I stumbled upon a fantastic deal on the Hoffman Explorer 8" hunting boots and couldn't resist. They're marked as size 9.5, but they fit more like a tight 9, which worried me at first. I took them along on a rugged week-long trek around Yellowstone and the Tetons, including a challenging 15-mile hike that put them and me too the test. The real reason for the purchase was to go with me to visit a friend in SE Alaska where we are planning some remote hiking/exploring. Needless to say I need some waterproof boots
Performance in the Field
These boots performed exceptionally well in various terrains. Crossing creeks and waterflows attested to their waterproofness Even trudging through snow and slushy melt-offs, they kept my feet dry without fail. They worked as described and no complaints on that end. They withstood what I threw at them. There was some slide pain on the pinky toe side on the longer hikes resulting on some pain but more to do with the boots being on the small side. Hoffman is 100% upfront on the sizing and I would heed their direction that if you are between two sizes you should go up . I wear a 9.5 -10 and a 10 would of been perfect.
Comfort and Support
I'll admit, these boots are on the stiffer side, which took some getting used to. These are the first type of boots I have had in this range/stiffness. I'm from the Midwest so my dealings with mountain, switchbacks, and things of that nature are limited. With that said I been around and done a lot of things so not a complete idiot. I have used a lot and wore out a lot of gear.
The boots themselves offer excellent ankle support, which is great on uneven ground, rocks, falls, etc . However, the stiffness did start to bother me, especially considering I had knee surgery 20 years ago. After that 15-mile day, my knee was feeling it. There is simply no give at the ankle so the knee takes the brunt.
My heel has a slip in it and I can wear a boot out after about 400-500 miles. With the limited amount of time I had with these boots I would say the wear on the back is way better than others I have deal with (Danner, muck leathers).
Overall, the Hoffman Explorer 8" hunting boots are solid performers. They definitely deliver on their promise of durability and waterproofing, with top-notch ankle support. For me, though, the stiffness and ankle support isn't ideal for long hikes with an old knee injury in mind. I think I will be trying Schnees Beartooth V3 non insulated mids next
Performance in the Field
These boots performed exceptionally well in various terrains. Crossing creeks and waterflows attested to their waterproofness Even trudging through snow and slushy melt-offs, they kept my feet dry without fail. They worked as described and no complaints on that end. They withstood what I threw at them. There was some slide pain on the pinky toe side on the longer hikes resulting on some pain but more to do with the boots being on the small side. Hoffman is 100% upfront on the sizing and I would heed their direction that if you are between two sizes you should go up . I wear a 9.5 -10 and a 10 would of been perfect.
Comfort and Support
I'll admit, these boots are on the stiffer side, which took some getting used to. These are the first type of boots I have had in this range/stiffness. I'm from the Midwest so my dealings with mountain, switchbacks, and things of that nature are limited. With that said I been around and done a lot of things so not a complete idiot. I have used a lot and wore out a lot of gear.
The boots themselves offer excellent ankle support, which is great on uneven ground, rocks, falls, etc . However, the stiffness did start to bother me, especially considering I had knee surgery 20 years ago. After that 15-mile day, my knee was feeling it. There is simply no give at the ankle so the knee takes the brunt.
My heel has a slip in it and I can wear a boot out after about 400-500 miles. With the limited amount of time I had with these boots I would say the wear on the back is way better than others I have deal with (Danner, muck leathers).
Overall, the Hoffman Explorer 8" hunting boots are solid performers. They definitely deliver on their promise of durability and waterproofing, with top-notch ankle support. For me, though, the stiffness and ankle support isn't ideal for long hikes with an old knee injury in mind. I think I will be trying Schnees Beartooth V3 non insulated mids next
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