Zero Drop Hunting Boot

[sndmn11]

Are you just using leather waterproofing wax? If so, what brand?

They said they were pretreated, but I double checked with them that I could use the Hoffman https://www.hoffmanboots.com/hoffman-s-premium-boot-dressing

They said yes because it is an oil treatment.

 

[Jimbee]

I bought the Vivo Trackers and no treatment was supplied. I emailed asking about it and they refunded me a little money, (can't remember how much) and told me to use Renapur. I like the boots, comfortable, dry feet so far.

Renapur Leather Balsam, Natural Balm, Conditioner and Restorer (200 ml + Applicator Sponge) — Protector for Leather Sofas, Furniture, Shoes, Bags, Car Seats, Saddlery & Tack (Original) https://a.co/d/72LRXRV

 

[ledflight]

Folks I wanted to share these as I bought a pair - I had them in 11 too big and grabbed these in 10.5 - Otz is closed as a company but they are zero drop and foot shaped. Vibram tread. They come with a cork insole with a little structure to it but easily removable.

https://poshmark.com/listing/OTZ-Shoes-Conody-Canvas-Duck-Boots-Waterproof-w-Vibram-Soles-601f77bd7ec30ca6e28d3877

 

[ledflight]

New Lems offering:

Men's Boulder Summit Waterproof

If you’ve been holding your breath for us to release a Boulder Boot style that can properly tackle the trails, you can go ahead and release that breath. Now take another, and another, because you’ll be huffing and puffing up and over mountains and along stretches of dirt and rock in your spiffy...

www.lemsshoes.com

 

[BFreed59]

Update on the Vivo Tracker Esc's. So far since getting them I have somewhere around 200 miles of hiking in them, split between day hiking, upland bird hunting, a week long elk hunt, a few days of antelope and some mule deer hunting. All the hiking has been here in Wyoming ranging from river bottoms with thick brush to rocky terrain above tree line.

I have really like the tread pattern on the soles, I have had great traction on a wide variety of surfaces, they seem to shed mud and grime quickly.

So far have packed out two animals wearing them, 1 mule deer and 1 antelope, I made one trip with bone in quarters for each and both pack outs were about 1-1.5 miles in length with some steep terrain. My feet felt fine during and after each of the pack outs, and never felt like I was missing the stability that a stiffer boot would provide. Keep in mind that I wear minimalist/barefoot shoes at least 90% of the time and am very used to this style of shoe.

A big benefit of the boots that I was not expecting is I am able to be much quieter while moving than with stiffer boots.

A couple of minor cons I have found with the boots over the last few months.

1. As others have mentioned the lace loop does push on the ankle bone, however I was able to avoid this by a slight change in how I lace them, which allows me to tighten the top and bottom differently.

2. While antelope hunting I had a few occasions where I stepped with my arch on a cactus, the spines did push through the leather enough for me to feel it but not painful or enough for the spines to stay in. Not a big deal to me as I should pay a bit more attention to where I step but this hasn't happened to me in stiffer boots.

3. I have sweaty feet and feel like they don't breath enough to keep my feet dry. This is not exclusive to these boots, and could just be a me problem more than the boots, so I typically just try to air my feet out when I get a chance while glassing and go on my way.

4. I do feel like I catch my toe on rocks/stick/logs more often with these boots than others. Could just be a sizing thing but just something I have noticed.

Overall I have been very happy with the boots. The durability seems to be doing well at this point, they have scuffs and scrapes on the leather but nothing unexpected from the off-trail and rocky hiking I have done. Not once have I wished I had a stiffer pair of boots while wearing them, and they fit my feet well, I have not had a single blister while wearing them.

 

[czgunner]

Update on the Vivo Tracker Esc's. So far since getting them I have somewhere around 200 miles of hiking in them, split between day hiking, upland bird hunting, a week long elk hunt, a few days of antelope and some mule deer hunting. All the hiking has been here in Wyoming ranging from river bottoms with thick brush to rocky terrain above tree line.

I have really like the tread pattern on the soles, I have had great traction on a wide variety of surfaces, they seem to shed mud and grime quickly.

So far have packed out two animals wearing them, 1 mule deer and 1 antelope, I made one trip with bone in quarters for each and both pack outs were about 1-1.5 miles in length with some steep terrain. My feet felt fine during and after each of the pack outs, and never felt like I was missing the stability that a stiffer boot would provide. Keep in mind that I wear minimalist/barefoot shoes at least 90% of the time and am very used to this style of shoe.

A big benefit of the boots that I was not expecting is I am able to be much quieter while moving than with stiffer boots.

A couple of minor cons I have found with the boots over the last few months.

1. As others have mentioned the lace loop does push on the ankle bone, however I was able to avoid this by a slight change in how I lace them, which allows me to tighten the top and bottom differently.

2. While antelope hunting I had a few occasions where I stepped with my arch on a cactus, the spines did push through the leather enough for me to feel it but not painful or enough for the spines to stay in. Not a big deal to me as I should pay a bit more attention to where I step but this hasn't happened to me in stiffer boots.

3. I have sweaty feet and feel like they don't breath enough to keep my feet dry. This is not exclusive to these boots, and could just be a me problem more than the boots, so I typically just try to air my feet out when I get a chance while glassing and go on my way.

4. I do feel like I catch my toe on rocks/stick/logs more often with these boots than others. Could just be a sizing thing but just something I have noticed.

Overall I have been very happy with the boots. The durability seems to be doing well at this point, they have scuffs and scrapes on the leather but nothing unexpected from the off-trail and rocky hiking I have done. Not once have I wished I had a stiffer pair of boots while wearing them, and they fit my feet well, I have not had a single blister while wearing them.

I was going to ask about mud. I went out today and this Wyoming mud adds about 5 pounds to my Salomon Quest boots. I'm concerned about waterproofing with these as well. Done any stream crossings?

 

[czgunner]

Also, I'm using 4 or 5 pairs of different Lem's shoes. I love them, but the boulder boot has almost laughable traction. Sadly I've had 3 different pairs of their shoes come apart right at 1 year. They weren't very helpful in repairing them. Still love wearing them.

 

[ledflight]

Also, I'm using 4 or 5 pairs of different Lem's shoes. I love them, but the boulder boot has almost laughable traction. Sadly I've had 3 different pairs of their shoes come apart right at 1 year. They weren't very helpful in repairing them. Still love wearing them.

The new one is supposed to have better traction, from what I am reading/hearing.

 

[Formidilosus]

The new one is supposed to have better traction, from what I am reading/hearing.

It had a “waterproof” liner, which sucks.

 

[BFreed59]

I was going to ask about mud. I went out today and this Wyoming mud adds about 5 pounds to my Salomon Quest boots. I'm concerned about waterproofing with these as well. Done any stream crossings?

I haven't done a ton of stream crossings where I couldn't rock hop across. The one I have done I went over the top of the boots and water came down through the top, but that isn't the boots fault. I have worn them in a few rainstorms and in a few inches of snow, they seem to be relatively waterproof as long as i did a good job with conditioning/treating them before hand. Defiantly not the most waterproof boot I have had, but defiantly not the worst either. They do seem to dry out very slow though so that is something to keep in mind.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Hope they have figured out the grip on those Lems! I have a pair of Lems Boulder boots that I wear alot at work. I quit hunting in them because they can be downright dangerous due to the slick soles

 

[sram9102]

Any of you guys using these or zero drop shoes in general have terribly flat feet? I had a bone removed from each arch 20ish years ago and have exactly zero arch. I have been thinking that instead of propping everything up with inserts maybe going this route would strengthen my feet over time and I would have less issues going forward.

 

[ledflight]

Any of you guys using these or zero drop shoes in general have terribly flat feet? I had a bone removed from each arch 20ish years ago and have exactly zero arch. I have been thinking that instead of propping everything up with inserts maybe going this route would strengthen my feet over time and I would have less issues going forward.

This is the idea, but if I were you I'd explore the transition process.
I have one flat foot and one ok one and am trying to strengthen them both.
The idea is your foot has the muscles and bones to make its own arch and if it's held up by an external one it will never develop or regain that ability.
If you're wearing high drop shoes all the time then switch to a zero drop for hunting I'd expect problems. Maybe get zero drop shoes for everyday to start, check out barefoot feet folks like https://www.instagram.com/thebarefootpodiatrist etc

 

[BBob]

Done any stream crossings?

Plenty, feet dry. These are like old school leather boots before liners were ever a thing. If the leather is kept even somewhat treated the leather doesn't leak. I haven't had my Gobi's or Magna's leak at the sole to upper interface yet either.

 

[sram9102]

This is the idea, but if I were you I'd explore the transition process.
I have one flat foot and one ok one and am trying to strengthen them both.
The idea is your foot has the muscles and bones to make its own arch and if it's held up by an external one it will never develop or regain that ability.
If you're wearing high drop shoes all the time then switch to a zero drop for hunting I'd expect problems. Maybe get zero drop shoes for everyday to start, check out barefoot feet folks like https://www.instagram.com/thebarefootpodiatrist etc

I have been eyeballing a xero hiker for a while. I don't see myself taking a zero drop style on a mountain hunt anytime soon. I have ankle issues from time to time that I attribute to my shitty feet. I had accessory navicular syndrome in both feet and had it surgically corrected as a kid. Figured having stronger feet couldn't hurt anything.

 

[twall13]

Any of you guys using these or zero drop shoes in general have terribly flat feet? I had a bone removed from each arch 20ish years ago and have exactly zero arch. I have been thinking that instead of propping everything up with inserts maybe going this route would strengthen my feet over time and I would have less issues going forward.

I have pretty flat feet and zero drop and minimalist shoes have helped me quite a bit in that regard. I took it slowly as I transitioned (took about a year) but now mostly wear vivobarefoot shoes. I trail run about 25-30 miles per week and most of that is in Vivobarefoot Primus FG shoes. I'll occasionally wear some Altra Superior shoes if I feel like I want a little more cushion but those are also zero drop shoes. I also wear the Vivobarefoot Ra II at the office almost daily. I can't say that I no longer have flat feet, but my feet are definitely stronger and don't cause me as many issues in general. If you do make the switch, make sure you take it slow and are committed because it will likely be worse before it gets better as you build up strength in your feet, ankles, and calves.

 

[czgunner]

This has been a long and informative thread. I learned quite a bit. I am interested in minimalist shoes because as I understand it they can be more quiet when still hunting. I am now intrigued by the other reported benefits. I am considering picking up a pair of the boots offered by Xero or Vigo (thanks for the code, it is good for a few days yet). Has anyone that has tried both offer some insight as to how their function / durability compare?

A few more questions:
Any experience with Steger / Moccasins Canada / Manitoba moccasins as relates to their suitability on hunts and as late season cold weather footwear?

Xero has a both waterproof and snow boots. How well do those breath / hold up?

I've had a pair of the Xero Insulated snow boots for a year. They are warm and comfortable. I wish I would have ordered a 1/2 size smaller though.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Voyageur]

This has been a long and informative thread. I learned quite a bit. I am interested in minimalist shoes because as I understand it they can be more quiet when still hunting. I am now intrigued by the other reported benefits. I am considering picking up a pair of the boots offered by Xero or Vigo (thanks for the code, it is good for a few days yet). Has anyone that has tried both offer some insight as to how their function / durability compare?

A few more questions:
Any experience with Steger / Moccasins Canada / Manitoba moccasins as relates to their suitability on hunts and as late season cold weather footwear?

Xero has a both waterproof and snow boots. How well do those breath / hold up?

I have had a pair of Steger mukluks for approximately eight years. They are ideal for extreme cold, coupled with deep snow. I have found nothing better for use with my snow shoes. In my opinion, the sole of the mukluk is not made for walking on anything other than snow/ice. Gravel, rock, etc. will eat it up quick.

 

[kodyshriver]

Another option to consider is the Topo Athletic Trailventure 2 WP. Has a 5mm drop and a ergonomic feel in the footbed. Better waterproofing/support than mid-height trail runners (swore off those after getting trench foot while packing out a bull wearing the Lone Peak). No replacement for a leather boot, and some of the options listed above look intriguing. The Topo’s are great for summer scouting/early season.

 

[fwafwow]

How warm are many of these boots? I have a pair of these:

Amazon.com

but when the ground is cold it pulls the heat right of your feet?

Is this a serious question?