Warm weather hunting boots

[skark_burmer]

I am in the market for new boots. My Merrels are great hiking boot for trails, but cross country they are too low and light weight for the task. So tomorrow i am going to go look at some White's. Plus they are fabric and get loaded with every burr within a half mile radius which as you all know is annoying at best.
My lined warm weather boots fit great, but hunting during 90-100* heat is a bit rough in them.

I do a lot of day hunting (actually i do very little hunting but a lot of well armed hiking) in varrying terrain, some grassland, some rocky hillsides, some higher altitude loamy dirt...
This past weekend i was at a friends property near Willows and after being out for 2 days that was the last straw. My feet were done!

I am likely going to be getting a pair of the smokejumpers based on all the great reviews. I dont mind spending the coin for a quality product, but $400 is a tough pill to swallow.
13_Image_0003.jpg

My one concern is the lack of breath-ability. I see no venting, it is solid leather and i dont want my feet swimming in a boot full of sweat after 30 minutes of 100* heat.
For the folks that have these, is this a valid concern?
Any other options i should consider?

Thanks guys.

[henmar77]

$400. madness...

[catchdog]

Lots of other options well under $400.

[Frank X. Morris]

Howdy Skark_Burmer,
Take a look at Schnees (sp?) Bozeman boot.

[BelchFire]

For your mission, I'd say that Uncle Sam has long since solved the problem. How about some new Mil-Surp boots?

[henmar77]

For your mission, I'd say that Uncle Sam has long since solved the problem. How about some new Mil-Surp boots?

+1
I used a pair for 11 years i bought from big five for $35. never did me wrong.

[skark_burmer]

As a former Marine I have had my fill of Uncle Sam's footwear. Although the price is right I am willing to add funds for additional comfort and the Whites are apparently extremely highly regarded from what I read.
Hence the thread for advice from people that have a pair.

[henmar77]

I am in the market for new boots. My Merrels are great hiking boot for trails, but cross country they are too low and light weight for the task. So tomorrow i am going to go look at some White's. Plus they are fabric and get loaded with every burr within a half mile radius which as you all know is annoying at best.
My lined warm weather boots fit great, but hunting during 90-100* heat is a bit rough in them.

I do a lot of day hunting (actually i do very little hunting but a lot of well armed hiking) in varrying terrain, some grassland, some rocky hillsides, some higher altitude loamy dirt...
This past weekend i was at a friends property near Willows and after being out for 2 days that was the last straw. My feet were done!

I am likely going to be getting a pair of the smokejumpers based on all the great reviews. I dont mind spending the coin for a quality product, but $400 is a tough pill to swallow.
Attachment 70666

My one concern is the lack of breath-ability. I see no venting, it is solid leather and i dont want my feet swimming in a boot full of sweat after 30 minutes of 100* heat.
For the folks that have these, is this a valid concern?
Any other options i should consider?

Thanks guys.

Found these online they look similar to that boot and they are cheaper. lol j/k
xs0138p0.jpg

Your right about the Mil spec boot, very hard to break in and uncomfortable at first.

[Shoobee]

As a former Marine I have had my fill of Uncle Sam's footwear. Although the price is right I am willing to add funds for additional comfort and the Whites are apparently extremely highly regarded from what I read.
Hence the thread for advice from people that have a pair.

I tend to agree with Skark.

Also being of the fraternity, I don't go near G/I surplus anymore.

Rather pay 10x more than suffer through another $35 pair of G/I issue.

I get mine at REI. They are out of Seattle and all across the East Coast, West Coast, and upper Midwest.

[sancho]

i think $400 is a fair price for boots..for GREAT boots. i put my foot in between a cars fender and chrome bumper while i was going motorcycle speed..i mangled my foot. i healed 90%..i can tell the difference between cheap boots and good boots.

for hot weather, my brother gave me a pair of boots that the desert storm guys wear. i am having hell breaking them in. my foot hurts.

i just bought some Schnee's Beartooth insulateds..i wore them recently on a hot hunt..they breathed so well, my feet didnt get hot. they were a great blend at 200 grams of thinsulate..i can wear them in the cold as well. i love them!! i wore them in sweltering heat while spreading out mulch. they broke in decent, and i am going to wear them hunting all year. i bet they last a long time..

they make an unisulated beartooth.

danner also makes some USA made boots for the desert guys. i've heard they kickbutt..all right below $400ish.

[sancho]

i forgot..that logger heal on that whites boot is gonna suck..hunting. they are like high heels. they are designed for those attachments to help you climb trees and telephone poles.

i used to wear logger heels on my redwings for work. never again. i was taller, but i know they would make a crappy hunting boot for me.

wesco makes a better logger heel boot.

[Rob P.]

$400 is a bit much. However, the boots have some of the features I'd like (but not many).

For less than $400 you should be able to get a mid height (not ankle height -higher but not a high top) boot with a Vibram sole and Goodyear welt with a steel shank. You should also be able to get a Gortex liner. You do not want "suede" or "split leather" anywhere. Cordura is fine because it's tough and breathes but split leather is CHEAP CRAP.

OTOH, 10 oz leather is a bit heavy even though it'll last your lifetime while rubbing against a belt sander every day. A good mix of durable leather around the foot with lighter weight hides in the upper vamp is good. Easy to break in, soft and flexible, and long wearing for the most part.

And, while I think $400 is way high, I'd look, higher than the $150-250 offerings because most of them seem to have that foam midsole and designer lugs. They may be appealing to the "I wear hiking boots everywhere and don't these look tough" crowd but believe me most of them are useless off the sidewalk. And I mean across the board from Merrill's to Red Wings to Danner's the lugs don't grip when you really need them to and the foot support sucks to the point the boot will NOT support your weight and a heavy pack. BTDT. Above all, where the weight savings cuts are made is critical. Heavy boots will kill your ability to walk for miles. However, lightweight unsupportive footbeds will do the same thing just as quickly.

Look, shop, and choose wisely based on your needs not some designer gimmick or ad campaign.

[sancho]

RobP's boot kung-fu is strong.

i agree with everything...except the part about danners. yes, danner makes some crap. i have had lugs tear off while hiking. i seen a sole come off, and we got to laugh at the owner. my last failure, my sole split where my foot bends. but, if you look, DANNER makes a USA made line that is worlds apart. they are amazing. good leather, rebuildable soles. the style is a tad dated. i wanted some, but Danner thinks the world has narrow feet. very narrow. i would need WIDE in danner, and mail ordering wide shoes makes me nervous. all my boots are regular width. if i ever get up to portland, i will try on a pair of high end danners just to file away the sizing in my memory.

OP, you just missed a killer sale on campfire..some LOWA Gtx boots for $200.

i hope my new boots last years and years..sure they cost me a kidney. but if i get to wear them for 7-8 years..that is fine by me. i can amortize the cost over that duration and feel pretty good about my purchase. i would rather have great boots than a great jacket.

[desertcj]

Iv'e had a pair of Danner Super Rain forrests for the better part of 10 years. They are on their last leg, but I still love them and although I can't stand in an 8" creek without my feet getting wet anymore....they are for all reasonable purposes water"proof". I would get another pair in a heartbeat, but at the moment I can't swing the $300 plus price tag. I'm going to try a set of Rocky Portland's and see how they do. If they suck, then I'll have to live through it while I wear them out and hopefully by then I can buy some Super Rain forrest's again.

[sdnative13]

These are going to be my new pair of warm weather hunting boots. Made by Danner 100% waterproof lightweight and fits like a shoe.

[sancho]

i like hood mountain lights..USA made. if i get up to portland, i am going to try them on.

i wont buy their imports anymore.

boot.jpg

[CA Karen]

I have 2 pair of Whites boots, one the smoke jumper and another their insulated hunting boot. I use the smoke jumpers now for working around my property now that I am retired from firefighting ( 3 pairs over my career 25+ years)... walked many a mile in rugged terrain with hose packs with them. The insulated ones I use for cold weather hunting. Warm weather hunting I use my all leather backpacking boots from LLBean.. even for the rough and rugged. Just look at any mountaineering boot they are not as tall as the "hunting boots" and will work well.

[easymoney]

I hunt the central coast of CA where the temps can run from the 30s at night to over 100 degrees during the day. I have hunted in Merrel's (Merrel Phasers) buy full leather boots with a gore liner. Before 1987 I hunted in Vasque gore boots which they do not now make, so I switched.
IMHO, any gore line boot will serve the big game hunter and any lightweight boot with a gore liner will allow the hunter to walk in heat for hours, then cross a stream raging with snow melt.

[hunterdoug]

I too like the danners' I have a pair of 8" pronghorns, yes they are imported, but when shopping they were the ones that felt great from the get go. uninsulated, good traction, they are three years old and even wore them most of the winter while working at Sugar Bowl with regular socks. hunted Tahoe area last couple of seasons and lake sonoma with no complaints. $180 ish. my feet usually sweat, and I need good arch and ankle support, have had no complaints.

[skark_burmer]

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions for the danners, which I might try if this set does not work out. A friend gave me a brand new set of HiTechs that look like they will fit the bill and are super comfy when I tried them on.

I tried both the Whites and the Nicks, I wanted to like them but both were very uncomfortable in the store. I understand about break in, but painful as soon as I stood up was not a good sign, so I passed.

The HiTechs are certainly not a lifetime boot by any means, but a vibram sole, 3/4 height upper and they look like they will repel the burrs with ease, I'll give em a try. There is a pig I have been trying to get for some time and I'm going to try again this week. Well see how they do.
Plus they were free. :)

[Farmerdoug]

For your mission, I'd say that Uncle Sam has long since solved the problem. How about some new Mil-Surp boots?

+2
Check Ebay for a nice pair of Belleville Military boots. I wear them, and I've bought them as gifts for friends and family. I love the pair I have. Takes about a week to get them broke in....

[emansully]

I use whites for work and hunting. I'm looking for a pair of boys (non whites) for hunting. After a day in the field hunting the whites kill my feet. I've used then for the past 17 years for work and there great for that. In the market for a good hunting/hiking bit myself.good luck

[emansully]

Boot

[Russ1]

Lowa Renegades...

[HuntnBrew]

Call Danner. They have boots with really minor imperfections. I got a pair of Fort Lewis with 200 grams of insulation for 170 norm 340. They only had a small scratch on them from stitching too far. Bellvilles are nice but not waterproof.

[snoopdogg]

Love my Lowa's. Don't recall the style, but they are leather, uninsulated, waterproof without Gore-tex, which I hate for hot weather. Out the box comfort and bulletproof! Beat the shit out of them for years in the Trinity Alps and almost cried when I realized after about 8 seasons they would only be camp boots. There are many of that quality that are available for $200 and up. The ones I raved about were $140 or so on clearance at REI and retailed for just over $200.

[24mileboy]

I have a pair of Danner pronghorns tha are 5 years old. No insulation and very confortable but wearing out and I have been looking for warm weather boots also. I found these boots at Sportsmans warehouse but haven't tried them on yet.
http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/e...pid1224003-290 They look promising!

[lewdogg21]

I have a pair of Danner pronghorns tha are 5 years old. No insulation and very confortable but wearing out and I have been looking for warm weather boots also. I found these boots at Sportsmans warehouse but haven't tried them on yet.
http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/e...pid1224003-290 They look promising!

They make a model which is basically the same but with gore-tex. I'm headed that route and if those don't work I'll go with a Danner.

[Westcoastbowhntr]

I have the Danner 453's and they were a great boot for the B-Zone Archery season last year. Held up great combined with a good merino wool sock and my feet were happy!

[Sigma]

This is a good lineup IMO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfApS_NRQjg