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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: kasey on February 06, 2009, 08:13:00 AM
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whats a good boot for spot and stalk
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My personal favorites are the Oakley SI 6" boot or a pair of Merrell MOAB GTX's.
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I really like the Danner/Cabelas Elk Hunter boots. I have the 6" uninsulated and the 10" 600 gram insulated boots and they both are great!!
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I really like my Danner's as well.
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and i like the Danner Jackal uninsulated....
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An old pair of LL Bean Main Hunting Boot.
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I second the Oakley's I have the 9inchers in desert and they have taken a beating. 8 months 1000's of miles of walking, and stalking and they are still in great shape. Not to mention they are so comfortable that they are the first pair of boots I've owned that I would be willing to play b-ball in.
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Danner Jackal!
Light with a great quiet sole.
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For true spot and stalk, if you are going to have a rubber sole on the ground, nothing beats plantation crepe. It does wear fairly quickly compared to carbon rubber and does not have great traction on many surfaces, but it is by far the quietest rubber sole on the market. The cheapest way to get these soles on Cabelas or Clarks "Desert Boots" style shoots, but those do not have the best foot or ankle support for hiking and hunting, especially with any weight on your back. A much better and more expensive option is a pair of Russell Moccasin boots where you can order any sole you want. One advantage of the Russells is that if you don't like the sole or wear it out, you can send you boots back in for resoling. I have some of the Russell PHs and like them. They are designed for mostly dry, non-mountainous conditions with only a light pack if anything on your back. The main draw back of the Russell PHs is their $300 price tag and long wait. The advantages are custom fitting, custom materials, and the ability to get extensive repairs or reconditioning. There are lots of models to choose from for different conditions, and the prices can get lots higher than $300. Also, I don't recommend the Russells for extreme hunting conditions like sheep and goat hunting, but that's not the kind of spot and stalk I think you are talking about.
I have lots of different boots. The hard sole boots are noisy from being hard. Many of the lightweight boot like the Merrills have hollow spaces in the soles that make them amplify sounds like sand or rock abrading on other rock when you walk. The Vibram Light Airbobs are some that you would think would be noisy for that reason, but they aren't because they are made of a softer material. They also give good traction and wear well. I have a pair of Russell PHs with the Light Airbobs for general purpose hunting in drier conditions like Africa because they are a good combination of being fairly quiet while providing good traction and wear resistance. But when I really want to be sneaking up on an animal, the Airbobs make more noise that I would like, so if I think I will be making close stalks I wear the PHs with the plantation crepe soles. Nothing else comes close. If you want to go cheap and get the same level of quietness, go with the Cabelas or Clarks Desert Boots. On dry, fairly level ground where you are not walking for long distances, they work just as well for a fraction of the cost.
The other boots mentioned are good boots, and I have most of them, but they simply do not compare to plantation crepe when stalking game up close. All you have to do is talk to an African PH about boots and you will hear that their #1 complaint is noise. When I wear my crepe sole Russell PHs all they do is ask me what size I wear, hoping I will leave them behind as part of my tip!
Allan
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I agree that the crepe soles are probably the best, but I mostly use Bean Hunting Boot. Make sure you get the one without the stiff shank in the sole.
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For spot and stalk in noisy conditions I use a 'boat shoe' soft rubber completely w/o tread-low cut and light enough to carry.
The rest of the time is split between Asolos and Russells, always on the ground.
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Not boots, but a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor's
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Guys with the Oakleys how do they fit? Good ankle support?
I know I had a pair of oakley shoes and they took a serious beating and held up well, and fit like a glove!
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diving booties and they keep ya feet warm when wet and cold :thumbsup:
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Russells rock. No other shoe on earth feels as good as my PH Hunters.
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You won't beat the Russells. I've had a pair of PH's resoled 3 times. Also have a pair for sheephunting I think called sheephunters. As comfortable as a boot gets. I will say that their Airbob is not a durable as say a Danner Airbob.
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I bought a pair of LL Bean Maine Hunting boots this last fall, and as all the other members stated love them for hunting, especially stalking. Now these are good to about 32 degrees, when it gets cold, I go back to my MUCK boots which I love for both stalking and stand.
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Very pleased w/ Danner's Jackals but I replaced the insoles w/ one of those gel athletic ones.Made a huge difference .As for stalking/I'm going to try those felt foot pad things this coming season.
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I bought a pair of Bean's Maine Hunting SHOE that I love. I believe these are the model without the stiff shank. I love walking through the woods in these. You can feel everything under your feet and they are quite. Can't compare to those previously mentioned but the quietest I've had. I also have a pair of scuba booties that are great. I can put more miles in the Maine shoes.
homebru
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I am thinking about some custom made rubber bottom; leather top boots. I want the leather to go right up below my knee. I am getting an aggressive sole as I might as well be hunting sheep and goat; as I see both while hunting.
I want a high top because I make stupid dangerous moves- to avoid getting my feet wet in mountain creeks; that I could walk through with a high enough boot.
The boots will have liners.. anyone know who does that type of thing - or if I am making a mistake with this approach?
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I use LaCrosse Grange boots. I hunt in south La. swamps, so it negates pretty much anything that is not waterproof up to the knee.
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where do you guys get your shoes
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Danner's i got from Cabela's but they have a website....same for Russells & L.L. Bean. If you are looking at a rubber bottom leather top boot i would also look at Schnee's. They also have a website. If you have a high arch you will need to put some kind of orthotic insert in the LL Bean & Schnee's from my experience.
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I have a pair of the older Cabela's Silent Stalker sneaker (or some similar name), with a soft dark rubber sole with kind of a tennis shoe chevron pattern. They are gore-tex, which I can take or leave depending on season and weather, but they are very, very quiet and give pretty good support. I try not to send much business to Cabela's, but I wish I had bought 5 of these--that's how much I like them. They have since modified this boot with a much more agressive sole that I know has less ground feel and suspect is noisier.
I've wrestled with the dollar leap to Russell's and need some more support than the PH gives. I sincerely wish Cabela's would bring out that sole again.
One thing I do in a few places, particularly when wearing boots for steep country, is carry those cheap water shoes or whatever they are called. Very light, good ground feel, and they are so soft the flat rubber gives reasonable traction.
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Check out Bates M9 boots. I really like mine.