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Boots

useyourbow

useyourbow

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2020
Messages
82
What boots do seasoned saddle hunters wear. I am thinking of migrating from my long time, scent control Lacrosse alpha burleys for something that provides a little extra athleticism/feel. However there are occasions when the 18" high neoprene comes in handy.
 
If I'm avoiding water, Crispi's all day every day. If waters involved either my Gumleafs or Alphaburlys
 
I’d like to move to a hiking boot with gaiters myself.. I enjoy my Tidewe boots, but they suck for long treks when they’re not needed. What style of boot are you looking for?
 
Shopping right now. Can't justify the cost of Crispin.

A lot of guys like a stiff sole, which makes sense for standing on the edge of a platform. But I much prefer a flexible sole.. I find it more comfortable, more stable (because I can feel the terrain under my feet), and quieter (again, because I can feel a stick under my foot and let-up). I can literally fill a rubber boot with sweat, so those are out.

All thay being said, I haven't found my boot. Got some underarmour boots last year, and blew them out in 1 whitetail season. Just got a pair of lacrosse lodestars and they are the most uncomfortable pieces of **** I've ever put on.

Back to shopping..
 
I just upgraded to a Danner Alsea for my hiking boot so I can't provide an accurate review on them but I'll keep with my Lacrosse Granges that I've had for 8 seasons for my mud boots. The Granges have softer bottoms which give extra feel and dexterity but come at the cost of comfort on longer sits. But I keep looking at the Lacrosse Alphaburly Pros in First Lite Fusion mainly to match the rest of my First Lite kit.
 
I have a set of kenetrek mountain extremes w 400 grams of thinsulate that I’ve used for the past 3 years. I’ve been happy with them, but I think Zamberlan makes a better product. I have 4 pairs of zams that I wear all the time...work, out and about, etc. and they are super comfortable. Considering looking into their hunting lineup. Pricey, but worth it
 
I got my first good pair of boots this year for this reason. Lowa Renegade GTXs. They're amazing. So dang comfortable. I've been wearing them to work lately because of all the snow we've been getting and I wish I could wear them every day. If it's not really cold, but I'm concerned about water, I wear gaiters with them. If it's super cold I've got my heavyweight alphaburlys for now.
 
MIbowhunter49 said:
Shopping right now. Can't justify the cost of Crispin.

A lot of guys like a stiff sole, which makes sense for standing on the edge of a platform. But I much prefer a flexible sole.. I find it more comfortable, more stable (because I can feel the terrain under my feet), and quieter (again, because I can feel a stick under my foot and let-up). I can literally fill a rubber boot with sweat, so those are out.

All thay being said, I haven't found my boot. Got some underarmour boots last year, and blew them out in 1 whitetail season. Just got a pair of lacrosse lodestars and they are the most uncomfortable pieces of **** I've ever put on.

Back to shopping..
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I’m in this same boat. Feeling like Crispi Thor GTX is my boot, but man. $300+? Not sure if I can pull that trigger. Anyone have experience with these? Good hiking boot? Durable? Any regrets if you did buy?
 
MIbowhunter49 said:
All thay being said, I haven't found my boot. Got some underarmour boots last year, and blew them out in 1 whitetail season. Just got a pair of lacrosse lodestars and they are the most uncomfortable pieces of **** I've ever put on.

Back to shopping..
Click to expand...

I was in a similar situation for a few years. I finally bit the bullet a few years ago and bought some high end mountain boots with a full rubber rand. They've performed great. I wear gaiters with them too. You've already gone through 2 pair of boots in 2 years. Do you want to keep doing that every year?
 
peteherbst said:
I’m in this same boat. Feeling like Crispi Thor GTX is my boot, but man. $300+? Not sure if I can pull that trigger. Anyone have experience with these? Good hiking boot? Durable? Any regrets if you did buy?
Click to expand...
I have no experience with those boots but based on reviews of other Crispi, I'd say the $300 is a good investment since they tend to last way longer than any rubber boot I've owned...(again just based on what I've been reading).

I want to try some Crispi but there's no where within a day's drive of me that carries them.
 
Gator said:
I have no experience with those boots but based on reviews of other Crispi, I'd say the $300 is a good investment since they tend to last way longer than any rubber boot I've owned...(again just based on what I've been reading).

I want to try some Crispi but there's no where within a day's drive of me that carries them.
Click to expand...

Same here. Wish Amazon carried them so I could return them for free if they don't fit.
 
MIbowhunter49 said:
Same here. Wish Amazon carried them so I could return them for free if they don't fit.
Click to expand...
It appears you can return them for free if you buy directly from Crispi. My issue is which pair to choose...

Their website does have this caveat. " Note: Please try on your boots or shoes indoors and with the socks you intend to wear before going outside. Once the tags are removed and the shoes are worn outside they will not be accepted for a return for fit "
 
Carolina has come out with a new hunting series. I have their 8068 (I believe) work boots both in non insulated and with 800gram insulation and they provide a lot of great support and rigidity. They are waterproof too but I also put sno-seal on mine. I can hike all day in these with my pack and set up. Not sure about an all day rut sit in <20 degree weather but we sit too long in one spot anyway in my opinion. They work great for 3-5 hours sits with a light wicking sock underneath a decent wool regular sock. Not a wool sock like you would use in your rubber boots just a nice wool sock with a thin wicking layer underneath. You could also make them more insulated by beefing up the insole with wool felt cut to size. Probably give you another hour or so. You want to gauge your sock thickness to be sure its not too tight, you want a nice layer of air inside the boot. The 800gram are pretty warm. Coupled with a gaiter may be a pretty good option for most hunts where you're not crossing rivers or hunting in swamps and super wet conditions.
 
I started using the Keen Summit County towards the end of season and I really liked it. It’s light weight and waterproof. Not sure on how long they will hold up though.
 
If your tired of wearing boots out every year check out the all leather mountain boots. I picked up a pair of hanwag trappers for a steal over 4 years ago. I have worn the snot out of them on the steep, rocky sidehills in ncpa for 4 full hunting seasons. Including doing bear drives in the snow, the leather is finally starting to show some wear at the flex points but I have some serious miles on these boots.

I probably would never had paid full price to try this style of boot out, but I believe they are worth it after my experience.
 
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