Help me gear up...Topic 1...BOOTS

[bald9eagle]

What do you look for in a boot? For turkey hunting I generally wear a pair snakes made by Irish Setter. They are good for flatter areas but can get painful if I spend the day on more hilly country. I wear them though cause I can endure the slight ankle rub over the bite of a copperhead, cottonmouth, or rattlesnake....all of which I have had the displeasure of meeting in the turkey woods. That said....share your thoughts on these things....

Tread
Waterproofing
Height
Weight
Material

To keep it foot-centric here....SOCKS
I wear a pair of Under Armour moisture wicking socks. They are light weight but really keep my feet comfortable. Early season I might have a pair of light merino wool for warmth. Again....

Material
Weight

For those that don't know....my first elk hunt and it's taking place the last week of September in Unit 54.

[shaneatkinson82]

I have always liked a lightweight water resistant boot that can be warm but not have me sweating bullets in warmer weather. I have a pair of Rocky Silent Stalkers. Absolute favorite pair of hunting boots ever.

I have become a minimalist fan over the years from running. I might venture away from the Rocky and try out my Tactical Research Mini Mil boot. These boots offer very low heel drop. I believe it was 3mm. I use these for daily service and love them.

I plan to pair either one of these boots with snake chaps. Just not sure if the chaps will hinder the top flex of the boot or not.

As for socks I go with the thinnest I can find. I usually wear my service socks. Under Armour knee high lightweight.

[BrentLaBere]

I have used my Solomon 4D GTX boots with Merino Blend socks. Been through a lot of different terrain and conditions with them. They are a nice light weight boot. Not the best for snow and extreme cold temps but get the job done. You can see the wear points on them in another thread.

[zpd307]

I like light boots, they really help when the miles rack up. heavier boots make it even harder to pick up your feet when you are dog tired.... I have used keen the last 3 years. I tried on numerous other boots and these instantly fit my foot the moment that I tried them on. nice and light, the do have waterproof models also. along with some thinner merino wool socks. I have tried thicker socks and my foot slide around in the boot too much and I get uncomfortable hot spots.

[jmez]

Boots are one thing that I think trial and error are needed before you find what you are looking for. Guys have different feet and boots fit each of us differently. The price tag has no bearing on this. You need to get some on your feet and wear them in bad terrain to know if they are going to work. A lot of threads every fall of "What happpened?" I wore my X brand boots all summer and went on numerous hikes and they were great. On day 2 of my hunt I had blisters on both feet.

Hard to reproduce walking 8-10 hours a day in the mountains plus or minus a weighted pack. Trial and error. Take a long a foot care kit. As soon as you feel a hotspot stop immediately and tape it, don't wait until you get to the top or bottom, don't wait until you get back to camp, don't wait until luch time etc. You need to take care of your feet. You aren't going to know if you have the right boots until the middle of your hunt.