I'm looking for opinions on boots for elk hunting this fall. I'll be in northwest Colorado in late October.

A few things about me and boots. I have a fairly narrow foot and full leather boots don't often fit me well. My feet sweat very easily so, once I stop, my feet start to get cold. I use uninsulated boots with gore-tex (I would rather not have it but choices are limited without it) for upland birds until the season ends on January 31th and don't have a problem with the cold. But, of course, I'm walking continuously.

Suggestions?

[ 05-30-2002, 06:33: Message edited by: parshal ]

I'm the last guy you want to listen to, but you have my feet. I wore a pair of Danner's last time and did a lot of walking and running to get into position on a couple of moving bulls. Blistered badly. (I had no problem with them months earlier when I was blue quail hunting.)

My recommendation - bring plenty of mole-skin and use it on places where you are known to have problems, before you have problems. My heels eat me alive. It doesn't seem to matter whose boots I wear or how many and what kind of socks I use. My feet are a mystery to me.

I have a pair of Cabelas kangaroo leather ultralite boots that are quite comfortable after going through a bit of a break-in session where my feet blistered at the heel-achiles area on the first trip out. They are a dry weather boot only as my feet get drenched even when walking through a dew covered wheat field during turkey season.

I've had good luck with my cold weather boots, a pair of 600gram thinsulate Danners although I haven't put them through the paces of an elk hunt.

Getting back to the ultralights, I like them so much despite the leakiness that I've considered getting a pair of the gore-tex lined versions. They run about $140 if memory serves. I have a buddy with whom I upland hunt and he loves them...he's on about his third pair. I believe you can get them with thinsulate too so they may be perfect for your application/demands.

Lastly, I've become highly attracted to the Russel Mocassin Company's product which is discussed on another thread starting about one month ago. They custom fit your foot and offer numerous options and models. The price for a boot that appears to be similar to the Cabelas ultralight is not that terribly much more...~25% more. They do take awhile to deliver so you may want to get right on it if interested. I'm hoping to take a Wisconsin fishing trip and go by the facility in Berlin on the way up. If not, I'll do the fitting instructions and order by mail.

,http://www.russellmoccasin.com/main.html.

Good luck.

Reed

Parshal,

Russell's will build boots to fit you and they'll be right or they'll make them right. You can pay a small fee over and above the cost for a rush order.

Parshal,
I can relate (narrow foot, Colorado native, hunt late October etc...). When looking for a boot one of the product "experts" at Cabelas highly recommended the German Meindl boots to me - he and his friends were hunters and said they had tried all the brands they carry and these are what they choose. I first tried one of the models with the cordura fabric and leather - I liked them a lot, but after a couple tough hunting seasons the fabric started to tear near where it connects to the leather - this seems to be a common problem with most cordura boots. Next I went to the all leather Canadians and love them. I enjoy hunting like a mountain goat - the rougher the better. I've really abused them and they are holding up great. They have a lot of support and a tough strong sole which is good on the rocky stuff - (but for something like bowhunting, you can't sneak quite as quietly as a tennis shoe type hiker.)

*** Here is the secret to why these boots are so great (IMHO), if you'll look at a picture, right at the ankle they have a lacing hook set lower than the others. Big deal right?... You've got to try it! Lacing the boot up it feels like an ordinary boot, but you hook it there and cinch down and WOW!, the boot sucks right to your foot like a tennis shoe - it fits 10x better than any boot without it - goodbye blisters and mediocre fit. (I guess Meindl had quite a reputation for world class hiking boots already, before Cabelas partnered with them) I've tried Danners etc but if I can help it, I'll never own another boot that doesn't offer this type of lace-up/fit in the ankle (not all the Meindls have it either).

Cabelas is obviously proud of the brand too, this is from their website: Try them for 60 days-FREE! Go ahead and put any of our Meindl boots to the test. We guarantee you've never hunted in a more comfortable or rugged boot. In fact, we're so sure you'll agree with us, we invite you to test them for 60 days. If they aren't everything we've claimed, simply return them for a full refund.

Just my .02 - I'll try a pic but never tried before....

the only boots to buy are white's if they can't find a size to fit they will custom build them to your foot they are the only one's I wear the good hunting boots go for around $ 400 but are worth the price and if they wear out they will rebuild them for around $ 189 the pair I owen lasted ten years and just sent them in to be redone said eight weeks turn around time and they are made here in the US. hope this helps :Coyote Slayer

I too love my Meidel Canada boots, but I wish they would use something other than vibram for the sole.
Would I buy them again? Certainly, but if I lived in the States I think I would seriously consider the Russel boots too simply to get the airbob soles...

AMEN

I have been tough on boots all my life, being 6'5" and 240 lbs is hard on them. I've had a pair of Cabela's outfitters for 4 years, and they are hold up beautifully in the tough Central Idaho mountains. Insulated, gore-tex, and the airbob sole you NEED. I LOVE these boots!

My father inlaw, however, has your feet, narrow and no padding. He wears a pair of Danners. The lace to the toe construction makes a big difference for him, but he also puts in an shaped in-sole (Dr. Scholl, I believe). Whithout them, his feet still slip and blister. Unfortunately, the Danner airbobs load up with snow, when my Cabela's don't. HTH, Dutch.

Tigar, how long did it take to break in the Canadas?

If you're looking for a less expensive boot, I've had good luck with Rocky Cornstalkers. I had one pair for 8 years and never had a problem with the Cordura seperating from the sole. Only reason I had to replace them was do to melted soles (warmed them too long next the fire).

Parshal, Eeeee! Kinda tough question to answer - I'd probably say about 8-10 hours of tough walking got them pretty well broke in. Unfortunately, I only got them in a few days before a Colorado hunt so I treated the leather some and headed off to one of the steepest "refried" hills I could see around here and hoofed around for a couple hours - next thing I was hunting in them and they did fine - never a blister. The key is making sure your heel doesn't slip in them (which is why I like how they lace) and probably wearing a couple pairs of socks - thin inner one, heavier outer (that's what they showed me in the military -seems to help.)

They are a tall boot too (they have shorter ones), so you need long socks or pants or something that will help pad your shin from the boot. Good luck.

Parshal -- I hope you mean Northwest Colorado, if it is Northeast, Whitetails and Mulies, maybe. I use LL Bean insulated boots with rubber bottoms and leather tops. I hunt the late hunt in November, normaly heavy snow is common. All leather boots in snowy conditions day in and out can get wet and stay that way. Good shooting.

The custom built boots don't even compare. The best that I have found are made by Clemons Boot Co. in Roseburg Or. I have worn whites, wesco, hoffman, and viberg during my logging career, and the Clemons out does them all. Now weather or not you can get ahold of a pair is a different story.

Can someone educate me about Vibram soles and Airbob soles? What's the "good" and "bad" of them?

Thanks.

Russ

Russel, simple. Airbobs for rocks (loose or not), snow and mud. Vibram for anything that won't fill the tread.

The first time you clamber around on a scree covered slope with airbobs, you'll never go back. FWIW, Dutch.

I have the same problem you have narrow foot, and most boots don't fit me. I was hunting in maine this year and the boots i was wearing were killing me. I drove into town and went into a red wing store. They have narrow sizes. The guy fitted me with a boot that feels more comfortable than sneakers. With other boots i would have the lace holes touching because of narrow feet, this causes bunching and hurts. These boots were all leather insulated gore tex and feel great.

Russel,

I find vibram soles very slippy on wet grass, when trying to cross steep slopes; same crossing wet logs. I also find the compound is very hard and "clumpy" / noisy if still hunting on say forestry roads for instance.
A friend had a pair of Rocky Super Stalkers and while the "tops" only lasted two years, I was very impressed with the airbob sole. It was a lot softer and hence quieter than my vibram and he found that they offered far better grip in most conditions than his previous vibram soled boots.

Interestingly, he sent off for another set of Rocky's to replace them and although the sole was an airbob, they squeaked if he walked through wet "marrum" grass or wet bracken stems. It seems they were made of a different compound to the originals. It was so bad he had them resoled in vibram..he .was not really happy going back to vibramt but that is all he could get done locally.

Peter

I wish I had the money that I've spent on boots during my lifetime! Finally, a few years ago I discovered the Meindl boots from Cabela's. WOW...One great boot!! I've got several pairs in different styles and they are great. Almost no break in, extremely comfortable with excellent ankle support, easy on and off and waterproof.I use Thorlo socks and liners and never get blisters under any circumstances.

I use un-insulated backpacking boots with a vibram sole when it's warm, High Danner's with 600 gram Thinsulate/Goretex when it's colder and either pac-boots with a thinsulate liner and vibram soles or a pair of plastic, double mountaineering boots... I DO have a lot of boots!

Still, as a "one-boot-boot" I think the guys are absolutely correct about the Meindl's... they'll fit you narrow foot well, they're available with inuslation (get it), a Goretex liner (I love Goretex in boots) and combine the best of a hunting boot and a backpacking boot... money is NEVER wasted on good boots! A friend loves his Meindl's and uses them chasing Dall Sheep in AK where he lives.

Brad

Well, I went to a Red Wing Shoe store and found some Irish Setters with 400 grams of Thinsulate and Gore-Tex. They were regurlarly $205 on sale for $89. I wore them around for a while and they feel pretty good. When I put them on for a second time the "pull-on" leather thingy tore a little so he gave them to me for $50. Well now, for $50 I'll buy them, where them for a few weeks and if they don't work out get another pair for very little outlay.

Thanks everyone for their help.

I dearly love my Schnee's pac boots, wore them for gosh-only-knows how many miles over hill & dale in northern Maine last year.

www.schnees.com

Mine are the 13" Hunter, their most popular model and height. The airbob soles even work well for crossing frozen streams.

Unfortunately, my feet are the opposite of yours -- wide, and they don't sweat much. I have to wear very heavy socks to make my Schnee's fit. However, their customer service people are very helpful and can probably advise you whether you can make a pair fit. They're normally ordered oversize but maybe you don't have to.

I do recommend following their advice -- wear them around the house for several hours after you get them so you can figure out whether they'll fit while they're still returnable. I felt a little goofy wearing 13" insulated boots and 2 layers of socks with my cargo shorts and T-shirt during Indian summer in DC, but better safe than sorry.

The problem with Schnee's, traditional "hunting boots" (like Danner's and Red Wing's) and pac-boots are they tend to have a lot of "slop" in their fit... that's fine for walking around rolling hills, but when the stuff gets steep (like it DOES in the hell-holes big bulls inhabit) you really are better off with a more "precise" fitting boot. That's one reason I think the Meindel's are so good... they fit the foot like a climbing/backpacking boot, yet are insulated and are high enough to keep the gunk out without resorting to gaiters... until the snow gets deep!

BA

This is all great, but Meindl doesn't make a size for me (15D). Bummer.

Russ

A few years ago I bought an expensive pair of Swiss hicking boots to wear Elk hunting in Colorado. They took a long time to break in. I started to wear them out and about a month before my trip. The weekend before I was to leave I started to develop a hot spot on my big toe. A seam came undone. The local dealer offered to replace them, but didn't have my size in stock. I called Cabela's and had them ship a pair of the Meindl's to the home of my hunting buddy in Colorado. I hated the thought of having to break in a new pair of boots while hunting. That didn't happen. The boots were comfortable from the first time I put them on. That was about 10 years ago. I put in a lot of hard hunting time with those boots. I never got cold feet. My feet sweat, but that wasn't a problem with these boots. Two years ago they started showing the miles. I bought a replacement set and carried in along in case the old pair gave out. So far I'm still in the old old pair. I noticed that Cabela's dropped the model I had and liked. When they put them on clearence, I got a third paid because I don't want to wear anything else.

I have used all types of boots and I hunt east of Pinedale Wyoming. I have found that the lacrosse rubber boots, priced variously around 20 dollars in a size too large and well equiped with insulated socks and extra socks to make the boot fit corectly is the best way to keep my feet dry, warm and without blisters. I don't care what boot you wear but be well advised to carry extra socks and change them if they get wet from either leaks or sweat.

I have a pair of the Cabela's Outfitter boots. They are very comfortable and protective. You cant go wrong. I also have a pair of the Snees pac boots. They are also great.

I have a pair of Russell Stalkers that I dearly love in flat country, but they do not have a hard sole and would not stand up to rocks very long.

If I needed a custom boot I would try Russell first, in one of the more traditional styles.

I think you can get just about any sole you want from Russel.

Don