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Best mountain boot ?

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killingtime 41

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What is the best in your opinion boot to where hunting in the Cherokee forest. I normally were muck Arctic Pros. But as all of you who hunt steep rugid ground know. A rubber boot is not the most comfortable or practical in my opinion hunting that type of area. Arctic pros are obviously cold times. I usually wear work boots outside of cold times. But even with them your feet are always at an angle and not the best footwear for the job. What do y'all wear cold times vs not so cold times. And what gives you better stability.
 
Probably not the answer your looking for. Unless it's cold I wear a old pair of leather rockies. Non insulated and wool socks. Any good hiker with ankle support will work and the wool socks help keep your feet dry. I also have a pair of keen hikers i like pretty good. Ive worn crispi but wasnt really impressed. If it's cold I have some boot blankets I slip on when I get to the blind.
 
killingtime 41 said:
What is the best in your opinion boot to where hunting in the Cherokee forest. I normally were muck Arctic Pros. But as all of you who hunt steep rugid ground know. A rubber boot is not the most comfortable or practical in my opinion hunting that type of area. Arctic pros are obviously cold times. I usually wear work boots outside of cold times. But even with them your feet are always at an angle and not the best footwear for the job. What do y'all wear cold times vs not so cold times. And what gives you better stability.
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I spend lot time in East Tennessee mnt , I've tried several different brands I have my personal opinion 1 st choice is kenetrek mnt boot 2nd is danner .
 
Danner pronghorns and wools socks, really any boot that is comfortable to you with a good bottom on them , some 80% + wool socks with a liner and your good to go
 
Not what you asked but far and above is fit. Who makes a boot that actually fits your foot? I have wide feet with a narrow ankle so finding ANY boot that fits is tough. No matter what brand, if your foot is not well fit into the boot/shoe you will have slop when walking hills. Slop = blisters and instability. Inserts and ankle wraps can help make a poor fitting boot work.
Most of the brands mentioned make a quality boot with the exception of Rocky.
They used to make great products, then shipped manufacturing to China and the quality went to crap. Haven't bought any in years so they may be better now.
 
Find the best fit for your foot that you can afford. Danners don't agree with me but others love them. Don't be afraid to return a boot if it doesn't fit right.

Look at the true mountain boots like Lowa, Crispi, Zamberlan, Meindl, etc. I've had much better luck with the mountain boots staying dry than Danner or Irish Setters
 
Before you buy a pair of $300-400 boots, I would watch for a good Keen, Merrell, Solomon, etc (rocky/lacrosse) on sale and buy them to see what you like and don't. They aren't insulated, but you will get at least a year or two out of them and they still work well with boot blankets.
 
I bought a pair of Oboz hikers last year that have worked well. My foot is not particularly wide, but I bought wide for a larger toe box and the heel is still narrow. My feet changed as I aged. I researched the inter-web and came up with this combo.
 
Creek bottoms said:
I bought a pair of Oboz hikers last year that have worked well. My foot is not particularly wide, but I bought wide for a larger toe box and the heel is still narrow. My feet changed as I aged. I researched the inter-web and came up with this combo.
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I'm a huge Oboz fan for backpacking and yes, I have a wide foot. I've hunted in them in more milder temps. Something I never thought of was wearing boot blankets over them. As light as the BB are, wouldn't be a problem walking in with them and putting them on.
 
I have pretty weak ankles due to past injuries. Kenetrek Mountain Extremes are the best things I've ever worn. I hunt rough areas of Campbell County with no issues. Euro Optic has them on sale occasionally.
 
IMO, you'll need to determine if you want a stiff boot (usually on the heavy side) or a lighter boot that isn't as stiff and therefore doesn't provide the support stiffer boots do.

Me, I can go for days with a lite boot so long as I'm not carrying a pack or spending much time climbing on rocks. However, I can strap my Lowa tibets on and load my pack down and go for weeks without feeling weak and worrying much about ankle injuries.

I prefer a medium height, good leather boot with a complete rubber rand and with a reputable outsole. Just make sure you clean and treat your leather boots regularly. Lowa Tibets are my favorite but many people find them too heavy.
 
You'll get a lot of suggestions for someone's "favorite" boot but not necessarily the best boot for you. There are a number of really good brands but you really need to try them on and see what works best for you. Kenetrek, Crispi, Zamberlan, Schnee's etc all make great books for your use but they will all fit differently. After trying a number of pairs on, I have found that Zamberlan's work best for me.
 
Depends on the situation and temperatures. I really like my Keen hiking boots for long distances in warmer weather. Colder weather - I have a pair of Red Wing - either uninsulated or 200 grams of thinsulate. Can't remember. On long, hard hikes in - I'm bringing an extra pair of socks and changing when I get to the tree. Sweaty feet = cold feet. As others said, bring a pair of Boot Blankets with you. I have a "Blanket Bag" - it's like a sleeping bag, but comes up to my chest and has suspenders to hold it up. The bottom is denier - keeps all my body heat in and keeps my feet warm. But, I don't think you can buy them anymore. I love it. It's perfect for the hunting I do, where I walk long distances and carry my stand in.
 
I will give them all a look and more importantly a try on. I would like to have lite boot as long as some decent amount of ankle support and traction are all able to fit into one boot. I was just trying to get some ideas for my next steep terrain boot purchase.
 

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