I’m curious about what hunters here think about ideal shoe/boot sole stiffness for hunting. Obviously the choice depends on the situation (what kind of terrain, season, activity), but the general opinion around here seems to be a preference for greater stiffness than I'm used to. I tend to lean the other way, but I thought I'd open the discussion.
I’m new to hunting (started last year), but have been hiking and backpacking for since I was a kid. As far as I know, the trend in the backpacking world has been toward “lighter is better”. Less boot, more shoe. This is understandable since (1) lots of backpackers carry light loads relative to hunters and (2) relative to hunters, they are usually on-trail. Would seem that with heavy loads and rough terrain, a tougher boot would be useful.
Consider my two outdoor shoes right now: Merrell Moabs and Lowa Caminos.
The Moab is very much a hiking shoe - wouldn't even call it a boot. You can take a brand new pair of those shoes and easily bend the sole nearly in half with your bare hands. Stiffer than running shoes, but not *stiff*. I did my mule deer and elk hunts in those shoes last year, packing out both on my back, and had no problem. Granted I wasn't carrying super heavy loads on scree fields or anything, but I think they would have been fine if so.
On the other hand is the Lowa Camino, which I personally consider to be a heavy and stiff hiking boot, compared to what I'm used to. (Ironically, I've heard the Camino mentioned on this forum as a light boot. Go figure.) The advantage of this boot is that I feel like a tank when I'm going over rough terrain and vegetation. The thicker, stiffer sole means I barely notice what's under foot, and the stiff rubber rand around the toe and heel makes stubbing my toe nearly impossible. The downside is that lesser flex in the sole means a somewhat less natural walking gait, as well as less grip on the ground. I feel less agile in them. They're also noticeably heavier, so I'm slower up the hills.
For most applications I prefer the more natural feel of the lighter Moab. Perhaps one day I'll experience a long, heavy pack-out on hellish terrain that will make me realize the great benefit of a stiffer boot. There's a decent chance I'll go for a bighorn ewe backpacking hunt this year, so maybe then.
I'm curious to hear your experiences. Perhaps you've come to the opposite conclusion?
I’m new to hunting (started last year), but have been hiking and backpacking for since I was a kid. As far as I know, the trend in the backpacking world has been toward “lighter is better”. Less boot, more shoe. This is understandable since (1) lots of backpackers carry light loads relative to hunters and (2) relative to hunters, they are usually on-trail. Would seem that with heavy loads and rough terrain, a tougher boot would be useful.
Consider my two outdoor shoes right now: Merrell Moabs and Lowa Caminos.
The Moab is very much a hiking shoe - wouldn't even call it a boot. You can take a brand new pair of those shoes and easily bend the sole nearly in half with your bare hands. Stiffer than running shoes, but not *stiff*. I did my mule deer and elk hunts in those shoes last year, packing out both on my back, and had no problem. Granted I wasn't carrying super heavy loads on scree fields or anything, but I think they would have been fine if so.
On the other hand is the Lowa Camino, which I personally consider to be a heavy and stiff hiking boot, compared to what I'm used to. (Ironically, I've heard the Camino mentioned on this forum as a light boot. Go figure.) The advantage of this boot is that I feel like a tank when I'm going over rough terrain and vegetation. The thicker, stiffer sole means I barely notice what's under foot, and the stiff rubber rand around the toe and heel makes stubbing my toe nearly impossible. The downside is that lesser flex in the sole means a somewhat less natural walking gait, as well as less grip on the ground. I feel less agile in them. They're also noticeably heavier, so I'm slower up the hills.
For most applications I prefer the more natural feel of the lighter Moab. Perhaps one day I'll experience a long, heavy pack-out on hellish terrain that will make me realize the great benefit of a stiffer boot. There's a decent chance I'll go for a bighorn ewe backpacking hunt this year, so maybe then.
I'm curious to hear your experiences. Perhaps you've come to the opposite conclusion?
