Do you really need gortex boots for archery season?

[americanbwana]

So do you wear water proof boots during the summer and September hunting seasons?

If so, why?

If not, why?

As for me, I do not wear gortex boots during early season hunts any more. Two reasons. One eventually your feet are going to get wet, two they\'ll never dry once wet.

I\'ve opted for a pair of Keen Voyageur boots. My feet have been damp after a training hike during the summer (they breath), and will dry quickly when they do (and they will get wet).

Having said that, I do have a pair of insulated / waterproof Rockies that I wear in later seasons.

AB

 

[cohunter14]

I still prefer waterproof boots early in the year (scouting trips for me, hunting season for some of you). Even if there isn\'t rain or snow, you can still get frost or dew on the ground. Good waterproof boots should keep your feet dry all day. I would rather have my feet a little sweaty than wet from any of the above things I mentioned. Just my two cents on that...

 

[bnsafe]

i agree with derek. i dont care about rain or snow to much. but frost on the ground will soak your feet. an if i get wet feet im done.

 

[mtnmutt]

I prefer non-Goretex because I hate sweaty feet and they dry out faster than Goretex.

This past season, I switched to trail running shoes. I own the same model in both the Goretex and non-Goretex versions. This past CO season, I used the Goretex version only because of all the rain. For the morning it snowed about 2 inches and if vegetation is saturated from night rains, I also add low cut gaitors. In addition, I use the gaitors for gravel hiking trails to keep out pebbles.

Right now for my Spring sunny hikes with quick rain showers, I am using non-Goretex. I will use the Goretex version if rain is likely for hours at a time. If it is a very cold morning with dew or frost, I will wear the Goretex version to help keep my feet warm.

If it snows more than a couple inches, I will use my water resistant hunting boots. My feet are much happier using trail runners than hunting boots, Goretex Vasque hiking boots or Goretex hiking shoes. Less material in trail runners means less to dry out, thus quicker drying.

I carry extra socks and will change them out if they become uncomfortably saturated and the rain stopped.

To help dry out footwear overnight, I remove the footbeds. Optionally, adding newspaper will hasten the drying.

 

[cnelk]

I voted YES
But only by a narrow margin.
If Im scouting, I have designated a day to venture. I dont want wet feet so I wear my LaCrosse rubber boots in case it rains or I have to cross beaver dams and such.

If Im hunting I would say Im 55/45 between gore-tex boots and rubber boots. With the edge going to gore-tex.

 

[cohunter14]

Whoops, I didn\'t even see the voting option...

 

[sojourner65]

I wear waterproof, hate to get a wet foot, there\'s always a bog, wallow, or stream I need to cross, whether hunting or hiking. I have another question though, do you wear insulated boots in archery season?

 

[OldMan]

My boots are the Meindl Perfekt model. Insulated, and gore tex. I wear them everyday of the year, and i\'m comfortable. They haven\'t leaked in the 7 years i\'ve owned them. The area I hunt in Sept muzzy hunt is very wet. I want boots that don\'t leak.

 

[Bullnuts]

Yep, I always wear waterproof boots in the summer and then by elk season they have so many leaks in them that they aren\'t waterproof anymore, so I guess yes AND no. Honestly, I typically only get about a year out of any Gore booties. After that they seem to leak like crazy, so there\'s not much point. I hate wet feet but that\'s not going to stop me from chasing elk. Put some dry socks in your pack and you should be good.

 

[cohunter14]

Bill, have you ever tried spraying your boots with waterproofing? I had the same problems as you, but now a can of waterproofing (less than $5) and I am good to go. I spray my boots every year before the season and have yet to have a problem since then. Just a thought...

 

[OldMan]

I\'ve always treated my boots with Obenauf\'s Heavy Duty LP twice a year. As I said. 7 years, and no leaks.

 

[Bullnuts]

Bill, have you ever tried spraying your boots with waterproofing? I had the same problems as you, but now a can of waterproofing (less than $5) and I am good to go. I spray my boots every year before the season and have yet to have a problem since then. Just a thought...

I use mink oil on them, trying to keep them lubed up and keep the seams sealed, but the bootie is supposed to be the waterproof part and I\'ve been consistently disappointed in Gore footwear. For the price, it\'s a big rip. I have yet to find a durable bootie that will withstand the rigors of elk hunting combined with pheasant season.

 

[cohunter14]

Give that waterproof spray a try, you might just like it. I have a pair of Rocky\'s with gortex that started leaking on me year two. Since I started spraying them before every year, they have been dry as a bone and have made it an additional 6 or 7 years. Two years ago I picked up a pair of Columbia hiking boots at their outlet for $25 (normally like $125). Very comfortable boots that just fit right. They were waterproof, but not gortex I don\'t believe. I have sprayed them every year and I get the same results, perfectly dry.

 

[OldMan]

Bullnuts is right. The leather doesn\'t keep the boot waterproof. You can help the leather by treating it with different products, but you can never keep it waterproof for long. if at all. It\'s the gore tex bootie that keeps you dry. Maybe i\'ve gotten lucky with my Meindl boots, but no bull they\'re still waterproof after 7 years. I fly fish high mountain creeks a lot through the summer. I combine it with scouting for a full day in the mountains. Nothing like fresh caught brookies cooked next to the creek for lunch. Anyway, since it\'s shallow water fishing, and hiking combined I don\'t need waders to fish, and wading boots would be horrible to hike in. So, I just wear my Meindl boots. The fishing part requires me to be in the water a lot of time to be able to make a cast. So, i\'m actually using the boots to wade in. Of course the water isn\'t over the top of the boots. My point being, I consider what i\'m doing to be the ultimate test for a boot to see if it\'s waterproof. Plus, miles and miles of hiking in snow in the winter.

I know i\'m sounding like a commercial, but I can\'t help but show passion for a boot that takes what I give it.

 

[elkmtngear]

AB, do you use gaiters? \'Cause it rained a bunch (and snowed) during the 2013 Season...and my feet stayed dry in my 3 year old gore-tex boots (and I have never treated them).

And I logged some serious miles.

I never go without my gaiters at least in the daypack

 

[americanbwana]

Yea, I\'ve toted gaiters in the past instead of rain pants. In fact I just retreated them this year along with my rain coat.

I used to wear Danner pronghorns, but got tired of them blowing out every year. They\'d survive maybe one wet day. And once wet, they never dried out, even sitting in front of the wood stove. They are just to expensive to replace every year.

The rocky\'s I use for later seasons receive a fresh coat of Silicone spray before heading out for the trip. That seems to help a bit. I\'d probably use them if I know it\'s going to be damp, or if I find bogs and such during scouting that I\'ll need to get through.

And remember, I asked about summer and early September archery season. I\'d wear the heavier Rocky\'s later in the season.

 

[OldMan]

I did remember, and said I wear mine 365 days a year. I don\'t understand boots for seasons? Keep it simple. One boot all the time.

 

[elkmtngear]

The light gore tex hikers work well for all Seasons for me.

Right now, I\'m loving the Lowa Renegades I bought...I\'ve been putting them to the test in both soggy and dry conditions! :upthumb:

 

[Baby Huey]

I wear goretex boots during scouting and all of archery season. Had a pair of Meindl Alaska Hunters for 8 years with no leaks in the goretex. Last year I picked up a pair of Lowa Ticam GTX boots for a goat hunt as well as the remainder of the hunting season and they are performing really well. Last year after some rains, the vegetation was full of dew, so I actually slapped on my OR Goretex gaiters as well as my goretex boots during archery and my feet never got wet. Also, as others have pointed out, you never know when you will come across a stream or a swampy area, rainstorm or a snowstorm, etc. I hate to have wet feet, so I am always hunting in goretex boots.

At lunch, I will usually take off my boots (weather dependant), pull out the insoles, take off my socks and place the boots in the sun to air out from the morning sweat. This also really helps my feet, by letting them air out and breathe.

 

[americanbwana]

Holy cow, it\'s like a swamp in the high country.

Well over a foot of snow in the shady areas (10 k, on up), but it is melting quickly. Even the \'dry\' spots are fairly damp. Lot\'s of dew in the morning too.

Looks like I\'ll need to get some Gortex boots after all.