Hunting Boot Suggestions

[Guest clutepc]

I need to buy another pair of boots this year and I could use some suggestions.

I've been looking at Muck Boots, LaCrosse and some others because of the lightweight.

My concern is I hunt mostly on public land and there are old fences and just a lot of things to tear them on.

I also hunt in IL in late winter so It needs to be able to keep my feet warm.

Can anyone tell me how well they hold up or if there are some other brands to look at?

Thanks for the help!!

[Guest RobThatsMe]

I have had real good luck with Rockies, 1000 gr thinsulite boots.

They are lightweight, and really keep my feet warm. I use them here in TN ,

and also in Maine, (both for hunting and snowmobiling).

http://www.rockyboots.com/Products/Search/outdoor_hunting_outdoor/

Rob

[Rightwinger]

I switched over to the knee high rubber boots with thinsulate a few years back for scent control and haven't looked back. If your susceptible to easily getting cold feet, they will leak heat a little quicker to me than leather or the combination leather/nylon boots but they are waterproof and if you wash em off in the creek and rub em in the leaves, you won't leave a trail to your hunting spot that screams "human"! I was getting busted often enough watching deer come right up to my path walking in that it's been well worth it. Comfortable, easy on and off, get em a little bigger if you wear thick socks, no maintenance (busted shoe laces).

My pair is Red Head 700 gram thinsulates from Bass Pro.

[Deerbnb]

I used to buy nothing but Rockies, however about 10 years ago i had several pairs in a row meet a pre-mature demise with the soles de-laminating. I switched to LaCrosse and love em. they hold up very well and they are the most comfortable boot I have found. I have a pair of LaCrosse Wellingtons also for work. Gander Mountain usually has the best prices that I have found on the LaCrosse.

[robin48]

Big Rocky fan here.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

[whiskey]

OK, so you hunt in Tennessee from late September (possible 80 degrees) to late season IL (0 degrees). You need two pairs of boots.

That said, I wear Lacrosse Alpha Burly boots and I really like them. I want rubber boots for deer hunting, but only down to 30 degrees or so. Below that, I am going to something warmer like Rockys 1000gram lace ups. You can hunt from 75 down to 30 pretty comfortably in the Lacrosse or Muck boots. My Lacrosse boots have help up better than I expected. I have snagged a few old fences and they survived without damage. Good part about old fences is they aren't as sharp as new fences.

You could always get some Hot Mocs to go over the rubber boots when it gets too cold. I wore my Alpha Burlys in Nov. in MO and my feet got cold, but not freezing.

[roverboy]

I used to buy nothing but Rockies, however about 10 years ago i had several pairs in a row meet a pre-mature demise with the soles de-laminating. I switched to LaCrosse and love em. they hold up very well and they are the most comfortable boot I have found. I have a pair of LaCrosse Wellingtons also for work. Gander Mountain usually has the best prices that I have found on the LaCrosse.

I can't relate to the soles falling completely bleeping apart. I bought a pair of Rocky Super Brute 1000 Gram boots and they came apart in clumps. A shoe repair place in Cookeville wanted $55.00 to repair. I don't think so........

[Lumber_Jack]

I wear a pair of lacrosse alpha lite 3.5. These are non insulated to o can't speak to warmth but they have been great boots. I am also a forester and I have worn them in all sorts of adverse conditions. They are susceptible to rips on the neoprene uppers. most of the rips I have now are in the outer layer and although look ragged have not affected the waterproofness of the boots. They do get cold when sitting in a tree stand but are great for stalking or long walking. I am going to buy another pair with insulation for sitting still. Know this though, they don't breathe AT ALL, so if you have to do any amount of walking you could have some sweaty feet which could lead to cold feet.

[Guest clutepc]

I've been getting away with hunting in TN and late season IL with a pair of Bass Pro rubber 800 gr thinsulate boots, I just double up on socks and use foot warmers when it's bad in IL.

They just don't seem to last more than one deer and turkey season before they start coming apart.

I'm looking at the LaCrosse® Alpha Midlite 18'' with the 7mm neoprene,

I'm going to try on a few different brands this weekend, I'll let you know what I find and how I like them after spending some time in the woods.

[Guest RobThatsMe]

I can't relate to the soles falling completely bleeping apart. I bought a pair of Rocky Super Brute 1000

Gram boots and they came apart in clumps. A shoe repair place in Cookeville wanted $55.00 to repair. I don't think so........

My first pair of Rockys lasted a long time, so I bought another pair. Rocky Bear Claw II's I only got about 3 seasons out of them, and the soles disintergrated. Same thing happened to my BIL. We both bought them at the same time a Bass Pro.

Well, I bought another pair, and they are lasting real well. I don't know if Rocky got a bad source for their soles that one year or what. But, we did call Rocky and complain, they mailed us free pairs of soles, and then we had to pay a local guy $35.00 to put them on.

I do hunt in both TN and in Maine, and these boots from a comfort and warmth factor do me well. I sit for long periods, and my feet stay warm, and most of all dry.

My future choice would most likely be Lacrosse if these Rockys fail me.

Rob

[gregintenn]

I've worn Rocky boots in the past, but I don't believe the last pair I bought has the same quality found in earlier models. Muck boots makes great rubber boots, but I'm not sure they are what you need for an extended hunting session.

[TNFF319]

Lacrosse is the way to go. I have a pair of rubber boots 10 years old that look brand new.

[Guest GunTroll]

I'm with whiskey. Two boots might be your answer. If you got the chance to look into my hunting closet you would laugh at the amount of hunting clothes/footwear I have. I have a problem. Lets just say my wife is jealous that my wardrobe is so vastly superior and expensive compared to hers.

I bought a pair of Cabelas brand uninsulated rubbers for TN hunting. I use them in the spring for turkey till its way to to hot like this last year at about week two of the season. I also use them when their is no snow out during pred season (after rifle deer is over) I don't get cold feet easily for I'm not sitting for more than 30-45 min in them. I have not yet hunted deer in TN as of yet but I suspect they would be the ones that would go with me seeing the mild temps we get here. I like how easy it is to clean any rubber boot after a walk in the mud around here. Water hose and done. Leather and water don't mix so well and you have to do a lot of maintenance to keep the leather in good condition.

I too go north up to MO every season and bring a pair of Lacrosse 1200 insulted and bring thick socks. I sit in the trees there all day sometimes and still haven't got cold feet. I am a huge fan of rubber/neoprene boots when it comes to hunting for may reasons. I put away most of my leather boots shortly after moving here from out west. They stink, get damp, stink, tract scent, get cold due to the different style of hunting (sitting). When it snowed heavy here last winter I brought out my Sorel's that I bough in WY for outside winter work when I went out for an early morning coyote stand in temps in the teens. They are way too hot for TN and before long I feel like I'm walking in a swamp if my locations required much walking.

Anyways....their is no one boot for all conditions. Its time to accessorize my friend. Do what Obama can not...stimulate the economy with your hunting passion! Lord knows I have.

[DaveS]

I bought a chump pair of neoprene rubber boots from Academy Sports. I wear them year round here in middle Tennessee. 'Nuff said!

[roverboy]

I got a pair of Surplus "Mickey" boots that I'm gonna try this season.

[Guest Jeffster]

Up here we use hip waders or Lacrosse Burlys knee high with thinsulate. Can't go wrong with the ankle fit style. Depends on how much muck your getting in to. Trust me on this, if they hold up on Kodiak Island, they will hold up anywhere.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Jeffster

[DaveS]

I thought about the "mickey boots" while sitting in a stand. Don't know that I could walk much in them.

[MississippiBoy]

I like the Lacrosse Alpha Lite boots, but I do a lot of walking when hunting (mostly Turkey hunting). When I do serious cold weather hunting I try to cut down on the hike in and use a good heavy weight sock to make up for the cold. I have only used the pair I currently have for 4 years, but they are still going strong. The boot is also thick enough that I haven't torn it when crossing fences; that and the fact that they are lightweight made it a no brainer for me. (I also have got three other avid hunters to make the switch to them.)

[hkgonra]

Danner Ft. Lewis , never had my feet get cold. Been wearing the same pair for hunting about 10 years.

[ShaunM]

You guys can laugh all you want but during spring, summer and early fall I usually wear my crocs. I think I have killed more animals wearing those worn out things. They are grey not the camo ones. Maybe I should buy me some camo crocs......During colder months I usually were boots from Wal-Mart whatever is the cheapest. I have the same boots that I bought there for probably 4 years now.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Hunting101

[Guest GunTroll]

Glad you allowed us to laugh. Well I did anyways. Your sort of like a Hobbit in camo!

[DaveS]

Crocs huh.......?

[ShaunM]

Crocs huh.......?

I know you have seen them. Look them up and you will know what i'm talking about and then you can laugh at me ha ha.

[ShaunM]

Glad you allowed us to laugh. Well I did anyways. Your sort of like a Hobbit in camo!

Ha ha ha.

[whiskey]

How do you drag a deer up hill in crocs?