Schnee's Kestrel Boot Review, By Jon Troxell

[Justin Crossley]

Like many Roksliders, @Jon Boy (Jon Troxell) is hard on his boots and has worn out quite a few pairs over the years. This season he decided to give the Kestrel from Schnee's a try. Check out his review below to see how they worked for him.

Schnee's Kestrel Boot Review

 

[loggerchas]

I have had to stay away from many of the higher quality boots due to the ankle lace hook so many have. Across the board - that ankle lace hook so many have hit right on my ankle bone making it excruciating to wear. Couple that with wide width I have and it makes it difficult to find a good boot that isn't painful to wear.

Others will laugh, but I have come to resign myself to IS Vaprtreks and destroy a pair every 12-18 months from consistent use. One of the few boots I can find in a wide width and the ankle lacing position doesn't end up cutting meat after a few miles.

In looking at the photos, it appears the ankle eyelet is far forward of where the traditional "ankle hook" is on so many boots. Is that true?

Usually wear a taller 8" boot, I see these are 6", did you notice any lack of support for those of us with weaker ankles?

Hunt mostly plains and foothills in late seasons and mountains in early season archery so uninsulated is key for me.

These look like a good option. How would you rate the cactus resistance of the boots? Lots of prickly pear where I tend to venture so that is always a concern.



Thanks for the review!

 

[Jon Boy]

I have had to stay away from many of the higher quality boots due to the ankle lace hook so many have. Across the board - that ankle lace hook so many have hit right on my ankle bone making it excruciating to wear. Couple that with wide width I have and it makes it difficult to find a good boot that isn't painful to wear.

Others will laugh, but I have come to resign myself to IS Vaprtreks and destroy a pair every 12-18 months from consistent use. One of the few boots I can find in a wide width and the ankle lacing position doesn't end up cutting meat after a few miles.

In looking at the photos, it appears the ankle eyelet is far forward of where the traditional "ankle hook" is on so many boots. Is that true?

Usually wear a taller 8" boot, I see these are 6", did you notice any lack of support for those of us with weaker ankles?

Hunt mostly plains and foothills in late seasons and mountains in early season archery so uninsulated is key for me.

These look like a good option. How would you rate the cactus resistance of the boots? Lots of prickly pear where I tend to venture so that is always a concern.

Have a Schnee's opening up soon in Colorado Springs and will be heading there to check out some quality alternatives!

Thanks for the review!

Hey glad you appreciated the review! I cant say for certain these would solve your problem but comparing them to my Crispi thors and soloman quests they definitely have a further forward ankle hook. I'd also say the cactus resistance is high for an uninsulated boot- as it has thicker material than the Crispi or soloman.

Feel free to reach out with any other questions!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Rokwiia]

Thank you for your thoughtful review. I have the Schnee Timberline, which I love, and have been searching for a 6" version of it. I noted your comment about your 30-40 mile break-in period. That surprised me.

For me, there was no break-in period with the Timberline. Out of the box and into the woods. The Kestrel is a zero flex whereas the TL is a 1 flex so I would have expected no break-in period. I'm curious why it would take so many miles to break in. Both boots are made from full grain; the Kestrel with rough side out.

I'd appreciate hearing more about your experience during the break-in period.

I also noted that you tied the laces from two eyelets under the leather strip on the tongue. The laces were tied over the leather strip for all of the other eyelets. Why did you tie them in this manner--was there a tightness, or pinching, of the boot in that area of your foot?

 

[Jon Boy]

Thank you for your thoughtful review. I have the Schnee Timberline, which I love, and have been searching for a 6" version of it. I noted your comment about your 30-40 mile break-in period. That surprised me.

For me, there was no break-in period with the Timberline. Out of the box and into the woods. The Kestrel is a zero flex whereas the TL is a 1 flex so I would have expected no break-in period. I'm curious why it would take so many miles to break in. Both boots are made from full grain; the Kestrel with rough side out.

I'd appreciate hearing more about your experience during the break-in period.

I also noted that you tied the laces from two eyelets under the leather strip on the tongue. The laces were tied over the leather strip for all of the other eyelets. Why did you tie them in this manner--was there a tightness, or pinching, of the boot in that area of your foot?

I think break in is a relative term. Every boot will loosen up over time. Out of the box the kestrel was relatively stiff for a boot with 0 flex. After a few long days of hunting they softened up into what I liked more.

As for the lacing, after years of fighting fire and getting white bite, it's standard practice in how I lace all my boots out of the box.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Ripnbst]

I think break in is a relative term. Every boot will loosen up over time. Out of the box the kestrel was relatively stiff for a boot with 0 flex. After a few long days of hunting they softened up into what I liked more.

As for the lacing, after years of fighting fire and getting white bite, it's standard practice in how I lace all my boots out of the box.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Please excuse my ignorance but what is “white bite”?

 

[Schnee's]

I have had to stay away from many of the higher quality boots due to the ankle lace hook so many have. Across the board - that ankle lace hook so many have hit right on my ankle bone making it excruciating to wear. Couple that with wide width I have and it makes it difficult to find a good boot that isn't painful to wear.

Others will laugh, but I have come to resign myself to IS Vaprtreks and destroy a pair every 12-18 months from consistent use. One of the few boots I can find in a wide width and the ankle lacing position doesn't end up cutting meat after a few miles.

In looking at the photos, it appears the ankle eyelet is far forward of where the traditional "ankle hook" is on so many boots. Is that true?

Usually wear a taller 8" boot, I see these are 6", did you notice any lack of support for those of us with weaker ankles?

Hunt mostly plains and foothills in late seasons and mountains in early season archery so uninsulated is key for me.

These look like a good option. How would you rate the cactus resistance of the boots? Lots of prickly pear where I tend to venture so that is always a concern.

Have a Schnee's opening up soon in Colorado Springs and will be heading there to check out some quality alternatives!

Thanks for the review!

I think the kestrel would work out for you. The ankle hardware is located differently then most other boots out there. Super comfortable to me.

Also, the only Schnee's is here in Bozeman, MT. We aren't opening up any additional stores right now. It could be a Scheels you saw?

- matt

 

[Jon Boy]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is “white bite”?

Its a phrase fire fighters and loggers use when breaking in a new pair of Whites logger style boots. Its where the crease of the boot pinches the top of your foot and can give you bad blisters and some down right nasty wounds! I had it happen to me once, and never laced my boots a different way again haha

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I think the kestrel would work out for you. The ankle hardware is located differently then most other boots out there. Super comfortable to me.

Also, the only Schnee's is here in Bozeman, MT. We aren't opening up any additional stores right now. It could be a Scheels you saw?

- matt

Matt - thanks for chiming in - looking at ordering these for early season, as I can’t seem to keep the lighter more technical la sportiva or similar type of boots in service for more than 2 years, wore a hole through my trango tech’s this year.

1) Do these fit similar to your beartooth II’s? Those fit me fine, but I tried the first version of the Missions and they didn’t work out at all for me for some reason, seemed super high volume....

2) are you guys going to continue with the Rokslide “code” for 2021? Old one isn’t working anymore, hoping that gets continued, and thanks in advance!

James

 

[Rokwiia]

I think break in is a relative term. Every boot will loosen up over time. Out of the box the kestrel was relatively stiff for a boot with 0 flex. After a few long days of hunting they softened up into what I liked more.

I reread your post and what I find troubling is the "relatively stiff" experience you had. My "1 flex" Timberlines were good to go right out of the box with no waiting and no breaking in. Put them on and out in the woods you go.

It would be very helpful to get Matt@Schnee's feedback on why the Kestrel "0 flex" seems to be more stiff than the Timberline "1 flex" based on our collective experience.

@Schnee's Any thoughts Matt?

 

[Jon Boy]

I reread your post and what I find troubling is the "relatively stiff" experience you had. My "1 flex" Timberlines were good to go right out of the box with no waiting and no breaking in. Put them on and out in the woods you go.

It would be very helpful to get Matt@Schnee's feedback on why the Kestrel "0 flex" seems to be more stiff than the Timberline "1 flex" based on our collective experience.

@Schnee's Any thoughts Matt?

I was comparing the kestrel to other light weight boots such as the soloman quest 4d and the crispi thor. It was relatively stiff in comparison to those boots which I would say are in the same class. The timberlines are in a different class and most definitely stiffer than the kestrel.

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[sneek-ee]

I reread your post and what I find troubling is the "relatively stiff" experience you had. My "1 flex" Timberlines were good to go right out of the box with no waiting and no breaking in. Put them on and out in the woods you go.

It would be very helpful to get Matt@Schnee's feedback on why the Kestrel "0 flex" seems to be more stiff than the Timberline "1 flex" based on our collective experience.

@Schnee's Any thoughts Matt?

I bought the kestrels a month or so ago and tried them on at home.
Thought they were way too stiff for a zero flex. So I called and they said that I need to wear them for 40 or 50 miles and they change and will feel much better and "break in". Seemed strange for a zero flex rating boot.

I decided to keep trying them. Have worn them chukar hunting and lion hunting this winter and I wish I wouldn't have worn them outside. They have the worst heel slip I've ever had in a boot and I've tried every lacing technique I can and none have helped. Stiffness isn't as bad as it was when brand new, but still way stiffer than what I was expecting for a flexible boot.
I wear Salomon quests regularly. I have gone thru 2 pairs of crispi lapponias. Wear meindls and some la sportivas.

The stiffest boot I own now is the zero flex kestrels. I was hoping these would be a durable longer lasting boot similar to my lapponias. They are definitely more rugged and would last longer. But they are not on the same levels of comfort or stiffness, I was hoping these would be the answer.

Now it sounds like I wish I would have got another pair of lapponias on sale during black Friday or tried the timberlines instead..

 

[Rokwiia]

I'm absolutely miffed why Schnees would give the Kestrel a zero flex. Very perplexing. I'd give the Timberlines a try. Best fitting, most comfortable boot I've ever worn....but it has to fit you. The good thing is there is zero break in.

If I needed 40-50 miles to break in a pair of boots, I'd go with the Schnee Divide Mid or the Absaroka. Both are 6" all leather boots. I tried the Divide Mid (2 flex and built on a different last I'm told) and they were very comfortable but felt a hair too narrow. The Absaroka (3 flex) is a boot I might try.

 

[Schnee's]

Matt - thanks for chiming in - looking at ordering these for early season, as I can’t seem to keep the lighter more technical la sportiva or similar type of boots in service for more than 2 years, wore a hole through my trango tech’s this year.

1) Do these fit similar to your beartooth II’s? Those fit me fine, but I tried the first version of the Missions and they didn’t work out at all for me for some reason, seemed super high volume....

2) are you guys going to continue with the Rokslide “code” for 2021? Old one isn’t working anymore, hoping that gets continued, and thanks in advance!

James

1) The sizing is the same, but I find the toe box to have a bit more room. For me it has been super comfortable. Gives my toes room to wiggle a bit.

2) PM me and I can get you a code to use. The last code made it out onto some coupon sites and was abused, so we are being a bit more cautious with it.

 

[Schnee's]

I reread your post and what I find troubling is the "relatively stiff" experience you had. My "1 flex" Timberlines were good to go right out of the box with no waiting and no breaking in. Put them on and out in the woods you go.

It would be very helpful to get Matt@Schnee's feedback on why the Kestrel "0 flex" seems to be more stiff than the Timberline "1 flex" based on our collective experience.

@Schnee's Any thoughts Matt?

Just different construction. The Kestrel doesn't have a traditional Chassis like the Timberline does. Instead it is a 100% PU midsole with our pLite tech in there. It will seem stiffer at first, but will soften up nicely after some miles are put on them.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

1) The sizing is the same, but I find the toe box to have a bit more room. For me it has been super comfortable. Gives my toes room to wiggle a bit.

2) PM me and I can get you a code to use. The last code made it out onto some coupon sites and was abused, so we are being a bit more cautious with it.

no problem - very much appreacite the response, and certainly don't blame you for protecting yourselves. Thanks for the direct reply and being a sponsor on here!

 

[xcutter]

What is the typical break in period for these boots? Love the fit but they are eating my heels up. Love my Timberline's. I don't remember having much trouble with heel blisters breaking them in. Don't think I've ever had a heel blister in them.

 

[Jon Boy]

What is the typical break in period for these boots? Love the fit but they are eating my heels up. Love my Timberline's. I don't remember having much trouble with heel blisters breaking them in. Don't think I've ever had a heel blister in them.

It took around 40 miles for me when the heel slip quit. They continued to get softer for another 40 miles and are now like slippers. I wear them every day to work! They still show next to no wear.

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[xcutter]

It took around 40 miles for me when the heel slip quit. They continued to get softer for another 40 miles and are now like slippers. I wear them every day to work! They still show next to no wear.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Hopefully I can stand putting that much heel pain investment into mine. LOL. Thanks for your reply. I'll keep pressing on with break in miles.

 

[Rokwiia]

I would never buy a boot where pain, blisters, and suffering is the acknowledged pathway before a boot properly fits. I have the Timberlines as well and was considering the Kestrel.