Upland boots, struggling

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Munster
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Upland boots, struggling

Post by Munster » Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:02 pm

Last year, around Octberish, I bought a new pair of Mendle Denalis from Cabelas. I had gone through my Danners, Rocky's etc. All seemed to leak very badly. I was directed to the Denalis by a friend. I worked hard to break these boots in. Including wearing them all summer during training. Now they are a year old and after 3 solid days of hunting I have TERRIBLE blisters. I would show pictures, but it is pretty gross. My feet constantly ache in them too. I was hoping it was all break in, but I am beginning to think not. I have tried SEVERAL different sock options aswell.
So, I am here looking for new ideas. I love my Danners so long as I am sure I will not get my feet wet. They fit me like a tennis shoe. I have also been looking at the Mendle Perfek hunters. Also the Cabelas 9 inch outfitter series pro hunting boot.
Any help.

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birddogger
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by birddogger » Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:41 pm

Irish setters work for me and I have problems with my feet. I also use Muck boots for bottom wetland areas....Very comfortable and keep your feet dry.

Charlie

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Donnytpburge
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Donnytpburge » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:32 pm

Irish setters is the way to go

Db

mask
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by mask » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:32 pm

I tried a pair of Irish setter havocs this year and really like them.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by mask » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:34 pm

I tried a pair of Irish setter havocs and really like them.

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asc
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by asc » Sat Nov 09, 2013 9:29 pm

I like the tried and true L L Beans...

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by JeffLex00 » Sat Nov 09, 2013 11:29 pm

I love my Irish Setter boots as well!

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by S&J gsp » Sun Nov 10, 2013 3:52 am

Irish Setters, Danner Pronghorns, and Under Armour but all are treated with snow seal at least twice a season.

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boonebrit
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by boonebrit » Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:37 am

While simplistic and more popular among the deer hunting crowd... The muck boot woody sport side zip is what I always reach for, yes in place of my Danners, Rocky's, etc. the ankle and Achilles support is second to none.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by setterbud » Sun Nov 10, 2013 7:45 am

been there done that
save some money and get some bass pro uplanders they are now 119 but sometimes they are on sale for 79(that's what I got mine for)
and the sales girl said they are guarenteeed for a year .
mine are on their second year and are in better shape than the boots they replaced , danners(189) at this time

for real wet I wear conditions I got a pair of muck boots very comfortable, got them on sale for 79 at bass pro so two for the price of one

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by millerms06 » Sun Nov 10, 2013 8:02 am

setterbud wrote:been there done that
save some money and get some bass pro uplanders they are now 119 but sometimes they are on sale for 79(that's what I got mine for)
and the sales girl said they are guarenteeed for a year .
Cabelas has the same return guarantee. Take them back. Hopefully you keep receipts or you ordered them online so you have verification. I keep all my cabelas receipts and throw them out after the second season of use.

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Tooling
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Tooling » Sun Nov 10, 2013 8:13 am

Recently picked up a pair of Meindl "perfekt" hikers from Cabelas...have used them for about 6-7 outings in upland fields,woods, and muck for 5-6 mi. treks....unbelievable comfort...couldn't be happier w/them at this point. I do not have problem feet though..

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Ruffshooter » Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:44 am

I have the Mendel Cabelas boot, pretty comfortable, light, no leaks yet. Second year on them.

My favorite boot of all time was the Irish Setter Elk Hunter. Those were tough, comfortable and never leaked. Got near 5 years out of them before I wore a hole in the side of one. Still did not leak.

Wish I could find more. I have horrible feet and ankles.

Rick

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Munster » Sun Nov 10, 2013 11:41 am

Ruff, is that the perfect hunter?

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by gonehuntin' » Sun Nov 10, 2013 2:26 pm

I have a new set of Mendel's as well and am very satisfied with their comfort and how waterproof they are. If you're getting blisters, I'm thinking you got the wrong size.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by bmcox86 » Sun Nov 10, 2013 4:22 pm

I have the same problem with meindl ultralights, there superwide give me blisters in weird places, not good for side hilling either. Can't find a good Chuckar boot. Going to cabelas tomorrow to try some more on.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by lvrgsp » Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:27 pm

Mucks are awesome...I have a pair of recently purchased Danner pronghorns uninsulated gore tex, wore them a few times so far so good. I have an older pair of Irish setters that were super nice lasted about 5-6 years now....They have seen better days now, also have a pair of red wings that I use that are pretty good, heavy but have wore like iron for about 4 years now.....

If there Gore Tex and they leak can you not send them to Gore Tex for replacement or repair? I thought Gore Tex was guaranteed for life.....

:mrgreen:

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Az Draht » Mon Nov 11, 2013 4:52 am

I have had the denalis for two years now. Other than being stiff, I have had no problems with them and the fit has been awesome.

A couple of weeks ago I used them for the first time in a while. I started to get blisters on my toes. I figured out that it was because I had removed the laces during the summer to oil the boots. I did not get the laces snugged up and locked in the forefoot area. Once I tightened that area up and locked in the laces, I had no problem.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by volraider » Mon Nov 11, 2013 5:56 am

Danner Grouse boots are great. I'm trying the Ridgeseekers now and I like them a lot. In order to get good Danners you have to buy the ones made in USA. I got 2 seasons out of the sharptail boot, but they were made in China.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by volraider » Mon Nov 11, 2013 5:57 am

Danner Grouse boots are great. I'm trying the Ridgeseekers now and I like them a lot. In order to get good Danners you have to buy the ones made in USA. I got 2 seasons out of the sharptail boot, but they were made in China.

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klewis
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by klewis » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:10 am

ll bean hard to beat for me

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Ruffshooter » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:35 am

Munster wrote:Ruff, is that the perfect hunter?
Perfect for me. 8) They were called the elk hunter. They look just like the Bear hunter but less insulation. I got them at Gander MT.
They were rugged. All leather construction, I put different inner souls. softer with an arch. I only wear one pair of socks, not cotton.

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Munster
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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Munster » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:51 am

gonehuntin' wrote:I have a new set of Mendel's as well and am very satisfied with their comfort and how waterproof they are. If you're getting blisters, I'm thinking you got the wrong size.
I love th feel of the Danali, dont get me wrong. Like I said, I wore them ALL summer. But something is different about the hunt I guess. Sizing maybe an issue and dont give me grief when I ask this but.......how do you size them? Do you want them snug or loose?
My big issue is diabetes and feet swelling and unswelling. I bought the Denalis and they fit snug,but the next size seemed to loose.
Actually heading t see doc now. Had some really smelly yellow and brown stuff coming out of the blisers. Guessing I am not chasing my Iowa birds for awhile. But, am ordering 4 different boots today while I recoop.

Thanks for the input from everyone. Even if I didnt get a chance to address you directly, I read all comments and looked into them.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by wberry85 » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:59 am

Irish setters have been great for me. Had them for 2 years and hold up great. Mine are made of kangaroo leather and it seems a little softer so the briars sort of tear them up but they have seen a good many miles.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by buckshot1 » Mon Nov 11, 2013 12:26 pm

Munster wrote:
gonehuntin' wrote:I have a new set of Mendel's as well and am very satisfied with their comfort and how waterproof they are. If you're getting blisters, I'm thinking you got the wrong size.
I love th feel of the Danali, dont get me wrong. Like I said, I wore them ALL summer. But something is different about the hunt I guess. Sizing maybe an issue and dont give me grief when I ask this but.......how do you size them? Do you want them snug or loose?
My big issue is diabetes and feet swelling and unswelling. I bought the Denalis and they fit snug,but the next size seemed to loose.
Actually heading t see doc now. Had some really smelly yellow and brown stuff coming out of the blisers. Guessing I am not chasing my Iowa birds for awhile. But, am ordering 4 different boots today while I recoop.

Thanks for the input from everyone. Even if I didnt get a chance to address you directly, I read all comments and looked into them.
It sounds like your boots don't fit the shape of your foot. I also have hard to fit feet that get blisters with 95% of boots. I like mine tight. If they're too loose, your feet move around and create friction and blisters. On sizing, I always get the smallest size where my toes don't touch the end.

You may try Russell Moccasin boots if you can't find something that fits. The Russell boots are custom made to your foot measurements, so at least you'll know they'll fit. They're about $350-400, but will last a long time. You could also try coating your old boots that leak with Sno Seal and maybe get some gore tex socks to wear underneath. At least those ones don't hurt your feet.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by nwnick » Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:19 pm

I just recently picked up a pair of Wesco's.
Probably heavier than most boots for upland hunting but I'm going to give them a shot anyway. I figure if they can work for the northwest logging guys out here they should be able to stand up to whatever I'm going to put them thru
You can get them custom made too. They will send you a packet with instructions and a tracing sheet to put your measurements on, they then keep this on file so if your boots ever need to be rebuilt they pull your file and in a couple weeks you have essentially a new boots with the uppers you've already broken in. If you're having difficulty with blisters and such this might be a way to go ? If you go custom it will take about 4 months to get them delivered but the wait is well worth it. They might seem a little spendy but if you're having problems and they work, it's money well spent IMO
Check 'em out @ www.wescoboots.com

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Wildweeds » Mon Nov 11, 2013 10:46 pm

I've got the whites smokejumpers for huntin/workboots,just like wearing slippers,I've never had a blister in them even breaking them in.Had my feet measured at the store in spokane.My feet are weird,one's a size bigger than the other and they are both AAA narrow,ones a 12 the other is a 13,needless to say at 5 foot 10 I don't exert much ground pressure.Yes they are heavier than full on hunting boots ,but I wear them everyday for work,wearing them on the weekend is just another day at the office.You wanna talk about being able to climb or sidehill,my smokejumpers seem like they were made for just that task.Ankle support is really good in them too.I think you'll like your wescos,I know a couple guys who do heavy construction work that swear by them.
nwnick wrote:I just recently picked up a pair of Wesco's.
Probably heavier than most boots for upland hunting but I'm going to give them a shot anyway. I figure if they can work for the northwest logging guys out here they should be able to stand up to whatever I'm going to put them thru
You can get them custom made too. They will send you a packet with instructions and a tracing sheet to put your measurements on, they then keep this on file so if your boots ever need to be rebuilt they pull your file and in a couple weeks you have essentially a new boots with the uppers you've already broken in. If you're having difficulty with blisters and such this might be a way to go ? If you go custom it will take about 4 months to get them delivered but the wait is well worth it. They might seem a little spendy but if you're having problems and they work, it's money well spent IMO
Check 'em out @ http://www.wescoboots.com

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by nwnick » Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:07 pm

Wildweeds,
I find myself wearing my WESCO's almost every day. I looked at the Whites too but since I live in Scappoose where the WESCO's are made I kept my $$ local. I got a factory tour as well I must say it was impressive.
I ordered the Jobmasters but I went with a 14" tall boot rather than the standard 10" boot.
The wife doesn't understand why I need a $400 - $500 pair of boots ? Then I just point to my WESCO's and my romeos in the closet and then I point to her 50 pairs and ask her who has more $$ tied up in shoes her or me ?? God she hates that!!!
I wore 'em pheasant hunting 2 weeks ago , drove over, hunted and drove back wearing these boots...didn't even think about taking them off for something more comfortable for driving and they're not even really broken in yet

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Vision » Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:18 am

I was in Sportsman's yesterday and looked at these http://www.zamberlanusa.com/catalog/ind ... 0&idcat=17

They felt lighter than Kennetreks.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by Vman » Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:26 am

Without looking it up, I feel comfortable saying that the Miendls come in two widths, medium and wide. Only you can determine which is best for you, but if your foot is too loose and sliding in the boot you may very well get blisters. The boot should be snug and laced tightly too prevent the sliding around.Any boot that does not fit properly, wrong width or size or not laced tightly can cause blisters. I have had Miendls for years and just love them. Also, do you have the perfekt cork insole? If not, they are worth every penny of the twenty dollars.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by SD44 » Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:27 am

I have the Danner Cloud Cap 6" boots uninsulated. I wear a pair of heavy wool socks on real cold days. This is my second season with them and they have held up so far. Very comfortable. Didn't have to break them in either.

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by DGFavor » Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:43 am

We humans - coddle our feet too much and make ourselves a bunch of pansies! :lol:

I've had Meindls (really liked 'em, comfy out of the box, very stiff), Kennetreks (ditto, still have 'em, been very good), Whites (farmer/rancher model, used them for riding and chores, kinda quit wearing them going with pull on's instead), Irish Setters (comfy, wore 'em flat out), Filson Uplanders (still wear 'em, starting to show wear in the toe box like my Irish Setters did), Danners (suck, every pair leaked like I wasn't wearing anything). One thing though, I never had a blister in any of 'em. Socks are absolutely key to me. I wore Wright Blister Free socks for years then they quit making ones that are tall enough for boot wear for me. Now I wear, no matter the time of year, a moisture wicking close fitting liner sock with a slightly thicker moisture wicking sock over that - almost never wear a single sock.

I have gotten away from the super stiff sole/ankle boots like Meindls/Kennetreks this year - your leg/foot has to have some flex somewhere and I found keeping my foot/ankle to rigid in those boots was transferring the flex/stress/stretch to my calves/knees not to mention the big heel to toe drop in most boots puts your body in a posture always tipping you forward - raises havoc with about everything, especially your back. I've gone to zero-drop, minimal type running shoes for running and this year am trying the same in my hunting boots. I've been wearing these and really liking them http://global.ecco.com/en/sport/outdoor ... rain/intro

They take getting used to because they really work your feet - you can feel pretty much every rock you step on and sidehills will make it feel like your foot is gonna twist off but really thats what our foot/ankle system was designed for - to feel the ground and adjust to it. I can tell after a couple months my feet are stronger/tougher and my ankles are stronger/tougher. No calf/knee issues at all. Way lighter than my Meindls or Kennetreks - not even a comparison. Seem to be holding up really well in the chukar country also...we'll see if my feet hold up.

Read Born to Run - will change your outlook on shoes and what to put on your feet. :wink:

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Re: Upland boots, struggling

Post by ewalker » Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:06 am

I was considering ordering a pair of Wood N' Stream Upland Flyway 8" side zip slip on's, anyone have any thoughts on them? Found them on sale at Cabelas and Sportsman Guide will match their price with free shipping. I prefer my ankles to be free, been wearing cowboy boots for years.

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