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Rubber boots / ROS / insoles help

N

neonmasters

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
16
We walk miles of flooded timber where we hunt. I’ve always used Lacrosse boots or Dan hip boots with Lacrosse bottoms. I am thinking that they might not be the most comfortable boot while using ROS. Has anyone tried an insole to firm up the bottom of a rubber boot that would help elevate some of the pressure while on the steps? If so, what have you found that helped?
Thanks
Mark
 
neonmasters said:
We walk miles of flooded timber where we hunt. I’ve always used Lacrosse boots or Dan hip boots with Lacrosse bottoms. I am thinking that they might not be the most comfortable boot while using ROS. Has anyone tried an insole to firm up the bottom of a rubber boot that would help elevate some of the pressure while on the steps? If so, what have you found that helped?
Thanks
Mark
Click to expand...
Sitting! Get some kneepads or a seat cushion and hang the cushion where your knees would contact the tree and sit to relieve pressure on your feet! Other than that alot of guys went to a platform! If your feet hurt on a ROS nothing is really gonna help except taking pressure off your feet! A bunch of guys have tried all kinds of stuff and nothing has really been found to work to my knowledge! Personally I use a ROS that alot of guys don't like and I like them fine and with my cheap pair of rubber boots they don't bother my feet at all but everyone is different so I hope this helps if not maybe someone else will chim in!! Good luck brother and good hunting!!!
 
Agree with Recurvaholic! ROS is the way to go. I like to have my feet at the sides of the tree instead of standing in front of it like you would with a platform. I use bolts so i doubt there will be anything more uncomfortable than them. I put four of them in a cross pattern. I will usually sit with one foot on the side of the tree and put one on the bolt that is pointing directly at me. I will put my knee directly into the tree while sitting (this is the leg that the bolt is directly in front of me) This allows me to take all the weight off of my feet. I will switch legs here and there and even switch from insole of foot to heel of foot but I can sit from dark to dark without much foot pain.
 
neonmasters said:
We walk miles of flooded timber where we hunt.
Click to expand...

This is my setup as well. I was able to hold out on a 9 hour sit in my LaCross Big Cheifs on a ring of bolts. I did have an extra set of insoles in those boots as the sole is not that comfortable as sold. At the end of the day, comfort helps your success, but being able to tough it out is more important IMO.
 
Recurveaholic said:
Sitting! Get some kneepads or a seat cushion and hang the cushion where your knees would contact the tree and sit to relieve pressure on your feet! Other than that alot of guys went to a platform! If your feet hurt on a ROS nothing is really gonna help except taking pressure off your feet! A bunch of guys have tried all kinds of stuff and nothing has really been found to work to my knowledge! Personally I use a ROS that alot of guys don't like and I like them fine and with my cheap pair of rubber boots they don't bother my feet at all but everyone is different so I hope this helps if not maybe someone else will chim in!! Good luck brother and good hunting!!!
Click to expand...

Agree. If you sit in the saddle you could wear crocs and it won’t matter. That’s basically what my tingley ultralights are that I wear in the early season.
 
Initially I had some wood blocks that I drilled through the center of to try and make a set of diy bolt pedals.... wasn't worth it. I'm sure something wider could be used to get more area under your foot.
 
If you can space your steps just closer than the length of your boot, you can have your heel on one step and your toe on another. Even if you need to add one more step to cover all sides of tree, not a big issue. I spend a lot of time with my foot either on two steps or heel/toe on one step/top WEStep. This helps a lot by spreading your weight to two parts of your foot.
 
I really like Superfeet insoles. I don't do ROS, but I do have Superfeet in a lot of my boots and shoes. They give a nice firm footbed and improve lateral support in rubber boots. Some people need to wear them for short periods in order for their feet to get used to them, but I did not have that problem, from day one they felt great to me.
I also bought some Alpaca insoles that I slip underneath the Superfeet in my uninsulated Muck boots. My feet stay warm with that set up. The alpaca adds another layer of cushioning to the Superfeet in boots that otherwise offer little support (like Tingleys, or paddling shoes).
These would have to improve comfort to some degree on a ROS. Would they add enough comfort? IDK, since I don't do ROS. I can say that climbing on bolts feels better with my insole configuration. There are a bunch of different models of Superfeet. I've only used the green ones so I can't say how any others would work.
www.superfeet.com

All-Purpose Support High Arch

Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch insoles offer professional-grade orthotic support for anyone who wants their footwear to fit and feel better. An excellent choice for those with high arches, these original shoe inserts are an affordable, effective alternative to custom orthotics. Designed...
www.superfeet.com www.superfeet.com
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I really like Superfeet insoles. I don't do ROS, but I do have Superfeet in a lot of my boots and shoes. They give a nice firm footbed and improve lateral support in rubber boots. Some people need to wear them for short periods in order for their feet to get used to them, but I did not have that problem, from day one they felt great to me.
I also bought some Alpaca insoles that I slip underneath the Superfeet in my uninsulated Muck boots. My feet stay warm with that set up. The alpaca adds another layer of cushioning to the Superfeet in boots that otherwise offer little support (like Tingleys, or paddling shoes).
These would have to improve comfort to some degree on a ROS. Would they add enough comfort? IDK, since I don't do ROS. I can say that climbing on bolts feels better with my insole configuration. There are a bunch of different models of Superfeet. I've only used the green ones so I can't say how any others would work.
www.superfeet.com

All-Purpose Support High Arch

Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch insoles offer professional-grade orthotic support for anyone who wants their footwear to fit and feel better. An excellent choice for those with high arches, these original shoe inserts are an affordable, effective alternative to custom orthotics. Designed...
www.superfeet.com www.superfeet.com
Click to expand...
They certainly can't hurt!!
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I really like Superfeet insoles. I don't do ROS, but I do have Superfeet in a lot of my boots and shoes. They give a nice firm footbed and improve lateral support in rubber boots. Some people need to wear them for short periods in order for their feet to get used to them, but I did not have that problem, from day one they felt great to me.
I also bought some Alpaca insoles that I slip underneath the Superfeet in my uninsulated Muck boots. My feet stay warm with that set up. The alpaca adds another layer of cushioning to the Superfeet in boots that otherwise offer little support (like Tingleys, or paddling shoes).
These would have to improve comfort to some degree on a ROS. Would they add enough comfort? IDK, since I don't do ROS. I can say that climbing on bolts feels better with my insole configuration. There are a bunch of different models of Superfeet. I've only used the green ones so I can't say how any others would work.
www.superfeet.com

All-Purpose Support High Arch

Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch insoles offer professional-grade orthotic support for anyone who wants their footwear to fit and feel better. An excellent choice for those with high arches, these original shoe inserts are an affordable, effective alternative to custom orthotics. Designed...
www.superfeet.com www.superfeet.com
Click to expand...
www.superfeet.com

merinoGREY

A merino wool top layer added to our most popular insole, the Superfeet GREEN, so you can enjoy Superfeet’s legendary support with all-season comfort.
www.superfeet.com www.superfeet.com

These are wool lined green insoles. I am trying these out this year to see if I like them. I haven't tried them in my Tingly boots yet. I want to give them a year to get a better feel for them.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
@neonmasters if your lacrosse boots are grange or similar soles I feel your pain. Crocs are more comfortable on a ring of steps. Just socks almost beat them. Muck equalizers, woody max, tingleys ultralights, and TideWe have all proven comfortable to me. My lacrosse really aren’t comfortable even on a platform.
@Matki15 apparently loves his granges so I guess it shows we are just all put together different. It’s difficult for me to move around the tree with a chest high tether hookup.
 
I wear lacrosse alphaburly and have a green super foot insole. I use ROS with squirrel steps or bolts and mix between lean and sit. The boots are great for this!
 
Thanks for the replies. I’m thinking insoles might be the ticket. I am currently using grange because they are lightweight and fairly inexpensive. I have used the higher end insulated Lacrosse but those neoprene uppers don’t hold up well. The ankles are the first place they start breaking down and get thin. It chaps me to have a pair of $200 boots start leaking on the first year of service. I would be open to trying another brand if I could find a pair with ankle fit like the Lacrosse. Ankle fit are a necessity for me for long wet treks. I have a platform but I’m putting together a Shikar/Scout for single sticking and wanted to anchor it at hunting height with a strap and 3 steps.
 
If the super feet insole is too hard try this. I have plantar fasciitis and I have these in all my hunting boots.
 

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