Best boots for hard water

[B17]

I was going to get a pair of Kamuk Canucks.

[Ryan84*]

I just got the new some Irish Setter Snowhound and the seem like an awesome PAC boot at a good price.

[muc33]

Like stated above by some, I had issues with sun cracking or just simple wear on some of the boots to prevent them from being waterproof. This is a killer for me. I have done the Irish Setters, and the full rubber 2000 grams, but they always crack after a year to two. Last year I gave the Ice Armor Onyx a chance and they didn't do too bad for me. I like that they are made for movement. So far so good with them, this will be the ultimate test as we are in year two with them now. I must say I am a hot foot type of guy also, so the Merino Wool socks are a must. Smartwool, Under Armor, whatever kind, make sure you understand the wicking is the most important. Cotton socks are a complete no no in my book!

[OnAFly]

I've got Cabela's 8pts. So far they've kept me plenty warm as long as I don't over do it with the socks. I've also recently tested their waterprofness while pheasant hunting. I put my foot into a food of mucky water and stayed dry. I got them on sale for something like $70 two or three years ago. So far I'm real happy with them.

[Zenit]

After years of getting sick of cold feet and wearing big boots that wore me out; with advice from a friend I purchased the Camuk Extremes. The best hunting and ice fishing boot I've ever worn. It's so incredibly lightweight and warm you wouldn't believe it until you tried it.

The Steger Camuks and Yukons are a little spendy, but oh so worth it. You can't even really complare them, they are in a class by themselves. I have a pair of Baffins that are rated so something ridiculous that keep my feet warm in any extreme cold, but the difference between those and the Steger products is that the Steger boots are a fraction of the weight and as comfortable as wearing soft leather moccassins. I've never heard any negative reviews about the Steger boots - everyone who buys them just raves about them.

I will never buy another pair of Cabela's boots. I've had two different pairs of their pac boots, both of them were lousy and weighed a ton..

[Iambjm]

I have a pair of Kamik boots I bought on sale a couple of years ago, they are super warm and waterproof. Downside is the are clumsy to drive in. I originally had a pair of womens Sorrels, but noticed they didn't keep my feet very warm. I think the men's boots are made better and are a lot warmer. I do like the look of the Kamik Ice Trekkers.

[Craig Oyler]

The only thing that ever gets cold on me are my feet. This year I got a pair of Clams Ice Armor boots. I also got the liner socks and wool socks. Last weekend I was on the ice in North Dakota with wind chills that were between 15 and 20 below. My feet never once got cold. That was the first time I have been fishing in temps like that where I wasn't miserable from cold feet.

[Vitreus]

I still haven't picked out a pair of boots. Between this topic and the one I posted I compiled a list of all the recommendations:

Lacrosse Ice pacs

Cabelas inferno(3)

Lacrosse ice kings(3)

Cabela’s 8 point

Kamik Goliaths

Baffin pac(3)

Steiger muckluks

Mickey Mouse bunnyboots(3)

Cabelas predator extreme(3)

Cabelas snow qualls

Lacrosse alpha burly 1000(2)(-1)

Klim arctic gtx

Cabelas 6 point

Cabelas White tail

Columbia titanium bugaboo(2)

Irish setter ice claws

Irish setter snow claw xt(-1)

Explorer stabilizers

Camuck extreme

Kamuk canucks

Irish setter snow hound

Steger camuks

Steger yukons

Kamik

Anything else?

[simple1]

YEP!

Baffin Titans. About 100.00, all rubber outside, removable liner, and rated for -140.

Simple1

[hotrod1]

+1 on Baffin Titans. A little bulky but very light and very warm and comfortable.

For less bulk, But still warmth...Baffin Trapper.

[mww24]

I have a pair of irish setters. I forget the model but they have 800g of thinsulate. Also they have a king toe which is just a wider toe area which makes having a liner sock and thick wool sock more comfortable. I have flat feet which gave me planter fasciitis. Which is very painful. I bought some red wing (maker of irish setter) moldable insoles. This combination has proven the best for all around warmth and comfort for myself and they have held up to tons of on ice and in woods use and walking. before this I had some rocky blizzard stalkers which clearly had a missing spot of insulation because two of my toes would freeze in any cold temps. I could feel it when I stuck my hand in the boot. But it was too late to return after I figured it out. I'd go try on your top few choices and walk around in them for 10 minutes. See how the feel for your feet. Because if your feet hurt or the boots are too heavy to walk a long ways in you won't move as much. I'd bet all of these boots would keep you warm and dry. But you need to figure out which ones would feel best on your feet.

[pannieKing]

I've found that the best set up is just to skip all the big dollar boots, and go with a simple pair of rockys. I use both my 600 and 800 thinsulate rockys for fishing and snowmobiling! A thick pair of wool socks and your feet will never be cold. I've used 'em fishing tip ups before at -40 degrees and never had an issue!

[Chris Barlage]

cabela's saskatchewan pac boots

[Crizyal]

I want to throw in my two cents. currently I work up by Prudhoe bay Alaska doing inspections for the pipeline. They issue everyone a pair of insulated "NEOS OVERSHOES" for the arctic weather. Specifically the Explorer STABILicers Mid, Black They go on and off fast and easy. Warm as hell over your normal insulated work or hunting boot, and have screw in stabilizers for the ice. I have a pair of Cabela's Saskatchewan Pac Boots that stay in the closet now because they are difficult to drive in and switching boots to drive stinks cause after a day on the hard water who wants to put on cold driving shoes. Check it out, and hope this info helps at least one person...

Well, it helped me. I just placed an order for a pair of NEOS Navigator 5 Stabilicers. I have some "C" Alaskan Pac boots that are nice and warm if you like walking around with bowling balls strapped to your feet. I am pretty excited to give those overboots a try. I had quite a bit of trouble with ice cleats fitting or breaking on my other boots, so the added studs are a welcome feature.

Thanks

[deadeye]

I will throw a vote in for the Baffins. I got a pair and I love them. NEVER had cold feet wearing them. Only downside is I can't drive in them. Learned the hard way with that one.

With that said I picked up a pair of the Columbia Omni-heat Bugalite last year for hike in trips and have been pretty happy with them. They are not as warm as the Baffins but I have yet to have cold feet in them. Haven't really tried them when its properly cold though.

Either way I go with the boots I have Yaktrax XTR on them.

[Hawg]

Buy a pair of Muck Boots and be done with it.

[buzbunni]

Muck Boots.

Easy on easy off. Nice when you want to slip out of them into other shoes.

Come up to just below the knee.

Keep you warm.

I work outdoors all winter long and they are on my feet all the time.

[Vitreus]

I went with a pair of lacrosse hunt pac extremes. Took em out in the blizzard today. Walked probably 3 miles. Light as a feather and my feet were warm and dry as could be. We'll see how they handle subzeros soon!

[Cast A Way]

I wear Baffin Apex packs. Rated -148F. Hard to find up here. Found them in Buffalo Center, Iowa - Weavers. A good pair of Merino wool socks with a liner helps alot. Not for driving, but great on the ice.

On my backup boots Sorel packs I put some Reflectix in the bottom before I put the wool liner in and this works good also.

[fishuhalik]

+1 for the Baffins. Not sure which ones, they're the ones that tie around the top of the foot and have an elastic string that tightens the top with yellow soles. I work in the oil fields in NoDak so I'm outside for 12-20hrs at a time, every day, and im always on my feet. They're waterproof up to the knee, incredibly warm, fairly lightweight and I'll definitely be wearing them ice fishing. I've owned tons of different pack and hunting boots and these are the best IMHO. And they only cost $100. Well, they were $150 in Williston, but everything's inflated here.

[FirstIce]

Muck boot Arctic Pro. I have had mine for 3 seasons now and no cracking at all. I where them almost everyday in the winter and a little late fall. No cracking going on.