Innovative Boots for Moose Hunting

[Kevin Dill]

$600

 

[Voyageur]

$600

Once I got past the sticker shock I can say they look like an interesting boot. After watching the video I understand their steep price. It would be really interesting to hear from someone who has field experience with these. My biggest concern would be are they truly waterproof...stand in 6"-12" of water waterproof? After that I have a feeling that with only 200 gr of insulation my feet would get cold if I was stationary for any length of time in below freezing temps.

 

[mooster]

other thread on these boots

 

[Northwestalaska]

I've been chasing moose a good many years now and I suppose I've seen, used or considered about everything there is for footwear appropriate to that endeavor. Keeping feet dry for 2 solid weeks isn't easy. Keeping them warm, supported and happy during the same time is asking a LOT. There is no perfect boot, because moose are found in so many terrain types...and hunters have so many preferences. I started with good American-made pac boots but got frustrated with them after several years. Wet leather, cold damp interiors and rotating liners were a negative for me. I switched to calf-high rubber boots even though I had lots of initial reservations regarding foot comfort, support and durability. These did very well for me, though they obviously lacked any sort of serious ankle support when packing. My feet stayed dry 100% and I really had no problem. Still, I wished for more of a rugged boot with laces and the ability to keep my feet and legs dry for puddle jumping and shallow stream crossing.

A couple years ago Cabela's introduced the Instinct Lockdown Hunting Boots in 400 Gm and 1200 Gm insulation weights. I wanted to buy the 1200s but could not find them in stock in my size 13. I had to wait a year but I got them last summer and used them on my 2017 hunt. Here's what I can tell you:

This is basically a stout hiking boot contained within a fully waterproof outer 'skin' comprised of cordura ( in the wear areas) and a softer brushed fabric in the shaft. The shaft has a full-length zipper with a gusset behind it. The end result is a side-zip gaiter going all the way to just below the knee. The interior boot uses the BOA lacing system (rotating, ratcheting dial) and it is very easy to use. Slip the boot on your foot, and rotate the dial until its as snug as you like. Pull the gaiter top up to full height and zip up the side. Snug the strap at the top of the gaiter and you're ready.

My experiences: Easy on and off. VERY warm at 1200 Gm. BOA lacing is 100% reliable and actually a joy to use. The inner main boot is stout and supportive. It's as rigid as a good hiking boot and I felt like I had mountain-quality boot on my feet. Far more supportive than any pac or rubber boot I've ever worn. I was in water up to the top of the gaiter many times and they did not ever leak a drop even once. I had totally dry feet for 12 days. The side zipper is a rubberized unit and pulls harder than a typical nylon zipper, but it's also very effective at excluding water. All in....these are the best moose boots I've personally ever owned and used.

Care: Wash with any detergent. Spray with DWR or other silicone-based repellent product if you want the fabric to bead water. All the fabric seams are sewn and taped, but I highly recommend an application of Seam Grip to all the major stitched seams. This is will add a margin of safety in terms of seam durability and leak prevention. I was able to seal all my seams on a pair of 13s with one tube of Seam Grip using the included brush and applying it correctly.

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Wow! They look like an over boot but the built in Gator is way cool! Ok.....I just saw the price tag.....Ouch is all I can say. I use Cabelas muck boots with gators over the top. My daughter was management with Cabelas for a few years and that is how she hunted with me. Never wet and always warm, ticket price....under $225. The $600 price tag is a deal breaker for me guys...Don't get me wrong they look great but I have to afford food and bullets on next years hunt!

Walt

 

[mooster]

Wow! They look like an over boot but the built in Gator is way cool! Ok.....I just saw the price tag.....Ouch is all I can say. I use Cabelas muck boots with gators over the top. My daughter was management with Cabelas for a few years and that is how she hunted with me. Never wet and always warm, ticket price....under $225. The $600 price tag is a deal breaker for me guys...Don't get me wrong they look great but I have to afford food and bullets on next years hunt!

Walt

And why hi viz hunter orange? I’m not worried about anyone except myself shooting me in the foot.

 

[Kevin Dill]

The color is all about grabbing attention, and certainly that of younger hunters who have a different aesthetic standard vs most older hunters. I have this mental image of a guy staring at his boots while he should be scanning the hills.

Yes...I'm poking some fun at the color. I think these have real potential BUT the $600 tag will limit acceptance, and this type of boot has a smaller target group anyway. Having experienced the BOA system on other boots, I can say it works very well but is not identical to hand-tied lacing.

 

[Voyageur]

The integrated gaiter on these reminds me of the NEOS overboot. The NEOS are an option I've considered for AK moose hunting but when I checked with the NEOS people they said their boots are waterproof for brief exposure to water, but not for extended time in water. I'm going to do further testing before completely writing them off though.

 

[Voyageur]

Here's a link to the NEOS boot:

NEOS Overshoes - Free Shipping at Gearcor.com

Buy NEOS Overshoes at Gearcor. Quantity discounts for businesses. Buy online or call 800-517-5970. Free Shipping and Free Returns. How to size NEOS Overshoes.

www.overshoesneos.com

 

[Northwestalaska]

The integrated gaiter on these reminds me of the NEOS overboot. The NEOS are an option I've considered for AK moose hunting but when I checked with the NEOS people they said their boots are waterproof for brief exposure to water, but not for extended time in water. I'm going to do further testing before completely writing them off though.

Does the NEOS system still exist? I use to see my guys arrive with them 5-6 + years ago but I have not seen them in a while. They were great!

Walt

 

[Voyageur]

Does the NEOS system still exist? I use to see my guys arrive with them 5-6 + years ago but I have not seen them in a while. They were great!

Walt

Yes it does. What specifically made them great? Thanks. Appreciate your opinion on them, Walt.

 

[Northwestalaska]

Yes it does. What specifically made them great? Thanks. Appreciate your opinion on them, Walt.

My clients needed to bring a second pair of boots because we have lots of WET tundra up here to hunt. Because of that most bring hip waders but they are bulky and add pounds. The NEOS boots act like an over boot, work like waders are light weight and roll up to fit into your day pack. I don't know how man times I have needed something water proof to hunt a marshy bottom or to cross a shallow creek and every report my guys have given me is they do a bang up job..I am always looking for something new and cost effective.

Walt

 

[Voyageur]

My clients needed to bring a second pair of boots because we have lots of WET tundra up here to hunt. Because of that most bring hip waders but they are bulky and add pounds. The NEOS boots act like an over boot, work like waders are light weight and roll up to fit into your day pack. I don't know how man times I have needed something water proof to hunt a marshy bottom or to cross a shallow creek and every report my guys have given me is they do a bang up job..I am always looking for something new and cost effective.

Walt

Appreciate the insight, Walt. I'm currently in the process of deciding between NEOS or insulated rubber boots. Easy to find opinions on the rubber boots, but harder to find experience based opinions on the NEOS boots. Your post helps.

 

[AKPA18]

The hip boot length Neos has been out of production several years. Just boot length now. A couple of us have made requests but maybe if they get a pile of requests they will start making the “rivertrekker” again. It really was a great option. Call em!

 

[Northwestalaska]

They were perfect for Alaska hunts because they would roll up and fit into a day pack and were great for stream crossing and marshy areas. We outfit moose in the Selawik Wildlife Refuge and they were perfect because that is a big A$$ duck pond out there thick with moose and very wet. I hope they produce some more guys!

 

[Voyageur]

The hip boot length Neos has been out of production several years. Just boot length now. A couple of us have made requests but maybe if they get a pile of requests they will start making the “rivertrekker” again. It really was a great option. Call em!

I had forgotten about the hipper NEOS boots. I agree. It would be nice if they offered them again.

 

[AKPA18]

They were perfect for Alaska hunts because they would roll up and fit into a day pack and were great for stream crossing and marshy areas. We outfit moose in the Selawik Wildlife Refuge and they were perfect because that is a big A$$ duck pond out there thick with moose and very wet. I hope they produce some more guys!

Told me not enough interest. Need bunch of folks blowing up their phones!

I agree- They were perfect!

 

[Kevin Dill]

I owned a pair of the NEOS River Trekker hip boots. Used them on one hunt and that ended it for me. They worked fine at keeping me dry. They were a hassle to put on and take off at water's edge. While more fragile, I could put on Wiggy's and be 3/4 of the way across the river in the time it took me to pull on and secure my NEOS over-boots. The deal-breakers for me were the size of the boots when bundled, and their weight on a day pack. I wear a 13 boot so had the XL River Trekkers. I think they weighed 4 pounds dry and that's simply too much weight on a Super Cub hunt, not to mention carrying them around on my back all day. They would be fine for a float hunt or someplace where gear weight wasn't an issue.

I had a heck of a time selling them. Nobody wanted them. After a couple of years I finally found a buyer. I'm not surprised they disappeared.

 

[jakelogsdon]

Got these for a moose hunt in 2016. Hoping they would do exactly what yours did, they failed. Absolute junk

 

[Voyageur]

Got these for a moose hunt in 2016. Hoping they would do exactly what yours did, they failed. Absolute junk


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What brand are these? Specifically how did they fail? I ask because footwear is something I'm nailing down for my upcoming moose hunt. I'm thinking water will be a much bigger factor than it has been on caribou hunts.
EDIT:
Scratch my brand question. I see the brand symbol on the boot. Still am interested in the specifics of how they failed.

 

[jakelogsdon]

What brand are these? Specifically how did they fail? I ask because footwear is something I'm nailing down for my upcoming moose hunt. I'm thinking water will be a much bigger factor than it has been on caribou hunts.
EDIT:
Scratch my brand question. I see the brand symbol on the boot. Still am interested in the specifics of how they failed.

They are Under Armour Ops Hunter boot. They leaked almost instantly, even after I treated them multiple times with the silicone water guard spray. Leaked through the boot, just in soggy tundra. One thing they they were good for was holding in water. Once they got wet they stayed wet. I had a backup pair of boots that I was able to wear, and after drying these boots for several days, I tried to wear them again. soaked through in wet grass after an hour or so. I stayed in my Kenetrek boots the rest of the trip.