insulated boots

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
theres few pieces of equipment that can ruin a hunt faster than crappy quality or badly fitting boots that cause blisters, or let your feet slip in muddy or snowy conditions or let your feet freeze, now theres a wide range of temperatures, you'll normally encounter in elk territory, but decent insulated boots with aggressive lug soles are a good choice,
When I first started elk hunting I wore these
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/35485?pa ... at4=505543
in deer hunting conditions on fairly level ground they are great boots, the lack of a aggressive lug sole, on my first hunt soon made me realize they could get me hurt, as I was constantly slipping on steep icy slopes

clothing is extremely important to making your hunt both enjoyable and it can also make or brake the hunt as far as your safety is concerned.
when I first started hunting out west I had a few less than comfortable years before I got a good grasp on that concept.
lets start from the ground up, comfortable boots that are well broken in before the hunt are critical, I usually bring two sets
youll want a fairly light weight boot with minimal insulation
early in the hunt ,but later you may need a much better insulation,in either case you want good ankle support
youll need a good aggressive cleat sole,

cleat2.png

its a mistake to use nearly smooth pac type boots, on icy slopes I found that out the hard way trying to use the hunt boots that worked well on flat ground.
Id caution the use of that style foot-ware in some areas, while they are great in fairly flat areas, like florida,
they can get you seriously hurt in steep rocky and icy terrain, like snow covered slopes in colorado.
I purchased a set just to use in camp and tried them one day rather than the regular hunting boots with serious cleat soles
BIG mistake, I found I slipped several times on steeper snow and mud slopes
if your dealing with snow, ice or mud on steep terrain Id avoid them like the plague
get decent ankle support and cleat traction soles
3478046235.jpg

cleat1.jpg

the brand is up to you but get them a bit larger, and wider than you usually wear so you can comfortably wear two thick wool socks or insert a felt insulator

these work really well, until the temperature drops into the low 20F range

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... m23&Go.x=9
what level of insulation do you need? well I get cold feet fairly easily so if your like me, get boots with 800-1000 thinsulate insulation that are a bit larger so you can use two socks and possibly with an additional, a boot liner, which I found very useful,
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... 23&Go.x=21
that mostly depends on the temperature your activity level and the size you select, in relation to your feet and the socks you wear, now personally I do a great deal of walking while ELK hunting in temperatures that run from about 45F down to about -10F on average and I wear a size 12 w boot , I use a cotton/synthetic blend sock inside a thick wool sock and Ive used a 1000 Thinsulate insulation boot, but be aware that a decent parka, thermal under wear and ski mask helps keep your feet warm, and you need to dress in layers if youll be out all day in weather near zero degrees F
cold feet can be a indicator of poor circulation, so taking an aspirin helps a tiny bit also. btw there are electrically heated socks if you find you've got cold feet, if your boots have room, use of bulky wool socks, and an inner sock helps a great deal, so try to buy boots that are about a 1/2 size larger to leave room for the socks to cushion/insulate your feet

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

http://www.jharlen.com/wescob9716.html
 
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