Shopping for mountain boots.

[chrislibby88]

Where did you go in Arizona?

Went 8 miles down into the Grand Canyon, and on a shorter hike through Oak Creek Canyon but I wore my Merrill hiking shoes for those (don’t know the model) and they are awesome shoes. I took the Crispis up the San Francisco Peaks in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness just north of Flagstaff. We kinda bounced around.

 

[jbogg]

I boxed up my first pair of kennetreks to send back. Exactly 18 months of everyday use at work and the woods. Average between 5 to 7 miles each day. Bottoms are slick, leathers are gashed, cut and worn pretty bad. But they still are dry, still original laces and have served me well. I will get them to resoled and hopefully they will last another year or so.

That’s an impressive testimonial, and a heck of a lot of hard miles.

 

[Professor]

Yea. My Kennetreks loosened up after a few days of trucking the hills. They are hands down the best piece of equipment I’ve ever purchased

I want to get a pair and compare them to the Crispis. I wish I had started putting my money in high-end boots 30 years ago. Unfortunately I don't think anyone could have convinced me to do it.

 

[chrislibby88]

Tested my Crispi Nevadas last week in the San Juan national forest. Lots of climbing and sidehilling on wet terrain after a sudden rain. The grip and ankle support are really great.

View attachment 1088352

View attachment 1088351

That place looks wild man.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

That place looks wild man.

It is.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

Ordered a pair of nevadas

 

[NCHillbilly]

I wonder how Sam Hunnicutt and Big Tom Wilson ever got along in these mountains without $500 boots?

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I wonder how Sam Hunnicutt and Big Tom Wilson ever got along in these mountains without $500 boots?

Dunno. Theyd be surprised at the cost of my recurves too I bet.

 

[Buckman18]

I wonder how Sam Hunnicutt and Big Tom Wilson ever got along in these mountains without $500 boots?

Most of me agrees with you 100%.

But I am also betting that back in their day the average boot was made much better and there was no such thing as el cheapo China knockoffs? And $1 then was about as tough to come by as a Benjamin today.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

Boone killed 99 bears in one season. Id bet with the technology now, he’d make us short on bears.

 

[Heath]

I wonder how Sam Hunnicutt and Big Tom Wilson ever got along in these mountains without $500 boots?

Just fine but not nearly as comfortable.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Most of me agrees with you 100%.

But I am also betting that back in their day the average boot was made much better and there was no such thing as el cheapo China knockoffs? And $1 then was about as tough to come by as a Benjamin today.

The average boot then was homemade or ordered from the Sears & Rareback catalog. Prolly weighed about ten pounds a pair, too.

 

[splatek]

$100 boots, uncomfortable
$99 bow, shoots arrows, slowly
$25 Wrangler stretch tan jeans things
$30 flannel
I’m starting to feel like the hobo on this forum.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I agree about not buying cheapo boots, but durn, My $150 Danners have done me fine for at least 5 years now of hundreds of miles up and down these mountains. I'm not buying a $500 pair of boots unless I win the lottery. I don't really buy hunting clothes as fashion accessories, anyway.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

$100 boots, uncomfortable
$99 bow, shoots arrows, slowly
$25 Wrangler stretch tan jeans things
$30 flannel
I’m starting to feel like the hobo on this forum.

Ive heard those chinese bows aint that slow

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I agree about not buying cheapo boots, but durn, My $150 Danners have done me fine for at least 5 years now of hundreds of miles up and down these mountains. I'm not buying a $500 pair of boots unless I win the lottery. I don't really buy hunting clothes as fashion accessories, anyway.

I have always bought meindls. For $239 Ive never made a single pair last even one year and theyre considered tough as pine knots. If I can get 2-3 years out of a pair of crispis that cost $400, all the better.

 

[whitetailfreak]

The average boot then was homemade or ordered from the Sears & Rareback catalog. Prolly weighed about ten pounds a pair, too.

My great great grandfather on Hazel Creek about 100 years ago. Lace up the calf heavy hot leather are mostly what I've seen on historical photos of Hunnicut, Kephart, Calhoun, Cathey etc.

 

[NCHillbilly]

View attachment 1088847
My great great grandfather on Hazel Creek about 100 years ago. Lace up the calf heavy hot leather are mostly what I've seen on historical photos of Hunnicut, Kephart, Calhoun, Cathey etc.

Love that pic! Who's the baby? I bet he got around in the mountains just fine, too.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Dunno. Theyd be surprised at the cost of my recurves too I bet.

I whittle mine out of trees.

 

[tree cutter 08]

I agree about not buying cheapo boots, but durn, My $150 Danners have done me fine for at least 5 years now of hundreds of miles up and down these mountains. I'm not buying a $500 pair of boots unless I win the lottery. I don't really buy hunting clothes as fashion accessories, anyway.

I always thought the same thing until I broke down and bought a pair. No way I'm going back. I do without something else so I can have a good pair of boots. I wore danners for years until I bought the kennetreks.