Thanks for your help!

AD

If there is a "secret" it is get the best ankle support you can and to wear good suspenders to hold them up.....I hated the damn things and still do. Take a look at the various catalogs as there have been some advancements in both material and design. If it gets down to a choice between two or three, always go with the lightest ones you can get. Good luck.

[This message has been edited by RMK (edited 04-11-2002).]

quote:

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Originally posted by TTS:
On most of the Alaska sites, Cabelas Ultimate's with air bob soles a highly recommended. Never used them myself though. TTS

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I think those are the ones I have -- haven't worn them in Alaska but I wore them in a duck blind and marsh and found them very warm, comfortable and easy to get around in.

Well, "wear" may be the wrong word, as most folks can "wear" them. It's a matter of getting them on and off, which is the problem.

I tried, but finally gave up. So went the Cabelas "Bog Busters" hip waders...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jhtml?id=0005510&navAction=jump

For ankle support, look elsewhere. For great comfort, lightweight, and dry waders, they work great.

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Brian

Man, have I been all over this for the last 2 years, and still guessing. Russell, dont make these things!

So far I have purchased the Bog Busters, I have walked in them and they are ok, but I can see wanting a little stiffer sole, or more foot bed support. They are light. I dont think they will take the brush like rubber. Maybe warmer than rubber.

My best friend, who is also going to the pennisula, has bought the air bobbed sole ultimate ankle fit also from Cabelas. He is a stick figure, and has little problem getting them on and off, these are heavier, but in my view offer better foot support. I have had them on but they dont suit my fat calfs. My pal loves them. They do seem to me that they should take the brush better. Both seem quiet enough, with the rubber, being the loudest of the two when you slap/scrap a small branch.

I have also looked into what I was told was a 5 layer gore tex, these are belt height and hip boot type, with a neoprene booty, and you wear a wadding boot over the booty. The ones I have had on are made by Sims.
These are kinda interesting, because with the wadding boot,and the ankle support gained from it, they feel the best to me of all. They would be loud or louder in the feild than Neo. or rubber. If you go with the belt high, no wet butt. I have heard from more than one source, that gravel guards, might be helpfull in keeping small stones out from between the neo. booty and the wadding boot.

I do like the Sporthill 3SP pants that Pumba, told me about for under these boots. They do need a zipper added, but otherwise I like them.

I'm still searching for the best for me, let me know what you find out.

HBH

I have no idea if these are the "Best" or not but I've used the same pair for 40 years!

Let me say that, as a generalization for Alaskan hunting, this is not a requirement in either respect. I have not hunted the coast and I won't speak about what is required there, but having hunted the tundra I found hip boots to be unnecessary and in fact something of a nuisance, in that they are very heavy and will tire you more quickly in terrain that is very tiresome to traverse under the best of circumstances. The only thing that I appreciated about mine was that they permitted me to go on all fours without tearing up the knees of my Gore-Tex pants.

I will carry them if I go back just in case (you never really know about terrain until you arrive) but I would wear my 16 inch L. L. Bean boots in preference in the same terrain. I never saw water more than ankle deep and in any case we avoided walking through obvious bogs because of the danger. My hip boots were loose fitting ordinary duck hunter's boots and I experienced no discomfort in wearing them, though admittedly I wasn't constantly sticking my feet into sucking sand and muck.

IMO,

Brad

You may not need to hunt in hip boots in high country, but a pair does come in handy for getting in and out of float planes or crossing rivers.

I used to buy the ankle-fit, canvas-topped hip boots, but haven't been able to find them recently. The best thing I've found recently is a pair of Lacrosse ankle-fits.

Jim

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Happiness is a warm gun

If you wear polypro and socks, they aren't that tough to get off, though it does take some practice. It would be great if they didn't weigh as much, but then they wouldn't be as tough.

As to whether you need hippers or not, it depends on where you are hunting. If you need them, then you really need them. It would be nice to hunt in areas where a std pair of hunting boots is all you need, but that isn't always the case!

PS: What ever you buy, let us know how they worked!

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

[This message has been edited by MacD37 (edited 04-27-2002).]

Here's a picture of me wearing them black bear hunting last week in S.E. Alaska...

and here's a picture of me wearing XtraTuffs with the bear I shot. (20 10/16th skull, green. 6'10" square estimate so far)

a closer view...

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Brian