I'll need some new boots this season, and don't like my current ones. Since there's years, even decades, of experience represented here I thought you guys would be the best to ask what footwear has worked for you.

I hunt in moderate temperatures (Texas), but occasionally get to hunt in another state, and SD is in the cards for this year. I generally use uninsulated boots, adding insulating socks as needed, so they double as upland boots during dove and quail season.

Your thoughts?

N-2-L

I had a pair of lacrosse boots that came close to my knees and were waterproof which I really liked. Now I have a pair of Irish Setters that have 800 grains of insulation and are really nice. Can't go wrong with either of the two brands.

Good luck.

My hunting boots double as work boots. In my opinion if I am going to spend top dollar on a pair of boots (boots are something I don't try to find the bargin on) I should be able to use them as much as possible and here in Georgia insulation isn't required. I can't speak of hunting SD but I'm sure on a late fall or winter hunt your gonna want a pair of boots with alot of insulation and insulated socks. But how often will you need/wear insulated boots a year?

Whatever you decide make sure they are well broken in before taking them afield.

I wear Russell Moccasin boots both pull-ons and lace-ups. They are hand sown and custome mad to fit your foot. They are pricey but if taken care of will last 20-yrs or longer.

After a few years of pheasant hunting in SD, I can say you will need to make sure that your boots are A. comfortable enough to walk miles and miles in, and B. waterproof. Conditions in Nov-Dec. in Eastern SD have ranged from sweatshirt weather, where uninsulated boots would be just fine, to blizzard-type conditions, where insulated boots are quite necessary.

I've got a pair of LaCrosse boots with 500 grams of insulation and they work well. Then again, since upland hunting is an active hunt, you won't need as much insultion if you can stay warm. One or two pairs of decent wool socks covered by uninsulated leather boots may work. Bottom line, make sure they're comfortable.

Go to

http://www.whitesboots.com/

I've been wearing Whites since I was 16 years old. The pair I have on right now, I've been in since 0500 on a concrete floor. The smokejumpers I wear also double as my hunting boots unless there's much snow, then I put on my Schnees packs that have a removeable thinsulate liner.

For light weight hikers I wear Rockys (that they don't make anymore) These are somewhat water resistant, but not water proof.

If you happen to go with the Whites, you'll definately want to break them in WAY before you go hunting. It takes me a good month of wearing them around the "ranch" before I'll wear them anywhere else.

RJ

For what you're talking about, I prefer uninsulated, lace-up boots with a 3/4- or full-gusset tongue so that I can add or remove thick socks as needed. Also, I refuse to wear un-lined boots for any reason other than absolutely no alternative and must walk across hot coals or broken glass or something. The lining must cover the shaft/upper as well as the lower, and it can be smooth leather or fabric; I don't care which. Since I require a lining anyway, I prefer a Gore-tex liner. There are a couple other brands that work the same as Gore-tex, too. As an alternative to Gore-tex-lined boots, I'll wear some Water-seal (IIRC?) waterproof socks over some nice warm wools or thick cottons.

Understand that I have never had "hunting boots." All of mine have been work boots, mostly farming, that also serve as hunting boots. I've also had some pairs of hiking boots that serve for hunting (and even work) as well. This has undoubtedly colored my views of boots over the years.

I've mostly worn Danners, and have 3 worn out pair behind me and working on two more. One is a 200 gr thinsulate w/goretex, the other a 600 gr thinsulate w/goretex. Danners used to be more comfortable when they were made in Oregon; not as comfortable now. I do have a pair of Browning "cheapies" that don't have goretex, but 600 gr thinsulate. That is a comfortable boot, but I've ended up with swimming feet before.

I don't like the insulation in the summer/fall, but just suffer with it and carry an extra pair of socks and liners with me to change out when scouting in warm weather. Guess I could break the cobwebs on the wallet and get an uninsulated pair for that....

If you spend much time in rocky terrain, don't get the air-bob soles as you'll end up just tearing off the bobs. Kletterfelt-type (sp?) sole is better for rocky stuff.

Good boots are a good thing, make sure they are broken in real good that you can wear them all day, day after day hiking up and down hills before you head out.
I agree with RJ and Shawn although I have a pair of Wesco's I had made to fit me that I really like and for a lighter boot was buying the Danner Logger types. They usta be a good light weight boot but this last pair will probably be my last. They just aren't what they were IMHO. I do have a older pair of Danner insulated boots that are good ones. They are not marked as such but suspect they were military issue.

I guess for day hiker types of boot there are some good ones but after a couple of $100 pairs I have given up and just wear cheapies from Big 5 unless I need/want better or there's enough snow to need packs.

I've got a pair of Red Wing Lineman 616s with 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation.

My philosophy is that it has to be comfortable, I like a medium height heel, and these are Gore-Tex as well. I retired a pair of Irish Setter upland boots with 200 grams of thinsulate that were perfect, but they were discontinued and I managed to get 5 years from them.

I'm currently wearing these:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0015022811656a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&No=36&Ntt=upland+boots&Ntk=Products&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

They are by far the lightest hunting boot I've worn, and plenty warm enuff.
The only down-side, it that the soles are not the best for mud....not the deepest cleat on them.

i wear them primarily as an upland hunter, but wore them deer hunting last season in NJ with no ill effects.
Deer didn't know they were upland boots.

I got some Rocky (http://www.rockyboots.com/) work boots on sale a few years ago and they have been very comfortable. I have a few other of them that have been ok. I also have some Danner (http://www.danner.com/home.do)boots at Cabelas had on sale a few months back that I haven't worn much, but I do have some Danner hikers that have been great. Another boot I like too are the Wolverine (http://www.wolverine.com/) boots. They are one of the few boots still made in the USA. A good place to keep an eye for good boot deals and I've gotten them from in the past is Sportsman's Guide (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/). When I added the hyperlink for you, I saw they are advertising up to 79% off on footwear.

I can tell you what not to buy .... don't buy Ariat. You will be sorely disappointed.

We don't get much cold here. I wear snake boots most of the hunting season. When it gets cold I wear a comfortable light boot and take my boot blankets along in case I decide to sit a stand or stop a while. I usually remove my boots and put a pair of wool socks on and put the blankets over those with a hot hands inside. That will keep you toasty as your den at home.

By necessity I'm a connoisseur of hunting footwear because I have very poor feet and ankles, plus I have a passion for sheep hunting. Despite my handicap I manage to wear out a pair of high grade boots each year. Most good boots just won't do the job for my pathetic feet, but there are two options that allow me to hunt sheep or do a chukar death march. The best solution for me is Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hikers. Next is Meindle Denali's. The Lowa Sheep Hunter deserves an honerable mention. The stiff lateral support helps me but the very best feature these boots have (exclusively?) is a roller bar under the ball of the foot area. This acts like a fulcrum to allow you to rock forward in your stride. This is truly a secret weapon. Unfortunately, it appears the current Meindles don't have the roller bar, so that relegates them to "average" in my book.
Another huge thing I discovered is the replaceable cork inserts Meindle sells for their Perfect Hiker boot. I soak the cork insert in water over night, put them in whatever boot I use and then wear them till dry. It makes a firm, but padded mold for each foot.
I won't mail order boots because the fit just won't cooperate unless I go to the shoe store and get at least 4 pairs to try for best fit. You would be surprized at the difference of what should be identical boot pairs.
I envy guys who have good enough feet to get good results from many boot varieties.

I have used Rocky boots for years. I also have Lacrosse, Vasque and Cabelas. Some of the newer types bridge the gap between hiking boots and hunting boots. I have lived and hunted in Texas, Colorado and now Mississippi. I find that a light weight insulated boot (200 or at the most 400 grams thinsulate) works best for me. I like gore tex or similar lining and a full gussetted tongue. The light insulation seems to pad my feet. I always get them large enough to add a good insole that is designed to wick and remove moisture. Keeping my feet dry is key to comfort for me. The low insulation is not too hot for hiking in cool temps and is enough if I decide to sit in a tree for a few hours of trail hunting. The ones I am using the most now are called "Lynx" by Rocky. I used these in Colorado and Miss last season and did not have any problems. Also my feet tend to be cooler than some and I don't sweat much. I would rather have cool feet than to be sweating as the sweat will eventually make my feet feel cold. I really like the new hiking type of soles for hunting boots as I enjoy hunting by stalking or still hunting. In warm weather I just use an uninsulated light weight hiking boot or my Georgia work boot. I don't like any of the Lacrosses that I have used because even without any insulation my feet always sweat in them. I never liked pac boots when I lived in Colorado because they were always too hot too, even in cold weather.

I wear the high end Danners for work, hunting and just about everything else I do outdoors (except for when I need waders or pack boots). I wore them for my entire time in the Infantry, where I put thousands of miles on them without a problem They are rugged, have great support, come in a wide selection of widths and last forever if you care for them. I own not less than 12 pair of them. The 200 gram thinsulate are comfortable in even 80 degree weather. For hotter than that I would go with the uninsulated ones and up to 400 grams in cold weather.

Kudu40

Have you noticed that the boots that are currently made have a high percentage of plastic versus rubber in the soles?
This causes many folks to fall on their keester or worse in wet conditions.
The best pair of boots I ever owned were made in Anaconda Montana by Grizzly Boot Co. They are no longer made. They were made the way White's used to make them, with the true stitchdown model having three rows of stitching, imbedded stitching in the sole to allow for lots of wear without the threads being compromised, and real Vibram soles that grip like goats feet to anything, even mossy rocks.
They could also be re-built many times. My first pair was re-soled 5 times before the uppers needed any work.
I would love to find a boot made like this, I hunted in them in snow with no insulation, just leather treatment-never had any trouble with cold or wet feet.
Anybody know of a company that still knows how to make boots?

Anybody know of a company that still knows how to make boots?
Whites, Wesco, Nicks in Southern Or. or Hoffman's up in Kellogg Id. makes a great boot at good prices I have heard from several sources, and some individuals such as a guy over in Baker Or I've also heard about.
Lots of good boots available if a fella looks, I know I have worked outside in the hills most of my life, and am boot poor.

Chippewa makes great boots.

I have a pair that are 15 years old, and even with the steel toes,[bought for work, worn for everything] are warm as toast and dry in all nasty weather.

this is the pair I am referring to, but they surely have others.
http://www.chippewaboots.com/boots/detail.asp?sDiv=04&sGender=4&sType=287&sSubType=&id=25405&find=true

Georgia Boots. Any that are 8" or 9" tall, gore-tex and between 400 and 600 grams of thinsulate.

These are the ones I'm wearing as I'm typing.
http://72.32.151.174/ProductImages/georgia/large/G8213.jpg

When I was "active" I always wore Timberland uninsulated boots.They are comfortable,waterproof and wear well.
Now,I wear insulated boots for warm weather use and 1200 g insulation for colder weather;any make.
Frank

Georgia Boots.
If you like Georgia boots and wear a 10 medium, I have a new pair, in the box, that have only seen a stroll through Wally's and Home Depot I will sell for half of what a new pair is. They are the Logger boots.
http://www.georgiaboot.com/products/details.aspx?productId=3741&lehighproductId=1600G8120&Title=Men's%20Footwear

I have to wear a heavy boot for most of my work, though sometimes can get away with a lighter one, never light. My problem is that I have a wide foot. I have worn my "light" work boots for hunting and have purchased dedicated boots for hunting/hiking. I don't require an insulated boot till the temp is below 0 Degrees Fahrenheit/ -18 Centegrade, then I go into packs. I find if a boot fits, buy it but it seems that if I spend meduim high dollars on my boots they stand up and remain comfortable.

Red Wing used to be a great boot, but I think thier quality has slipped. Lately I have been using European made hiking boots, like those used in the Alps with gators in snow or rain, and find them very good.

If you like Georgia boots and wear a 10 medium, I have a new pair, in the box, that have only seen a stroll through Wally's and Home Depot I will sell for half of what a new pair is. They are the Logger boots.
http://www.georgiaboot.com/products/details.aspx?productId=3741&lehighproductId=1600G8120&Title=Men's%20Footwear

thanks, but I'm 13W.

Why are you getting rid of them?

Still haven't found any. Major boot hunt scheduled for this weekend.

Why are you getting rid of them?
I wanted some cheap light summer boots so bought the Georgia' at about a hundred bucks. Thought I would wear them on a trip to Wally's and Home Depot to break them in a little. BLISTERS! on both heels before I could get home. Put them back in the box where they have been for about 3 years now. Couldn't return if they had been worn outside or off a carpet I was told.

In contrast on a trip to the Oregon coast I bought a pair of Danner Firelines at the factory over in Portland. Wore them the rest of that day and 2 more days walking along the beach and tourist shops with the wife. No break in was needed surprisingly, but then, they were over twice the cost too. I still wear a pair quite a bit, they are OK medium weight boot, but not near the quality of a Whites or Wesco etc.

This is the same boot, different name, but 18000's, same number.

http://www.danner.com/product/work+boots/uninsulated/flashpoint+plain+toe+work+boots.do

I've got an old pair of Wolverine Durashocks, they feel like they were lasted for my feet-I hate to see them getting old.