I'm 41 years old. When I started packing in my teens everything was heavy. Got into lighter stuff as it became popular but now wanting to hunt. Addition of rifle, ammo, spotting scope, rangefinder, camo, knife, saw, etc is going to add 10-20 lb minimum to my ~25-30lb weekend loadout. Don't need a boot that will survive a grenade blast, but I want to make sure it will handle packing in, day rambles, and potentially hauling a de-boned whitetail out 3-5 miles in comfort. Looking for a compromise of performance and flexibilty. Been reading on here about the L&S Tech Lite Hunter, Solomon Quest, Hanwag Alaska and Mountain Light. I'm used to a very flexible low boot and I realize stiffer will transfer more effort to the ground. Yet, I wonder if these are all too stiff? Is a steel shank still the thing, or has something taken it's place? It would be nice for it to be waterproof as possible as I cross a lot of ankle to knee high creeks. Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
Boot for midwest whitetail hunting?
- Thread starter JCB75
- Start date
My feet are not the same as yours. In other words this is a subjective topic. My experience is from running lesser quality boots is a waste of time, money, and pain. I wear boots everyday and I don't buy cheap ones. As far as hunting the plains or the west I wear hanwag mountain lights. I purchased them from lathrop & sons in 2008. I wish I would have done it sooner.
It's overkill for the plains but they are superior to the Irish setters they replaced. My feet are fairly flat and wide. Fimd a way to try on the boots your interested in. It maybe a pain but it's worth the effort to get a good boot.
It's overkill for the plains but they are superior to the Irish setters they replaced. My feet are fairly flat and wide. Fimd a way to try on the boots your interested in. It maybe a pain but it's worth the effort to get a good boot.
- Banned
- #4
GKPrice
Banned
do you have a Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop near you ? Or some kind of retailer that carries a full spectrum of gear ? Lowa is just one of the outstanding HIGH END boot makers but google Bakers Boots and ask them if they know a place where a "working man" can see some, at least, of what's available out there
We do have a Bass Pro here in Springfield, MO. The original. If the story is true what I always heard is Johnny Morris began selling fishing lures on end caps of his uncle's Brown Derby liquor stores here. I was too young to remember. I don't know about other towns but they have a gun museum that takes two hours two walk through. Unbelievable. Another side room I hear has guns in the $50,000 range. Never went in there though. I will have to check what they have in boots. We also have a Dynamic Earth backpacking shop. Not an area for mountaineering boots per say but animal hauling may or may not put me in the category? Not sure. Maybe a heavy duty hunting or backpacking boot is enough. That's what I'm trying to determine for starters. I can look at a bunch of boots but looking won't tell me if it will handle a weekend backpack plus small to mid de-boned whitetail. That's why I'm asking those who've done it with different grades of boots.
Heck, I packed a buck out in KY with Lacrosse rubber boots last year. Only about a mile or a little more, though. Lol.
Unless I were in the mountains, I wouldn't worry about a stiff boot. I would get a good pair of laceup hunting boots and a good aftermarket, supportive insole and call it good.
Unless I were in the mountains, I wouldn't worry about a stiff boot. I would get a good pair of laceup hunting boots and a good aftermarket, supportive insole and call it good.
mrbillbrown
WKR
Boot fit is such a personal thing. It's gonna be hard to get personal preference that matches your exact foot type. It's also hard to buy a pair of boots, wear them around the store or the house, and be able to determine how they're gonna perform on the mtn. At age 42 I've been hunting mtns for 3 years now. I've worn Salomon Quests, Asolo Fugitives, and this year Lowa Tibet LL boots. Liked every pair so far. Most importantly make sure they're long enough so that your toes won't hit the end when going downhill. Just about crippled my partner this year and almost ended our trip prematurely. He was too tough to quit but it looked terrible on his feet. His boots fit perfectly for all the training he did. After 2 days in the mtns he was toast. My best advice...Buy them 1/2-1 size big and you should be good to go.
molon labe
molon labe
Those are some good points I can agree with. I got lost in a pair of Asolo stiff boots years ago that weren't too bad on dirt but then I had to walk the highway around a wilderness for 5 miles when we passed our westbound trail and ended up on the northern trailhead. Good times. Lol That was the last pair of stiff boots I've owned. Looking at photos online it seems the Solomon Quests would be more flexible. Are they more like a backpacking boot?
Another with hiking in southern Missouri is sometimes the trail will be as soft as a featherbed and other times it's full of rocks up to the size of you fist. It's those trails that wear my feet out. I think I see what I need. Something a little stiffer than normal but not quite a full stiffy. That's what she said!
mrbillbrown
WKR
The Quests definitely have a softer sole or softer feel to them than the Fugitives or Tibets. I'd say the quests are closer to a backpacking boot rather than mtn boot. Loved mine for training but prefer the stiffer sole of the fugitives or Tibets on the mtn.
molon labe
molon labe
- Banned
- #12
GKPrice
Banned
First and foremost AND what the smart advice is telling you is the "subjective" part about footwear, specifically BOOTS - For me it's only been in the last 8-9 years that I could even THINK about affording anything but Danner Pronghorns and to have 2 pairs was a secret I kept to myself - When I finally upgraded to Lowa Tibets my first impression was one of skepticism but I listened to the guy at Bakers Boots and he could not have been more correct (obviously he had sold ALOT of boots to guys like me) Now, I've read, in this thread and others, comments from guys who apparently spend $500+ on boots and have 4 or 5 (or more) pairs to the guys who swear by Danners and Redwings - It won't cost you a dime to read MY take on the topic ... When I bought my first pair of Lowa Tibets I was going on a B.C. moose hunt, not a back pack trip or necessarily a "tough" trip but I was excited and could afford to upgrade so I did - On that trip I got in a "spot" with my guide for that day and was forced to walk 8 miles on a graveled and dirt logging road back to camp (pissed I might add) I would have ruined the entire remainder of that trip had I done that walk with my former "beloved" Danner Pronghorns - Since then I've been in rocks, mud, snow and ice and the one single thing I have not thought about or worried about is my feet (I'll talk socks before I give you all a break) I've given them moderate care with "snowseal" and I've worn the first pair unashamed to work on the jobsite where they got the shit beat out of them so I bought a new pair for hunting (on my 3rd pair and have a pair of the 400g 10" now too) and I still wear the original pair to work when there's a bad day or two coming - LOWA & CRISPI are two brands that come in WIDE sizing, there are others but I don't know them (just in case that question comes up)
SOCKS : for down to "moderate" temps I've found KUIU otc socks and they're more comfortable then any other sock "I've" ever had on my feet - I've tried Darn Tough, Farm to Feet, SmartWool for colder temps and they'll all keep your "dogs" warm but of those 3 SmartWool are softer on MY feet and THAT makes a difference toward the end of a long day (the quality of the wool I mean)
"and that's all I have to say about that" .....
mrbillbrown
WKR
Another thought....boot break in time. The Quests require little to no break in time while my Tibets have taken a few miles to get just right. Started out slow and built time in them. Now they fit like a glove and perfectly molded to my feet. Quests come out of the box ready to go.
molon labe
molon labe
Southwest, and south central Missouri. Mostly the trails are pretty mild. Meaning dirt. When it gets rough it's similar to hiking a dry creek where the rocks aren't rounded, or smoothed over. Rocks up to fist size that can roll sometimes and are covered with leaves where you can't see. The trails have a lot of ruts from water erosion. You end up taking an aggressive, but light approach and try to fly over everything barely touching it. Not possible with a heavy load. You're going to bare weight on these stones and feel it in the feet if the shoes don't have a thick, or stiff sole. So far I have to say I would rather have thick than stiff. With a lighter boot and a heavy load the rocks will press into the bottom of your sole and cause your feet to ache over time. That's usually in the open glade tops or near creek bottoms where I travel.
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