Hunting Boots

[Irving]

Anything that is waterproof enough to cross a stream is going to be heavy as well as make your feet hot and sweaty. I have some North Face winter boots that I can stand in water all day but they are heavy and if it is warmer than 50 or 60 degrees they would be miserable. I bought some Crispi Crossover Pro Light GTXs this year. They are OK, even though they are supposed to be non insulated the cushioning and fabric in them make my feet hot and sweat. Despite the sizing recommendations on their website claiming that they are true to size I ordered size 9 which is what I wear in anything else, well they are a hair too small even with ultrathin socks on, my toes hit on downhills, should have gotten 9.5s or maybe even 10s. I have some semi cheap Palladium boots which are copies of the French Foreign legion and Rhodesian patrol boots, they are made of canvas and are light. I will probably just wear them instead of the Crispis the next time I head up the mountain. Don't forget about boot companies like Garmont, Salomon and Lowa, they aren't specifically made for hunting but there are made for hiking and mountaineering which is pretty much the same thing. I've had Garmont boots in the past and they have always been good boots. As for height I actually prefer a shorter boot more like a shoe/boot crossover height.

As for crossing streams, I have to cross a stream to get to my hunting spot so I bought some of these:

http://www.hodgman.com/hodgman-wader...r/1347866.html

They work great, get to a water crossing, pull them out and slip them on over your boots and pants and thats it, dry shoes all day.

I hear what you're saying about water proof being hot, but that is what I deal with now. My current boots make my feet sweat, but they also get wet. So if I have to choose, I'll take a little sweat. Those waders are pretty cheap, and I bet they are light as well. I've never had to cross anything requiring waders to date, but they are on my radar.

I got the Irish Setter 2870 Vaprtrek boots last year and really like them. They are like $150, 8” tall and are 100% waterproof. I had outings in the heat, rain and snow and were comfortable in each. I also love the tread and the fact they are about as lightweight as a sneaker.

I've heard of Irish Setter, and the price and lightness is pretty attractive.

I did a search on here about boots a few days ago and one of the work boot threads was saying that the Army Navy Surplus store has a pretty good selection. It's been a while since I've been there, and remember that they had a ton of boots, but do they carry quality stuff? Being able to try on boots, and cash and carry would be awesome.

Keep the suggestions coming.