When hunting, an often overlooked detail is the overall comfort of your footwear. As hunters, we don’t mind roughing it and being miserable to find our quarry. But for the sake of your physical well being, a quality set of boots can mean the difference between filling your tag or going home early with an injury.
Earlier this year I realized I was going to hunt in Montana for Mule Deer and Colorado for Elk. This combined with a lot of time in South Texas looking for Deer and pigs along with a little time in West Texas hunting for Predators. I knew I needed a new set of boots to hike all over the mountains and in all conditions.
I contacted Danner Boots and ordered a set of the High Ground 1000g insulated Realtree XTRA patterned boots. I chose the insulated boots due to potential cold weather I would encounter outside Texas and those cold mornings hunting around the Lone Star State.
Click HERE for the specs.
Out of the box I was very impressed. The laces, eyelets and general construction and materials used are of a very high quality. The toe is reinforced and the boot is Gore-Tex lined making it 100% waterproof. The 1000 gram thinsulate insulation makes the 8″ boot stiffer in the ankle area but breaks in over time and is soft and not abrasive.
I was concerned that it would take several days or longer to break the boots in, but that was not the case. These boots were comfortable after a few normal days of wearing them. In the warm Texas weather, my feet would get sweaty while breaking them in, but with such thick insulation this was expected.
The boots performed very well in the grassy foothills I was hiking in Montana. From cultivated alfalfa fields to mountain type country, they were steady and comfortable. I could walk all day and my knees would hurt before my feet.
The Rocky Mountains in Colorado were even more challenging. Rain, mud and lots of rock made for an incredibly challenging environment for footwear. Both Beau and I had the same experience and both attribute our Danner boots to how comfortable we were. Turned out the Gore-Tex was a must. We hiked 9 miles in rain on the first day and both of our feet were dry despite having been ankle deep in mud and water multiple times.
In Texas, I’ve worn the boots in sand, mud, clay, rock and grass. All have been no issue on the boots. I’ve put nearly 100 miles on them thus far and can safely say they’re the best boots I’ve ever had. I’d like a set of the non-insulated boots for warm weather and think they will be light and comfortable.
I do wish the boot had a side zipper to get in and out of them quickly. I find myself needing to slip boots on and off at a lodge or outfitter on occasion and that would be nice. The boots clean easy of blood, sand, mud, and clay. The leather seems very tough and complements the Realtree pattern nicely.
In short, Danner is the highest quality of boot you can buy. The High Ground boots are professional grade footwear for individuals who will be hunting as hard as possible. My next pair of boots will definitely be another set of Danners.
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