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Hunting boot help!

raisins said:
I am in the same boat, having feet that are wide boats.

I may send my La Sportivas back because they just barely do not push my toe out of alignment (which causes me pain/injury when I walk with toes not in a natural position).

Are the Meindl Comfort Fits a wide toe box like Merrell or Keen wides (if you have experience with those)?

Ironically (maybe?) the less expensive boots (Merrell and Keen) tend to have much roomier toe boxes than boots made in Europe (skinny feet people over there?).
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In the comfort fit line, I have the shoes and uninsulated boots in a 14d. When i ordered the insulated version, I had to go with the 14w.
Yes, they advertise that the comfort fits are wider in the toe section.
If they don't fit, they pay the return shipping and send the replacements free ship.
 
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FWIW Danner and Lacrosse are actually the same company. I’ve had a number of both brands. The American made danner’s are long lasting and quite reliable.
 
I have had the benefit of being able to try
many different boot companies for (oh my) two decades logging as many miles as Forrest Gump running. I wear a 14W. About four years ago I was working with some European guys raider in the mountains and they all had on Meindl boots. I had never heard of them, but once I got them, I ordered another pair immediately. They make them in a wide with a wide toe box and also send you (you have to ask for them) thin mesh spacers you put under the insole to really dial in the fit to you and your sock. I have the un insulated and insulated boots and love them.

https://meindlusa.com/collections/mens-collection/Men's

Everyone in the US loves Crispi due to ads and marketing. Meindl is almost identical but in an actual wide version. Customer service is top notch also. I’m fairly sure it’s just a few guys running the US shop for the Germans. Very responsive guys, give them a call.
 
Zero One Actual said:
I have had the benefit of being able to try
many different boot companies for (oh my) two decades logging as many miles as Forrest Gump running. I wear a 14W. About four years ago I was working with some European guys raider in the mountains and they all had on Meindl boots. I had never heard of them, but once I got them, I ordered another pair immediately. They make them in a wide with a wide toe box and also send you (you have to ask for them) thin mesh spacers you put under the insole to really dial in the fit to you and your sock. I have the un insulated and insulated boots and love them.

https://meindlusa.com/collections/mens-collection/Men's

Everyone in the US loves Crispi due to ads and marketing. Meindl is almost identical but in an actual wide version. Customer service is top notch also. I’m fairly sure it’s just a few guys running the US shop for the Germans. Very responsive guys, give them a call.
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"Meindl is almost identical" to Crispi...thats really not been my experience at all. Maybe I tried the wrong boot. (Comfort fit 400). I returned them, and I totally agree Customer Service was great through that process.

I don't have a lot of experience with Crispi either, but I got the $65 Sportsman Warehouse sale priced Crossover GTX boots they make, and my impression is the quality was much more high end than Meindl.

I tried Hoffman Mountain Hunters, which didn't work for me, but were finely crafted. And I have Lathrop and Sons Mountain Hunter Warm boots that I like a lot.

My Crispis are a lot more like those boots in quality.

Maybe I have it wrong, but that is my experience.

In a German boot, I'd be interested in trying Lowa or Hanwag to see how they stack up.
 
I live in northern Minnesota on the border with Wisconsin, rifle season gets cold sometimes. I’ve hunted down to -12F as a kid but that requires at least a partially enclosed stand and heater. I started trad bow hunting two years ago, and I’m bad at it. That means I’ve hunted the first week of January, this year the last day was -3F.

Irish Setter 800 gram boots and Lacrosse Alphabury 800 gram boots don’t cut it below 10F for me. I love my Steger Mukluks, incredibly light, quiet, and warm. They have no ankle support but they’re like wearing moccasins so I don’t worry about rolling my weak ankles. Throw in foot warmers and -10F hasn’t been a problem sitting in the snow or on a wooden platform.

But I need a carbon fiber saddle platform, because aluminum just pulls the heat out of my feet. One user here is working on one and I’d love to try it out.
 
TheBlindCat said:
I live in northern Minnesota on the border with Wisconsin, rifle season gets cold sometimes. I’ve hunted down to -12F as a kid but that requires at least a partially enclosed stand and heater. I started trad bow hunting two years ago, and I’m bad at it. That means I’ve hunted the first week of January, this year the last day was -3F.

Irish Setter 800 gram boots and Lacrosse Alphabury 800 gram boots don’t cut it below 10F for me. I love my Steger Mukluks, incredibly light, quiet, and warm. They have no ankle support but they’re like wearing moccasins so I don’t worry about rolling my weak ankles. Throw in foot warmers and -10F hasn’t been a problem sitting in the snow or on a wooden platform.

But I need a carbon fiber saddle platform, because aluminum just pulls the heat out of my feet. One user here is working on one and I’d love to try it out.
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Which model do you use?

My big hangup with Mukluks is stream/creek crossing. I'm not sure how that'd go. I know one fellow who carries heavy mil plastic bags to don for this.

I've been thinking about adding Hoffman Pac boots for those super cold days. I've done sub zero in 450g boots, my feet were cold, lol.
 
Plebe said:
Which model do you use?

My big hangup with Mukluks is stream/creek crossing. I'm not sure how that'd go. I know one fellow who carries heavy mil plastic bags to don for this.

I've been thinking about adding Hoffman Pac boots for those super cold days. I've done sub zero in 450g boots, my feet were cold, lol.
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Moose hide lowers and canvas uppers. They are an absolute no go for standing water or stream crossing. I’ve worn them ice fishing in a hut with heater that gets slush, that was fine. The silicone spray they sell keeps them dry for snow melting on them. But when I’m wearing them there isn’t any streams/creeks that aren’t frozen solid here.

If it’s cold enough I’m wearing my Mukluks and the river is big enough it’s not frozen, I’m not crossing it.

If that’s your concern maybe a Lacrosse 1000-1600 gram boot might be a good idea.
 
Bought Hoffman's last year but never got cold enough to wear them. My Zamberlan's have been great, but definitely not cheap. Maybe a touch warm early, but not enough to bother me. Main thing is comfort during a walk and when necessary, standing on a ROS. I wanted ankle support and I got it.
 

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Shapeshifter said:
I'm thinking about getting some new cold weather boots that are lightweight. I have worn rubber boots of varying amounts of insulation for the past 30 years. Overall I have always been satisfied with how well they kept my feet dry and how well they handled long sits in cold weather. The one drawback being walking comfort on long walks. Having started hunting more public land in the last few years, I have found myself walking farther in to more remote places. I have been thinking about buying a new pair of lightweight, waterproof insulated boots that leather/cordura uppers. I have heard great things about Crispi boots, but honestly they are way out of my price range. I have been looking at the LaCrosse Atlas insulated boot. LaCrosse uses their Dry Core waterproofing and primaloft insulation. I was wondering if any of you had any experience with this boot or any other LaCrosse boots using Dry core. How well did it work for you? Did they keep your feet dry and warm. How does Dry Core compare to Gor tex? How about comfort? Please let me know your thoughts.
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What counts as "cold weather" to you?

I hunt in Northern MN; there are a lot of swamps up here. "Warm" and "lightweight" just don't go together, especially if you try to add "waterproof". Steger Mukluks (and Empire Canvas mukluks) are the exception to this rule, but they aren't waterproof. Ironically, mukluks seem best if you're walking long distances in extreme cold, where everything is frozen. If it's not quite that cold and you've got slush or unfrozen swamp or whatever you're going to get wet feet unless you have heavier, more waterproof, boots.

I have some Solomon insulated boots that I like if I'm not in the woods all day. If I am in the woods all day, I'm either in Sorrel snowmobile boots, rubber Kamik pac boots, or mil-surp bunny boots. The bunny boots are the warmest but weigh a ton. I love mukluks but I encounter too much slush where I find myself chasing deer to take a chance with them.
 
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