fits your feet best. Meindels are not sold by any reputable dealer in the lower mainland now so I had to get mine from a place in Kelowna.
I'v never been there, but Alpine Start Outfitters sell Meindl boots in the lower mainland.

[knothead]

I'v never been there, but Alpine Start Outfitters sell Meindl boots in the lower mainland.

Thanks for the info ACB good to know, the guy that used to be the dealer here was a crook.

[porthunter]

Have a look at Schnees, I was very surprised when I tried them on how comfortable they are.

[BigBanger]

I wear Meindl Canada pros for hunting and consider them the best hunting boot money can buy, me. I wear Zamberland vios for hiking and walking the dogs. I have recommended both these boots to many people, it just depends on the budget. I suggest buying the best boot you can afford.

[albravo2]

I've been thinking of starting a similar thread, with a focus on sheep/goat hunting. I have a pair of Zamberlan Tofanes that I have worn and loved for 5 seasons now but I'm not sure they will be my go-to mountain boot. Years ago when I did some mountaineering the boots were "full last" which were incredibly stiff soles that made crampons much more useful. As I recall, they were also pretty good for side-hilling and traversing shale slopes.

Are people wearing full on mountaineering boots, or a half last, high top boot for ankle support? Ourea's comments on his Crispi boots in a different thread has me thinking I'll give them a try but I'm not sure if they are full last or not.

[firebird]

I wear Hanwag Alaska GTX (wide) for hunting and I have a pair of hanwag horndl for around town. My wife wears the Hanwag womens Tatra gtx. Could maybe have a stiffer boot for the mountains but I like them a lot. No break in, comfy and watertight

[porthunter]

I've been thinking of starting a similar thread, with a focus on sheep/goat hunting. I have a pair of Zamberlan Tofanes that I have worn and loved for 5 seasons now but I'm not sure they will be my go-to mountain boot. Years ago when I did some mountaineering the boots were "full last" which were incredibly stiff soles that made crampons much more useful. As I recall, they were also pretty good for side-hilling and traversing shale slopes.

Are people wearing full on mountaineering boots, or a half last, high top boot for ankle support? Ourea's comments on his Crispi boots in a different thread has me thinking I'll give them a try but I'm not sure if they are full last or not.

I've got a mountain goat hunt coming up in a few weeks. All 3 of us(aswell as other I know who have done similar style hunts) are wearing mountaineering boots. Stiff soles and the ability to run a good set of crampons is pretty important with the conditions.

I'll have a set of Scarpa Mont Blanc Pros, the scarpa Phantom series are supposed to be pretty good to. La Sportiva also has some great options, depending what fits your foot.

Personal opinion, I probably wont run those boots for anything other than these style of hunts. My sheep boot is currently a meindl, but will be switching to Schnees this year.

[albravo2]

^^ exactly the info I was looking for. Thanks.

Good luck on your goat hunt. The mountains are a serious place at the best of times... be careful.

[Hunter gatherer]

Depending on the type of hunting I'm doing I'll wear anything from skate shoes to mountaineering boots. Meindls are good all around boot but if it's steep and crappy I'll wear my mountaineering boots,money well spent.

[ACB]

I wear Meindl Canada pros for hunting and consider them the best hunting boot money can buy, me. I wear Zamberland vios for hiking and walking the dogs. I have recommended both these boots to many people, it just depends on the budget. I suggest buying the best boot you can afford.
X2 on the Meindl Canada Pro's, I'v had a pair of those for years, their great boots. I'v had a pair of Meindl Perfekts (not Cabela's Meindl Perfects) I'v had those boots for almost 40yrs, granted I don't use them that often but then again when I'm wearing a heavy pack those are the boots on my feet.

[thelongjohnson]

I really enjoy the Danner crater rim boots. Fully goretex with a vibram sole and extremely comfortable when paired with good socks for long hikes. Only downside is that they aren't insulated and your feet will freeze late season without the right socks.

[Liptugger]

How did this thread get 3 pages without any mention of Elk Trackers? Love mind, 8 years on them now and still going.

[jac]

I have elk trackers but they are not even in the same league as boots like hanwag or meindl they just don’t have near the ankle support.

[porthunter]

I have elk trackers but they are not even in the same league as boots like hanwag or meindl they just don’t have near the ankle support.


Agreed. Elk trackers are no where near the level as most of the brands that have been named on this thread. No where near the support, personally learned that the hard way on a pack hunt, definitely not designed for carrying weight.

[firebird]

Agreed. Elk trackers are no where near the level as most of the brands that have been named on this thread. No where near the support, personally learned that the hard way on a pack hunt, definitely not designed for carrying weight.

comfortable yes, no support, heavy, and not the same quality

[CheesyLimper]

I had a pair of Scarpa Actives but wanted something taller so switched to Canada Pros. I've had them a year, a lot of bush/swamp hunting and a little in the alpine. So far, I like them a lot.

[lovemywinchester]

I'm a fan of the Irish Setter Elk Trackers as well. I have 6 seasons on mine and they are going strong. I treat them a few times a year and they are a great boot. I hunt, hike tons and wear them when I am snowshoeing. I don't sheep hunt or get in the alpine much so like guys have mentioned, there are tougher boots out there. I wouldn't think twice about getting another pair. Great boot for the price.

[r106]

I have the elk trackers aswell. I like them, although i havent really tried much else.

[Noreasny]

Zamberlan tofane for me

[Citori54]

For cold weather moose hunts on relatively flat terrain with lots of sitting/calling/glassing I wear 1000 gram thinsulate Elk Trackers and they are great, but they are not the best for long days hiking over steep/rugged terrain. For early season steep terrain hunts I have Scarpa Kinesis Pro GTX non-insulated and absolutely love them. I have worn them on mountain back pack hunts and alpine horse back mule deer hunts and for my feet they are great. I tried Hanwag and Lowa, but they just didn't fit me well. I would like to try a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400 gram but nobody nearby carries them.

[pin_head]

Hanwag for me. I’ve got tatra gtx and a pair of trapper tops. The tatra have been awesome for a bit of a low boot and I’m new to the trapper tops but I love them so far. The difference in a tall boot is incredible.

I had Lowa renegades and they were super comfortable but fell apart quickly.

Brad

[NMO]

La Sportiva Evo Nepal - Almost exclusively, and rotate between two pairs for guiding. They are certainly too much boot for a lot of hunting, but they fit me so well that it's worth dealing with the stiffness. They (and any similar torsionally rigid, "full shank" technical mountaineering boots) are unparalleled in the steep and sketchy. Have used kenetreks and meindl and liked them both for anything outside of hunting sheep and goats. Wider soles, and less torsional rigidity = twisted ankles and less precision in foot placement. Bulk of my hunting is alpine though, definitely not the right boot for lower incline stuff.

[Atlas12]

If you're looking for good boots, you should get some now.
If you're going to try on boots anywhere right now, call before you go to check for your sizes.
I think you wont be seeing many new shipments of boots coming out of Europe for a while...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Crispi's.

After looking for boots for 3 years I decided on Crispi Hunter GTX 12" high. 200g insulation with the Goretex liner.
Boot fit right out of the box. No break in (though I'm strongly against breaking in your foot with any pair of boots)

Great North Precision in Kelowna has a good selection of Crispi, Lowa and Zamberlan.

[jac]

My boss uses the crispi’s for a few years and loves them

[wolfpack]

My last pair were Meindl’s but they did not hold when used on sheep hunts. After two years they began to leak. I’ve recently ordered a pair of la sportiva Nepal Cubes. Anyone else use these?

[GreyDog]

I like Scarpas and have been wearing a pair for eight years. They will likely be replaced this year with another pair. Scarpa has some models made in Romania and these are too wide for me. I buy only the Italian-made boots. I have one pair of Danners which fit well but there is a seam on the right boot which hits in just the wrong spot and, after five or six miles, my foot is almost bruised. Too bad because I like the boot, otherwise. I have to say, the last pair of boots I had which really fit well were issued to me in Ft Lewis in 1969. Since then, I have always had to use insoles or something to take up space. This is the curse of having long, narrow, feet. GD

[HankBC]

Had good luck with my feet fitting both Kennetreks and Crispi Boots. I take the Briksdall SF sheep hunting, Kennetrek mtn Guides for mainland. Looking at adding the Crispi Colorado's this year.
As stated above, try them all on, don't just order em up unless you're okay shipping them back. Boots are damn important when your feet are the only way back to the truck.

[jg]

Soloman Quest 4D. I bought them, walked 400 metres in them then hiked the West Coast Trail with not blisters or foot discomfort. I have never had any better boots.

[RyoTHC]

Zamberlan tofane for me


Glad to see another person share this feeling !
my zamberlan vioz GTX lasted me 5 years, two of which included heavy hunting and ice fishing use... warmed them too close to a fire to their demise..

picked up the Tofane which is a huge step up in quality and my oh my have I been pleasantly surprised.. they are amazing, they have been through hell and back hunting with me this last spring and fall hunt and are beyond comfortable.

Definitely heavier boots but quality.. I can see why stick leg men don’t like lugging them around forsure as there are lighter options.

[lakelander]

Some great suggestions but where to buy. Do you guys buy online or are there stores around Langley? Thx

[whitlers]

Some great suggestions but where to buy. Do you guys buy online or are there stores around Langley? Thx

Check out VPO in Abby.

https://vpo.ca/stores/Abbotsford

[lakelander]

Check out VPO in Abby.

https://vpo.ca/stores/Abbotsford


Thanks - they have a great selection

[Pauly]

How many guys hunt with muck boots? I love mine had them for years warm dry and comfortable. Not a sheep hunters boot obviously but great for moose and deer I have zero complaints about them

[WWBC]

Muck boots are awesome, If I’m out in the yard or going for a quick quad ride/hunt their my first choice.

For anything more serious I really like my miendel boots. The other boot that I really liked when I worked in the bush was the Scarpa manta m4’s enough so that I bought the same boots again when the first wore out.

[lakelander]

About to pull the trigger on Vasque St. Elias full grain leather. They look pretty good for the price

[slowjo]

I had a pair of Danner’s for about 8 years. Ok boots, gortex, but my feet absolutely froze. Even in early September sitting in blinds, my feet would freeze.
Last year I bought a pair of Irish Setter Elk Trackers. Opted to forego the gortex and bought the straight leather version. I gotta say they are fantastic. Very warm, supple, water resistant. I recommend them to any one.

[Trav]

About to pull the trigger on Vasque St. Elias full grain leather. They look pretty good for the price

I bought a pair recently because I was pleased with my old Vasques from 10 years ago. The new ones don't seem like they will be as good. They seem thin and flimsy, not a lot of support. I question how long they will last, but still going strong after 3 months of hard use. That said, for the price they are a decent enough light hiking boot, I like them for light duty hikes and on trails.

[lakelander]

I bought a pair recently because I was pleased with my old Vasques from 10 years ago. The new ones don't seem like they will be as good. They seem thin and flimsy, not a lot of support. I question how long they will last, but still going strong after 3 months of hard use. That said, for the price they are a decent enough light hiking boot, I like them for light duty hikes and on trails.

They were on sale at Atmosphere for $179 so it was too good to pass up. I don't do heavy duty hikes so I think they'll be fine for me.