"The locals in Juneau wear calf high rubber boots and seldom need or use anything else." That's what we wore daily. I was one of those locals. Xtratuffs are known as the "Juneau Sneaker". I'll be honest with you, I can't think of one single hunt out of the hundreds I went on in southeast Alaska where I wore Xtratuffs or any other rubber boot. I either needed chest waders or my mountaineering boots. Now, I always took a pair with me to wear in camp, but I never wore them in the field. I'll tell you why.
In southeast Alaska, if you're going after moose or fall bears, you're going to be hunting in areas where you will need to cross rivers, wade through beaver ponds, cross tidal flats, plow through wet brush, etc. If you don't do those things, you'll be severely limited in where you can hunt.
If you're going after Sitkas, spring bear, or mountain goat, you'll be in steep, slippery terrain where you'll need superior ankle support that you can't find in a rubber boot. Just hiking around in those conditions would be tough in rubber boots. Packing out an animal would be torturous and down right stupid. I always wore my Scarpas and had no problems.
The only time I think a rubber boot would work there would be if you were hunting black bear along the beaches from a skiff, and a guide could put you in the right spot.
Up north, things are a lot different. In some places, a boot like Schnee's makes might be ideal. I do think if I were to plan a hunt up there, I'd make sure I had a variety of footwear to take. You don't want to miss out on an opportunity because you're ill-prepared. If you're using a guide, they'll give you some good input. If you're doing it yourself, find some experienced hunters in the area you want to go. Around Juneau, it was very easy to spot novice hunters or outsiders by their choice of footwear and rain gear.
Topic: Use 16" lace up boots? (Read 157 times)
