Anyone who has hunted in the backcountry recognizes how important boots can be. Most mountain hunting guides can tell you horror stories of their hunter’s badly damaged feet ending or severely impairing their “once in a lifetime” hunt.
Until you have suffered this pain and agony personally, it is hard to completely understand how important your feet are to a mountain hunt. If your feet fail you, all of the other expensive hunting gear you own will be worthless. It won’t be able to help you when you are laid up in camp nursing your feet.
I have assisted thousands of hunters with their footwear needs over the last 25 years and have learned several selection and fitting tips that can assist you in finding the best boot for your next hunt. The reason that I say, “assist” is because personal responsibility with the fit of your boots is essential. Everyone’s feet are different and no single brand or style works for everyone.
The first step in the process is to select the proper style of boot for your hunting needs. Here's what you ought to consider.
Four Factors to Consider
1. The Type of Terrain You Will Hunt: Sheep hunting in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska may require a different type of boot than a Wyoming antelope hunt.
2. The Expected Temperature Range: A rut hunt for Alberta Bighorn in November has far different insulation needs than a desert sheep hunt in Baja Mexico.
3. Required Durability for Your Hunt: The perfect boot for a sheep guide, who is guiding six consecutive hunts after a month of scouting, is not necessarily the best choice for the hunter going on one hunt. That extra durability that the guide needs often requires a very stiff and much heavier boot.
4. Your Personal Toughness: Similar to the previous factor, you need to honestly evaluate your physical stamina and how hard you hunt. I know that most of us tend to think we are pretty tough hunters, but most guides I know say the average sheep hunter has only four days in them before they are done.
Again, the point is that you need to select a boot that works for you, which may not be the same as the best boot for your guide. Other factors like boot height, boot weight, waterproofness and breathability may also come into play, but these main factors should help to start your selection process. If you spend some time with each of these parameters, you should be able to narrow your choices down to three to five styles/brands of boots.
Finding the Best Fit
When you have determined what style of boot you need, finding the best fitting boot is the next step. There are many excellent brands of boots on the market today. Most of the time, you get what you pay for. If you see two boots that look very much alike and one of them costs $100 less than the other, don’t assume the cheaper boots are the better deal. Usually, that means that one manufacturer has used less expensive materials like lacing hardware, leather, insulation, or footbeds.
In addition to price, boots are constructed differently and they are built on different lasts. Therefore each style of boot will tend to fit differently. It is important to try on the boots for fit before wearing them in the field. I recommend trying on several styles from different manufacturers to find the best fit for your feet.
You should try to have your feet measured using a Brannock measuring device. The Brannock will measure your overall foot length, length of your arch, and foot width. Based on this size measurement it is very common to round up to the next half size for your hunting boots.
Once you purchase a pair of boots, it is important that you check for adequate toe length. To do this, sit in a chair and put on the boots unlaced. Then slide your foot forward until any part of your toes just touches the end. Don’t smash them forward, just make light contact. Then check for at least a snug fingers width behind your heel. This assures when the boots are laced snuggly, you will have adequate toe room in front of your toes. This is vital when going downhill with weight on your back.
The Importance of Socks
Once you have verified that you are in the proper boot size, the volume of the boot can be addressed. You want your hunting boots to fit snuggly with no pinch points or pressure points. The fit of every boot can be enhanced by the use of high quality socks.
It is important to use a wool blend that wicks perspiration away and insulates when damp. Avoid cotton socks as they hold moisture against the skin and take too long to dry. Our Kenetrek socks are constructed with the perfect blending of fine natural and synthetic fibers. They are form fitting with reinforced padding at the toes, heels, and under the ball of your foot to dramatically increase comfort and durability.
The variety of thicknesses in socks can further customize the fit of your boots. If your boots feel too roomy or too snug, select a thicker or thinner weight sock. Some hunters will try to use a thicker sock for additional warmth in cold weather. This usually makes the boot fit too tightly, which actually makes your feet colder by compressing the boot insulation and reducing circulation in your feet. I recommend finding the best-fitting sock combination for your boots and always using the same sock system with those boots no matter what the temperature is.
Performance Footbeds
The fit and performance of your boots can also be enhanced with a performance footbed. There are many good quality footbeds on the market today. They will provide a contoured heel pocket as well as a firm arch support. We have developed the Kenetrek Performance Insoles to provide extra support at the arch of the foot with additional padding to protect against impact fatigue. That can be very important after a long day of walking on rough terrain with a backpack on. Our insoles also have pronounced heel cups to eliminate heel movement and blisters, especially when side-hilling.
By investing some effort into your boot selection and fitting process, you’ll be able to determine a personal “recipe” for a hunting boot system that provides the very best combination of support and comfort possible. This new boot system will be invaluable on your next rigorous mountain hunt. In fact, it may be so comfortable that you use it for all your outdoor adventures. Good luck and happy hunting!
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