Alaska Rubber Boots

[Trailerhunter]

Ill be just outside Fairbanks this fall on my first moose hunt. I'll be hunting with a local who recommended knee high rubber boots. Im due for a new pair and plan to do plenty of hiking in them. What's everyone recommend? Ive been eyeing the Chenes...

 

[AK4570]

Until they moved production offshore, the answer could only be XtraTuffs. Someone who is in a current model could tell you if they remain the go-to boot. I'm still rocking 2 pairs of "made in USA" that are 20 and 17 years old respectively.

Good luck and best regards,
John

 

[carsonkeys]

I have two pair of xtratuffs that I’ve purchased within the last year that are still as waterproof as the day I bought them, including when moose hunting around Fairbanks. Long-term reliability is yet to be seen, though. I’m sure they’ll be fine for your hunt.

Anyway you go, I would recommend making sure the boot is taught enough around your foot and ankle. I absolutely hate hiking in boots that have too much slop. Especially in muskeg, and even more especially with weight on my back in muskeg.

 

[AKHUNTER]

Moose hunting, for us, usually involves a lot of glassing from a high vantage. Sitting for long periods you will appreciate a warm boot. I have been wearing the AlphaBurly Pro 800 for a few years now and they are awesome - the best rubber insulated boot I have worn yet. I'll admit they are a little too warm in the first part of September but towards the 2-3rd week or so I appreciate the warmth. Insulated Extra Tuffs and an insulated Muck boots also work well.

Besides the boots, I cannot recommend enough wearing Bama booties. They are nothing short of F'n magical. They wick the moisture away from your foot and inner sock such that your inner sock and foot will be dry after a day of wearing rubber boots. Dry = warm and comfortable. I typically wear a thinner or medium weight sock under the Bama sock. Bama socks are kind of thick, so you better put on a pair of Bama socks when you test fit your rubber boots ensuring they are not too tight. Tight = cold feet. If you value dry feet and socks you will thank me later.

You might also consider a felt insole for your rubber boots. The felt will add some warmth, cushion, but most importantly absorb some more moisture from your sock. Wearing rubber boots all day is all about moisture management. The beauty of the felt insole is that you can remove them at the end of the day, dry them in your sleeping bag at night or next to the wood stove, pop them back in your boots the next warming for a dry boot. The inside of a rubber boot will NOT dry out over night unless you put it by the wood stove, etc., so if you don't have a dry insole to slip into the boot the next morning you will be putting your dry socks into a damp footbed. The Bama booties also help absorb the damp footbed of the boots. I try to make a point of putting my rubber boots next to the wood stove each night/morning with the bottoms of the soles facing the stove to heat them up and dry them out. Can you tell I don't like wet socks?

Lacrosse Alphaburly Pro 800G insulate Rubber Boot

Lacrosse Alphaburly Pro 18" Boots - 800G, Optifade Elevated II. Built with hand-laid premium rubber over 3.5mm neoprene core for a flexible, waterproof, and scent free boot. Active Fit with adjustable neoprene gusset for easy on/off and a secure fit. Features 800g of Thinsulate Ultra insulation...

www.mackspw.com

https://www.amazon.com/Bama-Sokkets-Thermal-Insulated-45/dp/B004GT9YDU

SERVUS Felt Insoles

SERVUS Felt Insoles: The perfect footbed for waterproof boots. They provide thick cushioning for added comfort and insulate from the ground up. Contou

allseasonsclothingcompany.com

 

[Trailerhunter]

Ive never experienced the xtraTuffs but they appear to me to be very loose around the ankle and therefore not great for being on the move. Can anyone confirm or deny?

 

[BadEarth]

They are looser than an ankle fit rubber boot like lacrosse, they don’t quite snap in like those do. That being said I love my xtratuffs, and the overwhelming alaska favorite I’d say. My brother in law lives/grew up in Alaska and until a couple years ago he knew no different. I remember him hiking some 40 mile mountain trail and he wore his xtratuffs and forgot insoles

 

[Catchfish]

Bama booties could you send a link I can verify I’m looking at the right thing?
Are these pretty small and stretch out to fit pretty snug or do you have a lot of materiel bunching up?

 

[LongWayAround]

Bama booties could you send a link I can verify I’m looking at the right thing?
Are these pretty small and stretch out to fit pretty snug or do you have a lot of materiel bunching up?

He did. It's the Amazon link at the bottom of the post.

I'm pretty intrigued by them since I spend a fair amount of days in knee boots.

 

[AKHUNTER]

Bama booties could you send a link I can verify I’m looking at the right thing?
Are these pretty small and stretch out to fit pretty snug or do you have a lot of materiel bunching up?

I would say they are thicker than most medium weight socks. They're more "rigid" than socks, in that they maintain their shape, but they're not stiff by any means. They fit snug and do not bunch up at all. Like I said, I would definitely recommend getting a pair to test fit them with your rubber boots. I went up a size in my rubber boots to accommodate the Bama socks. You don't want a boot that fits too tight or they will be cold. A store clerk in Kodiak suggested we use Bama socks on a spring bear hunt. She said all the fishermen wear them in their Xtratuff boots. I'm glad we tried them! They are warm enough that I have worn a thin polyester type sock inside of them when I wore my Bunny Boots (old military boots) on a winter moose hunt in AK and had no problem staying warm. The point being that the Bama sock provides good insulation by themselves so you can probably pair it with a light wool or other type of sock to your liking.

https://www.amazon.com/XTRATUF-Sokket-Insulating-Removable-Liners/dp/B0002EEROY/ref=asc_df_B0002EEROY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310689299476&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6139285300934997265&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033936&hvtargid=pla-448771167086&mcid=5cd097dbc887347fabc52996ae1d5675&gclid=CjwKCAiA0PuuBhBsEiwAS7fsNfxi-Js06YkyXep7HqYfuWYK7DaHD7vdC5-Vs1ybZ2cONDS6cl5WgBoCWv4QAvD_BwE&th=1

 

[wowzers]

I’ve been wearing those bama socks for years. I wear a normal pair of socks then those and my regular socks are bone dry at the end of the day. Not really sure how it’s possible but they are great.

 

[AKDoc]

Another vote for the insulated Lacrosse Alphaburly boots...good traction and relatively better ankle support for a rubber knee-high boot.

I've had mine for several years now, replacing a pair of Mucks that I really didn't like the fit. I wear mine on ten to fourteen-day moose hunts, living out of a tent. They are always dry and ready the next day when I pull the tops all the way down and remove the insole when getting into my tent for the night.

 

[Wrench]

I have a few par of extra tuffs. One pair I bought for my first job in Alaska in 1999. They're still awesome. I have a couple of pair of more recent Chinese models in insulated and not.....they're not quite as awesome but 10 years old and not cracking.

I love the fit of xtras over mucks. The xtra fit my feet and ankles great. The mucks are not bad....but they suck to get off.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Alphas are what i wear. I usually get about 3 years out of a pair before they start to have little cracks in them. I use them surveying, fishing and hunting. Once they get little cracks i through some shoe goo on them and leave them in the garage for when visitors come up.

 

[Scottf270]

Alphaburly pros are where it's at.

 

[Agross]

How’s the fit on the xtratuffs? They don’t offer the regular boots in wide.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

from what i remember from my xtratuffs, they fit a bit loosy goosey and they have pretty soft soles. Like mentioned already, you dont quite get the "locked in feel" that you do when you put on a alpha burly. But thats just like my opinion

 

[AKBC]

I use insulated extra tuffs with wool insole liners. The liners make a huge difference in comfort and soaking up sweat. I pull the liners out at night and fold the boots down to make it easier for them to dry out.

 

[Middleofnowhere]

https://gumleafusa.com/shop/boots/the-royal-zip-for-men-and-women/

 

[Agross]

from what i remember from my xtratuffs, they fit a bit loosy goosey and they have pretty soft soles. Like mentioned already, you dont quite get the "locked in feel" that you do when you put on an alpha burly. But thats just like my opinion

That’s good to know. I have a new pair of alpha burly’s that are too snug in the ankle area and a pair of mucks that I like but they r hard to get off

 

[Nick Muche]

Dans Boots with the 5 Star chaps have been incredible.