Made in USA Boots?

[Voyageur]

@lab-roamer Complete guesstimate, but a very conservative guess would be 100 days/year for hunting, hiking, walking, food plot work, pretty much everything.

 

[Mountainrancher]

Crag Rat USA 7" Brown/Green

From treeline to tundra As treeline drops away and solid footing becomes rare, trust between you and your boots is critical. The Crag Rat USA is built to live up to the demands of the high-alpine trail. Constructed in our Portland, Ore. factory, it's designed for heavy hiking, backpacking and...

www.danner.com

 

[sneaky]

I need to get a new pair of uninsulated boots pretty soon and I'd like them to be made in USA. What are the best options out there? Whites, Schnees, Kennetrek, Lathrop? There must be some more good ones out there?

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Kenetrek, Schnees,Lathrop leather hunting boots are all imported. You can take those off your Made in USA list

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[deepnsteep]

Kenetrek, Schnees,Lathrop leather hunting boots are all imported. You can take those off your Made in USA list

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I was surprised about this after digging in a little more! Looks like Italy is to hunting boots what Turkey is to shotguns!

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[Cameron.25]

Russel moccasin is made in Wisconsin too

 

[slowelk]

I was surprised about this after digging in a little more! Looks like Italy is to hunting boots what Turkey is to shotguns!

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Ya, high-end technical boots are made in Italy. From skiing to hunting. All the made in USA options shared in this thread are less technical, and less reputable.

I understand the merit of your inquiry, but we live in a global economy. My approach has been to try to avoid made in China as much as possible, but be satisfied with other Asian countries. I have no problem buying European, African, other americas made gear.

 

[Tightwad]

Franks, JK, Nicks, Whites, Hoffman....in about that order for me in terms of build quality. Hoffman is the best bang for the buck, but I prefer the above heel stacks and they will shank my boot how I desire.

I figure I have enough of each to call it like I see it.
In pac boots, Hoffman is the KING by a mile.
View attachment 406496

What brand is the brown leather lacer at approximately 5 o'clock, and how do you like them?

Thanks.

 

[Wrench]

What brand is the brown leather lacer at approximately 5 o'clock, and how do you like them?

Thanks.

That is Nicks version of packer style. Great boots. Above it is a JK with safety toe.....also fantastic.

 

[arock]

I need to get a new pair of uninsulated boots pretty soon and I'd like them to be made in USA. What are the best options out there? Whites, Schnees, Kennetrek, Lathrop? There must be some more good ones out there?

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Schnees, Kennetrek and Lathrop are all Italian made. Most of the high quality hunting boots are going to be Italian or German made.

You're buying from an industrialized western country so its not like you're supporting Communist China or anything for pulling the trigger there.

 

[MThuntr]

I know Danner has Made In USA boots but the only pairs I had was in 2014...they lasted 6 weeks and the stitching failed followed quickly by the waterproofing. Thinking they were lemons I got another pair...lasted about 2 weeks. I've sworn off all Danner products. The rest of their boots are a joke as well. My opinion can't be changed on all Danners being junk

Hoffman and White both offer a hunting boot but they're made in Europe. My personal preference is with Hoffman after a few seasons with the Light Hiker and Armortech boots.

 

[JoeDirt]

Hoffman/Meindl are made in Slovenija

 

[MThuntr]

Hoffman/Meindl are made in Slovenija

Hoffman Explorer and 8" ArmorPro say Italy (I have 3 pairs all say Italy). Meindl seem to be built in a handful of spots. My old Meindl Vakuum (aka Cabelas Denali) say Germany

 

[WPFY543]

I'll add my 2 cents. In full transparency, a good friend of mine owns Nicks and I have helped him on and off over the last few years.

Nicks, Whites, JK, and Franks basically all originated from the same company in Spokane. They are all US based companies but rely heavily on European boot makers for their unique expertise. Nick left Whites, JK left Nicks, Frank left Nicks, etc. (I don't know those details but I know they were all bootmakers under the same roof at one point).

In all honesty, they all build great boots. Franks and JK still focus very much on the custom boot. They can accommodate weird foot shapes, unique use cases, etc - you pay for it and may need a fitting in person. Whites was recently purchased by a Japanese private equity group and is growing quickly to address a broader market.

I believe Nicks has stayed the course and is producing a really strong value in the marketplace. They are doing less custom than they once did and have focused on increasing their production efficiency around their core assortment to meet demand and ensure quality. They are a family owned company and are still 100% made in Spokane by a team of 15-20 skilled boot makers.

All the brands are great but know that these leather boots are built different than the european hiking/mountaineering boots. These are designed for hard use (wildland firefighting, logging, ranching, etc) and to be rebuilt multiple times. They are stiff, take months to truly break in and are heavy. I love them for rough outdoor work or working with stock, but I generally reach for my Salewas or Crispis when I'm headed into the backcountry or chasing upland birds. I've elk hunted in my packers and they are very comfortable but they wore me out after a few days. Guys manage to fight fire in them for weeks on end though so I'm probably just soft.

 

[ElPollo]

Limmer boots arr made in NH. They have been around forever and are high quality.

Limmers are made in Germany.

 

[2buffalo]

Limmers are made in Germany.

Our Story

Born from a family tradition that was firmly established in Bavaria before moving to the United States, Limmer represents a unique combination of old fashioned family pride and humble dedication rooted in a devotion to craft. Since 1919, Limmer has strived to provide the finest quality footwear...

limmerboots.com

I have never owned a pair but have many friends who own them. There are "Limmer Designed " boots made outside the US. Unless something has changed the people I know went to NH, were custom fit, and the boots were made there. I know people that backpack year round and swear by them. When the sole where's out they send them back and have Limmer re-sole them.

 

[ElPollo]

Our Story

Born from a family tradition that was firmly established in Bavaria before moving to the United States, Limmer represents a unique combination of old fashioned family pride and humble dedication rooted in a devotion to craft. Since 1919, Limmer has strived to provide the finest quality footwear...

limmerboots.com

I have never owned a pair but have many friends who own them. There are "Limmer Designed " boots made outside the US. Unless something has changed the people I know went to NH, were custom fit, and the boots were made there. I know people that backpack year round and swear by them. When the sole where's out they send them back and have Limmer re-sole them.

You’re right. Their stock line is made in Germany. Their custom boots are either made or partially assembled in the US. I think there is a 2-3 year wait on their custom boots. I seriously considered a pair of Limmers once. Decided not to go that route. Their boots are an old school design with stitch on soles. Not a lot of cushion or flex in them. I used to wear Whites and Nicks too. Honestly, I like a bit of midsole cushion in my boots. Makes the days and the miles feel not so long. The issue of buying American-made is easier for some things, but hiking boots aren’t really one of those things. For the last several years, I’ve worn Italian-made boots from Kenetrek and Hoffman, and my feet have been way happier.

 

[2buffalo]

You’re right. Their stock line is made in Germany. Their custom boots are either made or partially assembled in the US. I think there is a 2-3 year wait on their custom boots. I seriously considered a pair of Limmers once. Decided not to go that route. Their boots are an old school design with stitch on soles. Not a lot of cushion or flex in them. I used to wear Whites and Nicks too. Honestly, I like a bit of midsole cushion in my boots. Makes the days and the miles feel not so long. The issue of buying American-made is easier for some things, but hiking boots aren’t really one of those things. For the last several years, I’ve worn Italian-made boots from Kenetrek and Hoffman, and my feet have been way happier.

Peter Limmer & Sons

Peter Limmer & Sons is pleased to offer a USA made "Off the Shelf" boot, proudly produced and only available for in person fittings at our shop in Intervale, NH. Sizing - These boots are made in whole and half sizes and in narrow, medium, and wide widths. Materials & Quality - Made from the...

limmerboots.com

Their off the shelf boot is also made in the US. I believe if it is labeled Peter Limmer amd sons it's the US made product. I have never owned a pair but like I said everyone I know that has bought a pair still wears them. One person I know 40 years later. I wear Zamberlan which is made in Italy but if someone is set on buying American there probably isn't a better hiking boot out there. You are correct they aren't that sporty and haven't changed in appearance since the first pair I saw around 1980 when I was just a kid.

 

[ElPollo]

One other comment on this, since we are talking about Whites, Nicks, and Limmers. The concept of a rebuildable boot has never really worked for me. I’ve owned several from different makers and have never been happy with the results once rebuilt. Maybe I beat them a bit too hard before rebuilding. When I got them back the fit was never quite the same. These days, I just wear them until they turn into skis and buy a new pair.

 

[ElPollo]

Peter Limmer & Sons

Peter Limmer & Sons is pleased to offer a USA made "Off the Shelf" boot, proudly produced and only available for in person fittings at our shop in Intervale, NH. Sizing - These boots are made in whole and half sizes and in narrow, medium, and wide widths. Materials & Quality - Made from the...

limmerboots.com

Their off the shelf boot is also made in the US. I believe if it is labeled Peter Limmer amd sons it's the US made product. I have never owned a pair but like I said everyone I know that has bought a pair still wears them. One person I know 40 years later. I wear Zamberlan which is made in Italy but if someone is set on buying American there probably isn't a better hiking boot out there. You are correct they aren't that sporty and haven't changed in appearance since the first pair I saw around 1980 when I was just a kid.

I don’t have a dog in this hunt. I like the look of their boots and would probably like them wherever they are made. But their website says the off the shelf boots are manufactured in Germany.

The Standard

The Limmer Standard is the standard to which all rugged boots should be measured. And it’s the standard that all Limmer's are built upon. Crafted from a single piece of full grain leather, sustainably sourced specifically for this boot, the Standard's double-stitched Norwegian welt is perfect...

limmerboots.com

 

[sneaky]

Ya, high-end technical boots are made in Italy. From skiing to hunting. All the made in USA options shared in this thread are less technical, and less reputable.

I understand the merit of your inquiry, but we live in a global economy. My approach has been to try to avoid made in China as much as possible, but be satisfied with other Asian countries. I have no problem buying European, African, other americas made gear.

You saying Nick's or Whites are less reputable? That's quite a stretch.

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