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Hi there always have two or three pair of hunting boots on the go , norm is a couple of lighter pairs for day trips and farms etc , and one heavy pair for bigger hard out trips , wet , rocky , shaley shit. Well I've all but worn my heavy pair out ( possibly 10 yrs old ) . Went to have a look at new pair and there was too much choice , not to mention the mortgage needed to obtain a good pair . Any advice as I don't skimp on good gear like this , but do not want to get this wrong . cheers Munsey
Personally I like Scarpa's with thei vibram sole. Good simple boot, will last you another 10 years. They are a classic design that will hold up to the hard yards but still be comfy/have a good relationship with your gaitors and crampons.
Meindel (sp?) have quite an extensive range (the 'rise' of the boot being different in each model) but also have a good rep and good vibram sole. I found it hard to decide on which pair was right for me though! Too many to choose from.
With both of these brands though I have heard that farms will perish them easily as urine breaks down both the glues and stiching to attach the upper to the sole. Good luck on your search Munsey :) oh and a question - do you have the standard kiwi issue wide feet? Or are you a bit skinnier down there? (Feet I mean!)
Thanks Dougie , had a look at the scarpas they looked like the what I'm looking for , feet are not wide so don't have trouble there . I want the style with the rubber that comes up the sides . Won't be wearing them on farms , it will only be deer urine that will rot them , I can live with that .
Assalos. Scarpas. All gud lowa tibets are comfy as duno how theyd take the alpine stuff tho
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I got some German Army Alpine boots from kiwi disposals for $125. They are Haix, but others in the line up were Meindel (sp?), and Lowa. The gadget girl (aka TimeRider) ended up with a pair as well. They were hardly worn and a great fit. I don't have the legendary kiwi wide foot I don't think. Ezidirect sell the Haix at a reasonable price, shame kiwi disposals shop got closed down for good 10 days after that photo of TimeRider trying on the boots was taken.
Previous pair was assolo with Vibram sole which disintegrated after two trips.
EZDIRECT.CO.NZ - Your Haix Distributer
Have a look at the BESTARD Serak good boot
Awesome :thumbsup: yeah I have skinny feet so normally find I am swimming in Meindels. Scarpas were good though (I have previously had a pair, believe it or not I actually grew out of them! Sold them on TM as they had plenty of life still in them)Quote:
Originally Posted by Munsey
I'd have a look in Cabelas Bargain cave tomorrow ,their boxing days specials are worth considering.Ya get a choice of width with a lot of the boots too & insulated or not.
Haix!
I got some Lowa's from bakershoe.com
Worked out landed here in NZ less than half price of what they retail for here and heaps less than wholesale price as well.
Baker's were very helpful and shipping only took 6 days (4 of which they sat in Auckland doing nothing) to get to me.
I had Asolo's for a very long time and when they finally gave out, I took ages to find what I wanted. I went into every boot store to try all different boots.
If I was going to spend a heap of coin on boots, I wanted the right fit etc.
I tried the exact boots on in stores here, then ordered them via Baker's.
Out on the hill I have never had sore feet in these boots.
I would recommend these Lowa Tibet Pro GTX to anyone and Baker's the place to get them from.
I have the Lowa Tibet pro GTX and they seem a good boot. They are comfortable and have taken quite a bit of abuse from wet bush bashing and scree/rocks and are holding up well...buying them in NZ was expensive though...lesson learnt!
Also had Meindel and Scarpas which have both lasted well and been comfortable too.
If your buying any of these makes I don't think you'll be disappointed and they should last you a long time.
Best advice I was given is to buy the ones that fit best and wear them around the house for a few hours, walk up and down stairs, steep drive ways, etc as its hard to tell in the shop alone how they feel/fit.
Try them on with the socks you'll be wearing them with too.
I made sure when I bought mine that I could take them back after a few days in their original condition if they didn't feel right.
The different makes have slightly different characteristics fit wise so try a few on if you can...better to be comfortable in a properly fitting boot than have the 'best' pair money can buy if they give you blisters!
yeh i agree with that Chris, Cabelas \have a wide range of boots at very reasonable prices (particularly now with the relative strength of the Kiwi dollar)Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
The Spanish brand BESTARD seem to get very good reviews here in Europe. Anybody tried them? ( Also imported by EZDIRECT )
The same for CRISPI boots, anybody tried them?
Irish settler boots are pretty darm good on steep rocky hills, and in the wet, i like them, cheap on trade me, well worth th money
stoney creek rusa boots. high sealed boot for river crossings, soft sole for quiet bush stalking and darn comfortable, light, no need to wear in. good all round boot.
I got some lowa ranger gtxs last week , went for a walk last night and they were awesome. Highly recommended them.
I've got BESTARD Seraks the best boot I ever owned.Attachment 5643Quote:
Originally Posted by Hales Smut
Thanks. These Bestard boot seems to have good qualities, but seem hardly used in our part of Europe. The Coto BG3 model seems to have a special anti-slip sole. Better than the universaly used vibram soles. In another topic on boots I noticed that most NZ hunters seem to blame Vibram soles as being to slippery on wet rocks, etc.....
I might give them a try. The Seraks probaly are a bit more of a mountain boot, slightly stiffer in the shaft.
Attachment 5708
Bush boot
I've just bought a pair of BESTARD Seraks from EZDirect. Great service. They look the deal and are very comfy for my wide feet. A few days in the hills next week will be the real test though.
Spent many years in Bullers and Rubber Hikers and they killed my feet. They don't have any cushioning effect and the Hikers cook in the summer. And if you work with sheep they are bloody terrible in the drenching race. You feel every damned hoof that treads on the top of your feet. They are great to wear hunting alright, but believe me, they are buggering your feet for old age.
I've had a couple of pairs of Mammut Crest GTX over the last few years and they have been excellent including in hard Tahr country. They are fantastic value and are wide fitting. For value and durability I don't think you can go past them. Mountain Design often have them on sale. I have only changed to the Bestards because they are a higher boot and I'm having trouble with an archilles that needs support.
Mountain Designs - Boots
Madjon, you seem a man of good taste. Browning shotguns and black Labradors. I am a spanielman myself, certainly because the breed is very usefull for my type of shooting, but I have always admired a nice black labrador. Certainly when deer is a part of your hunting a lab is more allround than a spaniel. It just is a hunting man's dog. Although I must admit that a nice solid liver GWP would be a nice runner up. You also seem to have plenty of experience on good boots.
Yep, the Rusa is a great bush bootQuote:
Originally Posted by Gutshot
I also have some Garmont Dakota's for the alpine stuff ( I cant say I'd recommend them though! )
Those mammut crest gtx boots are not too bad, had my pair for the last 4-5 years and have only just started cracking near the toe. Still waterproof and more comfortable than my Lowa Uplanders. I would never buy any walking boots made in china. Have just got a pair of Island pros, looking to test them out this weekend but pretty good so far. Tried most brands on that had my size. And remember.. just because its not a hunting shop doesnt mean it doesnt sell good quality outdoor gear :)
