Are hunting boots suitable for survival boots?

Are insulated hunting boots suitable as survival boots in long term?
The bass pro shop sell alot of those boots.
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.S...S_INSULATEDMENS
what's your comments on hunting boots?

Hunting boots, depending on quality and type, can be very suitable for survival. For boots in general, just remember, NO steel toes for cold weather (that should be a gimme), but some people just don't have a clue.

With boots, as with other things, you get what you pay for. An example of something that I paid more for and that is still going strong: I am wearing a pair of Timberland hiking boots right now that I have had for 8 friggin years!!! And I haven't been gentle to them either!!!

***I am wearing a pair of Timberland hiking boots right now that I have had for 8 friggin years!!! And I haven't been gentle to them either!!! ***I have a pair of Fire Boots I have had for 10 years, They are NEVER worn on the paved areas, I switch to my city boots.

A new question then: What kind of boots have lasted anybody the longest and how long did they last?

This is a tad off of the boots topic but has anyone else heard of removeing your boots and just walking around in your 100% wool socks if your feet get wet in the snow?
Supposedly the snow will form shoes of ice around the sock and your body warmth will keep your foot insulated and keep you from geting frostbite.
I don't remember where I saw this though.

The ones that have lasted me the lonest are the Georga Loggers. Ten years and still going.

"...NO steel toes for cold weather (that should be a gimme), but some people just don't have a clue..."

Not entirely true. I have a pair of Matterhorns that I have been wearing probably five-six months out of the year for about nine years, including some pretty cold weather (as in standing in snow for six-eight hours non-stop), and the steel toes did not bother me a bit. Must have been the Thinsulate insulation.

As for the original question, I think that any well broken in, all leather, boots that fit well and give good ankle support, worn with proper sox, will do for most anything...

Mors Kochanski www.customwoolenmills.com ( nice folks to deal with too) The boot suggestions are excellent, but for extreme cold this sock example demonstrates the need for extreme footwear in the form of Mucluks. I own Stegners from Minnesota, easilly folded up with socks, they are invaluable. Winter boots were a key item the Soviet authorities reminded people to keep for future retreats during WW2

That's the first I heard of that working. Thanks for the info. Of course I've always hated and avoided steel-toe boots for that one reason. Just used them when I had to.

I had a pair of Northlakes I got when I was 14 (I kinda had to grow in my feet). I finally retired them when I was 23, becuase the leather itself was starting to rot out. Light, strong, fit perfectly, and the soles held up well. Pity the company went out of business.

I have them in a box in storage, I'm thinking of getting them bronzed. :P

I think that they have gone to a composit safety toe, don't know the reason for the change...

I've never heard of that, and I dont see how that could possibly work. Water, or, in this case, ice, saps heat away from your body. If your feet were warm enough to keep from getting frostbite, they would melt the ice. Also, if that were true, why would people buy insulated boots for winter? Dont believe everything you read....feet & hands have poor circulation. Which is why they are usually lost to frostbite first. Similat to the myth of "sleeping naked keeps you warmer". Again, insulation=heat retention. So, the more insulation, the warmer you are. Sleeping with a parka on will keep you warmer than sleeping with a t-shirt.
On to the boots; I personally have used my issue jungle boots for about 5 years now, one spent on patrols in Cuba for a year, which is volcanic rock (eats the sole, and the "soul"). They are still holding up fine, and I use them for hiking all the time. Winter, I have a pair of hi-tec boots (forgot which model), which are OK during the winter. I also have a set of Matterhorns, which I have yet to break in properly. They are warm, just extremely stiff.

This is not where I read it but here are two links that touch on it. One is a wool company sock (www.customwoolenmills.com) the other is an article from the survival school websigh...ww.karamat.com). It seems contrary to me too, thats why I asked if anyone had ever heard of it or tried it.

I use Rocky 500 gram thinsulates as an all around hunting boot, so they are my survival boots as well. I know a lot of guys hate Rocky boots. All I can say is, until I got them my feet were always cold. Since I got them, my feet have never been cold. They are 8 years old and going strong, aside from normal wear on the tread.

A number of reasons for composite toes over steal toes. One is the cold sink of steal, second is non magnetic for EOD types, third is that if the item falling on your toes exceed the level of the standard with steal toes they could be cut off while with composite toes they will just be crushed.

Those were pretty interesting reads. As far as wearing 3 pair of socks; with the wicking ability of the wool, I guess this may be plausible. I recall winter survival stating that, should you fall through the ice, when you get out, roll around in the snow to absorb all the excess water (this is, of course, provided it is cold enough). With today's materials, most good outdoor insulation will retain upwards of 80% heat, which would allow you to at least (hopefully) get a fire started. I still cannot see a "boot of ice" forming, as the natural flexion of the foot, as well as evaporative heat, would, in theory, prevent this from happening. But, I've never tried it (I may now though), so, I am only speakinhg hypothetically here.

If you try it, let us know how it goes. I would have tried it out already but living in Florida I don't see much snow. The last time it snowed here was 1994 (before I moved here) and, from what I hear, the snow was gone by the afternoon.

If it does work, it would be good to know that all you realy need is, at most, 3 pair of 100% wool socks stuck in your car for winter survival footware.

As for the ice booties, I belive this, I have seen the belly of a poodle (family pet growing up in California) become caked with icy snowballs when we took him to the mountains as a puppy. I think something similar would happen to the socks, where you didn't move a whole lot would freeze/collect snow solid, where you did move you would just have a crack.

this is bad idea to walk in snow while wearing wool sock. The feet still get wet. You will get hypothermia & frostbite as well.

I have, er had, a pair of Rockports since the late 80's. When I couldn't find them, I found out my wife retired them for me. I am not sure why as they were still going strong. Just old and a little dirty. The soles were fine as were the uppers. I loved those boot. Used them hiking, camping and even mountain biking most weekends. The pedals fit right into the tread locking it in place but allowing the foot to be easily lifted off the pedal.

So a few weeks ago, I went in search of the same shoe to replace it. The newer Rockports just don't feel right to me, so I will have to try a different brand.

No offense intended, but I'm wondering what "survival boots" are.

My guess is that these might be boots one carries in a kit, just in case you find yourself lost or in trouble?

Maybe the question is really "Which boots do best in a severe environment?" If so, the answer would depend on the environment - cold, hot, desert, wetlands, etc...

My favorite cold-weather boots are my old (1980's) LL Bean Maine hunting boot with Vibram soles and wool felt liners. They're stlll in great shape, but my feet have gotten a oone size longer/wider since then (old age), but they aren't made anymore. Still looking for an acceptable replacement.

For moderate weather I just obtained a pair of LL Bean Cresta Hikers, but haven't spent much time in them yet.

I do think just about any quality hunting boot would do you just fine, assuming it was built to protect you against whatever elements your're walking in to.

I got a pair of Wolverine Full-grain leather and 1000-denier Cordura nylon, Gore-tex waterproof 900-gram Thinsulate boots last January. (TM all that... HAHA) Though Wolverine was the brand, I can't recall the specific name of the boot. The Mamoth boots they sell now look close to what I have...

Anyway, I originally purchased them to set next to my BOB and to use while camping, but while I was breaking them in I found them so comfortable that I just kept wearing them as my everyday shoe. I hiked/walked between 2 and 5 miles a day up to 5 days a week in these, did regular everyday mileage in them, they went with me to Tracker School, they've been through snow and rain, and on rock, mud, sand, concrete and everything in between and they're still in excellent shape.

I'd estimate that they have another 4 or 5 years of heavy use in them easily if not more.

One lace looks like it's going to need to be replaced soon.

As far as I'm concerned, these boots must come with some kind of magical pitcrew of elves that work on them while I'm asleep, because about the only maintenance I've done on them is to hose them off after trudging through some deep mud.

They don't even stink like my tennis shoes, and that's a flippin' miracle. HAHA

Don't get me wrong, the toes are fairly scuffed up, but I'm no fashion junky, so that doesn't make any difference to me.

Best of all, I bought them in January of last year at an after Christmas Sale so got them for half price. On top of that discount I traded in some of the most awful colored Under Armour hoodies that I had gotten for Christmas from my mother.

I have a pair of Timberlands that I've worn off and on for over 10 years. Still look good and take a polish.

Chris Kavanaugh wrote -

Mors Kochanski www.customwoolenmills.com ( nice folks to deal with too) The boot suggestions are excellent, but for extreme cold this sock example demonstrates the need for extreme footwear in the form of Mucluks. I own Stegners from Minnesota, easilly folded up with socks, they are invaluable. Winter boots were a key item the Soviet authorities reminded people to keep for future retreats during WW2

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Could you expand on this? I went to the site, but didn't see anything about mucluks. In what way do they take the place of or supplement boots?

You mean you don't spin your own wool? There's nothing that beats handspun, handknit socks. Alpaca and angora make nice liners too.

hehe, Knock yourself out and spin and knit some socks for everyone on the forum. People just LOVE freebees. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />