Different Types of Hunting Shoes & Boots
The Gear

The Best Hunting Boot (Isn’t What You Think It Is)

2 weeks ago
3 min read
Watch Later Cinema Mode

In addition to having decades of hunting experience, we hike year-round to test and develop our pack systems. Without exaggeration, we have hiked tens of thousands of miles, having used several dozen types, styles, and brands of footwear over the past decade-plus.

We have learned that much of the common wisdom about ‘the best boot for hunting’ is dead wrong.

In addition to watching the video (above, or on YouTube) with Steve going over his footwear choices for hunting, Mark & Steve also recorded an in-depth podcast about the experience with various types of footwear for hunting, including what you should look for in a hunting boot, how to evaluate new boots, the role of socks and insoles on the fit and comfort of your footwear, and more…

Key Concepts

    Some of the key concepts that we discuss in-depth through the video and podcast above are…

    • Don’t settle for discomfort. If you have consistent issues with pain, blisters, or other issues with your feet while hunting, you have the wrong combination of footwear, insoles, and socks.
    • Understand the shape of your foot and know that certain boots will never work for your foot shape.
    • Durability is counter-productive to performance and comfort in several ways.
    • The weight of your footwear matters more than you think. Every ounce of the weight of your footwear is magnified with every step you take.
    • Very stiff boots hinder performance more often than helping in performance, even in rough terrain.
    • Traction is critical. Assess the shape and size of the lugs and tread of the outsole, as well as the rubber compound the outsole is built with.
    • Stock insoles are worthless in the vast majority of boots. You will need to get an aftermarket insole in almost every scenario. But a high-end, custom insole is rarely needed.
    • Experiment with combinations of the footwear (shoe/boot), insole, and socks to fine-tune fit, comfort, and performance.
    • Insulated boots cause cold feet if your hunt involves hiking.
    • Crocs are more than just a “camp shoe”.

    Specific Models

    Here are the specific shoes and boots shown in the video above.

    Have Questions?

    We will be doing Q&A in future podcasts and videos, so let us know if you have a question that we should consider discussing.