We hunters have skewed priorities. We spend countless hours and disposable income fretting over our rifles. We measure in grains and micrometers to get MOA groups or a few hundred more feet per second.
Yet for every hunt ruined by a poor choice regarding firearms or ammunition, hundreds more are ruined because a hunter made a bad choice of footwear. I enjoy toying with my rifle and loads, but I have a single gun for everything from pronghorns to moose. On the other hand, I have enough high-end boots to stuff a gun safe.
I’ve spent nearly 50 years tromping the northern Rockies. Here’s what is in my present boot collection, and how I choose which to wear on a given hunt.
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400
My go-to boots from late October through February, these are lightweight, plenty rigid, offer great ankle support, and include 400 grams of Thinsulate. They’re warm enough to wear when waiting on a Thanksgiving whitetail, yet light enough to be comfortable above the timberline when tracking a muley buck.
White’s Smokejumpers
White’s Smokejumpers
$480 • White’s Boots White’s Boots
White’s SmokeJumpers are a preferred pick for loggers and firefighters who spend their time in steep, rain-slick forests while carrying sharp tools. I wear these when I’m doing heavy woods work like packing elk quarters. They’re ideally suited for rough terrain yet quiet enough that you forgive their industrial-grade weight and lug soles.
White’s Elk Guide
$240 • White’s Boots White’s Boots
These are what to wear when winter gets serious. Insulated with 9mm felt liners, with rubber bottoms and full-grain leather that goes to the knee, these are magnum boots for cold and deep snow. They are made for frigid, late-season hunts, icefishing, or riding on a snowmobile. A downside is they are heavy, bulky, and so warm that your feet can sweat if you do much walking.
Schnee’s Guide ADV
$260 • Schnee’s Schnee’s
The “Bean boot” concept—a leather upper stitched to rubber bottoms—is time-tested. They navigate soggy ground and cannot be beat when the stalk demands absolute silence. They can be hosed off after crossing a muddy cornfield. Their downside is that since the boots are uninsulated, my toes suffer when the temperature dips much below freezing. ($260; schnees.com)
Mammut T-Advanced GTX
$120 • Mammut Mammut
I wear these light, limber ankle-high boots almost every day: on training climbs in the local hills, on weekend scrambles, and on backpack trips. I lace them on when I need a quiet boot for mild-weather turkey or elk hunting, or for hiking into an alpine fishing lake. These are durable, breathable, and, most important, they are extremely comfortable. ($120; mammut.com)