Waterproof snake boots

[PiggiePluggin]

Hey guys, I've never owned a pair of waders or snake boots before, however I'm pretty picky about my boots. Being in the army, I've worn many types of boots and was never limited to the standard duty boot in my selection. I will admit I've never owned a full rubber slip on boot.

I'm leaning towards a pair of lacrosse snake/waterproof boots but I'm worried about the actual fit and long distance walking in something that just slips on and is mostly if not all rubber. I have pretty tough feet, but I think most of my experience with never having major foot issues is due to wearing the boot right. With 5-10 miles of walking in a slip on boot made of rubber am I looking at a bad day or do I go with the rubber/leather lace up? Keep in mind I'll be submerging these things in some pretty nasty stuff, not just the occasional rain puddles.

LaCrosse Footwear - Alpha Mudlite Snakeboot 18" Realtree APG 3.5MM

I like those for the definite waterproof feature, but like I said, will I be sucking walking medium to long distance?

 

[Rookie]

No experience with the Lacrosse but I had a pair of Rocky slip on snake boots that were water proof. They had a super comfortable inner sole which was nice for walking. The only negatives were that the crepe soles were a bit soft and you could feel sharp rocks when you stepped on them. They were not rubber. Both uppers and lowers were made of a tight weave and lined with Gortex. When those wore out I replaced them with some Chippawa snake boots that are also water proof. The Chipppawas have a hard Vibram sole which I recommend for extensive walking. They have a thick leather lower and mixed leather and woven upper. Kindof heavy though. Being 18 inch boots, they hold in a lot of heat which is rough in the Texas summers.

Both the Rocky and Chippawa boots are durable and comfortable. Their construction makes them heavy. One complaint would be that in many instances, and this is true for both Rocky and Chippawa is that the Gortex liners do not extend to the very top of the boot, allowing water penetration easier. Because the Lacrosse is rubber, that should be the solution to that problem. All 18 inch boots seem to all be heavy, hot, and hard to get on. Getting the bottom of your pant legs down over the boots after putting them on can also be a challenge. Hope this helps.

 

[banditbump]

When it comes to snake boots imo the most important consideration is where you will be hunting and match the average temperature you hunt in to the snake boots that either are or are not insulated. I luv my boots, but if I could do it again I would have got the non insulated less comfortable ones I tried out cause I mostly hunt in very hot central and south texas. Snake boots are awesome, here in texas, they don't just protect against the rare rattlesnake strike, they fend off fire ants cactus and swordplants every time I wear them.

 

[banditbump]

Oh and do u have a local store where u can try some models on? If so I highly recommend that over ordering online....especially if u plan to hike 5 to 10 miles. What's more important hiking comfort or waterproofyness or a comboination?

 

[Rookie]

Good point Bandit. Protection from cactus, stickers, cuckaburs, and mesquite thorns are a big reason why I wear snakeboots. A liberal dusting of the boots with sulfur before putting them on works great against chiggers, ticks, and mosquitos.

 

[vh20]

I like the designs that feature both laces AND side zippers. My current pair is a pair of LaCrosse Venoms. They have been quite waterproof, and the laces provide a custom fit that you can adjust yourself and leave tied-up, then use the side zippers to get them on and off (very quickly, too). I think the lace-up type are most comfortable, but take forever to get on/off. This design seems to solve that problem. When I wore lace-only snake boots, it seems like I was always rushing to put them on at day break while a turkey was gobbling away and I was in a hurry to get to him. Those dang boots seemed to take FOREVER to put on!

 

[PiggiePluggin]

I'm hunting in Georgia/Alabama. I'll mostly be using them for the thick nasty swampy stuff kicking up pig and smashing through the briars and stuff. I think the 10 mile straight hike is going to be rare, but on average I'll put an easy 6 miles on my boots a hunt. I keep reading that the lace up style boots don't stay waterproof for long. I've never really understood the term "waterproof-ish" so I guess I'm looking for a definite snake proof boot with a combination of comfort and waterproof. Maybe a slight preference to waterproof if it means I can stop in the middle of a creek and listen and not have to play the balance game on rocks.

Thanks for the input!