doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Boots for Upland Hunting

I am looking to buy a decent pair of boots that will primarily be used for upland hunting. In addition, they will be used for some miscellaneous hunting/shooting and some light hiking. They must be waterproof and light. (I am not interested in anything with camo pattern material) Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Patrick

Edit: I should have added that I have read good things about the Irish Setter Wing Shooters, Salomon 4D 2 GTX and The Keen Gypsums.

Love my Filson's but mine are about 15 years old and I heard they moved the manufacturing to China and are no longer of the same quality. You may check the online reviews.
Steve

I have boots made by L.L. Bean, Gokey (2 Pair), Russell, and Asolo. The Asolo boots are hiking/backpacking boots, are very comfortable and are the boots I will most often wear. Boots don't have to be called hunting boots to be the best option. I've had three pair of Asolo boots since 1990 and they are very good and wear well. I've worn them in Alaska and Africa and a lot of places in between.

I have had 3 pair of Irish Setters over the last 20 years or so and when the current pair wear out they will be replaced with another pair of Irish Setters...

WBLDon

I'll second that one.

I have Russels and Gokeys. Both are re-soleable so I never have to buy another boot or shoe. Both will make your boot to fit you (ie. length, width, height, arch, one foot different than the other) and is kept on file if you want to buy another boot or shoe or moccasin. I have had several boots resoled, some more than once. I have a pair of Gokey shoes resoled 6 times! Bought them in ST. Paul before Orvis bought them. I prefer Russels for boots and Gokeys for shoes.
Jim

Will second the Irish Setter line. I have their upland boot and it is comfortable and well constructed.

I bought a pair of Keens a few years ago and liked them so much that I bought two more pair to rotate on alternate hunt days (and I don't need to pack extra boots for driving or just goofing around). They are lightweight, waterproof, comfortable out of the box, and offer decent support as long as you like a 6" boot. I still have boots from Browning and Danner, but the Keens are the ones I grab when I go hunting. I also have boots from Lowa, Asolo, Salomon, Irish Setter, Vasque, Merrill, Garmont and others, but those are all relegated to workboot status. Danner and Asolo seem to run narrow for their size, and Irish Setters with molded soles don't seem to hold up well, but the IS with welted soles are fine. The best built molded sole boots I ever owned were probably the Asolos, but comfort was an issue for me.

You boys just wait until age creeps up on you. My buddy was trying mightily to lace his Russells last year at our duck camp when another guy told him he was just about two pounds shy of needing zipper boots. Personally I quit messing with laces years ago and just own slip on Muck boots. Works for me...Geo

I have a pair of Filson Uplanders, and love them. I bought mine around 12 years ago, and they just get better with age. I think they did move them to China for a time, and people did complain about them. They are once again made in the USA, so I hope the new ones are as good as they were pre-China.

I have a pair of Danner 8" grouse, if I ever wear them out, I'll buy another pair.

Kangaroo Leather boots!

Amazingly light weight yet strong. I used to get mine from Browning. They were dark green lace-ups with a moderate tread so you had some traction, but would not pick up a ton of mud and clay. They felt like I was wearing tennis shoes with extra support. Google kangaroo leather, and check out the various brands. Cabelas' version looks like the Brownings I used to buy. Orvis offers a nice set. These can be had with thinsulate and water proof.

Irish Setters all the way!

Those Browning Kangaroo boots were great, wore a couple of pair out over many years. Day in day out, you you'll not do better than a pair of Irish Setters w/the Goodyear welt, if you can bend over to tie them. Ha! I have had great luck with a pair of Rocky 'bomb cloth' Wellingtons for all round use that I had a local Hispanic cobbler grind off the entire lugged sole and retrofit a sole very close to that found on those original Browning Kangaroo boots. Seriously labor intensive and not inexpensive. Have had them redone twice, but my guy has retired now and were I in need of a new pair of upland boots, it would be another pair of Irish Setters and I'd never look back. I've two pair that go back to the 60's. Have Vasque, Danners, L.L. Bean boots, one in need of new bottoms at present, mud boots of several varieties.

Regardless of boot chosen, buy yourself a Peet(sp?) boot drier, best thing ever; they even make a portable model these days. My feet sweat, my boots get wet by days' end. I hate cold feet. Use a boot dryer and polypropylene socks against your feet or Marino wool and never have cold wet feet again.

From a guy who makes his living as a forester in Minnesota and has chased birds in MN, WI, SD, WY MT and ID I offer the following experience:

I need at least 8" boots with a Gore Tex liner while grouse and woodcock hunting for dealing with the water that is on the landscape. Even with 8" boots it seems like once or twice a season I step in a deeper hole and end up with a wet foot.

I need boots with strong ankle support. If you have ever stepped on a wet alder and twisted your ankle, you know a stiff boot is helpfull. Kangaroo boots (like the LLBean upland boot) are too flexible and don't offer enough ankle support. Also need stiff boots if you are chukar hunting in Idaho.

While I like the way Red Wing upland boots fit and feel (even right out of the box), I wish they had a lugged sole. A smooth sole can be treacherous even while grouse hunting as I am frequently in slightly wet areas with lots of rotting leaves. Red Wings Gore Tex boots have maintained their water proof quality for over 4 years, which is pretty good. The LLBean boots mentioned earlier didn't maintain their waterproof quality for even half a season.

I have never found a leather treatment that truly waterproofs leather the way a Gore Tex liner does. I don't have experience with Filson or Gokey boots, but I do have a pair of White's leather logging boots (from Spokane, WA) that were custom made for me. While they are great on a dry hillside in ID for chasing chukars, they are of no use in wet weather or for grouse hunting.

I am currently breaking in my first pair of boots from Under Armor and they might be as close to my ideal pair of boots as I have found yet. A lug sole (not a super-agressive Vibram) that is aggressive enough on snotty leaves in the swamps, Gore Tex lined, light (about 2.2lbs) with very stiff ankle support made with some ballistic nylon that is brown, not camo.

Ft Lewis from Danner wore several pairs out during 21 years of active duty. Done a lot of bird hunting with them from Ohio, NY, Ca and Alaska the green browning boots are light weight, however they only lasted 3 seasons loved them but just did not hold up.

For 43 years, I've been wearing a pair of L. L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoe. I think they used to be called their Maine Guide Boot. The ones with the rubber bottoms and leather tops and speed laces. I've sent them back twice to have the rubber bottoms replaced. They said that would be the last time they would be able to put new bottoms on since the leather tops are wearing out despite them rebuilding parts of them over the years. This last time I sent them back, they offered to give me a new pair at no cost instead. I wanted to keep my old ones.

They are comfortable, light weight and suitable for mostly dry situations. If it's very wet, your feet will get damp even with treating the leather tops. Not a cold weather boot but warmer, cold weather versions are being offered now.

Your mileage may vary.

Jolly

Russells have been my favourites for years

I have more than a dozen pair from shoes to boots and love them

Irish Setter Wingshooter 808.

I should add that my endorsement for the kangaroo skin boots was to address the desire for a lite weight boot. From my experience wearing out several pair, I concur with the comments by others here that these boots would not be my first choice for RUGGED terrain nor would I expect these boots to last as long as the cowhide leather boots. If I were to buy a new pair of boots today for rough use (not work boots) I'd go with the military grade Danners, something like these: (http://www.countryoutfitter.com/products...CFUI2gQodBEoPFQ) I wore a smooth top version of these issued to me in the USN, daily use from concrete, and rough metal or wet decks to sand, saltwater, freshwater, and over hill/dale humping a load in the jungle. They were tough, reasonably water proof, dried fast, reasonably light, both flexible and supportive. They were tough too. Not as stylish as those fine looking Irish Setters though. The Danners dry out fairly quick too after stepping in deep wtr.

One point about boots, alluded to by tw in his previous post mentioning a Boot Dryer.

If you wear boots daily, or for that matter shoes as well, it's essential that they are allowed to dry out. You really need two pairs for this. It's the concept used by the Military when teaching recruits to never wear the same pair two days in a row, marking one pair with a white dot. This allows them to dry out. Boots/Shoes worn daily rapidly deteriorate. I've followed this rule since the 1980's, I'd say that two pairs of boots easily last longer than three pairs that are worn daily. Leather maintenance is also important, using a polish or creme will keep them from getting hard and the leather cracking.

Regards
Ken

Stay away from Under Armor boots. Both my buddy and I tried them and they leak like there is no tomorrow. They are like wearing tennis shoes and feel great, but wet feet and bird hunting are a bad bad combination. I've had Danner Sharptails for years and they are good for one year IMO and they start leaking as well. Muck Uplander boots are the best I've encountered for staying dry, but they are heavier then some of the others.

FWIW, there are no leather upland hunting boots that are 100% water proof.
They all will leak at some point.
After decades of upland hunting and a few boots, I have settled on Russell.
Filson tried to purchase Russell but Ralph won't sell.
Old school tech and factory in Berlin Wisconsin.
Have been there many times for fittings.
Customize to what you want and your fit.
When they fit, they are like hunting in slippers.
But you just can't walk into a store and walk out with boots,
Russell's require some time and effort on your part.-Richard

I've had the same experience as Tut with Danner Sharptails -- leaky after only a year. My recent and first pair of Irish Setters went well into year 3 before the waterproof membrane began to fail on one. My favorites have been Bean's Kangaroo Leather, very light and comfortable, and their Gore-Tex has held up through two seasons or more -- with one exception. One pair leaked at the heel the first time I wore them, which happened to be for dog training in a heavily dew-soaked field. Though I'd bought them a few years before, Bean replaced them at no charge -- including free shipping.

Jay

Danner Canadians were my favorite boots for years. I started having foot troubles a couple of years ago. After a fitting for a pair of Russel boots at the Vintagers I opted for a mountain ,toe lace design. All of the bell and whistles were ordered, bobbed souls, triple vamp, ect. I was told that the boots would be waterproof, they are not. I bought a pair of gortex socks to wear over my regular socks. They do the trick on those days of walking in wet snow or rain. Even though there not waterproof I will order another pair when this pair breaks down. My foot problems went away. They are comfortable out of the box. The support and traction are great. I just love the boots.
terc

Wish I'd known about the Russell custom boots 10 years ago when I was trying to find a boot to fit my father. He liked the Irish Setter boots at one time, but when his last pair finally wore out, we just couldn't find another pair of anything that felt good to him with his xtra wide at the toe and narrow heel feet. Bet he'd have been pleased with a pair of those Russells made to fit. That is so long as he didn't know how much they cost.

Thanks for sharing a lot of great information. I am also curious as to what height of boots everyone prefers, 6". 7", 9" or taller.

Depends entirely on how deep the swamp is...Geo

Great answer!! Hahahaha

I have 6", 8", 10". Almost always wear the 6" because I am usually hunting in the desert or in dry mountainous terrain. One of my buddies is going with 6" and snake gaiters for the coming season.

I am in the same boat as George Newbern. I've just about given up on lace up boots, no matter how many pair I still own. Pull on Muck or other inexpensive Wellies are my favorites now. I don't believe I have ever spent more than $30 for a pair and I never get wet.

I agree 100%, they are what I wear hunting a lot, along with L. L. Bean boots, but ........ they are just not traditional enough for a lot of this crowd.

I wear Courtenay boots six days a week when working on the farm, made of Cape Buffalo and lined with Impala. Same pair, everyday, for 10-12 hours, year round. They last for years.

SRH

Depends on the terrain and the elements. Hard to find 1 boot that meets all criteria.

I do some hunting in ECCO Track II boots. The ECCO are water proof/Gore Tex and very nimble. That said, as elements demand or dictate I go with something a little hardier like a pair of 10 inch Filson boots.

I bought my 10" Filson Uplanders for about $65.00 under the "Employee Program", a well kept secret in the trade. I think they retail for about $380.00. I have had them for about 12 years and they're almost broken in.

I think my Filson's were broken in the first weekend I took them to Kansas chasing pheasants. Pretty much fit like a glove right out of the box. The Irish Setters I tried pealed the skin off my heels like an onion skin. Thank goodness I bought them from Bean....no questions asked, just a full refund on the Irish Setters.

I often hunt in N. Michigan in tennis/running shoes.

If they get wet, they dry out pretty fast.

Never understood why some guys feel they need mountain/sheep hunting boots for the rolling uplands of N.Mich...

For the real wet stuff, I use pull on rubber knee boots.

I've had a pair of Irish Setter Goretex 8" Upland boots for about 8 years now. They are perfect for fairly flat terrain but not so hot on really steep slopes because of the mild tread on the soles. Had my local shoe repair guy repair guy resole them with Vibram and have used them for limited hiking. A very good make, and mine were made in USA, although I'm not sure that's still the case.

They're made of kangaroo leather with really tough dark green fabric inserts, and are now illegal to sell in CA because of the source of leather....I imported mine by car from NYS. CA weird....

I used to go through a pair of Muck Boots every year chasing grouse and WC in the Northeast but am now using Aigle Parcours 2 rubber boots.

These boots will be on their third season this fall. The natural rubber is still supple and they are holding together well. Muck boots rubber gets dry and hard after a while. When I got my Aigle boots I had to order from the UK but you can now order them directly in the states. They are also quite comfy for rubber boots and are a bit lighter than the Muck boots.

I absolutely love my Russell Boots for upland work, but I made the mistake of wearing them for an elk hunt last year in fairly rugged terrain. Going in, it was warm and dry and they were absolutely great for the long climb and then walk. Coming out, it was snowing hard and they were poorly matched for the steep cliff face I had to come down. I could (but won't) show you an ugly picture of a badly sprained ankle (just short of broken) that ended my elk hunt and left my partner with the prospects of a long, lonely haul to get an animal out. Pick your equipment very carefully (& deliberately). Pick smarter partners too.

I wear boots every day.
I'd recommend that if one is uncertain about their boot height, go higher.
Smooth toes are less likely to allow water to enter.
Most of the time the inside linings of boots disintegrate before the soles, or the outsides.
If you only wear them a few days per year, a molded foot bed boot will be just about perfect, and lightweight. Armorall the exterior rubber bits and store them between wearings in their box. UV light disintegrates synthetic boots.
Most brands have their pluses and minuses. Since I don't blouse my hunting boots, I don't care if the cordura is camo or not. I do care if the toes have a hard shell cap or not.
If you kneel a lot, or walk in dry grass, it acts like sandpaper on the toes of uncapped boots. Think kneeling down to measure things dozens of times per day.

Having worn most of the brands and models mentioned, I kind of chuckle at some of the pronouncements.

I will say that the one brand mentioned will get many comments at the club.

Add another nod for Filson Uplanders. I have had my pair since the 1990s. Last year I put on the their third set of soles. The uppers are still in great shape. I keep them oiled and leaks are a rare thing. One of these days I'll buy another pair and put them away just to have a replacement pair if my first pair finally wear out.

Orvis Wetlander(aggressive lug), Joof, Courtney(Patrol), Lewis Creek(defunct)I guarantee I walk more miles than all of you combined. Filson is ok but I believe to be made by forced Chinese child labour & they leak.


Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

I will flat out destroy hunting boots. Had them all including a pair of custom made Whites. I've been using ASOLO's for 3 years now. I put on a ton of miles every year, not only hunting, but hiking as well. I'm done with "hunting" boots. I've chosen to go strictly high quality hiking boots because they kick ass in every terrain. My hunting isn't just in grassy fields or sandy soiled hills. I deal with a lot of rock too, nasty stuff like basalt. Walking the sides of mountains and hills will destroy normal boots, my ASOLO's handle that stuff with ease and my feet feel great afterwards. Putting 10 miles on my feet in a day of hunting is a norm. I should carry a pedometer Ellenbr, I'd take you up in the high mileage challenge. :-)

ole boy, I'll take you on. Sum it up on soil & hard surface(asphalt & concrete). I wear a loaded safty vest & pack in a tread lightly & leave no trace, wearing the lugs smooth. Never fancied hiking boots less the Courtneys. Can't really fend off the parasites.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Yeah, you are most correct on the basalt. Some of my most difficult treks were topping volcanoes in El Salvador & as you said that ruddy surface(columnar basalt me thinks) will just eat your lugs right off the sole.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Couple with a good boot, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a quality sock.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Some People like Fords, Some People like Chevys and some like Dodges.
For myself, for a general 3 season outdoor boot I like Russels. I have a pair that my father inherited from his uncle who passed away in about 1948. They were sent back to the factory to be restitched 3 years ago. Although they are old I still use them on occasion. My basic boots are a pair I purchased at the Spring Southern 2 years ago. They are great for general outdoor use. I would not like to climb mountains, go duck hunting or into combat with them but for general outdoor use they can't be beat.

I post suitably vague responses because I know it's all about your feet, your mass, your walking mechanics, and your optimized environment. A big guy destroys all but a few boots sidehilling. Walking down hill without a good heel, and arch support, jams your toes out the front. Wrecks your knees.
A light person might never even bend their sole. Their shoes sound like tap shoes on the rocks.

So, there isn't a perfect boot for everywhere and everyone.
I wear boots appropriate for the environment I expect to be in.

I typically destroy 3 pairs a year. But I wear them every day, wherever I am. And I rotate similar pairs on/off a dryer.

For many people, the synthetics with a medium density sole, and a molded foot bed seem to bring very good comfort and protection, as well as decent longevity. They aren't old school, but I don't see people treating blisters much anymore, nor complaining about foot ache at the end of the day either.

I only wear goretex lined boots in the sloppy parts of the year. They last much longer that way.
I have a pair of carbon fibre Doc Marten's that have been remarkably comfortable, and they don't pick up radiation.

Funny you'd say that just now Raimey. I was just thinking about some advice I once got from an old forester down here who wore knee high lace ups with unbloused green whipcord pants every working day of his life.

He told me that if I was going to be in the woods a lot, never to wear socks at all. The sweat from your feet will soak them or you'll have to cross a creek you can't jump and they'll get wet. Once wet the socks will blister anybody's feet no matter how many callouses you've built up.

He also said only Yankees blouse their pants legs. Down here a rattler will strike and the fangs will go through boot leather, but if they hit the loose pants leg they'll pull back and not get you...Geo

Times have changed and snake boots and wick away sock material may have changed the rules on this.

It's an expensive annoyance to me when I experience accelerated wear in what I consider normal use of a product.
The Irish Setter round toed boots ate into the toe tops in 3 days. So I've had to constantly apply a waxy coating to keep the leather from eating through. And their dual durometer soles have no grip on uneven surfaces.
The Cabela's Kangaroo boots (green colored) ate through in less than a week walking for huns in Montana.
Yet people love both of them.
Consequently, I just tell people, Wear a synthetic/wool sock, buy a boot with a foot bed that feels like it's sucking on your foot, and walk up and over the grip testing rock pile display at your nearest Cabela's. The display can really show you how well the boot will work uphill, sidehill, and downhill. It's amazing the difference in the brands.

I am sooo blessed my feet never hurt off concrete. 12hrs a day in some plant, and I make sure I wear 3/8" insoles. That pounding is murder on your feet and knees.

Can I ask which brand is commented on and why? Thanks.

I fear Zapper is laughing at my Muck Boots...Geo

No, No Geo.
I believe form follows function. Mucks work great right up to the wire.
Any boot that is crazy expensive, yet is constructed in such a way as to be but one step above a chunk of tire sewn to a scrap hide, would fit my earlier descriptive.

Boots are like fishing lures. They are designed and marketed to catch fisherman.

I enjoy what I call "Club boots". I even have a 6" pair of two tone brogues. They look nice, feel like slippers, suggest I may have other positive attributes, etc., etc. But I know I couldn't walk 60 miles in them.

If you have to purchase special insoles, stockings, and care products for a particular pair of boots, "Why did you buy them?"

All my opinions regarding function only, of course.

There are so many brands available, one should always be able to find a fine fitting pair. Fit being foremost for me.

And no extra care and feeding required.

shoes are a very personal thing. what works for one may be the worst prescription for the next.

i guess i am and only one who wears them, but i wear lechameau's. i wear rubber boots a lot and like them.

hard to beet good ol' lacrosse burleys.

for hiking type of hunting, up to the worst of it, is my meindel's. they hold up to way more rocks than i could ever ask from a pair of boots. took forever to wear out my first pair and the seconds still are like new.

of course, if it gets really brutal, especially on sharp, sliding rocks, i go to my scarpa inverno's. the widest plastic boot i have ever tried on and if i unlace the upper ankle i can walk on concrete with a heavy pack in them. for side hilling on sharp rocks, holding inch-wide ledges, in loose shale, i just love them. never been chuckar hunting, but i always thought they would be the boots i wore if i di go after them,

Wet weather or if I am going to hunt a marshy area I wear the Muck boots. They are rubber boots. They have a very stiff arch. And a breathable liner. They are almost as comfortable as my dry weather boots.

In dry weather I wear the tennis shoe boots. They are made like a leather tennis shoe, only with a boot top. They have a deep tread pattern on the sole also. They have a zipper on the side. When I get them tied to where they are most comfortable then I just use the zipper to take them on and off. They are very light and comfortable. I wear a half size larger in these boots than I do in other boots.

My walks are usually less than two hours. I keep both pairs in the truck and change boots as the weather conditions or terrain changes.

That's a wide open question. In general, I prefer the USA made Danners, and especially like the Hood Winter Light for tough hunting in the rocks of chukar country.

When you have a 13A paw like I do, Russell's are the only choice, whatever the configuration

I have tried a number of boots over the years, and have finally found a boot that is as tough as the country I hunt here in AZ. The boot is Kenetrek. Waterproof,design, different insulation levels, very comfortable and offer a reconditioning service for $150.00. The boots themselves are a little pricy, but well worth it. I sent in a pair for new soles and they came back almost new looking. They will be a little stiff at first, but still very comfortable, never hurt my feet, just not a lot of flex until broke in to your foot and ankle. I have not tried their Pac boot, but my hunting partner has had a pair for the last 6 years, and raves about them. Might be worth a look.

Have had these Red Wings for years; don't know what model they are. Love 'em. I suppose they are a little heavy but I haven't gotten to the point where that bothers me yet...



For years I wore these. I still love them too, but it is getting harder to lace them up...



Bought these at Cabela's on clearance; have yet to try them out. Not really a fan of the camo but for the price I couldn't walk away...



Last winter I hunted in the snow with regular old rubber galoshes over my Red Wings; that worked but it wasn't very classy don'tcha know, so when I found a pair of Muck boots on sale at my favorite local hardware store I added them to the collection. Haven't used them yet either.

Thanks for all of the feedback. I ended up going with the Irish Setter 9" Wingshooter 808's. They felt the most comfortable and had the features I was looking for. Thanks again.