Best Chukar Country Boots?

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Warrior372
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Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:32 am

I have a pair of Asolo TPS 520 GV hiking boots that are just not cutting it in steep Idaho chukar country - they are too low to offer enough lateral ankle stability and the sole is pretty bad with braking as I descend. I need a higher boot with a sole made for ascending and descending steep and scree filled hillsides. Any recommendations? In general internet searches it looks like a lot of people prefer 8"+ high mountaineering boots - Scarpa Fuego / Wrangell GTX, Lowa Hunter GTX styles, Meindls and Kennetreks. I guess they offer the best lateral stability when sidehilling and crossing rock gardens? Any recommendations from people who hop around these hillsides frequently? What boots have you have the best experiences with both from a functional and a longevity perspective? With all of these costing $300 plus I wanted to get some advice from people who have worn them in similar terrain. Thanks for you help!
Last edited by Warrior372 on Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

reba
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by reba » Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:53 pm

I find an 8 inch boot just right.

Hard sole mountaineering for sure.

A $300 plus pair of boots will last me two seasons. ( I hunt chukar 100 plus days a year)

Right now I am on my second set of Meinds, that were sold by Cabela's.

I like 200 gr insulated with gortex liners.

Kennetreks are a really good product and will look closely at what they have to offer.

Lastly light weight boots suck and socks are as important as the boots.

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Garrison
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Garrison » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:21 pm

Look at 1. Schnee's and 2. Lowa

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Gertie
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Gertie » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:34 pm

Early season I wear my fire boots. I like the heel for going down hill (my knees and ankles have taken a beating). You can get cheaper ones but I like my Nick's lace-to-toes (https://nicksboots.com/stock-hot-shot/). After the snow flies I have a pair of 400 g Meindl Ultralights that I like (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas- ... lsrc=aw.ds). Warm but not too hot to hike in and nice and sturdy. Good luck and be sure to pack some moleskin and some second skin. Devil birds = blisters :twisted: :lol:

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DonF
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by DonF » Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:35 am

D*mn! I've hunted more days than I care to remember in tennis shoe's! I had a pair of Daner's one time and they were nice boots. Then a lot of my foot wear come's from the Bi Mart. Just depends on what's on sale. If I paid $100 or more, it would take away from my gas money!

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P&PGunsmith
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by P&PGunsmith » Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:27 pm

Hanwag alaska gt. Very similar to the meindls by cabelas but broke in faster therefore more comfortable right out of the gate. Now they are just plain more comfortable. Now that i know my size i believe i can order directly from Germany for a considerable discount even with the shipping.

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Dakotazeb
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Dakotazeb » Tue Sep 26, 2017 3:16 pm

For that kind of hunting I would think Kennetreks would be tough to beat.

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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by polmaise » Tue Sep 26, 2017 4:11 pm

Being a foreigner ,I would look at what the locals in that 'Local' are wearing :wink:

Warrior372
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:30 pm

Thank you for all of the feedback!! Oddly, as I perused all of the various outdoor gear and boot websites online I stumbled upon a recent boot review from Bob McMichael - an Idaho guy who runs ChukarCulture.com. He has done several boot reviews in the past highlighting various boots that excel in Chukar country. Anyway, the review was for a La Sportiva Trango Mountaineering boot and he said it checks all the boxes for our local terrain. It was 50% off at Sierra Trading Post so I ordered some hoping they will fit well. Assuming they fit, I will post some feedback once I have a chance to get out and use them.

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Gertie
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Gertie » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:02 pm

Warrior372 wrote:Thank you for all of the feedback!! Oddly, as I perused all of the various outdoor gear and boot websites online I stumbled upon a recent boot review from Bob McMichael - an Idaho guy who runs ChukarCulture.com. He has done several boot reviews in the past highlighting various boots that excel in Chukar country. Anyway, the review was for a La Sportiva Trango Mountaineering boot and he said it checks all the boxes for our local terrain. It was 50% off at Sierra Trading Post so I ordered some hoping they will fit well. Assuming they fit, I will post some feedback once I have a chance to get out and use them.
I bought a pair of the Trangos a few years ago and ended up returning them after the seams separated (they were glued rather than stitched seams). Hopefully they've corrected that issue. I'll be interested to hear how they do for you.

Warrior372
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:57 pm

After the Trangos you started using the logging boots and Meindl's?
Last edited by Warrior372 on Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Warrior372
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:59 pm

Gertie wrote:
Warrior372 wrote:Thank you for all of the feedback!! Oddly, as I perused all of the various outdoor gear and boot websites online I stumbled upon a recent boot review from Bob McMichael - an Idaho guy who runs ChukarCulture.com. He has done several boot reviews in the past highlighting various boots that excel in Chukar country. Anyway, the review was for a La Sportiva Trango Mountaineering boot and he said it checks all the boxes for our local terrain. It was 50% off at Sierra Trading Post so I ordered some hoping they will fit well. Assuming they fit, I will post some feedback once I have a chance to get out and use them.
I bought a pair of the Trangos a few years ago and ended up returning them after the seams separated (they were glued rather than stitched seams). Hopefully they've corrected that issue. I'll be interested to hear how they do for you.
Hmm... Interesting. With all of the different boot fits from one manufacturer to the next, I am just curious if they will fit.

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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Leeza » Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:50 pm

I got a pair of Oboz for late season chukar hunting in Hells Canyon a couple of seasons ago that have kept me upright and are holding up well. Sierra Trading Post carries them occasionally.

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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by fishvik » Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:33 pm

A chairlift. All kidding aside I'm with Gertie. I did a lot of chukar hunting in Idaho and Nevada and my 8" Whites Smokejmpers were my boot of choice. The same boots I used for firefighting. In the winter I just greased the up with mink oil and SnowSeal to waterproof them. My feet never got cold chukar hunting and both pairs of my boots fit like a glove.

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Gertie
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Gertie » Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:20 pm

Warrior372 wrote:After the Trangos you started using the logging boots and Meindl's?
Not quite. I buy or rebuild a pair of fire boots every year or two for work as I really like those for hiking around in steep country. I got a good deal on the Trangos and decided to give them a try for cold weather hunting. They didn't work out so I bought the Meindles after a friend suggested them and so far don't have any complaints beyond the standard misery that goes along with breaking your foot into a boot.

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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by ezzy333 » Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:52 am

DonF wrote:D*mn! I've hunted more days than I care to remember in tennis shoe's! I had a pair of Daner's one time and they were nice boots. Then a lot of my foot wear come's from the Bi Mart. Just depends on what's on sale. If I paid $100 or more, it would take away from my gas money!
Don, we come from a different time when money wasn't as plentiful. The kids today don't know what it was like when you couldn't afford to travel on a toll-way. Think we had as much fun and a lot less worry but probably more blister's and colder feet.

Warrior372
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:47 pm

The comment about the Sportiva Trangos falling apart scared me into a back-up plan. I found a great deal on a pair of Scarpa Kinesis Pro GTX boots so I order a pair of them as well. They look like Scapra's version of a Hanwag Alaska, Lowa Hunter, etc. They seem to fit the general consensus of everyone who posted, outside of the two older guys who hunt in tennis shoes :) . They are 2.8mm full leather, lined with Gore-Tex, 9" tall, nylon shank, a little over 2lbs per boot, with a high wall rubber rand and vibram soles. They are one of the few boots Lathrop & Sons sells, and those guys are pretty serious about their boots! I will comment back here once I get both.

-- Ezzy, I lived in Illinois for 6 years and if you added up all of the money I spent on tolls driving around Chicago, as well as back and forth between Illinois to Indiana I could fill my closet with the best boots from every single brand!! With all of that additional money they still have horrible roads :) .

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Garrison
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Garrison » Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:12 pm

ezzy333 wrote:
DonF wrote:D*mn! I've hunted more days than I care to remember in tennis shoe's! I had a pair of Daner's one time and they were nice boots. Then a lot of my foot wear come's from the Bi Mart. Just depends on what's on sale. If I paid $100 or more, it would take away from my gas money!
Don, we come from a different time when money wasn't as plentiful. The kids today don't know what it was like when you couldn't afford to travel on a toll-way. Think we had as much fun and a lot less worry but probably more blister's and colder feet.

Ezzy, original post said "Best", not what we could actually afford to buy! :lol:

I have a pair of Cabelas Outfitter Series that I just can't kill. But when I was in the Bozeman store and tried on the Schnee's Beartooth, I knew where I would be shopping next.
Last edited by Garrison on Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

Warrior372
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Warrior372 » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:26 pm

Garrison wrote:
ezzy333 wrote:
DonF wrote:D*mn! I've hunted more days than I care to remember in tennis shoe's! I had a pair of Daner's one time and they were nice boots. Then a lot of my foot wear come's from the Bi Mart. Just depends on what's on sale. If I paid $100 or more, it would take away from my gas money!
Don, we come from a different time when money wasn't as plentiful. The kids today don't know what it was like when you couldn't afford to travel on a toll-way. Think we had as much fun and a lot less worry but probably more blister's and colder feet.

Ezzy, original post said "Best", not what we could actually afford to buy! :lol:

I have a pair of Cabelas Outfitter Series that I just can't kill. But when I was in the Bozeman and tried on the Schnee's Beartooth, I knew where I would be shopping next.
Schnee's, Lathrop & Sons, and Kennetreks all look very nice! What specifically stood out about the Schnee's Beartooth?

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Garrison
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Re: Best Chukar Country Boots?

Post by Garrison » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:35 pm

My problem is the limited selection in my clown shoe size, 15. Schnee's come in a 15, helps me feel a little better about blowing hard earned cash on a hobby. Got a recommendation from a friend, very well made and they fit me well. Everybody has a different foot, for all brands mentioned some folks will say best boot ever and some will say, I got blisters I hate them.

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