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Want to get away from rubber boots

Mitchellfarmer1982

Mitchellfarmer1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
335
Location
Arkansas
I am wanting to get away from rubber/neoprene boots, but I go thru alot of water when hunting. I want a good hiking boot with gaiters maybe. I just can't find anything that will keep my feet warm and dry when walking thru knee deep water.
 
How long of a walk do you average through knee deep water?

feet? Yards? Miles?

can you cross water with your rubbers and put on hikers on other side?

if not, I use chota hippies and simms lightweight wading boots down to about 35* with no issue. Colder than that and I bring insulated slippers to wear in the tree and leave the boots on the ground.

I walk a lot though. If you’re just crossing creeks and puddles to get to a stand 300 yards away, just pack your hikers to other side of the water
 
Mitchellfarmer1982 said:
I am wanting to get away from rubber/neoprene boots, but I go thru alot of water when hunting. I want a good hiking boot with gaiters maybe. I just can't find anything that will keep my feet warm and dry when walking thru knee deep water.
Click to expand...

A couple of questions might help provide some guidance:
How deep is the water?
How far are you hiking?
How long are you sitting?
What is the temperature range?
 
Maverick1 said:
A couple of questions might help provide some guidance:
How deep is the water?
How far are you hiking?
How long are you sitting?
What is the temperature range?
Click to expand...
Usually knee deep
Mile to mile and a half
Sits 4 to 6 hours usually sometimes more
20' to 50' mostly
 
kyler1945 said:
How long of a walk do you average through knee deep water?

feet? Yards? Miles?

can you cross water with your rubbers and put on hikers on other side?

if not, I use chota hippies and simms lightweight wading boots down to about 35* with no issue. Colder than that and I bring insulated slippers to wear in the tree and leave the boots on the ground.

I walk a lot though. If you’re just crossing creeks and puddles to get to a stand 300 yards away, just pack your hikers to other side of the water
Click to expand...
If I need waders I pack my boots and swap but for knee deep or less I'm looking for simpler
 
Mitchellfarmer1982 said:
If I need waders I pack my boots and swap but for knee deep or less I'm looking for simpler
Click to expand...

if you want to walk through knee deep water you need hip boots. If you want to walk through ankle deep water you need knee boots. It’s that simple.

gaiters won’t keep water out of boots besides a step or two.

you either keep ALL the water out the boot, or let the water IN the boot, and wear a stockingfoot hip or chest wader.

these are your options. Unless you’ve come up with a hiker that goes above your knee that’s waterproof, comfortable from 20-80*, reasonably priced, and available today. I’ll wait…
 
The chota hippies and simms wading boots were settled in after hundred of hours prototyping stupid ways to do the thing. And thousands more being annoyed about it. They just work really well. They may seem silly at first. But that’s because your expectations are a unicorn. Settle for a pretty horse.
 
ImThere said:
Us rednecks just put black plastic bags over our boots and cross the creek then take them off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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So my buddy is tracking this buck one day when suddenly he gets on the radio and tells me were screwed, it crossed a major river, I get down to him and he shows me this tree it hit just before it crossed the river, I said bull **** and out comes the contractor bags, half way across and I realize this probably wasn’t a good idea, water up over my waist and those bags taking on water like the titanic, I made it and barely, I crawled up on the rocks like a drowning muskrat and proceeded to dump my boots, spent the rest of the day chasing that beast with no luck, if given the chance again at a buck like that on snow I have zero doubt I would do the same thing lol.
 
sdonx said:
I just bought these:
Amazon.com : Hodgman Gamewade Hip Packable Wader : Sports & Outdoors

I havnt had the chance to try them yet.

The other day I used two large green construction style plastic bags, they worked fine. On the way out I looked like I had just disposed of a body...lol.
Glad I didn't bump into anyone.
Click to expand...

is the bottom a different material than the sides? if not, i'd consider preemptively applying something that will keep sticks and sharp rocks from poking through. maybe a layer of rough cordura glued on with seam sealer/adhesive or shoe goo.
 
Mitchellfarmer1982 said:
If I need waders I pack my boots and swap but for knee deep or less I'm looking for simpler
Click to expand...

frog togs makes an ultralight hip wader with nylon sides but heavy duty bottoms, lug or felt

i only have a few water access areas where i cross a stream, i leave them hid in the bushes while hunting

muck made and then discontinued these neoprene laceups with fleece interior

they are one of the lightest and most comfortable boots i own, and prove that rubber/neoprene boots are clammy due to no moisture absorbing liner and that leather boots don't really breath either

anyways, you can still find them new on ebay and other places, they come in 3 heights, and one is knee high, you'll get the comfort of a regular boot but the functionality of a knee high rubber boot....if you can find them...no idea why they discontinued the best boot they've ever made

www.ebay.com

Muck Boot Pursuit Shadow Ankle Boots - Lightweight Waterproof Hunting - PSK-RTX | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Muck Boot Pursuit Shadow Ankle Boots - Lightweight Waterproof Hunting - PSK-RTX at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
 
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
sdonx said:
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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if these were stocking foot, then you could put a sacrificial hiking book over the sock with the only requirement being comfort and traction.....get'em soaked and change the cheap things out once a year
 
I am going to just pack them in and just slip them over my boots when I get to the water, walk across and take them off and leave them. Next on my list is the same design but in chest waders.
 
raisins said:
if these were stocking foot, then you could put a sacrificial hiking book over the sock with the only requirement being comfort and traction.....get'em soaked and change the cheap things out once a year
Click to expand...

or buy chota hippies………

I’m in season three with mine, and I abiuse them. If I think about it, I tuck them under my pants for walking through brush. I very rarely think about it. They hold up great.
 
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