Thread: Whats your hunting footwear????

If it was me id get some gri sport hikers

I have size US14 hooves, so I wear trail-running shoes. No one stocks boots in my size, but I'm not prepared to pay NZ retail prices anyway.

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HAIX K2, awesome footwear!

HAIX K2 and lowa z8s the lowas feel more soft to walk on but the HAIX offer more protection........
After running down a scree a few weeks back my z8s are full of gravel got its way in through the knackered stitching and now I can't get it out


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I have tried a few of the higher priced boots (Lowa, Miendl, Scarpa, Gronell, Bestard, Hanwag, La Sportiva, Gri Sport, Stein) and have yet to have a pair last more than 2-3 years without something significant failing - whether that be soles coming off, lace eyelets pulling out, stitching breaking down, rands pulling/breaking down off, etc. I wear them everyday, but not everyday on the hill - but they do get looked after. A lot of the time I wear them just to and from the office, or cruisy days out in the field. But all of them get put through their paces eventually. I've also tried the odd cheaper boot, but wearing them everyday they really only last a few months.

Currently I'm using Hanwag Alaskas and Bestard Coto's for hunting, and find both of there boots very supportive and kind to my feet. Hanwags are better in the rough stuff, as they have much better grip. Both pairs are coming up two years old and the Hanwags have blown stitching out the back (fixable) and are no longer water tight, and the Bestards have lost the sole on both boots at least once - glued once by distributor and other time by me. Their soles are rooted and I'll get them replaced locally with something more suitable for hill work as the boot them selves are still in pretty good condition. As they are at the moment they're a death wish on the hill.

Some of the best boots for durability in my experience have been top end La Sportivas and the Gronells. The Sportivas are very stiff and mainly designed as alpine boots - which is fine for what I do. They can be hard to break in and hard on your feet after a big day. The Gronells I liked as they fit my foot like a glove and lasted really well. However they went up in price quickly after they gained popularity here in NZ. My scarpas were awesome on the hill and the boots themselves lasted well but the internals fell to bits quite prematurely. I had a pair replaced under warranty and the new pair lasted a bit longer but failed in the same way.

These days I really only spend around $450-500 for a pair of boots, and am inclined to import them as it is a shite load cheaper, and I've been let down enough times by NZ distributors to believe their 'after sales support' is an irrelevant argument. My recommendations for buying boots for regular hunting use would be stay away from cheaper brands, still stick with higher priced quality Eurupean brands. For the average hunter who's wearing these boots only a handful of times a year, they should last a few years if looked after. Buy the boots that feel most comfortable for your foot, and provide what you feel has the most support. Grip on the sole is very important too - grippy boots will make you a lot more confident on the hill and may save you from a slip.

For evening hunts around the farm or forest I just use a pair of Ashleys, or my Quatros.

I don't think I would trust any Warehouse boots. They may not last 1 trip. My son was off to Caving school with the scouts & the only thing we could find at short notice were $50 warehouse boots or flash ones from H & F. Came back after 4 days & had worn a hole in the toe of one boot. I considered taking them back but one of the dogs decided he liked the smell of Waitomo mud & had a chew on it.

@JoshC. Interested to know what model your Scarpas were. I have owned a few pairs (currently have 5) and the only issue I have had was wearing a hole in the lining at the back of the heel on my oldest pair. Fixed with a piece of thin leather and Ados F2.
The most comfortable boots I have ever owned are some Zamberlans but the sole keeps peeling off. A real piss off as they are such nice boots.

I think Bullers would be perfect if the sole had better traction, theyre pretty dangerous on greasy hillsides with seeps and springs making everything saturated, I find it impossible to kick into mud banks wearing them so climbing straight up isnt really an option, I have to now zig zag up digging the heels in. I got some lastrite boots on trademe Im breaking in and they went pretty well and I dont think the sole will be falling off any time soon.

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I've had a great run from La Sportiva, quite stiff ones for me as I generally do more tops/alpine stuff than bush stalking. Currently a pair of Karakoram, but had quite a few years in some Makalus before that - uppers still solid as when the soles had worn down.

Also have a pair of Scarpa Escape which are doing well too, not quite as solid/supportive as my Sportivas and don't fit my feet quite as well for confidence on steep edging etc so I mostly use them for the less steep stuff.

I have similar experience as @JoshC with all major high-end brands over 20+ years. Now settled on HANWAG and have two different models in use. The Hanwag Alaska GTX are good for bush / farm hunting and were very comfortable right out of the box. Now four years old and the sole is showing sign of wear as expected. The GTX membrane (under the liner) is probably past its expiry date but that is acceptable because of the age and use.

For alpine / tops hunting, I use a pair of Hanwag Sirius GTX which are a much stiffer "alpine boot' and you can use pneumatic crampons with these type of boots. These are only 6 months old and are noticably "beefier" than the Alaska GTX model.

Hanwag Sirius GTX Black - nz

In my experience with HANWAG, the sizing has been consistent between models.

skellerup ashleys....enough said.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

skellerup ashleys....enough said.

Is there any other boot?

Originally Posted by kimjon

Is there any other boot?

Yes....skellerup bullers...

I'm now running hanwag tatras after losing my hanwag Alaska.

The Alaska was a bloody good boot, but I'm preferring the tatra, slightly lighter and more flexible.

Hanwag and lowa are brother. Hans Wagner and Lorenz Wagner or something like that. Hanwag are a bit cheaper

Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

I'm now running hanwag tatras after losing my hanwag Alaska.

The Alaska was a bloody good boot, but I'm preferring the tatra, slightly lighter and more flexible.

Hanwag and lowa are brother. Hans Wagner and Lorenz Wagner or something like that. Hanwag are a bit cheaper

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