Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

[pcweidman]

SH,

I am looking for a new boot to use for warm and mild weather shooting. My ideal boot would be something with a good technical construction, warm and mild weather wear, a great insole for long distance comfort and performance. I am considering training and competing in a some long range endurance competitions as well as using them to practice and hunt in during the summer and fall down south. It doesnt get cold in Alabama until maybe December so a boot like this is a great addition to my winter hunter Muck Boots.

Boots I have considered are in no particular order:
- Under Armour
- Keen
- Vasque
- Asolo
- Merrell
- Many different brands of military boots

etc etc etc

If anyone who has done any of these type competitions. Any advice on footwear as well as Pants and Shirts would be greatly appreciated. I do realize things are subject to weather but I am considering Hot and Mild seasons.

Thanks,
C

 

[txgw]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I'm a big fan of Danners personally. I wear them for work and hunting and like them over any others I've used.

 

[pcweidman]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I feel danners would be very heavy for long distance. What model?

Thanks!

 

[45.308]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

5.11 taclite in either 6" or 8" height. I have the 6" and love them, Very light, support is OK. Cant say I wear them daily as I have several boots and they all get daily use a month or so at at time but so far wearing hard, better than my Danners.

Or Vasque Velocity. Have use them for alpine sheep hunting, their weight with the stiff sole is superb, protects very well from stones and great traction on wet and dry trails. Walk across mud and stream, let the water run out of the mesh and keep pushing, they will dry over the day.

No boot has a good insole, use Superfeet orange capsule.

 

[txgw]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Crap, I need to go back to school and learn to read everything! I read over where you said endurance comps. I've never used any of their light weight boots, just their Gortex and insulated boots. Never really worried about weight. They do make some lighter models but personally I do know how they would compare. Sorry bout that.

 

[JC Steel]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Asolo all leathers for me. Great all around and very comfortable for all day activities.

 

[Brett_B]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Very happy with my Vasque Wasatch GTX boots but haven't tried enough of them on your list to say they are the "best".

 

[bm11]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I ordered a set of Oakley Sabot High's and should have them soon. I'll keep you updated.

 

[nicko]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Danners all day... Asolos are preatty awsome though

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

My 5.11's blew through the side after modest wear, but seems like everyones are desgined pretty similar for the hot weather boots. You are looking at really the right time for Danners - their Army Kinetic boots are on sale like 50 - 80 % off in their "Breakroom"

http://www.hitthebreakroom.com/deals-in-motion/

Got to give them an email but then you get access to their discounted section. I have danner heavy boots, and I really like them, but I haven't tried their hot weather boots.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Asolos for me.....I was all Vasque back in the day but the Asolos all leathers are the closest thing to the Vasque Vagabond all leather I favored for years. Never had a pair of Danners though

 

[HellsCanyonArmory]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I have a pair of Asolo Sasslongs with less than 50 miles on them. They didn't fit my heel right and I'm selling them (11.5M). I had a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400's before them and had 65 miles of hiking/scouting on them before selling them. Tore my heels up on any slope over 45*. I had heard nothing but great things about the Asolo's but boots are like stocks, no one boot is going to fit everyone the same!

I've since bought a pair of HanWag Dakota's and they are AWESOME. Most comfortable boot I've ever worn including Whites, Danners, Rockys, Irish Setter, Kenetrek, and Asolos. Should be very durable but only time will tell.

Best of luck man, all these boots I've mentioned I've worn hunting. A lot of backpack hunts and knarly country like the Hells Canyon area, Frank Church Wilderness, Northern Cascades...etc

Mike

 

[Victory]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Well are you planning on running through water or damp areas?

What is the terrain these will be used? IE flat land, rocky, mountainous

For endurance in hot weather on easy terrain the Nike SF boots or Lowa Zyphers are what we are using. If you are going to be in damp or mountainous terrain, Asolo GTX all the way.

The Nike's are super light and work great for long distances on easy terrain. The Asolo's were used for patrolling in the rice patties and mountains. Saw most every kind of hiking boot used and most ended up with the Asolos. Everything else shit out after a while.

 

[DT1]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Get a pair of Lowa Zephyr's bro. They're perfect for our climate and you're stated needs. They're very durable, I've has a pair for over two years and they're great for hiking, running, field shooting matches etc.

 

[White Mamba]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

The breakroom has some great prices on different Danner boots to try. I would look for a stitched pair if your going to run them hard, all my glued boots fail quickly when used for hunting

 

[demo-dick]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I have worn Danners almost every day now for six or seven years, super waterproof, well insulated, and good support. I work heavy highway construction, and Danners hold up better than at least five other name brand boots I have worn. I wear them every time I'm in the woods, and never regretted the decision. Just my 2 cents

 

[pcweidman]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Awesome! Looks like I have a lot of boots to look at! Frankly I don't know what to expect. A friend I putting on a marksmanship challenge for about 20 friends tht are shooters to see how we feel about potentially going to Utah or any of the 2 man sniper tourneys that civilians can enter. I am VERY paranoid of my feet and in turn knees breaking down on me without proper boots.

 

[45.308]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

If you say your are paranoid about your feet, then giving a name brand recommendation is tough because all feet fit different boots different but that is what the majority of users want.

If you are moving fast or with heavy pack on rough terrain; side hilling, rocks, ruts, scree, etc., ensure the boot you get has a short post, the shortest that fits you well. This will decrease the chance of rolling an ankle way more than the boot around the ankle. Walking slow on flatter terrain, the post is not as important.

Stiff midsole will help protect for stone bruises.

Two schools of thought in wet swamp, gore-tex or what we have changed to in Alaska is open mesh weave on the boot. This allow to walk through muck, the water squeezes out the mesh then dries plus the boot is cooler. Gore-tex boot in muck and swamp is a bucket.

Are all your toes the same length
is your big and #2 toe the longest
what is your arch length
do you sup or pronate
metatarsal joints

 

[dizntz]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

I had very good luck with Bates M8 boots as a warm/mild weather boot. I even used them for a 4 day back packing trip in the Presidental Range (+4,200' elevation) carrying a 64 pound pack. I love the mutant outsole.

Bates M-8

I currently have a pair of Belleville 770 as my cold weather boot and like them as well. They are a little heavier than the Bates and do not have a side zip feature but they are serving me well and are comfortable when worn for extended periods of time (8-10 hours). Plus they are Gore Tex lined and insulated.

Belleville 770

Among other features I liked, both of these boots are made in the USA, which is a huge selling point for me.

Joe

 

[ARS031]

Re: Best Tactical/Hiking/Hunting Boot? For Competition

Hanwag GTX - youll wonder what anything else was that you put on your feet. Its a solid all around boot for the outdoors. The sole may be too stiff for your liking, worth looking into. Ive worn them from mountains in the winter to desert in the summer, great for load bearing, built like a tank.