Gosh Darn Big Feet BOOTS?

[TruthWalleyes]

New boot time again and what a pain it is to find a waterproof, insulated (800-1,000 thinsulate), 14-18" tall, WIDE SIZE 16 boot!

Not Danner, Not Irish Setter, Not Lacrosse, MAYBE muck (I've got an email into them).

Would like to have a new pair for ice fishing this year. Like the ability to stand in water and never get wet. Heavy guy so i like some cushion. Don't want a heavy boot. Lots of models out there i'd love to buy but none of which come in a 16 wide.

My pair of irish setter outrider 1000 worked great for a few years but have developed slight leak and have always been on the small size with zero room for a thick sock in size 15. It works, but i'd love a bigger boot with room to wiggle toes and wear an extra pair of socks if needed.

Any help from some big foot'd folks would be greatly appreciated.

[picksbigwagon]

I don't know if Muck makes anything past a 14. I wear a 14..... Have you looked at some of the cabelas brand Hunting boots? Getting them in the taller height is going to be your downfall.........even in the liner pack boots you might strike out too. ave you looked at Rockies?

[highlife4me]

I got a pair of Rocky Maruaders in a size 15 wide about 10 years ago but I'm not sure if they are made anymore. Lacrosse Alpha Ice Kings in a size 15 with a lighter liner will work too. I use some cheap Redball liners in my Ice Kings and that works pretty good, they are a little snug with the liner that came with them but not bad. I usually don't want that much insulation either cause then my feet like to sweat.

[SandPoint]

As a guy who wears a 15 I feel your pain, seems most stop at 14. I have worked in outdoor related retail in some capacity for 5 or 6 years and couple years dealing in footwear. Sadly the brands you mentioned are some of the few that make large sizes in the boots you are looking for. Not sure on Muck though. Rocky no longer goes to a 15 as far as I know. Could check out if Irish setter parent Red Wing has anything?

Danner and Lacrosse are now owned by the same company but I think for what you are looking for Lacrosse is your best bet as they will have the biggest selection.

Problem with tall water proof boots is durability is an issue.

[TruthWalleyes]

Muck on their HSOforum does have boots in size 16. They aren't wide, and as far as i can tell there aren't any insulated versions in that size...But i'm still waiting on an email back from Muck. I have heard good things about their boots, however if i wore a size 12 they surely wouldn't be my first choice.

Rocky i haven't found anything past 14.

I am willing to give a little on boot design. I like a taller boot as it obviously gives me the ability to walk in more water.

Any other brands i should be looking at? It's more frusterating than finding jeans and it absolutely stinks not being able to try on a pair of $200+ boots before buying them online as i've never bought a pair of boots in a store.

Whoever mentioned cabelas almost made me spit my coffee. They are the KING of catoring to nothing bigger than a size 12. Need a good laugh, just walk into their shoe department and ask for a 14 or 15.

[pike79]

I have a pair of Dunlop Purofort Themo. Mine are size 14 don't know how much bigger the company makes them.

[picksbigwagon]

That was me TW, and yes, they never have them in stores, and I need to try them on before I buy them, but between them and Bass Pro Shops, no one else makes boots under a retail name either.......have you looked at bass pro shops?

[Hawg]

Compared to your world I'm a tiny size 12 but 4E is my width. My Mucks are not extra wide but better than most for not being sized by width or E's. I've never been uncomfortable or cramped/squeezed with wool socks and a toe warmer during deer season or ice fishing in northern Minnesota.

[TruthWalleyes]

Well I talked to rocky. They referred me to a HSOforum called 2bigfeet where I found some bogs boots. Not terribly interested in those. Called danner and they said their pronghorns are kind of wide. This is great news as I have been hearing great things about these boots. They also offer the highground and eastridge in 16 as well but didn't comment on their widths. Lacrosse doesn't offer any 16s.

Think I might try the pronghorns. Any feedback on them being water tight up to the top of the boot? I seem to always find myself in water whether it is hunting in se mn or ice fishing.

[TruthWalleyes]

Compared to your world I'm a tiny size 12 but 4E is my width. My Mucks are not extra wide but better than most for not being sized by width or E's. I've never been uncomfortable or cramped/squeezed with wool socks and a toe warmer during deer season or ice fishing in northern Minnesota.

That's good to know because i think i'd like to get a pair of their non insulated or light insulation for the warm deer hunting days as well as fall days launching the boat with no dock. The old $16 green rubber boots have about had it.

[Hawg]

Be a little careful. I have about 4 or 5 styles of their boots form camp shoes to their taller hunting boots and they all fit a little different. Some of them are fairly narrow for me but not uncomfortable, the camp shoes are awesome for running in and out or fall hunting. You're right in trying them on but keep in mind one type might be tight and another comfortable. I really do like mine.

[TruthWalleyes]

Thanks Hawg. I just ordered a pair of Muck Pursuit Supreme - 16" All-Terrain Hunting Boot - Mossy Oak Infinity Camo - PSF-INFT

Within 2 minutes i got a call from Muck letting me know that they haven't even gotten these boots from the manufacturer yet, so i guess i'll be one of the first to try this new style. They'll be in the 25th and should ship within a few days after that. Good of them to call and warn me of the delayed shipping. If they don't fit, i'll just return and hope that the

Pronghorn® GTX® Realtree® AP HD® 1200G Hunting Boots that i'm currently ordering will work. If they both work GREAT. If not, i'll keep looking.

I'll post a review on here if/when they arrive.

Thanks guys.

[Hawg]

I had a problem with a pair of their low boot/shoes that just tore up my heels and called them. They told me they received many similar complaints, they were discontinuing the shoe, and that I would get a new pair but it was 6-8 months before they would be available. 6 months later they were at my house all on their own with no more phone calls from me. I was impressed. Supposedly the guy that started Muck used to be a top man at Nike and their boots are modeled after the fit of Nike walking shoes, although I'm not sure if that's urban myth or fact. Careful, those Pronghorns are not manufactured here anymore as of about 3-4 years ago.

[TruthWalleyes]

Argg. Well, Nike shoes i have to wear 1 size bigger for sure so hopefully they don't model their sizes after nike.

I haven't ordered the pronghorns yet because apparently i needed to change my address with the bank.

I'm considering trying the columbia bugaboot plus insulated. I can get them in a 16 wide which means i could definitely wear a thick pair of wool socks for extra insulation.

Waterproofing is the most important for me. Yes my feet sweat a lot, but i can also do a lot to minimize the sweating...But i hate leaking boots and i've heard the pronghorns keep you dry for 6months which isn't very long for $220

[Hawg]

For $220 and 6 months you should have the right to throw them thru their front window when they fail. My partner is an Irish Setter/Red Wing rep so he keeps me up on who's doing what to quality. Most of their line is imported now too except for all the Red Wings still come from Red Wing Minnesota. The better/big buck Danners are still made here or at least they were a year or so ago.

[TruthWalleyes]

I wear red wings for work and have no complaints with their customer service...absolutely fantastic!

I like my pair of irish setters, but they can only be worn if i'm wearing a thin hiking sock. I've wore them hard and they do leak some now. They also don't offer them anymore, outrider 1000's. Overall a great style of boot. Irish setter also doesn't have a thing in 16.

As for as $220 for 6mo waterproofing, that was only 1 review, so i hope to have better results but won't hesitate to return within a few months if they do leak now that i'll have a few backup boots.

[Hawg]

My partner told me that thinsulate only comes in 200 weight(maybe 200 & 400?) but the just of it is that it's just like putting 6 in insulation in a 2x4 wall, the tighter you pack it the less value it has. Rocky got into a class action a few years back for claiming more thinsulate than was actually in the whole boot. Only the ankle sides were thick and the actual boot was 200 or 400 weight. He claims over 400 is just gimmick. Again, urban legend or true??? They can't add insulation with out adding thickness for it to be effective and most of the high weight boots sure look to be just as thin as the 200's or 400's to me in the actual foot area.

[TruthWalleyes]

My partner told me that thinsulate only comes in 200 weight(maybe 200 & 400?) but the just of it is that it's just like putting 6 in insulation in a 2x4 wall, the tighter you pack it the less value it has. Rocky got into a class action a few years back for claiming more thinsulate than was actually in the whole boot. Only the ankle sides were thick and the actual boot was 200 or 400 weight. He claims over 400 is just gimmick. Again, urban legend or true??? They can't add insulation with out adding thickness for it to be effective and most of the high weight boots sure look to be just as thin as the 200's or 400's to me in the actual foot area.

A few years ago when i got my irish setter's, they were the 2nd boot i ordered. The first ones were a 2000g rubber boot, they might have been a rutmaster or something like that from irish setter. They were incredibly heavy from the ankle down because the boot completely ballooned with insulation. Above the ankle it was thin, but just ridiculously clown shoe like below the ankle. No way was i wearing those.

Kind of why i've stayed away from anything higher than 1,000 as i already have huge feet and making the shoe that much bulkier can almost make it hard to drive a vehicle

Oh well. I will give these boots each a try and if i like them both i plan on keeping them. It will be nice to have 3 pairs of boots to alter between.

[TruthWalleyes]

Pulling my hair out right now. The muck boots showed up last week, but were tight and they were a size 15, not sixteen. I know I ordered 16's. Called muck, they assured me I ordered 15's as they don't even make anything in a 16 except chore boots... So I gotta return those. Got my hopes up since they even called me immediately after the order and confirmed as the post above says. Glitch on the ordering site apparently. Grr

Was feeling optimistic tonight and called danner hoping that I could special order their pronghorns in a 16w, basically offering that I'll pay whatever it takes... Nope, they don't do that.

F'n ducks to not be able to buy boots that fit comfortably from any of the best boot companies around.

Any help will be appreciated.

I'm strongly considering ordering the pronghorns in 16 and living with another tight boot since I know I need a wide boot for a wool sock.

[Whisker Warrior]

Check out winterfootwear.com

i ordered a pair of Baffin boots and they are awesome! I'm not sure how big the sizes run but i'm pretty sure you'll find a brand in your size as they carry all the best brands that cater to mountain climbers and other extreme winter activities....