Has anyone tried those Filson Boots with the wool insulation. Filson claims that their boots are waterproof and that they are some of the most rugged and warm boots around. Anybody veryify that???

Blue

The Filson Highlander is water resistant and not claimed to be waterproof. The key to keeping dry in them will be often and liberal treatment. The Tin Cloth in the tongue can rub some people the wrong way. As much as I love wool, I think there are better performing boots for less money. The Chippewa Arctic 50 comes to mind. I tried the Filsons on and passed.

Post deleted by beemanbeme

Matterhorne leather boots are definately waterproof!

Steve

who sells those Matterhorn boots.

Blue

Blue, Filson boots are OK, but they're not as good as Danner's. I don't know how many pairs of Danner's I've worn out over the years, but it's been quite a few, and I've worn 'em from Alaska to Mexico on many, many hunts -- all of them in fact, (except Africa and two in Alaska) since 1977. Where Danner is better is in that the upper is actually stitched down to the sole. This is an incredibly strong system that virtually eliminates the possibility of a detached sole, and increases waterproofness considerably. Also, if you pick the right model, you get a boot with milled Army lace studs that won't bend or break, instead of bent metal ones that will. The Filson system is built a lot cheaper, and the quality of their boots does NOT match the quality of their clothes.



I'm currently hunting N. America with three pairs of Danner's: Light Hikers, which I wear on any dry-weather, desert-type hunt, which I do a lot of; Rainforests for general hunting, especially in steep elk country; plus an old pair of Elk Hunters that are really too heavy, but they're great boots and I reserve them for certain hunts that aren't too steep, but with lots of blow-down, etc.



Also, I strongly advise staying away from ANY boot with fake sheepskin lining, or any kind of wooly lining. That stuff will only give you blisters, plus when it gets wet (and it will!) it'll STAY wet. Pilgrim stuff.... I remember a fellow on an elk hunt one year that had a sheepskin lined rifle scabbard. One day during the hunt it rained off and on throughout the day, and at night it went to well-below freezing. He left his rifle in the scabbard over night, and that bloody, lousy sheep fluff (which held water all the previous day) FROZE and he couldn't get his rifle out of the scabbard the next morning! Brilliant concept, just brilliant!



Gore-Tex and Gore-Tex/Thinsulate lined boots are the way to go!



In Africa, I wear Russell's. Period!



AD

Allen

I have been to the Russell Factory and have actually had them make me a pair of custom shoes, but not boots. Have you tried any of their boots at anytime in the past, and if so, how would you compare them to the Danner's.

blue

Blue, please re-read my edited previous post.

Russell boots are of the highest quality, and I love them. I wear them (Imperials) just about every day. I've tried High Country Hunters, Lace-To-Toe Hunters, and Sheep Hunters on several hunts, especially in British Columbia, Arizona, New Mexico, and Sonora, and always with a pair of Danner Light Hikers along 'just in case'. Try as they might, Russell still hasn't come up with a truly good mountain hunting boot, and I don't think it's in the cards for them to do so. In my opinion, they make the best flatlander boots in the world, but not boots for really steep, rough going. Those Air-Bob soles they were so hot on when the High Country Hunter was introduced simply aren't worth a damn (you slip like crazy in them), and are nowhere near as effective as the most deeply treaded Vibram sole, and I sent mine back for replacement.

If you want to hunt elk, stick with Danners or something comparable. White's are great in most ways, but heavy......

AD

I can only speak about conditions in western Canada, but, in 48 yrs. of hiking, 40 yrs. of climbing, hunting, backpacking and many years of actually working in the wilderness, I learned a few things about boots. I also worked as the bootfitter for the largest mountain gear retailer in Vancouver, B.C.; not M.E.C.

I had a pair or Russell boots made for me in 1988, these were the Mountain Hunter model with Air Bob soles. They were and are junk, period. They are, along with Hermann Survivors and Dunham's Tyrolleans, the most over-rated, poorly performing pieces of crap I have ever used, out of more than 20 pairs of mountain boots.

I have also had "Redwing" boots and they are not up to much, either. The use of "Gore-Tex" and so forth in outdoor boots is a marketing ploy and I intensely dislike any of the synthetic linings and insulations because they are too hot in warm weather, causing blisters and retain moisture when soaked, causing wet, cold feet. This is based on using them and finding them unequal to the demands of B.C. conditions.

I use full grain leather mountain boots only, I presently am using Scarpas, Kastingers, an ancient pair of Meindles and my Schnee pacs and "Mickey Mouse" boots. Good boots are expensive and require care, but, I have pairs that are more than twenty years old, on their fouth set of soles, black with waterproofing and still going strong.

A serious mountain hunter, IMO, needs two pairs of full grain leather mountain boots and a pair of Schee pacs, at least. To buy boots, go to a serious mountain shop, where they use the Oren fitting techniques and buy the best boots you can afford; you will not regret this purchase.

My comments here are NOT intended as a slight to anyone; my intention is simply to provide information which may be useful to some other hunters. Obviously, the requirements for hunting in the flatlands are not the same as for where I live and hunt. I just returned from a five day, solo trip in the mountains and my boots coped with rocks, ice, snow, mud and rain w/o a leak, that's what counts.

I have a pair of the all-leather non-insulated Filson boots, and my comments would pretty much agree with Allen Day's. Danners are better. The Filson leather seems a bit thin and soft. The boots are comfortable but I don't think they will hold up near as well as Danner's.
I hunt with either Danner's or Schnee Pac's although I don't hunt in the kind of terrain that Kutenaymtnboy hunts. If I were going there I would definately follow his advice and buy the good mountain boots to go along with my Schnee's. I also hoping to buy a pair of Russels and plan a trip to africa.....DJ