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What hunting boots do you use?

Maverick3009

Maverick3009

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Feb 16, 2017
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Needing a new pair of hunting boots as mice made themselves at home in mine over last winter. Looking for something in the <$300 range, insulated and waterproof. My previous pair of boots were Irish Setter Vaprtrek and the quality was nice however the insulation (400g) was too little for me as my feet were freezing in mid-November last season here in central Indiana (probably 30-40deg at 7am). I've found the Danner Pronghorn 800g seem nice and mostly have favorable reviews but hoping to hear from some guys on here on what has worked for them. These will be strictly woods hunting boots with little hiking as it's typically less than a mile from truck to ladder stand with a portion of that being through farmland.

Here are the Danners I'm currently looking at:

www.danner.com

Pronghorn 8" Mossy Oak Break-Up Country 800G

Worth the wait For close to two decades, the Pronghorn boot has been a trusted cornerstone in the Danner hunt line. Any update to the Pronghorn comes with a lot of responsibility to our customers who rely on this iconic boot. As such, the fifth generation is the culmination of many years of...
www.danner.com www.danner.com
 
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Every day and during past hunting season, I have worn Bates boots. This season, I am wearing Muck Boots for hunting.
 
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Pretty sure mine are Wolverine. No complaints so far and I walk through some swamps from time to time
 
Not much help here, I’m wearing vintage Whites with silk and wool socks since I have an 8-1/2 F foot I’m interested in other hunter’s suggestions.
 
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Kenetreks- Mountain extremes for the win. Put em on, lace up, hike 10 miles. No break in required.... comfortable and durable.

kenetrek.com

Kenetrek Boots

Hunting, Hiking and Work boots from your favorite Montana boot company, plus gaiters, merino wool socks, Sitka Gear, Eberlestock and Stone Glacier.
kenetrek.com kenetrek.com
 
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For midwest hunting, insulated rubber boots are hard to beat. My dad and some of my buddies have the Lacrosse Alphaburly’s that are pretty nice
 
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Sadly I don't think I'll buy Danners again based on two pair I own currently.

My only real note, not that it helps, it only makes your choice harder in fact, is don't believe the numbers. Two years ago I bought a pair of Zamberlans (admitedly more than I've even paid for footwear in my life, not really my tax bracket). They are supposedly 400grms of insulation or so? I bought them for the warmer end of the temp range. They ended up being than the China Rockys I was wearing that were supposed to be 1400grms
 
I think the danners are a great choice but with danners you unfortunately HAVE to make sure you are buying the made in USA boots. These are great boots that perform and last. I have been wearing the insulated elk hunters for 10ish years now and they have been great. Also have 30 years in ft Lewis 10” danners that are still perfect. Danner also has a line made outside the USA to meet a price point and these boots are exactly that. The ones you are looking at are imported and therefore won’t last as long as you would want. I would look at the elk hunter or the Canadian if wanting danner those will last you a lifetime. Made in USA danners are top notch. The kennetrek and la sportiva are awesome boots as well and are both very solid recommendations.
 
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I really like my Irish Setter Elk Trackers.
1000 gram insulation (edited to add)
I wear them in winter predator calling, deep snow a lot.
No cold feet yet.
Thinsulate sock liner, merino wool socks.
 
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If hiking a lot, a hiking boot.

Im a La Sportiva fit and own 4 pairs of different styles. Plus trail runners.

Kenetreks work great for many.

For White tail hunting (late season rifle) I wear a Belleville goretex insulated boot. US made, affordable, 100% work.
Insulated muck boots if warmer or being more sneaky to be close.


A few tips for cold feet people (I am one).
Socks, merino wool, 1 pair, no liners. Medium weight. Try on boots with the socks you will wear. Too much sock is worse than a thin sock.
I like the 4 pack for $14.99 from Costco.
Use others and those work fine.

Antiperspirant. From a Hide guy (Kraig in WY) who spent a long time in AK in the cold in leather boots. Keeps your feet from sweating in warm boots, then freezing.
I never use it except for hunting trips, and man it has been a game changer for me there. Rub it on your feet. Between your toes. Make sure its dry. Socks, boots, go.

When its SUPER cold on whitetail sits (10F or colder) I wear my old pack boots AND a toe warmer stuck to the top of my socks.
 
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Oh man, foot antiperspirant was a nightmare experience for me, blister city between my toes. Swore I'd never do that again.
For cold weather hunting I started wearing thin wool toe socks as sock liners a few years ago and they're great, though a pain putting on. (Of course wearing them I could use antiperspirant and not get blisters.)


Sadly even my USA made Danners let me down. My experiance was strange because my boots were ten years old! Tread and heels worn way down. Seams torn out in two places. When I sent them in to be re-soled, they said the gore-tex insert "booties" were leaking badly. They called me to tell me this and that's when I told them I didn't see how, I never wore them. Yes they're ten years old. I wear them 3-5 half days every spring turkey hunting. Maybe 3 days in the summer. And 4-5 days in the fall. All in the woods walking on soft ground. So while they're ten years old, in reality they have about four months of wear on them. Yet the bottoms looked like I wore them daily for a couple years. I didn't expect anything from them, but they were willing to put a different harder sole on them. Re-sole and new gore-tex liner cost me.. more than new boots from some companies. lol But I wanted to give em another try.
 
I agree on one good pair of socks. I have worked in sub freezing temperatures. Wearing two pairs causes your feet to sweat. Sweat is wet and now you get super-cold. One pair allows heat to escape but not too fast. Feet don't sweat. They will be cold but dry which is infinitely more endurable and less dangerous.
 
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Danner Brand, Made in USA for sure..... If you are going Chinese then go to Walmart and get what you are paying for............ No sense paying $300 for a pair of Chinese boots. Don't expect a new pair of Danners to feel and perform like a pair from 1990....
________________________
Danner Today
Danner is still a subsidiary of LaCrosse Footwear to this day, parented by Japanese company ABC-Mart. Upon acquiring LaCrosse and its subsidiaries in 2012, ABC-Mart relocated Danner to its current 59,000 square foot factory, and opened Danner's first brick and mortar branded store.
www.heddels.com

Danner - History, Philosophy, and Iconic Products

The logging kings of the Pacific Northwest are known for much more than felling trees, we tell the tale of Danner boots of Portland, Oregon.
www.heddels.com www.heddels.com
IMG_7464.JPG
 
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If you’re already looking at Danner, upgrade from the Pronghorn to the Powderhorn. I got tired of replacing boots every few years when I wore the soles out on my many pairs of whatever in the past. I wear Danners at work, and decided to give their premium line a try. Totally worth the price increase to get boots that can be re-soled, as long as you’re diligent about taking care of the leather. Treat with some Obenauf’s once a year, or as needed depending on how much you’re using them, and the leather should last a lifetime.

Danner - Powderhorn

Danner boots are a mark of superior craftsmanship, Our hiking, hunting, work, military, and law enforcement boots are built with GORE-TEX waterproof liners, durable Vibram outsoles, and full-grain leather.
www.danner.com www.danner.com

Aggressive soles, very stiff, yet surprisingly comfortable, and GoreTex waterproofing. Between conditioning for a hunt last year and the actual hunt, I probably have 150 miles on mine. No huge feat, but (for an otherwise entirely midwestern hunter) they work great and I have no complaints.
 
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John_in_WYO said:
I really like my Irish Setter Elk Trackers.
1000 gram insulation (edited to add)
I wear them in winter predator calling, deep snow a lot.
No cold feet yet.
Thinsulate sock liner, merino wool socks.
Click to expand...
Second this on Elk Trackers. I also have the Vaprtrek that are excellent for Texas Hill Country. The others are used hunting in Colorado and New Mexico For added support and insulation.
 
i'm on my second pair of Danner's Pronhorns.. They are comfortable and work really well. I have put some miles on mine, enough that I needed new ones and just ordered another pair of Pronhorns. I did get the Danner 600 something for hot weather. they worked really well
 
Used Danner for a while, but never really liked any set that I had. Used Lowa's for several years, but ended up going through 3 sets in a year and decided to move on. I've been using Crispi the last several years, and plan to stick with them so far.

I've also moved away from insulated boots except for a heavy set of White's pac boots in the winter. Spend your money on good socks of varying "weights" and utilize gaiters where appropriate.
 
Solomon, zamberland, and vasque are what I have used and had good luck with.
 
I rolled Danner Crater Rim, Mountain Lites and Danner Lites, Santiams for a while.

As I got older, more proficient, I needed different boots.

Scarpa, LaSportiva, Hanwag, Zamberlan, Schnee's, Lathrop and Sons, Asolo, Lowa, Crispi.

Hitting the mid-century mark in age, my feet feel best in Asolo for light duty beaten path trail hikes with 5-10lbs of pack weight; Lowa Tibets and Crispi get the nod for everything else pending pack weight/hunt terrain/weather.

I would suggest trying on as many boots as you can before you decide.

But for sure, wear a liner sock and an oversock when you try on the boots.
 
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limmerboots.com

Limmer Boots

At Peter Limmer & Sons and Limmer Boot Company, we create and provide hand crafted boots known to last for 20-40 years. Made from the highest quality materials and a true "single piece" leather upper, our Limmer Custom Boots, Limmer Boots, and Boot Repair service are the most sustainable leather...
limmerboots.com limmerboots.com

Been wearing a set of lightweights for twenty plus years, resolved once and have a set of mediums that are also fantástico.

It's leather though. Has its pluses and minuses. In my case it's usually a plus.

How much wet you face will determine.
 
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YotaEer said:

Men's Trailblazer 7-inch Waterproof Leather Boot 878

This full grain, waterproof leather boot is at home on a hiking trail or trekking through timber. Shop now at Irish Setter!
www.irishsetterboots.com www.irishsetterboots.com

I liked these more than the “cheap” Danners for the same price
Click to expand...
Setters are nice boots. My treestand boots for extreme cold weather are 1200g Thinsulate rubbers. Probably 16” tall? I’ve sat in -10° actual temps. I don’t even have to wear wool socks to be comfortable.
 
5.11 EVO 8 size zip, or Vans Authentic lowtop lace-up. Mostly I hunt in Vans Authentics because they're comfortable and light weight and I don't need to play tactical barbie dress up to kill something. The 5.11's come out when I'm planning on walking through acacia thorns since Vans provide the same protection against those 4" long plant based nails as a wet kitchen sponge covered in wet paper towels.
 
Whatever you wear, unlace them as much as possible when you get on stand. This will allow the insulation to expand and do its job- create a pocket of dead air to keep your feet warm.
 
schnees.com

Extreme 10"

Schnee's of Bozeman, Montana, makers of the world's best hunting boots, pac boots and mountain boots for hiking, snow and hunting, brings you the best in footwear, clothing and outdoor gear.
schnees.com schnees.com


For your purposes, I would recommend these, which are the only Schnees boots I would recommend. They are their original boot, and still the best boot they make in my opinion. They are comfortable to walk in, really warm, and completely rebuildable. The liners are removable and dryable, and the boot style allows for lots of layering if need be, or footwarmers if it is REALLY cold.
 
shields shtr said:
schnees.com

Extreme 10"

Schnee's of Bozeman, Montana, makers of the world's best hunting boots, pac boots and mountain boots for hiking, snow and hunting, brings you the best in footwear, clothing and outdoor gear.
schnees.com schnees.com


For your purposes, I would recommend these, which are the only Schnees boots I would recommend. They are their original boot, and still the best boot they make in my opinion. They are comfortable to walk in, really warm, and completely rebuildable. The liners are removable and dryable, and the boot style allows for lots of layering if need be, or footwarmers if it is REALLY cold.
Click to expand...
That’s a WWII shoepack.

I don’t think GIs were enamored of them because their feet would sweat and the felt insoles would freeze.

When I was in high school 1985/86 we would hang at a farm in western MA in winter time.

The owner of the farm was WWII vet, Battle of the Bulge and his shoepacs were in the hall.

I wore them hiking around in the snow. You are right they are great boots for light exertion.

Guys at Chosin Reservoir were not fans though.
 
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pmclaine said:
That’s a WWII shoepack.
Click to expand...
Learn something new every day. I wore them in the 90s and they were a real big investment for me back then. In those days, we had far fewer choices than we do now. OP said he pretty much walks less than a mile to a tree stand. I feel like those would be perfect for that.
 
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For every day use, I wear Bates boots, dark earth. Funny thing, I was in some place I can now not remember. A guy noticed my boots and asked when I got back (from the GWOT.) I had not been there, I just liked the boots and I got those at the Army / Navy store. Evidently, Bates and similar styles were preferred by guys deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I can understand why. Breathable and comfortable boots that you can spend a whole day in and not be sore (minuse the ubiquitous sand.)

Edited to add: I could not serve as a young man because at the age of 18, I was still under prescribed medication for asthma. I would have been in the Falklands, Honduras, Granada, possibly the Gulf War and if I was sticking it out as an enlisted looking for retirement, I might have been in the beginning of the GWOT. Might have finished as a Sgt or Sgt Major (Army.) I don't know if I could have passed muster as a Ranger, but I would have given it a try, As good as I am with a rifle, I could have been a DM on overwatch and recon. By the time 9/11 happened and I wanted to really serve, was too old to enlist. Buy the time they raised the enlistment age to 38 , I was still too old. Damn it. Just give me an M24 in 7.62 NATO, tell me which cave, let me do my job.

I was and still am a patriot, unapologetically.
 
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I've been wearing a pair of USA Made Danner Super Rain Forest boots for over six years had them re soled once and they are the best boots I've ever owned, still have a lot of miles on them wear them every day construction. Wore Red Wing's for a lot of years but seems like they are different than even 5-6 years ago, last pair of Red Wings I had the soles fell apart in less than a year took them back to red wing and they said oh well so I said oh well I'm done wearing your shitty boots. Guess I'm just not into paying $400.00 + for some designer boots that last me two years.
 
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Three total posts and 2 of them contain links to this flaming shoe store? Surely this is just a coincidence and Muneeb is just a new member eager to help his fellow forum members… 🤷
 
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I'm wearing the Hanwag Alverstone ii. I think they're great, but I've also got a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extreme on order. Just know, if you're getting into this type of 'mountain boot' that there is very little flex (by design) and to me, the insoles are too thin (in the hanwag for sure) so I've added new ones.
 
Been a while since I've been in cold weather, what's the liner sock vs overstock. Sadly the feet have circulation issues, so i need extra help getting my feet warm even in normal Temps. Rest of me can be in shorts and a t shirt at 40F. I hate my life.
 
Prime Shoes. German made with thick Italian leather and sharp wooden heals.

PRIME SHOES

PRIME SHOES
prime-shoes.com prime-shoes.com

$400 USD.

Because I only hunt in the North American city.

 
pmclaine said:
That’s a WWII shoepack.

I don’t think GIs were enamored of them because their feet would sweat and the felt insoles would freeze.

When I was in high school 1985/86 we would hang at a farm in western MA in winter time.

The owner of the farm was WWII vet, Battle of the Bulge and his shoepacs were in the hall.

I wore them hiking around in the snow. You are right they are great boots for light exertion.

Guys at Chosin Reservoir were not fans though.
Click to expand...

Idiots. Should have had Eskimo gear at Choisin.

Battle of Attu. Idiots. Thought it would be nice out.

Most** Military Generals and planners are typically 118 I.Q. or less.
 
Maverick3009 said:
Needing a new pair of hunting boots as mice made themselves at home in mine over last winter. Looking for something in the <$300 range, insulated and waterproof. My previous pair of boots were Irish Setter Vaprtrek and the quality was nice however the insulation (400g) was too little for me as my feet were freezing in mid-November last season here in central Indiana (probably 30-40deg at 7am). I've found the Danner Pronghorn 800g seem nice and mostly have favorable reviews but hoping to hear from some guys on here on what has worked for them. These will be strictly woods hunting boots with little hiking as it's typically less than a mile from truck to ladder stand with a portion of that being through farmland.

Here are the Danners I'm currently looking at:

www.danner.com

Pronghorn 8" Mossy Oak Break-Up Country 800G

Worth the wait For close to two decades, the Pronghorn boot has been a trusted cornerstone in the Danner hunt line. Any update to the Pronghorn comes with a lot of responsibility to our customers who rely on this iconic boot. As such, the fifth generation is the culmination of many years of...
www.danner.com www.danner.com
Click to expand...
Oddly I have 8" Pronghorns that are from ~ 2010. I had to shoogoo the heel back on one of them.....so comfortable. Also have the Danner Sharptail 17" snake boots depending on where ya live. I put Scotchguard spray on the seams as well as waterproof as rubber boots.....maybe 5 years old.
 
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