Russell Moccasin boot question...Need your opinions please

[onewhohasfun]

I Can second Toejammers recomendation of the Whites. My next big money boot will be Hoffmans

[toddster]

I don't have a pair, but have tried alot of the other ones.  I use MUCK Boot, the top I fold down like a firemans boot, so if deep water like other day pull it up and cross creek.  Warm too, yesterday was 10 with windchill, and only had rag wool socks on,  good boot for money, but each there own.

[greyghost]

Boots and foot wear are very subjective for each person. I loved my Russell's and still have a pair left, but:

Owned Russell's since the 60's. But the last couple pairs I had in the 90's, the quality fit and boot itself just did not seem to be there anymore.

Switched to Danner's since and have not looked back.

[landman]

The comments here about fitting are correct.   With both pair of mine I ordered my size after tracing my foot, etc. and had to send them back in each case for a refitting.   After Russell made them fit they were great, but like anything else I suppose, it took awhile.

[Kevin Dill]

I have a suggestion: Call Russell Mocassin and tell them about any concerns you have. Be straight with them on this. Ask them to describe their fit guarantee and refund policy. Then decide.

I'm a Russell Mocassin owner (High Country Hunter) and it's the finest boot I've ever owned. No boot covers 100% of all situations, and mine don't either. For what they're intended, my boots outperform every other good (and I've had some very good) boots I've owned over 40 years. I've hunted rough country from Northwest Territories tundra to Utah canyonlands and covered many miles a day with a pack on. They might not suit everyone, but when I pull on my HCH boots I know my feet are NOT going to be a problem for me. Mine are 9 years old and I'd buy them again in an instant.

I'm disappointed for those who had bad experiences. I believe them. I just know that boots and feet are like bows and arrows: extremely subjective and one man's pleasure is another man's pain.

[Jim Rocole]

I own a pair of the PH and the Tula Tula. Finest boots I have ever owned. I wore the Tula Tula on a week long elk hunt in Colorado and they performed excellent. The PH are my main boot. From Grouse hunting to making firewood I always have them on. The fit has never been an issue for me. I have two different size feet. I did go to the store and have them measured not that should make difference. Due your due diligence and research them all. They are close to my home so I went and visited the store and felt comfprtable spending the money.

[Eric Krewson]

I have a pair of PHs, terrible fit. I have a 10D foot and received a 9 1/2 EEE. I should have sent them back but tried to make the best of them. They are so wide the eyelets touch when I laced them up and they were still loose.

I added a thick insole to take up some room and wear very thick socks to make them wearable.

They have almost no support while transversing a hillside but are pretty comfortable on level ground.

My left foot is slightly bigger than my right and they got it reversed when they made the boots.

Overall I am pretty dissatisfied with the boots and recommend you look elsewhere for a Christmas present.

[Bigriver]

Dont think that if you have them do the tracing it will be any better, I drove 3 hours to have them measure & trace & they still got it completely wrong. It was a waste of 455 bucks for me. I have since bought Meindel from Cabelas & have been a happy hiker. I have super high arch & narrow 12a/b feet. You could try them & send them back if you didnt like em. I would sell mine barely used for cheap.

[hvyhitter]

I have been wearing Danners for 30 yrs. I used to have 11B feet and with age they are now 12 1/2C. Danners always seem to fit great. Redwings used to be great boots but most of their boots are made in china now so the quality has dropped. Give the Danners a try.

[Earl Jeff]

I have these Russell Turkey hunters since the early 90's. They are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned.
 
 

[m laughlin]

i've never tried Russell's because they don't(didn't) offer gortex. for custom boots i would look at white's. for others i would look at Schnee's boot line and LL beans "upland hunter" it is an interesting boot that has huge adjustability. i just bought a pair and i'm currently using them elk hunting so far i'm pretty tickled with them.
matt

[Bowmania]

Really surprised at the bad fit stories.  I've owned 4 different pairs.  PH's were resoled 3 times and the canvas just wore out.  Those were without a doubt the most comfortable boot I've ever owned.  

A word of caution.  If you order DON"T get the sole called Huez.  It has little ridges the zig zag from left to right.  At times when walking your foot hits a stick and rakes along those ridges making a zzzzzit noise.

Bowmania

[Bjorn]

I was surprised to be a bad fit story myself, for 450 bucks expected more. If I hunted fields and flat ground they might have worked out. As soon as you get on the steeps with side hilling and extreme surfaces the boots were a complete disaster.  Really tried to like them-live and learn.

[Keith Zimmerman]

I love my HCH's.  They are water proof and very comfortable for hunting.  Not for walking around in town with.  Must be the design.  But I can hunt in them all day for Elk or whatever and have no problems.  I would recommend them.  As a matter of fact, all of us in our Elk hunting group wear them.

We got most of ours from the sales they have.  I know my brother mailed his back twice to have them refurbished, etc.  They come back looking like new.  I grease mine all the time and have never had them leak.

[sticbow]

i have 2 pair one is high country hunter..very well made great fit..but so damn heavy they just wear me out..you dont need gortex with the hch's never had wet feet even crossing shallow creeks an streams..i use them bowhunting at home had them for about 7 years now...other is a pair of cape buff ph's kinda dissapointed in the fit.  i forgot about the problem with my hch boots one had the sole so far off center a blind man could see it an they sent them anyway had to send back an they fixed them...

[Bigriver]

I had to send my back twice & that is part of my problem with them. I had to pay shipping twice because of their mistake & they still are not right. It is getting to the point I dont want to drop more money on them.  Mine soaked thru right away.

[Precurve]

Nice people but as a company they don't seem to be able get anything right.  I've got two pairs and had to make 4 trips to the factory to get everything just about right.  I finally gave up and just wear them as they are.  Don't know how they got such a great reputation.  Maybe they were better in the past.

Dave

[Eric Krewson]

I sent this email to the Russell Boot co, wonder if I will get a response.

Your boots are often a topic of discussion on the various hunting sites.
 
I ordered a pair, mighty poor fit but I added huge insoles and wear very thick socks to fill up the "extra" space.
 
I don't know if you are interested or not and really want to know what your customers think of your boots. Here is a current discussion about your boots on a site frequented by over 6000 traditional archers and hunters.
 
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=096809;p=1  
 
The bottom line is with over 50% of the people who buy your products dissatisfied with them you all might be looking for a new job unless you can do a better job.
 
I suspect this email will go straight to the delete folder but it needs to go to the company president.
 
Eric Krewson

[Bjorn]

Eric the top man at the Russell is an 80 year old,
Ralph (Lefty) Fabricius.
Perhaps address your note to him personally and hopefully we can help out this company.

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by Eric Krewson:
I sent this email to the Russell Boot co, wonder if I will get a response.

Your boots are often a topic of discussion on the various hunting sites.
 
I ordered a pair, mighty poor fit but I added huge insoles and wear very thick socks to fill up the "extra" space.
 
I don't know if you are interested or not and really want to know what your customers think of your boots. Here is a current discussion about your boots on a site frequented by over 6000 traditional archers and hunters.
 
  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=096809;p=1  
 
The bottom line is with over 50% of the people who buy your products dissatisfied with them you all might be looking for a new job unless you can do a better job.
 
I suspect this email will go straight to the delete folder but it needs to go to the company president.
 
Eric Krewson

I too would like to know if you get a response.  I plan on calling them tomorrow and telling them about the advice I have received, both good and bad, and see what they offer in the way of a fit guarantee and also fill me in on their return policy.  Also let them know that I really want to buy a pair of their boots, but not if there is all these problems in a small minority of their clients.

I went to Bass Pro Shop yesterday, and tried on a few pairs of Danner boots, and had the same problem I have when buying boots off the shelf elsewhere.  The heals were way to big, and the toes were squeezed in.  The only thing I have left is a custom made boot if I want a good fit, but that is even sounding like a pipe dream.  Is there any other custom boot maker out there besides Russell's?