Some buddies and I are getting ready to go on a hunt (my first) for boar in California next spring. I've been told that good boots are the most important piece of gear. What are the best boots for the money?
Depends on what you need them for. Will you be carrying a load? Hiking?? Insulated or not?? I would get Gore-Tex even if you don't think you need it, you'll love it. I like Danner for hunting boots and Asolo for hiking, I have narrow feet and they both fit me well. I may try Vasque someday, they come in different widths and they are made by RedWing so they should be good.
Asolo makes great boots. Boots designed for hunters are generally behind boots designed for backpackers and military boots are near the level of torture devices. I have a pair of the Asolo FN 95 model. Very tough and rugged against the cactii and rocks of AZ. They have reinforced toes and heels, good tread, gore-tex lined and waterproof outer shell, but still manage to breathe well. I walked for hours through the snow on a pheasant hunt and my feet never got cold or wet. They also give good support if you're carrying a heavy load. The soles don't crush under the weight and are stiff enough on the arch so your feet don't tire. Depending on the area you may also want to invest in some snake gaiters. I picked some up off Cabela's for about $50. Good piece of mind is on what you're hunting and not where you are stepping.
That's on the way in. If successful I'd imagine you'd have a few pounds of pork on your back as well.
I'll second mpol777's comments regarding the state of the art in hunting boots vs. hiking vs. military. I'd get a "rough trail"/"multiday-backpacking" grade boot from a high-end maker such as Garmont or Asolo. Stiff, full grain leather for ankle support over rocky areas, goretex, and aggressive soles. Both will also save your feet and ankles once you have to carry the aforementioned pack full of pork. You could save a few bucks without losing much quality by getting the L.L. Bean Cresta or Knife Edge boot...though you might want to add a rubber heel and toe guard to the Cresta if you'll be getting into any briars/cactus/etc.
Right now is an awesome time to get some hunting boots on sale. Towards the end of turkey season, Big 5 sporting goods was dumping their boots since fall deer season was over and they wanted spring tents up. So I got some nice leather and goretex fabric boots that are warm in the winter and cool in the summer and let your feet breath.
I 2nd the motion to get a good pair of backpacking boots. I just finished wearing out my 2nd pair of Asolo 520 boots. First pair (non-Goretex) lasted nearly 4 years. Last pair (Gore-tex) lasted a little over 4 years. They were used ALOT! I was a backpacking instructor working with youthful offenders for 8 years and those boots saw alot of trips and general use including hunting. I now work for Gander Mountain. Of the hunting boots we sell I'd have to say Danner or some of the new Irish Setters. If you want a "rubber" type boot check out the new LaCrosse Alpha Burly. It's a new boot made out of a neoprene type material that is unbelievably comfortable and fits great. I will own a pair of those! Good luck on your hunt.
Never bought any boots for hiking but im gonna say they were probably designed to be a bit more light duty since you will be mostly on trails of some sort.I had a girlfriend that was big into hiking and though sometimes you might have to go over rocks or something for the most part you had a trail to follow. Hunting on the other hand takes you back where animals not man are walking around. The places I hunt around the mountain have no trails whatsoever , you may be scaling the side of a ridge, climbing rocks, going through saw briars,creeks,mud,snow,etc. Those are the types of things that Rocky and other quality boot makers design them for. I Wear Rocky Boots and Im on the mountain several miles back from any roads or trails of any kind from dark to dark thirty during hunting season I have never had a problem with extended wear comfort or durability. Just mu .002 Safe shooting
im a land surveyor and go through some boots..the ones ive like so far are stitched sole danners...they are a 6" height and offer mobility and rugged durability. ive nicked my toe with my machete a couple of times with no real damage to the boot. they are comfortable and i highly recomend them. if you do get this boot, get a snug fitting size because they will loosen up when they get wet...
Rocky boots offer boots for every occasion. They are durable, light, and reasonable on the wallet. As noted, get the Gortex model in what ever you buy, you won't regret it.
I was in a store this weekend looking at $125 Rocky camo boots and they had a tag that said: made in China. Kinda takes away the really good boot name for me.
I have a pair of Danners, the USMC infantry combat boot and really like them. They've survived some nasty conditions and are very comfortable. If you can deal with black (although the Corps is transitioning to brown-side-out), they might be worth a look. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with any Danner.
