What shoes are worth it?

[ih8hunting]

for a decade or so, I had a revolving door of about 4 pairs of hunting boots, each was so unbearable and uncomfortable to wear, even when I had them fitted.
Recently I got a pair of danners, even after breaking them in for 2 weeks, using hairdryers, putting a bag of water in them, and freezing them, my feet go numb. I'd rather wear squirrels on my feet than hunting/hiking shoes at this point.
At this point, no matter what size I get or what brand it is, it feels like I'm wearing petrified wood.
The ones I had for years and worse repeatedly are better, but they're too dilapidated.
I might wear bunny slippers to go shooting next week to prove a point-
Does anyone else have this issue?

 

[DenimChicken]

I can sympathize. I have some weird feet that are in between normal and wide, one foot is slightly bigger than the other, and I have one big toe that likes to rub on the side of most toe boxes. To say finding a boot that fits is an understatement. I have been through a metric boatload of boots looking for the perfect one. I have finally somewhat figured it out and have found a good early and mid season boot. Given what I've paid for the numerous pairs of boots that didn't quite work, I'd pay a hefty sum for a boot that worked 100%.

My advice to you is try every pair of boots you can. Find the ones that feel great as soon as you put them on. Some boots feel good initially but end up not working on the mountain, but for me, if a boot doesn't feel good as soon as I put it on, it never will. No breaking in will fix a bad fit or last that doesn't work for you.

Don't limit yourself to hunting marketed boots. Look at the hiking boots as well. Try REI or similar outdoors stores. You might find better info in the footwear sub at:https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/footwear.79/https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/footwear.79/

 

[Steve300xcw]

Does anyone else have this issue?

nope

 

[Ucsdryder]

You might find this thread interesting!

Boots: light and fast or heavy and bomb proof?

After 10 years of soft soled hiking boot, I’ll be testing and comparing the Schnee Beartooth V3 to my Solomon 4d gtx. There are things I really liked about my “hippie hikers”: weight, comfort, price, and a couple of aspects that have really ground my gears: durability and lack of...

rokslide.com

 

[Beendare]

Who knew....that it's all about fit....grin

Danners is your problem...man those boots have gone downhill from Decades ago.

I like both light and heavy for different hunts. The insole really matters.

I wear my heavier Hoffmans when I'm doing a lot of off trail stuff and my feet and ankles feel better at the end of the day....those are like slipping on an old friend once you break them in.

 

[7mm-08]

No. There is enough variety in the marketplace that you should not have to deal with this issue. Have you tried all of the quality (read that "expensive") boots in this space? Danner is not in that category, by the way. With the exception of Hoffman, its pretty hard to beat the German and Italian manufacturers' offerings.

 

[LongWayAround]

Danner quality is debatable but that looks like a fairly soft soled boot. Is that a pronghorn?

I think if you are having that much trouble with your feet, it might not just be the boots. I like heat moldable insoles because they customize to your foot.

What do you wear for daily life? If you are only occasionally wearing your boots, they will probably always feel foreign.

 

[Huntinmechanic]

Danner has decent work boots. They leave a lot to be desired with their hunting lineup. I was in the same boat until about three years ago. After years of wearing Danner hunting/hiking boots that were too small(14D), thin soled and not durable, I started buying Lowa Renegades in 15EE. Not the best for packing heavy, but not the worst either. I've put around 480 miles on my latest pair since April and have zero complaints. Now that larger size boots are becoming more common, I'm hoping to try Crispi's, Lowa's or Schnee's mountaineering type boots in the near future. I think ample toe box space, good insoles and top quality socks make a ton of difference in how your feet feel while in your boots. Also, different lacing techniques can help with heel lift, toe jamming and fore foot tightness that eventually lead to numbness.

 

[Davyalabama]

I still have red wings from the 90’s, resoled but worth it. Also, a pair of Irish Setters for work. Now if I want to be quiet in the turkey woods, I wear tennis shoes. Tennis shoes and some snake gaiters work well. Don’t knock it till you try it.

 

[Wrench]

Go grab a scarpa boot and you'll feel the best. The leather in the tongue on a wrangell gtx is better than the vamp and counter on most "good" boots.

 

[OKHunter84]

Man do yourself a favor and try a pair of Hoka anacapa hiking boots or one of their others. They don't need a break in and they're some of the most comfortable I've tried.

A buddy of mine bought a pair of crispi to go on a backpack mountain bear hunt with me last year and I talked him into trying a pair of Hoka hiking boots. He wore them with barely any break in packing a 60 lb pack in 6 miles and had no blisters (he packed way too much shit).

They're not near as expensive as a lot of hunting style boots guys usually talk about on here and they've worked great for me.

 

[Holeintheheadgang]

Numbimg in your feet may indicate something else medically going on.

 

[yttm34]

I’ve had a pair of goretex Cabela’s brand boots for years and I love them. I want to replace but why replace when they ain’t broke?...

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have tried most of them and am likely done with “hunting” boots. My next pair are going to be Hoka hiking boots

 

[30338]

Don't overlook adding a pair of $40-$60 inserts. I started using those about 8 years ago and its helped me a lot actually. Even the higher end boots seem to come with marginal inserts in them.

 

[Davyalabama]

Agree with 30338, " Don't overlook adding a pair of $40-$60 inserts. I started using those about 8 years ago and its helped me a lot actually. Even the higher end boots seem to come with marginal inserts in them." Now I haven't spent that much on inserts, but good inserts is a must in whatever shoes I have on, well besides flip flops.

 

[4rcgoat]

Insoles make a huge difference, I throw away all the inserts that come with any work or hunting boot and replace with superfeet,either the green or blue depending on the fit.

 

[cjdewese]

If your toes are touching the inside of the boot it's too narrow. Also how tight are you lacing your boot. Your feet going numb, makes me think you are tying them too tight.

 

[Kurts86]

Danners are not good boots in the hunting/backpacking sense.

First thing you need to identify is what kind of foot do you have? Is it wide or narrow? Do you have high or low arches? Do you have issues with heel slip or with your toes? What are your hunting demands? Is it off trail with a heavy pack or a flat pronghorn hunt?

Realize you can’t really go to Bass Pro and get setup with good western hunting boots. They don’t carry a wide array of boots and they people working there are clueless. Realize you are better off at REI or a similar hiking store or commit to ordering a bunch of boots online and returning the ones that don’t fit.

Most good hunting boots of moderate to stiff are going to be European mountaineering boots. This includes but isn’t limited to Crispi, La Sportive, Scarpa, Salewa, Technica, Hanwag, Lowa, as well as most Kennetrek/Schnees boots. These are going to cost $200-$500 depending on the brand/model.

If you can manage a less stiff boot there are plenty of options from Salomon, HOKA, Altra and lots of running shoe brands. These will typically be $200 or so but with a much shorter life span.

Realize that insoles, lacing techniques and liner socks are all tools to improve any new or existing boot you have.