Boots

[R22]

I am in the market for a pair of boots for use on the boat during the winter. I would like some ideas of the particular brand/style used while catching bait during the colder months?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[mwardncsu]

I've had a couple pair of Merrell 3/4 height boots with the hard plastic lower and fabric upper with Vibram soles which are water proof and the sole stays "grippy" on the boat deck when it's real cold - which I feel is important - so many boots have hard soles that get like a rock and seem very slippery on a fiberglass deck with a little bit if water or ice.

Unfortunately they both started to leak around a year of use - seems to be at the seam of the hard plastic and the fabric.

I'm looking at some Muck boots now - Excursion Hikers - seem to have a good sole for the winter as well. Saw them at Neuse Sports Shop in Kinston, NC over Thanksgiving for $40 but of course they didn't have my size. Seem to go for $100-$120 online.

[mwardncsu]

Also - a tip I learned here from Brcarls or someone was to take a towel, soak it and lay it on the boat deck to stand on for traction when throwing the net in freezing conditions so you don't slid off the deck and into water and sink like a stone. Be careful with that net in the winter - freezing or not......

[R22]

Thanks mward. Do you know anything about the brand BOGS?

[mwardncsu]

Have seen them at Gander Mountain. The soles looked like they'd get hard and slick in the cold to me - but don't have any direct experience wearing them.

[yellowdog]

I still wear my old LL Bean boots. Wax them every year or so and they stay waterproof. They have to be 10 years old.
Throwing that net in the winter is dangerous! I've stood in the bottom of my boat(so I dont fall out) and would slide all the way across it each time I pulled the net in due to the ice.

[BentRod]

I had a guy I fished with in Tn swear by some brand of muck boots but I can't remember which brand they were now. The boat was full of water that day as it rained hard and he wasn't worried at all. My feet were wet (heck my everything was wet) and it was Jan so I was freezing. I've been interested in them ever since, but I'm a little worried about the ankle stability of them since they're not tie ups.

Whatever you get, make sure you can walk and move in them good. I had a big insulated pair of Rocky boots that weighed about 50lbs each and my feet stayed warm as can be, but I felt like I was going to fall or trip at any moment in them. I quit wearing them bc they made me clumsy feeling. Plus if I fell in I was going straight to the bottom with those things on.

[Gator]

Try looking at some of the "winter" sailboat boots. They are pricey but will keep you dry and warm. Like BentRod said, I wear a pair of Rockys and will no doubt end up on the bottom if I fall in. Scarey proposition. Maybe I should look into a better option too.

[Brian]

I just wear Danner Striker II duty boots that I use for all outdoor activities. Totally waterproof lightweight and not bulky. With a pair of wool socks they are plenty warm for me.

They are not "nautical" though and have black soles but have never marked my decks.

[archenemy]

I bought kamick gorillas three years ago. They are a little bulky, little heavy, but my feet are never cold. I have cold feet by nature. They have a soft rubber sole that provides great traction in the winter. Get em a little big so you have the warm air circulating in the boot. Also they are trim enough I can still get my bibs zipped.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using proboards

[R22]

I think I am leaning towards a pair of Xtratuff II. Let me know if you think this is a mistake.

I appreciate all the feedback.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2013 20:25:14 GMT -5 R22 said:

I think I am leaning towards a pair of Xtratuff II. Let me know if you think this is a mistake.

I appreciate all the feedback.

Did you get the xtratuf boots? Thoughts? I love my shark bites but they are so thin I can't get a wool sock in them without losing circulation. Thinking Muck or Xtratuf for winter. Not sure about the made in China thing though on the xtratuf. Not that China is bad, however outsourcing to China gives American companies an opportunity to buy cheap and crappy raw materials.

[mwardncsu]

Yam - what size do you wear? I have pair of Muck boots with soles I like for the boat but they ended up being too small and I could not return them - been meaning to list them here - let me know your size and maybe they will work for you.

Posted them in the Market section - smlfishingforums.proboards.com/thread/2680/muck-boots-excursion-hiker-mid

[seajay]

I have had a pair of the muck wetland boots for 4 or 5 years now and I love them for the boat in cold weather. I have never had my feet get cold or wet and do not wear thick socks either with them. They have held up great and are definitely worth the money.

[R22]

I did get the Xtratuff and I really like them. I wasn't too excited about getting any boot because I thought they would be sloppy, sweaty and clumsy. I couldn't have been more wrong. I chose one that had a rubber lower and the dry suit material upper. The soles are not rounded but flat with an edge just like a regular boot. I think that was a good choice. I read some mixed reviews about them coming apart but I've had no problems. I leave them at the lake house and when I return from fishing, find them comfortable enough that I continuing to wear them afterward.

When I was in search of a boot I recognized that of the many of the people on the outdoor shows I watch, especially those filmed in Alaska, were wearing Xtratuff. I thought if they wore them all the time they must be pretty good. I would buy them again without hesitation.