Looking for new boots down the road
 

May not get them on as good a sale, but looking at military boots.
Got good wear out of them the last ten years, without any physical injuries, like plantar faciitis. The military is improving the boots. Good sign I can avoid those special $300, $400, or $500 boots.

I wore Rockys when I was in the Navy's expeditionary command. They worked well. I was allowed to keep 4 pair when I retired, 2 with insulation and 2 without. Figure I'm set for at least a decade.

A good pair of boots properly taken care of should last a while. From my way of thinking I don't mind spending money to get the best I can for my feet. If the boots are comfortable one can stay longer and hunt better especially if you are a mobile hunter. It has been a while since I wore any military issue and from my recollection they weren't that comfortable...but they did take a shine. Today's soldiers and airmen always seem to have the desert looking combat boots. They look OK.

We were issued Rocky boots for a while when I was still working, they were comfortable and reasonably water proof if you walked through water that wasn't over the boot top. Then Rocky changed who manufactured their boots and they went to crap and we got rid of them. As for me, after my experience with them, I would never buy Rocky boots for hunting or any other reason. The same thing happened with Dunham bots when I first started the job, they started out comfortable and since I walked several miles a day most days that was important. Then they stopped making them in Canada and shipped them overseas and they were absolute crap. Some guys, me included couldn't get our feet into the boots because they were so full of silicone sealer inside the boot. I agree, buy a good comfortable boot and they will last a long time. A long time ago I saved up and bought a pair of Herman Survivors, I walked through streams and never got wet feet, I wore them on stand in the winter and my feet were warm. I wore those boots for about 12 years and they still had some life in them when I decided to change. The only problem with them is they were heavy, but I was younger and that wasn't much of an issue for me then.

I had a pair of Meindl Perfekt Hunter boots, 400 grams thinsulate leather boot. Had them 10 years and the sole separated from the leather. Lifetime warranty so I sent them back and had a brand new pair! Not bad for a $225 boot.

Not really sure what you are trying to say Valentine. Are you giving us advice or asking?

I have not kept up with military style boots, but I won a pair of Kenetrek Moutain extreme boots at a fund raiser and I love them. Don't know how they will hold up long term, as I have just used them last fall. Were extremely comfortable right out of the box and kept my feet warm and dry in hiking steep and deep snow.

That said, I also got a pair of Cabelas Mendel Denali boots, and after 10 years, the sole came off even though the uppers were still in good shape. I sent them back in and they gave me credit for the full price I paid toward another pair.

I have an older pair of Danner 400 gram hunting boots that are USA made. I like Danner boots but understand that many of their current models are now made overseas since they were bought out by the holding company that owns LaCrosse. I always used LaCrosse which were made in WI but the last 2 or 3 pair I have bought were Chinese junk as compared to the older ones I grew up with. Before that I had a pair of Cabelas brand boots and not sure who made them. The Cabelas boots were OK but nowhere near as good as the Danners. I always say you get what you pay for with foot ware.

Those were nice boots Rob. Curious if the new pair was the same as the ones they replaced? Last time I sent a product (Fenwick fishing rod) back for a warranty, I got a new one back but it wasn't the same quality I originally bought. Almost like it was a cheapo made special for the Wal Mart market.

Yes, it was the same exact boot.

I hope they have the same good luck factor as the old ones.:happy0001: