CalNewbie

Can anyone help shed the light on the difference between a hunting boot and a PAC boot? The hunting boots I’ve picked up are waterproof, Gore-Tex, 600 grams of Thinsulate, etc.

When I browse through the Cabela’s selection of PAC boots, some of those have no more Thinsulate that what I’m already getting. Some of the boots have rubber along the side, some don’t. Some have draw strings on the top, some don’t. I have gaiters, so that last part doesn’t seem much of an issue.

Cabelas has a guide available on the subject. That guide speaks to how active you may be, and how that would impact the amount of insulation you’d want on your boot. So again, it seems to be a factor of the amount of Thinsulate more so than anything else I can see. It makes it seem that temperature is the key factor to consider.

I’ll be Elk Hunting during Colorado’s first rifle season, mid-October. The hunt method will be ambush, no stalking. Hopefully no tracking! [8D] Snow is a possibility, but sub-zero temperature is pretty unlikely. What qualities should I seek in a PAC boot vs. my choice in a hunting boot?

whitetails & muskies

For a boot in the mountians, I like to look at the weight as an important element. I bought some Wolverine (not really a top notch name) " whitetail" series and I loved them out west. I bought them in June and wore them alot and at 2.4# I hardly knew I had them on. Only 200 grams of Thinsulate, but again, for mountain walking, it was probably even a bit too much.

Coastie

You have the wrong boot..........for something. No single boot will ever satisfy all of your needs for all occaisions.
I was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin and it seems as if my feet were always cold unless I was walking or working.
The old fashioned " Pac" boot came in several forms. One had no insulation and was better for walking, it had a rubber bottom (shoe) part and leather uppers which laced. The alternatives had various " Liners" usually made of felt which you pulled on over several layers of wool socks. These invariably got wet at some point during the day and the evening was spent getting all layers dry for the next days activity wheteher working or hunting. Many an evening was spent in various hunting camps around a fire or stove, telling stories, playing cards etc, all redolent with the ambiance of " Eau de Boot" wafting around the area.
Today you have so many choices that it is difficult to choose from all of those available and what works for me probably wont work for you. You alone know and understand your comfort level as far as warmth, and only you can choose a boot for your style of hunting, whether it involves sitting on a stand, walking or a combination. The terrain will also play a role in your choice of footwear. Rugged country will require a boot with better support than the flat lands and a well broken in boot is worth its weight in gold for any hunting situation, never wear a new boot for the first time on a hunt of any length, especially without having a back-up pair available. Sore or cold feet are guaranteed to ruin even the best day.
For me, 600 grams of thinsulate are way to much for any situation that requires any walking at all. My feet begin to sweat very rapidly and even with the Goretex linings in todays boots, that means wet feet which in turn means cold feet at some time shortly after you sit down and are no longer moving your blood around. For you it may be exactly right.

oldelkhunter

For Colorado first season anything more than a quality pair of hiking boots with no insulation or a pair of 8" hunting boots with max of 200 gram thinsulate is about right anything more is too much. Wear 2 pairs of socks one a quality liner and another quality thick wool sock not the crap they sell in discount stores or Bass Pro shops will do fine in that kind of weather. If it snows and it is deep than bring along a pair of gaiters....

Beans Morocco

I second OEH' s suggestion in general. I prefer medium weight backpacking boots with no insulation to any " hunting" boot. Good, stiff foot and ankle suport and better tread patterns and sole compounds than any " hunting" boot for traction in multiple surface conditions. I use gaiters when the snow flies. If you sit and stand a lot, insulation is probably a good idea in any season if you are prone to chilly extremities.

BareBack Jack

If you are not used to the weather you might need a pair,if it was 10 degrees or lower.I live in Montana and the weather can get well below zero,I have never needed more than 600 grams,but I live here.If you are from some where south you might need a little more,but all that weight whew I' m getting tired thinking about it.

1eyedfish

As Coastie said i think, no one boot can do it all. My feet have never gotten cold in a pair of pacs/ sorrels, even if wet those wool felt liners seem to did the trick( dont think there measured like thinsalate is for effectiveness& selling weight) A lill harder to walk in at times , i always take 2 pairs/diffent boots with me to camp.

There was that famous young guy( rulan? garner gold metal wresting winer, snowmobiling in yellowstone a few yrs back& got stuck overnite in a snow storm( had a cell phone etc & was in contact with ppl - but didnt matter)
If im not misttaken he had on a hunting type boot med weight types too.

Got out ok but with serere frostbite to his feet,toes etc, dont know if there still right today his feet.
Heard sorrel was going under / and Cloumbia sportswhere would own them& make the boots overseas.

txhunter58

I take 2 pairs of boots. As long as it is not a pack in hunt, this works well. If I am going to be doing a lot of walking I take a pair of goretex, noninsulated boots and use a sock liner + wool sock. I also take a pair of 600gm thinsulate boots in case it turns colder and I will be sitting a lot.

Now, if I am going to be able to drive/ride a horse to the hunting area and not have to walk much, and I think it will be cold, I also take my Sorrel pack boots with removable wool liners (plus extra pair of liners). Even though they are only 4.5 lb per pair they do not do well if you have to walk any distance. Too much extra room in them and you are asking for blisters because you foot slides around. They are great on stand though!

Whatever boot you have, be sure and have a quality wicking thin sock liner to wear under your wool sock. Moisture transfer is the name of the game for keeping your feet warm. No matter how cold it is, if you move at all, your feet will sweat someone, and as stated, wet feet are cold feet regardless of how much insulation you have.

Tom Haas

I want to by 2 pairs of boots too.

Champlain Islander

Hunting in Colorado especially at altitude you need leather or cordura type hunting boots not pac boots. The boots need good support and the best tread you can get. I personally like the Danner series of boots which come in many weights, designs and prices. I normally use a Danner grand slam boot which is an all leather Gor-tex version of the Pronghorn in 400 grams of thinsulite. I wear one pair of smart wool medium weight socks and have never been cold or too hot. Most of my hunts have been 2nd season rifle and often has been in snow. Good well broken in boots are probably one of the most important items of gear needed for elk hunting.