****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I wanted to "battle test " these boots before writing a review. I used them for the 1st week of rifle deer season in PA. where I hunt hardwood mountains, with steep, rocky terrain.Pro's: The boots fit surprisingly well. I normally wear a 1/2 size, and went down to the next lowest whole size. The boots were an excellent fit even being a bit smaller. Second day of the season, we had a significant amount of rainfall. There was a lot of water runoff, standing puddles, mud and general sloppiness... and these boots did not disappoint!! 100% waterproof, mud proof and muck proof. My feet were completely dry after putting in a 3-4 mile "silent" drive. That little hike also ties in to the traction of the soles. I was a bit skeptical as to the grip these boots would have, but those concerns were quickly put to rest. They gripped and held as well as any lace up boot I've ever worn. Finally, I feel the need to comment on the comfort of these boots. These are probably one of the most comfortable pair of boots I've ever worn. From a solid walk along old logging roads, to climbing steep, rocky terrain, these boots were comfortable to move in.Con's; Boots are listed as being comfort rated from 14 °F/-10°C to 86 °F/30 °C. I didn't find that to be true while hunting from my stand for a long period. The weather was in the upper 30's to mid 40's, and my feet began to become uncomfortably cold after a few hours of no movement. That being said, during the times I was moving, my feet remained comfortably warm. I think the temp rating may be accurate if you are moving around for at least 10-15 minutes each hour. If not, I would recommend a powered heating method (battery socks or insoles), if the temps are in the low 40's or below. The hot hands heating pads don't work in these boots due to there not being enough air circulation to keep the charcoal activated (believe me... I tried). The next issue I had was with the flimsy insoles that came with these boots. To put it simply, they are not good. One of them actually curled up and kept twisting itself out of place. I know it's a minor issue, but poor insoles that move and shift can really ruin an otherwise good boot, and that's what happened here. I suggest that you plan on purchasing aftermarket insoles if you buy these boots, the one's that come with them are not very good. Finally, the cinch buckle on one of my boots keeps coming undone. I'm not sure if it needs to be bent to make it lock into place, or if it's defective, but I know that it's not a replaceable part. This is the biggest of the "Con's" that I really have. Again, it's not a big deal, but I expect things to work the way they were designed. The last thing I can offer as a possible Con is that they should consider offering different camo patterns. This is more of a suggestion than anything, but I would like to see a winter "snow" type of pattern (or one similar to the pattern at wtfcamo. com).Overall: An excellent boot for the price. 100% waterproof, comfortable for walking/climbing, excellent traction, well constructed exterior sole/mid-sole and shaft. I would definitely recommend these boots to anyone considering them. Overall a B+, only because of the cinch buckle issue and the cheesy insoles.
