How does Meindl stack up?

[IDHUNTER]

I have been starting to look at new boots for next season and I have been considering the Meindl Perfekt Hunters at Cabelas. They get amazing reviews on the Cabelas website but I don't see much about them on here so I want to hear your thoughts on them. How do they stack up against Kenetrek, Lowa, Crispi, Solomon, etc? I will be using them for Elk, Mule deer, and Chuckar hunting.

 

[Ross]

I've been wearing various models for years and broke in a pair of the Alaskan hunters this fall. These are a very good boot with great ankle support and I see they are on sale. These boots may serve you well for your hunting. Recommend trying on various boots for your budget and wearing in the home up and down stairs. Be selective and remember if your feet don't go you don't go and once selected break them before venturing too far back in.

 

[Colby]

I've been eyeballing the perfekt hunters as well. I tried them on at cabelas and to me they felt a little less stiff than a lowa or kenetrek which I don't think is terrible. I'm a little curious about durability.

 

[danarnold]

I've got a pair of perfekt hunters 10 1/2 wide I'd sell, good shape
replaced with Crispi Idaho's and lowas, so I'm saying I found others I like better

 

[Lawnboi]

Some of the Meindl selections at cabelas are nice, some IMO felt like junk.

Iv had a set of Alaskan hunters for 2 years now. Barely have any tread left on them but I still end up grabbing them over the tibets most of the time. There good boots, still waterproof. Definitely a stiff backpacking boot, on par with the lowa Tibet in all respects.

I can't complain either, I got the Alaskan hunters in the bargain cave for 175. No box but still had the tags on.

 

[Jackelope]

I've been wearing the 10" Perfekt Hunters for 4-5 years now and I love them. I'm about due for a new pair but they've been great. All my hunting along with 2 trips to the top of Mt. Adams and a good ways up Mt. Rainier and they served my purpose well. Even had crampons on them on Adams. Still keep my feet dry. I'll definitely be looking hard at another pair of Meindl's when I buy.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

I bought a pair of Meindl Denali's, I didn't get 100 yards up the mountain on my first training hike before I could feel that they were going to rip my heels to shreds. I took them back and ended up with a Pair of Lowa Rangers that I love. Lowa is a much better boot in my opinion.

 

[Liv2Hunt]

I have been starting to look at new boots for next season and I have been considering the Meindl Perfekt Hunters at Cabelas. They get amazing reviews on the Cabelas website but I don't see much about them on here so I want to hear your thoughts on them. How do they stack up against Kenetrek, Lowa, Crispi, Solomon, etc? I will be using them for Elk, Mule deer, and Chuckar hunting.

Bought a pair last year for my caribou trip to AK. Treated them twice with water proofing. Put 20 miles on them before heading to AK to hunt caribou. Wore them 5 days straight ad put about another 25 miles on them while packing out two caribou in the tundra. Pretty much soaked them each day. Feet stayed dry and never hurt. I would recommend that you try on multiple brands to find what fits you best. They worked great for me and the price was right.

 

[Jackelope]

I bought a pair of Meindl Denali's, I didn't get 100 yards up the mountain on my first training hike before I could feel that they were going to rip my heels to shreds. I took them back and ended up with a Pair of Lowa Rangers that I love. Lowa is a much better boot in my opinion.

Sounds like a poor fit....it happens.

 

[Bulldawg]

Meindl is a great European boot company that cabelas has an agreement with to make boots for them. They are made with the same standards as lowas or kenetrek. They have many different models to suit your needs.. I have the Denalis now for my mountain hunting and will probably get a pair of perfect hunters or perfect hikers for hunting antelope and deer and stuff in nebraska,. IMO people do not give these boots enough credit that they deserve because of the cabelas tag on them. The alaska hunters were a little narrow for me and hurt my feet but the Denalis are nice to wear in the mountains

 

[T43]

Some of the Meindl boots may be good however don't believe all are and be cautious of the reviews at Cabelas. I had a pair of the Cabelas Uninsulated Ultralight Hunters by Meindl. They were poorly built and according to the tag "Made in Vietnam" I returned them after wearing them a few hours and having the material in the top of the left boot toe box come loose and bunch up. I attempted to leave feedback on the Cabelas sight but it never posted. I contacted Cabelas customer service and was told that feedback containing the place of manufacture is not accepted. I bought those boots because of the Meindle name. I have never made that mistake again and am very happy with the Zamberlan boots I have had since. Don't let Cabelas fool you based on censored reviews and brand name badges put on crap.

 

[miller1]

I have the Meindl Perfekt hiker, lower and uninsulated version of the Hunter, I wore them for 10 days in Colorado in September in rain, mud and Sun, never had a hint of wet feet and the worked great for me.

 

[realunlucky]

I have the Denali have them for three years of hard use. The perfect has less support in the shank some find more comfortable guess it depends on your use

 

[LaHunter]

I have a pair of the Meindl Perfekt Hunters and have had them for the past 3 years. I think these are very good boots that have performed very well and these are some very comfortable boots. That being said, I now have a pair of Lowa Tibet GTX boots that I wear 75-90% of the time on my mountain hunts. The Perfekt Hunter are not as stiff and supportive as the Tibets. The Perfekt Hunters are pretty stiff with good support, but not on the same level as the Tibets. In steep / rocky terrain I prefer a stiffer boot. The Tibets are a bit lighter which is an obvious advantage. And the Tibets are uninsulated, which I prefer even in very cold and snow, as long as I am moving. I guess my feet get warm easily. My Perfekt Hunters are still as water proof today as they were when I bought them, the leather is in great shape, and the soles are still in good shape. Based on my preferences, I would rate the Perfekt Hunters an 8.5/10 and the Tibets a 10/10. The Perfekt Hunters are made in Germany also. As always, personal fit is most important.

 

[NVCHUKAR]

I bought a pair of Meindl Denali's, I didn't get 100 yards up the mountain on my first training hike before I could feel that they were going to rip my heels to shreds. I took them back and ended up with a Pair of Lowa Rangers that I love. Lowa is a much better boot in my opinion.

The denalis are a much stiffer boot and designed around a different footbed than the perfekts. The perfekts are a very comfortable boot flexible but stiff enough for high country mule deer, elk, and some lower 48 sheep hunting, and of course chasing chuks around the mountains.. Although I would prefer a stiffer boot if I was going to do a weeks worth of sheep hunting. I have two years of hunting and approximately 200 miles. I would say they are about halfway through their lifespan.

I have a pair of lowa hunter gtx Evo extreme which is a stiffer boot and not as comfortable out of the box. However on steep rockslides they are nice to have on. My favorite pair if boots I have ever owned is the meindle 50th anniversary cabelas boots. They are a cross between the perfekts and the Alaskan hunters. Stiffness inbetween the two. 3 years well over 300 miles on them and no rips or stitches coming loose. I feel they are as durable as any of the high end boot makers.

Now will your feet like the perfekts, I don't know, but they are a quality boot for sure. If they made the anniversary addition again I would buy 2 pairs tomorrow. I think my next pair of boots is going to be the schnees beartooths.

 

[NVCHUKAR]

Some of the Meindl boots may be good however don't believe all are and be cautious of the reviews at Cabelas. I had a pair of the Cabelas Uninsulated Ultralight Hunters by Meindl. They were poorly built and according to the tag "Made in Vietnam" I returned them after wearing them a few hours and having the material in the top of the left boot toe box come loose and bunch up. I attempted to leave feedback on the Cabelas sight but it never posted. I contacted Cabelas customer service and was told that feedback containing the place of manufacture is not accepted. I bought those boots because of the Meindle name. I have never made that mistake again and am very happy with the Zamberlan boots I have had since. Don't let Cabelas fool you based on censored reviews and brand name badges put on crap.

The newer cheaper model line is not made in Germany, most consumers don't hunt as hard as we do and therefore cabelas forced meindle to make a cheaper line of boots. German made meindle will stand up to any euro boot manufacturer. If the boot isn't $300 or up it's probably not made in Europe.

 

[Shrek]

Where your boot is made tells you what the purpose of the boot is. If it's made in China or lower on the manufacturing food chain then the driving philosophy is cheap as possible. If it's made in Italy or Germany then the philosophy is likely the best possible. Nothing is 100% but if I don't know anything else about a product then where it's made I still know a lot.

 

[goatboy]

Cabelas meindls are not the same standard as regular meindls. I'm on my 4th pair of Canada pros and don't plan on switching any time soon. Makalu pros are good also. They get a bad rap sometimes because manufacture a lot of different boots and people make the wrong choice buy if you buy the original d class (I think) boots they are top notch.

 

[scheffdawg]

I picked up the Perfekt Hikers this year and couldn't be happier. Wore them through almost constant rain during deer season over a mix of sharp talus and low, soaked brush, through the swampy conditions while not seeing elk in November, and on a couple hike up/mt. bike down trips in September. Pack weights usually in the ~20 lb range. My feet usually run hot, so they were the perfekt temp with a medium pair of woolies in 30-50 degree weather and never noticed a drop of moisture inside. They rubbed the back of my heel when I first walked in them, but a week of wearing them around the office before taking them out cured it. They're my favorite boots I've owned so far, but have only had them a few months and can't yet comment on their durability.

 

[Manosteel]

A few of years ago I had my kentreks stolen a couple days before a sheep hunt and had to find a replacement pair last minute. I went with the Cabela's Alaska Hunter Boots by Meindl. 6 day hunt through steep shale ridden rugged mountains with brand new boots isn't ideal but they came through like champs! Not one blister and they were the best fitting boots I ever wore! After 3 full seasons of mountains, hills, swamps and thick bush with rain, snow and hail thrown in; they are getting worn, but still look to have one more season in them.