Danner's High Ground (A) ($170; danner.com) 400-gram boots are built on an athletic platform seen in many of the company's hiking boots. Soft nubuck leather is paired with abrasion-resistant leather in the upper to eliminate pinch points. The ghillies lacing system pulls across the forefoot fast and securely. They'll fit perfectly out of the box and keep out the chill on most mornings. For much colder days, the durable Under Armour Browtine (B) ($200; underarmour.com) packs 800 grams of Primaloft and weighs just over one and a half pounds per boot. Due to the bulky design, the sides tend to push out where the boots hinge. They're ideal on a treestand. The lacing stays put and is easy to adjust. Bass Pro Shops' RedHead RCT (C) 9-inch boots ($150; basspro.com) also carry 800 grams of insulation (Thinsulate Ultra, in this case). Compared with the Browtines, they are considerably trimmer and have a more supportive fit, but they weren't quite as warm during long sits on stand. A narrow opening at the tongue could make the boots difficult to slip on if you have wide feet. Rocky has taken the wide sole typically found on trail-running shoes and added it to a low-cut athletic upper with a thin Gore-Tex zippered camo shell. The result is the new ultralightweight Rocky Broadhead (D) ($185; rockyboots.com). They're certainly not for everyone, but if you're on the fast track for game, this 6-inch shoe-boot hybrid may be the right fit. Just beware of thorns and cacti.

Peter B. Mathiesen