Boots - Brook Range

[ssgjpd]

Good day everyone,

Last month I booked a Dall sheep hunt for this August in the brooks range. Outfitter recommended Scarpa boots for this trip. With that in mind I purchased the one KUIU had Rebel and R-Evolutions in a 1/2 size bigger as recommended.

Once I got them, the R-Evolution felt the best between the two so I returned the Rebels. The R-Evolutions are tight fitting especially in the toe box however after walking about 40 miles in them the past few weeks my feet get hot spots and also left foot feels cramped. If I take and kick the toe down, my toes hit the front of the boots.

I never had any of these "mountaineering" style boots so I am not sure if they are suppose to fit this way. I am concerned that these will cause some issues during my trip.

I am also thinking about doing the L&S custom fitting, however concerned with the length of time it will take and might be pushing it too close. Does anyone have any recommendation on boots that I could purchase and try on or any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[fatlander]

They shouldn’t feel like that. The half size up should allow you to tighten them up for heavy downhill pack outs without your foot slamming in the front of the toe box.

If you’re getting hotspots, those specific boots just aren’t going to work. Boots are tough, it’s a really personal thing that requires a lot of trial and error to luck into finding the right boots.

I’ve found if they don’t feel great out of the box, they’re not going to get better. For MY feet, Schnees in a half size larger than my running shoes are perfect. It took me going through a lot of boots to find them. I just got my third pair of schnees to phase my first pair that have somewhere between 750 and 1000 miles on them. The original pair still has quite a bit of life but I didn’t take the best care of them. I’ve also got a light weight hiker from them that I really like. It’s just not stiff enough for heavy packs and mountain hunting but great for hiking and scouting.

I had a non custom pair of lathrops and absolutely hated them. FWIW, you should do a little research here before you go down that “custom” route. Many reviews have been less than stellar on that process and the final fit of the “custom” product.

Good luck on your hunt. Can’t wait to read about it and see some pictures!


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[nobody]

No experience with Scarpas, but those boots DEFINITELY sound like they’re too small.

For a guide to blanket recommend one brand seems disingenuous, as boots are extremely personal. Scarpas are very “European” in their fit, as in very long and narrow, and it’s well documented in many places. They make a great boot, no doubt, but unless you have a long and narrow foot they might just not work for you. As a general rule, American feet are wider and meatier and fatter than italians, and Scarpas are cut to fit the italians. Because of that, Scarpas tend to fit a smaller percentage of the market, but the people they do fit, they fit EXTREMELY well. But because of the cramped feeling in the toe box, even going up another half size to make them “fit” might mean they’re just not cut to fit your foot.

As far as I’m concerned, any boot you have to size up or down any more than a half size just isn’t made to fit your foot, and going to those extremes on sizing introduces other issues, like arch support location issues and heel slop. If a boot doesn’t give you the space you need within a half size of your brannock size or your running shoe size, it’s the wrong boot for you IME.

How is your foot shaped? What other boots do you wear that fit well? There’s lots of great mountaineering style boots from Zamberlain, Crispi, Schnee’s, and many other companies that are probably a closer match to your foot shape than the Scarpas seem to be. Something to think about.

 

[jofes]

I would suggest a bigger boot, with the high miles, feet swelling and a heavy pack your foot will expand more than normal.
It's a beautiful place, who are you going with?

 

[cbeard64]

You just have to do the trial and error thing on boots for mountain hunting. There’s no way around it. There are lots of quality boot brands but not all will work for you. Kenetreks do the trick for me.

 

[RC_]

Trying boots on is the only way to know for sure. Get on gohunt (they have a huge selection) or another site and order up a bunch of different boots in different sizes. See what feels good and return the rest. Try out the ones you keep and hopefully they work after break-in. If not, repeat the process.

 

[stvnshnn]

Your foot is too big for Scarpas. They’re awesome boots, but narrow.
I’ve had great luck with the Hanwag Alaskans, and Zamberlans which fit my feet that are also too wide for Scarpas.
Finding the right boot can take a little bit of looking, that’s why once I found a set I really liked, I jumped on eBay and snagged another set—just in case.

Good luck.


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[Cactus kid]

A few random notes on boots and sheep hunting that i have learned.

Break In- You should have a good sense of how the boot will fit within in 10 miles of hiking. A good fitting boot can slowly get better. But a bad fitting boot is only going to cause problems.

Sizing: If you kick the toe of the boot and your toes cram into the box, the boot is too small. Your toes should not cram into the box with a hard toe kick, but you should just be able to tell the toe of the boot is there. Toe kicking foot holds in steep terrain is a useful tool to have.

Even boots of the same brand have different fits in different models of boots. Scarpa uses different lasts for different boots, even if they are used for the same thing. Take the Scarpa Charmoz vs the Scarpa Ribelle for instance- a three season alpine synthetic boot. Both accept semi- auto crampons. Very similar in stiffness. The fit in the Ribelle is wider and roomier in the toe box.

Insoles are worth it. But they can change a boot fit. Make sure to try the boot with the insole you plan to wear.

I purchased and tested 10 pairs of boots, different models and sizes, before i finally found the boot that worked for me ( the Scarpa Ribelle HD, both the leather and the synthetic version. The running shoe/mountain boot hybid is damn near perfect for me)

I purchased several boots from REI that i was able to return after testing them. Great way to try boots without breaking the bank. Several boots leaked prematurely or had other issures that justified return. I sold other boots that did not fit for roughly half the purchase price. Finding the boot is just the cost of doing business.

If you are new to steep off camber terrain, like one will encounter to in sheep hunting, it can be easy to discount the value of stiff boots. Stiff boots are very valuable when you are climbing or side hilling with a heavy pack and only 1/2inch of boot actually making contact with the mountain. Or when kicking in foot holds. But you need a boot that is comfortable when covering miles on gentler terrain, so a boot that is hard to walk in on flat terrain can be a liability. A good rocker on a stiff boot can give the best of both worlds.

But a good fitting softer boot should have preference over a bad fitting stiffer boot. Within reason. Don't take a running shoe because it feels slightly better than a full mountain boot.

Leukotape, leukotape, leukotape. I apply to known areas of hotspots at the start of the hunt. Apply to clean, dry feet with rounded out edges will increase the wear time.

Sock liners are handy.

Boot fit cannot be understated on a sheep hunt.

 

[justinspicher]

Scarpas are awesome boots, I own two pairs but their sizing can be tricky. I have a pair that I used as a woodland firefighter for three years, they have well over 1000 miles on them and they are still a stiff boot. I’ve never gotten hotspots, but if I did those boots would go away.

 

[ssgjpd]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. I will be ordering a few boots today to test out.

So far the ones I will be ordering is Zamberlan 2092, Crispi Briksdale and L&S Mountain Hunter Elites. I tried Kennetrek and didn't feel good as well.

I was looking at the Scarpa Ribelle Lite as well.

 

[mtwarden]

Yup time to go boot shopping.

I agree with the statement that the boots should feel great out of the box, some break in with stiff boots sure, but still should feel good out of the box.

Nice that you could book a Dall hunt without the three year wait!

 

[oenanthe]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. I will be ordering a few boots today to test out.

So far the ones I will be ordering is Zamberlan 2092, Crispi Briksdale and L&S Mountain Hunter Elites. I tried Kennetrek and didn't feel good as well.

I was looking at the Scarpa Ribelle Lite as well.

You've gotten a lot of really good advice in this thread; I don't really disagree with any of it. But a couple of things I'd like to point out:
1) Not all Scarpas are narrow. I have wide feet with a high arch and some of the Scarpas fit me really well. And some don't fit me at all.
2) Once you do find a pair of boots that really fits well, buy a 2nd pair. Several times over the decades I've found a mountain hunting boot that I really liked, only to have the manufacturer stop making them. And then the tedious search starts all over again.

 

[StevensonRanch]

+1 vote for Crispi. They seemed trendy but they are worth the hype IMO

 

[TNsavageman]

I wore a pair of Crispi Colorados on my one sheep hunt in the NWT. They were very comfortable from the first day I put them on. Lightweight and were stiff enough in my limited opinion.

 

[mtwarden]

2) Once you do find a pair of boots that really fits well, buy a 2nd pair. Several times over the decades I've found a mountain hunting boot that I really liked, only to have the manufacturer stop making them. And then the tedious search starts all over again.

very true- well worth heeding!

 

[ssgjpd]

Thanks again for the valuable insight. So far I have these boots ordering and being shipped.

• Zamberlan 2092
• Scarpa Ribelle Lite HD
• L&S Mountain Hunter Elite (back order until June)

I plan to get the Briksdal order today but not sure if I should get the SF model or not. Also notice they released a new model of the Briksdal

Any other boot I should look at? Go Hunt recommended Asolo Freney and Salewa Rapace.

 

[nobody]

Thanks again for the valuable insight. So far I have these boots ordering and being shipped.

• Zamberlan 2092
• Scarpa Ribelle Lite HD
• L&S Mountain Hunter Elite (back order until June)

I plan to get the Briksdale order today but not sure if I should get eh SF model or not. Also notice they released a new model of the Briksdale.

Any other boot I should look at? Go Hunt recommended Asolo Freney and Salewa Rapace.

On the Briksdal, call Crispi directly and talk to them about what you’re needing and the differences, they can get you squared away

 

[mtwarden]

The SF is insulated, for the Brooks in August I opted not.

The new one is has a lot of synthetic vs all leather for the "old" one; my thought is you can waterproof the leather better vs syn, as even with a Gore liner, your feet can still get wet.

 

[Wingert]

You may consider boots from Lowa. They have Backpacking and Mountaineering styles available in regular and wide widths. Insulated and Non-Insulated.

Backpacking | LOWA Boots USA

Legendary quality and performance for rugged expeditions: lightweight, phenomenal fit, built to endure many miles, and many years, of hard use.

www.lowaboots.com

Meindl USA is also another to consider.

Meindl USA | Meindl Hunting and Hiking Boots | Official Site

Handcrafted footwear perfected over 300 years with German engineering and craftsmanship. Providing exceptional comfort and designed to handle the demanding terrain of extreme backcountry hunting and hiking.

meindlusa.com

 

[wind gypsy]

You've gotten great advice thus far. I went through many pairs of boots in search of my perfect mountain hunting boots.

It seems everyone also falls on different parts of the stiffness spectrum. I really like some lateral stiffness for biting into side hills without using all foot and ankle muscles. The problem is that truly stiff boots always seem prone to tear up my feet. I'll say that some of the boots I was most confident about ended up tearing my heels up after a couple miles of actual use. You do need to put some actual use in to a lot of them to know for sure.