Why do ALL hunting boots hate my feet

[snopro176]

If I wear my boots on flat ground they kill my feet. I only wear them for the time I will actually be hiking.

I wear crocs driving to and from the trailhead. There is no way I would wear them for general yard work.

Do they hurt your feet when you’re actually hiking in them or just when you stop?

Honestly if im moving its not bad. But if im glassing, driving and basically off them they ache. Yesterday I literally wore some crispies for three hours and they ached for five. Felt fine while I was in them working


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[CorbLand]

Honestly if im moving its not bad. But if im glassing, driving and basically off them they ache. Yesterday I literally wore some crispies for three hours and they ached for five. Felt fine while I was in them working


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Tops of your feet primarily?

I would try some different lace techniques.

 

[survivalistd]

There is always the hunting croc's option

 

[gtriple]

Honestly if im moving its not bad. But if im glassing, driving and basically off them they ache. Yesterday I literally wore some crispies for three hours and they ached for five. Felt fine while I was in them working


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Have you tried the Topo Trailventure? They're like mid-height sneakers.

Also, what insoles are you using?

 

[JasonM]

Tops of your feet primarily?

I would try some different lace techniques.

lacing zones make a difference imho

Some boots have a better system than others but it truly does help customize the feel and comfort of the boots. Too tight in certain zones can limit or restrict blood flow.

 

[7millie]

lacing zones make a difference imho

Some boots have a better system than others but it truly does help customize the feel and comfort of the boots. Too tight in certain zones can limit or restrict blood flow.

This helped my feet out a lot. I use a different lace pattern for my left vs right foot even. If I’m in them hiking and feel a pain in a certain part of my foot I’ll stop and relieve pressure in the laces in that spot and apply pressure above or below to make up for it.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Salomon are the best fitting boot made. They have the longevity of a wet paper bag, but in your situation I’d give them a shot. They usually make it 1-2 years before they leak, but out of the box they feel like a broken in pair of tennis shoes.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

OK, I know they are probably not the greatest quality, but a place called Fitville makes ultrawide tennis shoes and boots. I bought 3 pairs of shoes and a pair of boots and they fit me like no other shoe ever. Wore the boots all deer season last year and 4 days this spring while working on my property with no sore feet. A first for me.

 

[Walker6]

Mendl’s and Crispi’s both feel great when I put them on, but after a mile or two it feels like someone is squeezing my third and fourth toe with a pair of pliers. Neuropathy is a word I heard used to describe this. I am not a doctor, so who knows if that’s the right diagnosis. But I’m right about the pliers.

Anyway, I ordered some Schnee’s Kestrels and while they don’t feel all special when I lace em up, my feet feel good after a day or five on the mountain. Go figure.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

One thing to note, I was always buying my boots/shoes a size higher so my feet would "grow into them". This is a very, very bad idea I come to find out. Too narrow of footwear squeezes your feet from left to right. I developed something called a Neuroma. It's a growth on your nerves between the back side of your toes usually between your 2nd/3rd or 4th toe. Trust me, it is unpleasant at times. No surgery needed yet but the cortisone injections are equally unpleasant.

 

[DooleyVT]

I had a custom footbed made by a local ski shop to fit in my Crispi Nevadas a few years ago. It made a gigantic difference in comfort. I was over tightening my boot laces to try to get them to fit which actually made them more uncomfortable. A custom footbed will bring the boot up to the bottom of your foot instead of trying to push your foot down into the boot. I actually look forward to putting on my hunting boots and can wear them all day without any problems.

 

[fngTony]

The set of lowas i had was EE, got em used on here and still ached


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EE isn’t actually that wide. A lot of wide footwear is just adding a little room around the little toe. They aren’t scaling up the entire toe box. Take the inserts out of your Altras and a regular shoe or boot, notice which one is anatomically shaped correctly. I’ve only found three boots that are wearable but still are rough for long days.

You’ve got to wear zero drop shoes a LOT to stretch your Achilles. I wear Whitins from Amazon just around town. They are cheap, wide, and zero drop with decent but not too much cushion.

I have those. Worked great to help get my feet back on track but just a little more cushion would allow me to wear them more.

 

[betelgeuse]

I need a wide toebox because my toes splay out with weight my foot. I have been using danners in ee for years. Pretty happy with them. Right now I am wearing the marine Tropicals for warm weather. No gore tex. I try wearing mine around before season to toughen up my feet and get used to it.

Gokey makes customs in the US

Good Luck on your search

About Gokey - Gokey USA

Handmade in the USA The Gokey construction process is an incredible example of the bootmaker's art – a rare thing in today's mass-produced world. Our craftsmen expertly hand cut and hand sew this durable leather using techniques that date back generations—methods that take years to teach. We...

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[bpatterson]

This thread is perfect. Got a pair of Crispi altitudes last week and been walking on the treadmill so I can take them back. Think I need to go up a size or to a wide foot box. I’m assuming there will be some fit damage with heavy weight and a narrow boot for my foot. Also, the top hurts, and my laces are not tight at all, not sure if I need to switch boots or get another size.

 

[betelgeuse]

This thread is perfect. Got a pair of Crispi altitudes last week and been walking on the treadmill so I can take them back. Think I need to go up a size or to a wide foot box. I’m assuming there will be some fit damage with heavy weight and a narrow boot for my foot. Also, the top hurts, and my laces are not tight at all, not sure if I need to switch boots or get another size.

Not sure how your feet are, but my toes need a bit of room to spread out or they hurt like hell. I always wear a wide and try to use the correct thickness of sock to snug up the rest of the fit if needed. It's a chore to find the right boots for sure.

I have got good advice for athletic shoes from a store that caters to runners. Boots aren't running shoes but some of the fit rules apply. I get away with a light boot putzing around hunting, but hauling meat with a pack requires me to have something more substantial

 

[anonymous22]

All I can say it get a good measurement on your feet using one of those devices who’s name escapes me in the moment.

You can have two different boots from the same
Company and they can use different last. So, keep experimenting.

I recommend with most hunting boots regardless of price to swap out insoles. However I recognize that isn’t your problem.

Lastly, based on what you said you’ve tried, maybe give Salomon quest a try.

 

[dtrkyman]

Try some VIVO barefoot, I have transitioned to them for all my shoes but runners, loving them.

 

[mtnbound]

The more money i spend on boots the worse they are. Its not heel rub or a tight foot box or anything, its just a general ache. Ive run scarpas, lowas, hanwags, multiple crispis and no matter what, my feet ache just being in them. Like driving to the mtns does it before i even get hiking. Insoles help but not a full blown cure. I’ve tried everything from super stiff scarpas to crispi laponnias and that didn’t make a difference. I can put on a brand new pair of the same old $140 wolverine work boot and have absolutely zero problems for 16hrs a day. But the second I put on a hunting specific boot, it’s game over. I just took my crispies off after wearing them for about three hours and my feet are absolutely killing me and I did nothing but do yardwork. What in the heck gives you guys???


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Just use what works for you. If it's Wolverine work boots, so be it.

 

[AntelopeEater]

Solomon Quest are the only boots I can just buy and then take a long hike in without breaking them in first.

But, maybe because they are relatively soft and comfortable, they do tend to wear out relatively fast.

 

[Xperimental]

I've had pronghorns since 2011. Very comfortable and they perform extremely well.