RE: So whats with these rubber boots?
OH Bowhunter,
Basically if you do everything right it does not matter if you use rubber boots or wear some other type of hunting boot. I have both leather and rubber boots, and the only reason I have the rubber ones is to wade through small streams and muddy areas where my leather ones do not work so well. I have also had deer walk right down my access trail to my stand.
I keep my boots in a plastic bag (two pairs, two bags) and I only wear them in the field. I do not put them on until I am ready to leave my truck to hunt. Nothing touches them but dirt. Treat your boots like this from day one and use proper storage and maintanence and you will not have any problems.