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Rubber boot alternatives

Exhumis

Exhumis

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
3,964
Location
Northern Virginia
Hey folks,
I've been wearing Mucks for awhile but am thinking about switching. They don't offer the support I want for my ankles and my feet are soaked with sweat by the time I get up in the tree. I've tried carrying extra socks but with the liner of the boot being soaked that's not much help. My requirements are they need to be at least 10" high and waterproof (or can be made waterproof) as I frequently have to ford streams and swamps.
Anyone have a favorite?
 
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Lacrosse Alphaburly Pro. Love mine, will buy another pair if they ever wear out. After one season they’re showing almost no signs of wear.
 
I hear you with the ankle support, One thing I did is go to a light almost no insulation boot and toss a toewarmer in it when it gets cold.Any colder than that and I used to use boot blankets or now I just use my IWOM. The light boots and toeswarmers usually get me into 30's-40's degree temps for highs.
 
RRussell said:
I hear you with the ankle support, One thing I did is go to a light almost no insulation boot and toss a toewarmer in it when it gets cold.Any colder than that and I used to use boot blankets or now I just use my IWOM. The light boots and toeswarmers usually get me into 30's-40's degree temps for highs.
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Same here. I should have noted that mine are the uninsulated version for the exact reasons above.
 
Exhumis said:
Hey folks,
I've been wearing Mucks for awhile but am thinking about switching. They don't offer the support I want for my ankles and my feet are soaked with sweat by the time I get up in the tree. I've tried carrying extra socks but with the liner of the boot being soaked that's not much help. My requirements are they need to be at least 10" high and waterproof (or can be made waterproof) as I frequently have to ford streams and swamps.
Anyone have a favorite?
Click to expand...
Irish Setter Elk Tracker leather boots. 12” option. I’ve had mine for 3 years. I treat them with obenaufs leather care. Never a leak yet. I clean them with saddle soap and retreat with obenaufs after every season. 06CF8C13-3538-4568-9777-1D4A80330EF2.jpeg
 
Im going to hurt a lot of feelings here.

EVERY RUBBER BOOT MADE IS JUNK IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LONGEVITY. Lacross, Redhead, $49.99 or $159.99 they are all worth about 20 bucks. Theres a brand popular in Alaska I haven't tried but I'll bet it doesn't fare any better than the rest.

Before I switched jobs I was doing 60-90 sits a season. Hardly any of them could make it 45 days. Ive found nothing that would last a season. Your best bet is buy for comfort first and do like someone above said and drop a toe warmer in, elec socks, or something else because every single one of them are the same.

I hate that its that way because I see them as a necessity if you are to keep a location viable for the longest amount of season possible.
 
I usually swap out the stock insoles and replace with SuperFeet insoles. For me, they give a more firm footbed and helps keep rubber boots from feeling sloppy on my feet.
Some people need a little time to get used to SuperFeet. The boot guy at the outdoor store told me that they may hurt some people and wearing them for short periods in the beginning until their feet acclimate. I had no problems at all.
I put them in almost all my boots. I really like them.
 
Original Lacrosse Grange is still my favorite. I rarely wear rubber boots anymore. I much prefer a nice leather/synthetic with support. I have gone to using Kuiu gaiters when it's wet and they do what I need.
 
If you're going to have a waterproof membrane in the boots, you might as well stick with rubber boots. There is no such thing as waterproof and breathable. Only in marketing does that exist. Leather boots with a leather treatment is your best option in my opinion.
 
I do the same thing. Swap the insoles out and make sure they are not tight on my feet. I normally go a 1/2 size bigger. I love my Irish setters. I wear them turkey hunting, deer hunting and just kicking it around the house when its muddy. Mine have lasted me 2 years.
 
I just got the Danner Powderhorn 10” boots. I used Kenatrek boot wax on them before I wore them. They seem to be a good boot so far. I wear them for work and woods. Was running the Ll Bean Kangaroo Featherweight but they changed from Goretex and also the shape of the toe box.
 
Rg176bnc said:
Im going to hurt a lot of feelings here.

EVERY RUBBER BOOT MADE IS JUNK IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LONGEVITY.
Click to expand...
No hurt feelings, but my Muck Fieldblazers are on their 3rd season, and I have put a lot of miles on them. This past weekend I logged 15 miles in 2 days.

I agree they do not generally hold up well, which is why I always buy them on sale, but sometimes you get lucky. I've also found that if you keep them on a dryer and hit them with a rubber conditioner they last longer before they crack.
 
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