late season hi- country boots

[new hunter]

I live and hunt in the sea to sky , and am looking for opinions on comfortable boots for climbing steep hill sides in moderate to heavy snow .
I have a pair of columbias for the early season , so I was looking at schnees high top pac boots for the later season .
Does anyone have any experience with these boots , or can suggest an alternative .
looking for agile boots that wont make a ton of noise , need to be real warm and waterproof , I have found myself turning around a few times when I hit the deep snow and got wet feet and donr want to repeat that this year .
Price is not an issue .

[Jack Russell]

I don't have specific info on boots - pac boots fit different from one foot to another, and everyone has their own thoughts on what works for their feet. There is plenty of info on the site in regards to boots, and many have some good opinions that I'm sure they will add.

However, in respects to deep snow as you mention, or even a bit of snow, get some gaiters. They make them with reasonably quiet material - try Cabelas website and have a look. I've only started wearing gaiters, they are nylon, but are surprisingly quiet, plus they stop snow from entering my hiking boots at the top, keep the pants clean from snow (no melting snow during warm part of day, only to freeze like culverts when the sun disappears or it cools off in late afternoon), and they reduce the sticks/snags from hanging up on the pant legs which I've tripped over a time or two.

[longstonec]

x2 on gators. My boots are only medium high and fill with snow. Late season I will use full on snow boots- mine fit well- november around our neck of the woods I was getting up around 4500 feet without gators and was ok.

[NovemberBravo]

Do you have snowshoes? They should give you some nice flotation. I have not used gators or those boots so I cannot give you an opinion on those but I just picked up a pair of bekina thermolite boots that are pretty awesome. They are gum boots but they are pretty nice for hiking as long as your heel fits comfortably in them. My dad put some miles on them this year and he said that they were good for hiking.

Here is the link
http://www.bekina.be/en/pu-boots/p/detail/thermolite

They are at marks work wearhouse just make sure you get the right ones

[boxhitch]

If these are a specific snow/ice boot , you can't go wrong with a hard mountaineering boot. I've used a plastic shell boot for a few years , easy to add a crampon if needed.
No flex to the footbed so tough on hard ground , but very positive in the snow , when you push-off with the toe , you go.

[MBOGO]

I have used Schnees pac boots for years i love mine. In the Kootenay's

[kennyj]

I've been wearing Schnees Hunter's for years and love them.
kenny

[Ry151]

Irish Setter Elk trackers in 1000gram. I use these all winter for hiking and snowshoeing but they are still light enough to fly aircraft and have good feel on the peddles. they are water proof and are supper comfortable. Im on my 6 season on mine now.

[yukon john]

Schnees is made from 70s technology, they keep water in better than they keep it out, you can get the same boot but way more modern from kenetrek. The guy who made schnees famous broke away years ago and runs kenetrek., schnees hasnt moved forward since he left. To quote one of our guides, 'schnees take longer to put on than to get wet.'

[goinghunting]

I just went through the same search as you, I had decided on the kenetrek's 13" pac boot but it was sold out in my size until next year so decided to go with the hoffman outback pac boot in the 14".

I'll let you know how the hoffman is once I get to try it out!

[horshur]

Schnees is made from 70s technology, they keep water in better than they keep it out, you can get the same boot but way more modern from kenetrek. The guy who made schnees famous broke away years ago and runs kenetrek., schnees hasnt moved forward since he left. To quote one of our guides, 'schnees take longer to put on than to get wet.'

my kennetrecks are made in china and thialand.......

[Duk Dog]

Another vote for gaiters.

I currently run the shorter, uninsulated Lowa Tibets but if I were looking for a taller and insulated boot I'd try the Lowa Hunter Extremes. (have also been branded as Schnees Sheep Hunters)

[new hunter]

Thanks for the replies , Has anyone tried the white tail boots from cabellas ?
I'll check Out the kenetreks on line .

[goinghunting]

Thanks for the replies , Has anyone tried the white tail boots from cabellas ?
I'll check Out the kenetreks on line .

absolute junk, thats why I bought some good quality pac boots this year. I'm sick of getting wet cold feet because of the whitetail extremes. There great to walk in but get wet no mater what you put on them for sealants.

[new hunter]

Just ordered a pair of "snow hardwood " gaiters from BKK .
I think I'll get a pair of the mid height kenetrek mountain boots , once I save the extra $400 bucks .
I guess I'll pass on the white tails .
Thanks everyone .

[ruttinbuck]

I started wearing these last season and really like them side hilling in deep snow.RB
http://www.whitesboots.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=481

[swampthing]

I run the kenetrek mountain extreems with gaiters until it gets real cold. Then I run their pack boots, also with gaiters. By the way, I run kenetrek gaiters too. The pack boots are great. That k-talon sole works good in the snow on the steep stuff and they have decent support for a boot of this type.

[Timberjack]

OK - here's a comment that will be way out there for some of you, but give it some thought...

First off - gaiters are the ticket for any type of boot. Will deal with the snow, and for any type of leather boot, they will protect them more than you ever imagined.

Now for the type of boot - depends on what type of hunting you will be doing, but we have similar late-season conditions of the island, deep wet snow, steep ground, brushy etc.. Get yourself a set of caulk (pronounced cork) boots. Everyone will tell you they're too loud, and that may be the case on a dry, rocky road. But for all other conditions including in the forest, alpine grass meadows, alpine heather, cutblock slash, snow, ice, etc etc they will be no louder than a normal boot. They're not even any louder than normal boots walking across an alipne shale/talus slope. And I even contend you will be even quieter than with normal boots because you won't be slipping and falling as much. This is especially true for timber hunting or retrival of an animal way down in the slash..

Now for the boot - I have two - a pair of Meindel Canada pros with caulk soles, and yup - you guessed it, a good ole pair of pumkin boots (that's forestry talk for the orabge rubber caulks, often made by viking). The rubber ones are the ones I go to most often, cause your feet are guaranteed to be dry (I mean for day hunts - wouldn't use them on an overnight alpine trip or anything like that), warm, and the gaiter covers up most of the bright orange. I've never found the colour of my boots to affect my success in sneaking up to a deer in the timber anyways.

Hope this helps. Like I say it depends on what type of hunting you do, but for the things I've described above, they absolutely can't be beat..

TJ

[Rackmastr]

I use a combination of a pair of Lowa Tibets and a pair of Meindl Winters. I bought the Meindl boots for a Canmore bow hunt in November and a Cadomin sheep hunt in November. They've performed excellent for me!!

My next pair will most likely be another pair of Tibets, or I'll go with the Hunter Extremes. As posted, the use of Gaiters is a HUGE improvement that will help keep you warm and dry.

[Ferenc]

Irish Setter Elk trackers in 1000gram. I use these all winter for hiking and snowshoeing but they are still light enough to fly aircraft and have good feel on the peddles. they are water proof and are supper comfortable. Im on my 6 season on mine now.
X2 on these boots..I use em,they well not break the bank..1000 grams sure do keep the feet warm and dry...and they do not get damp inside like the felt pacs...bob soles work good in snow...a good all around boot for the price...

[hookedonblacktails]

I think Timberjack has some excellent advise there, lots of guys over here using caulk boots, just the plain old pumpkin boots....take a look at some of the posted photos here with guys and their blacktailed deer. I can't tell you how many times I've almost wiped out crossing logs and slipped on slimy broken branches laying on the forest floor, got soaked crossing creeks, can't help but to think that one day sooner or later I'm going to wipe out one last time and something is going to get smashed. I know a guy in the forest industry here and one caulk boot that he swears by is Viberg (I think that's the name) expensive but bullet proof he tells me, and very water proof.

[Timberjack]

I think Timberjack has some excellent advise there, lots of guys over here using caulk boots, just the plain old pumpkin boots....take a look at some of the posted photos here with guys and their blacktailed deer. I can't tell you how many times I've almost wiped out crossing logs and slipped on slimy broken branches laying on the forest floor, got soaked crossing creeks, can't help but to think that one day sooner or later I'm going to wipe out one last time and something is going to get smashed. I know a guy in the forest industry here and one caulk boot that he swears by is Viberg (I think that's the name) expensive but bullet proof he tells me, and very water proof.

Those vibergs are good boots, but if you have skinny ankles like me, you will have to steer clear of them - not the greatest support -wise when compared to a hiking/mountaineering boot such as a canada pro or other. You can buy a really good mountaineering boot and get them caulked for about the same price as vibergs, and they'll be noticeably lighter too...

I did one alpine trip for goat one year where it had snowed, melted, then cleared up and frozen overnight - the meltwater turned to sheer solid ice over bedrock. Now that was scary!! It was before I started using my caulks up in the alpine, and they sure would have been nice.. And like I said before, if you're spending any time in steep grassy meadows chasing mulies or whatever, caulks are the ticket. A long decent or sidehill without them is murder on your feet, and like hookonblacktails said, it's only a matter of time until you take a spill and land on your rifle and scope.. or worse.

TJ

[Frango]

X2 on these boots..I use em,they well not break the bank..1000 grams sure do keep the feet warm and dry...and they do not get damp inside like the felt pacs...bob soles work good in snow...a good all around boot for the price...

X3 I have used them often in snow.Warm and dry not to heavy.

[turbotrev]

I just spent the day hiking in thigh deep snow with my Irish Setter elk tracker boots with 1000 gram thinsulate and my feet are warm and dry. I would highly recommend these. Great traction too.

[new hunter]

I was debating on caulk boots at the end of last season , but had forgoten about them altogether .
I do have thin ankles and usually find any sort of gumboot pretty lose so I think I'll still go with the kenetrek mountain boots ( unless I find something better ) and have them caulked . I assume I just need a cobbler to do it .

[hookedonblacktails]

Before you get the kenetrek do a search on here, I seem to think there was a thread a few months back on kenetreks, surprisingly there was a few guys having problems with them quality control wise. To be honest I'm not a hundred percent sure about this, there was definitly a thread on a high end boot having recent issues, but my memory is telling me kenetrec. But in all probability I'm sure they're fine

[Timberjack]

I was debating on caulk boots at the end of last season , but had forgoten about them altogether .
I do have thin ankles and usually find any sort of gumboot pretty lose so I think I'll still go with the kenetrek mountain boots ( unless I find something better ) and have them caulked . I assume I just need a cobbler to do it .

As long as you get the foot to fit, you'll find that the ankle support is actually quite good - some actually say there's not enough lateral flexibility for steeping on logs laying steeply downhill, but you get used to it. I'm not sure I've found many boots with as much ankle support as the rubber caulks. Don't think of them as gumboots as we traditionally know them.

Other than that, there are tons of excellent mountain boots that can be re-soled by any good booat guy.. Mine happen to be meindels, but there are tons out there...

TJ