doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Boots again

I'll stop in the BassPro in Cucamonga tomorrow morn and see if they have the Irish Setter Shadow Trek which also looks to fill the bill; light, aggressive tread, 8" high. On the all-leather type boots, I've had many although never a set of Russels. I've come to the conclusion that the new hybrid boots made from manmade material may not last as long as those all-leather boots or maybe some will, but the newer boot designs are very high performance in other areas, comfort/fit and lightness are high on my list. If I have to replace them every few yrs to get some of the other attributes, I'm willing to pay that price.

Chuck:
A good friend bought the new Danner Sharptail and really likes them. Light they are when I picked them up.

If you are a boot junkie, then in addition to above, you really do need to look at a pair of custom made Russels. The best thing about them is they are 100% leather, so they breathe and are essentially 100% waterproof because of construction. Have them custom built and they fit tight around your ankle. I find that reduces foot fatigue and makes boots feel very light.

Look at the South 40 Birdshooter or similar triple wall construction - these are the ones that are essentially waterproof. The only drawbacks are price and they are moccasin construction so I had a foot guy build arch supports that he glued into the boots. I think that cost me $15 a pair and it helps prevent bone spurs if you tend to have that problem.

The last benefit is they last forever. I have three pair that get at least 150 days of hunting/hiking a year and none show signs of wear (except heels). They have to be at least 5 years old. They can all be resoled or repaired if need be - either at factory or a competent cobbler.

You could even make a grouse/woodcock hunting trip along with going to the factory to have them fit. They are located in WI, maybe 2 hours south of good grouse country, and 3 to 4 hours from exceptional grouse country. I think there is a fit kit on line. The factory is like stepping into a time warp.

Glad to hear pup is doing well.

I have Russell Imperials and like them well enough for desert quail hunting and for dry rock terrain. However, for the last dozen years I have found a lightweight day hiker boot to be a lot more comfortable, lighter, and I can replace them about 5 times before approaching the price of one pair of Russells. They let me chase Gambel quail a few more miles per day.

If Danners fit your feet, they are decent. They have too much volume for me. I ordered a pair of Russel South 40's and they did not have near the arch support I need for my high arches. Russel said there was nothing they could do about it, so I took some old Spenco insoles, cut the arch support out and put them in the Russells. Solved my arch pain right off. Good boots otherwise, but not worth the dollars since I had to fix them myself. I generally use hiking boots, Asolo's, Montrails, and I recently tried on some of the Meindl's at a Cabelas recently and they seemed to fit well, and are lot's cheaper than others. I will tend to stick with hiking boots that have the waterproof liner, and if you buy them thru REI, they have a satisfaction guaranteed program that is top notch. I have returned a several different pair of boots until I found one that works with my odd size feet. Good luck.

BigSky,
I agree that the Danners have a lot of volume. I had to put in footbeds. That cured the volume prob. Give it a try. Footbeds are available at any drugstore or the better footbeds are available at the ski shops. Some of the expensive footbeds are heated and then you stand on them to conform them to your feet. I had one pair of the heat-mold type footbeds put in a set of ski boots once.

Thanks for the clue about the volume of Danners. Because of spinal surgery after an injury, the tops of my feet and toes are very numb and tender and I need more volume than I have in any of my many bird boots and cold weather boots. I will try the Danners, which my be just what I need.

Bill,
If you can get to a Cabelas, also try those FullDraw boots on. They have a very soft and comfy lining.

Yup, Cabela's this Saturday afternoon on the way home from the Allentown Show. Is this a good life, or what?

Chuck, since you seem to be in and out of a lot of airports, make a note to self to stop by the Danner Outlet Store next time you are in Portland OR. It's on the road that leads out of the airport and prices are extremely attractive IF they have the boot you want. They will not ship, will only sell to walk-ins.

Another possibility is to stop by REI and look at their backpacking boots. These tend to be light, with very good ankle support (even in the 6" boots), and are often built with welt soles so they can be rebuilt. REI also has a great selection of footbeds.

I have Danners and Irish Setters in the 8", all-leather, uninsulated versions. The Danners are possibly a bit tougher, but the Irish Setters are more comfortable, both with approximately the same mileage on them. The Setters are Vibram lug sole and the Danners are AirBobs to keep the weight down. So far, no problems with the AirBobs.

Rp,
I saw the website for the store. The same thought crossed my mind. Now, I have to come up with a reason for a Seattle trip and a Porland stop.