Hoffman Explorer Boot Review Thread ***Updated 2/12/20***

[SpotNStalker]

I have been following this thread for a while and finally ordered a pair. I laced them up and went on a scouting trip for a late season mule deer hunt coming up. Only a few hikes in, but plenty of elevation up and down. So far I'm loving the boots. Great quality, great hardware, no leaks even hiking through snow for a day. Insole is very comfortable and the boots seem to fit my feet great. I like that I don't have to do any special lacing to prevent heel slip. @Hoffman Boots brought a great product to market. I am hopeful they will stand the test of time.

 

[robby denning]

I have been following this thread for a while and finally ordered a pair. I laced them up and went on a scouting trip for a late season mule deer hunt coming up. Only a few hikes in, but plenty of elevation up and down. So far I'm loving the boots. Great quality, great hardware, no leaks even hiking through snow for a day. Insole is very comfortable and the boots seem to fit my feet great. I like that I don't have to do any special lacing to prevent heel slip. @Hoffman Boots brought a great product to market. I am hopeful they will stand the test of time.

Keep us posted, that's what these threads are for. Thanks

 

[Ross]

Another climb day last Saturday close to Canadian border finally got into some deer rutting activity....passed two kids 20 yr olds on a long climb later they shot a tiny 4 pt Muley and earned it with a 3200 foot descent...did not see one deer but a very nice 6 pt bull sunned himself in the back of this remote basin putting weight on before winter another three day venture this weekend getting a little chilly sitting waiting nothing like a good fire and the Muley rut getting going

 

[doverpack12]

Ross
looks like you sealed around the top of the rand? Any particular reason why or is your picture deceiving my eyes?

 

[Ross]

You are correct due to prior rand issues on many boots I seal at time of use on all my boots using a product called freesole.

 

[Ross]

Mucho climbing in the Montana cabinet range last weekend mr go big or go home still in hiding with two days left spotted this big Muley acting like a buck at a little over 800 yds just a doe being funny...got a little chilly with below zero windchill so may switch out this coming weekend for the foot wear toe box should give you plenty of room on longggg descents four days 12000 feet up only hunters seen had ponies they missed out on all the aches and pains

 

[Kotaman]

I’ve been looking for a new insulated mountain boot for late season. Decided to give these a try.

 

[Ross]

These boots have done very well in some tough country and provided solid stability on some bad old ankles, room in the toe box and enough warmth for most days....if your feet run fairly warm you should be good while moving and some sits into the twenties just note what Jim had said about the insulating properties of the boot “From what I understand, this should be equivalent to somewhere around the 400 gram area. One thing to consider is even though 400 grams sounds like a lot of insulation, it is not. It basically equates out to a light weight pair of wool sock. We are working on a new 10” Hunter boot that will feature not only the Windtherm but an additional 600 grams of thinsulate. This will be a great boot for guys looking for a little extra insulation in cold temperatures. One thing I’ve been doing on many long hikes in is packing an extra pair of socks and once at my elevation changing socks to get rid of any sweat that could get me cold...good luck I expect they will serve you well

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

Just order a pair of the 6" explorers last week. Can't wait to get them and start the break in period!

 

[Aviator]

I’ve been hiking in the explorer lights since July, best boots I’ve had on my feet!

 

[Aviator]

I’ll probably be buying a pair of the insulated explorer before next fall!

 

[Kotaman]

Got my insulated Explorers today. Felt great around the house. Love the heel fit. WI’ll be putting some miles on them in the snow soon...

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

Received my Hoffman explorer lites this weekend, and have been pretty much wearing them nonstop. I've had boots like Danners, etc, but these are a notch above any boot I've owned in the past and will last for a long time. Also, great fit right out of the box.

 

[BigWoods]

Received my Hoffman explorer lites this weekend, and have been pretty much wearing them nonstop. I've had boots like Danners, etc, but these are a notch above any boot I've owned in the past and will last for a long time. Also, great fit right out of the box.

How is the stride (natural or 'clompy') and stiffness on these? I currently have a pair of Danner Explorers 2s that are on their way out, but they have never felt natural in the stride. I'm eyeing up a pair of these for primarily for steep hilly grouse hunting, early archery deer and mountainous hiking the rest of the year...I'd like something with solid support, but not a super rigid mountaineering boot (like Lowa Tibets).

Also, what does a pair of these weigh in your given size? I wear a size 14 so I always get a weight bonus.

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

How is the stride (natural or 'clompy') and stiffness on these? I currently have a pair of Danner Explorers 2s that are on their way out, but they have never felt natural in the stride. I'm eyeing up a pair of these for primarily for steep hilly grouse hunting, early archery deer and mountainous hiking the rest of the year...I'd like something with solid support, but not a super rigid mountaineering boot (like Lowa Tibets).

Also, what does a pair of these weigh in your given size? I wear a size 14 so I always get a weight bonus.

These are definitely the most stiff hiking/hunting boots I've every owned, but they feel very "natural" on the feet, if that makes any sense. I've actually worn these at the office to break them in, and besides being a little warm, they are comfortable. The only Danner's I've owned are the Ridgemasters, which have a lot of flex in the sole, compared to the Hoffman, but even the leather in the Hoffman is thick, super durable and just really well made.

So you are lucky, I wear a size 14 as well, and will weigh them tomorrow down to the once and let you know. Mine are the Explorer lite, 6".

 

[BigWoods]

These are definitely the most stiff hiking/hunting boots I've every owned, but they feel very "natural" on the feet, if that makes any sense. I've actually worn these at the office to break them in, and besides being a little warm, they are comfortable. The only Danner's I've owned are the Ridgemasters, which have a lot of flex in the sole, compared to the Hoffman, but even the leather in the Hoffman is thick, super durable and just really well made.

So you are lucky, I wear a size 14 as well, and will weigh them tomorrow down to the once and let you know. Mine are the Explorer lite, 6".

I really appreciate the feedback! As mentioned, I've worn a variety of danners (pronghorns and the explorers) as well as a bunch of lighter hiking boots, but nothing quite like these. I live a long way from anywhere that has these or similar boots in stock so I'll need to order whatever I decide on.

I look forward to hearing what the weight is and appreciate you doing that.

 

[Nick66]

Are the insulated explorers pretty true to size? I wear a 10.5 usually, but I typically get an 11 in my boots bc i usually have a fairly thick sock on. Especially when I know I’m going to be putting in a lot of miles

 

[Ross]

The insulated explorers run the same as the uninsulated so I found I wear the same size 10 in both.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Ross's review is complete. Check it out.

Hoffman Explorer Boot Review

 

[Aviator]

I’m still hiking my explorer lights and haven’t had any problems, but I am concerned to hear you had some leakage in wet snow.. I hunted my 3 year old Cabelas Meindl’s this year in wet snow in the Colorado mountains and stayed dry as a bone for a week..