Local boots?

HawgBonz

HawgBonz

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Been pokin around checkin into something I could wear and not worry about dunking at the club. +1 if it was halfway decent at releasing red mud.
Tripped across McRae Boots in Mt Gilead. Anybody tried their boots or know anything about'em? They advertise "Made in the USA".
Curious if they're actually made right there in Mt Gilead and if their product is of a decent quality . Thanks..
 
I just looked at their site. Each boot description notes origin, as in Made in USA or imported.
 
C-doodle said:
Hard to go wrong with redwings. They aren't cheap but I'm happy with the ones I have.
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Currently wear Redwing hiker aluminum toe boots every day. The pair I have now is going on 2½-3 years old.

I've also had good luck with Chippewa boots.
 
I’m saving up and waiting on their sale. I’ll own a pair of Schnee boots for my next pair of working/ hunting boots

Schnee's Boots

At Schnee's, we make the world's best pac boots and best mountain boots for mountaineering, hiking and hunting. Schnee's Boots, the best boots on earth.
schnees.com schnees.com

Or Zamberlan

MEN | Zamberlan USA

MEN
www.zamberlanusa.com www.zamberlanusa.com

All my landscaper friends swear by these. They buy a new pair every year and love them. The way I wear boots, I won’t wear them out for years.
 
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Crankbait said:
I’m saving up and waiting on their sale. I’ll own a pair of Schnee boots for my next pair of working/ hunting boots

Schnee's Boots

At Schnee's, we make the world's best pac boots and best mountain boots for mountaineering, hiking and hunting. Schnee's Boots, the best boots on earth.
schnees.com schnees.com

Or Zamberlan

MEN | Zamberlan USA

MEN
www.zamberlanusa.com www.zamberlanusa.com

All my landscaper friends swear by these. They buy a new pair every year and love them. The way I wear boots, I won’t wear them out for years.
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Schnee's ALL THE WAY.... Have 2 pairs, Hunting Buddy has 4 pairs. Made in Montana and the Hunter II's... you can feel every twig under your feet, every rock.... and sneaky sneaky. Feet will not get wet and will not get cold either.

I would not advise to wear in the Carolina Summers... but where I go.. it usually is Cold!!
 
VA_GENTLEMAN said:
Schnee's ALL THE WAY.... Have 2 pairs, Hunting Buddy has 4 pairs. Made in Montana and the Hunter II's... you can feel every twig under your feet, every rock.... and sneaky sneaky. Feet will not get wet and will not get cold either.

I would not advise to wear in the Carolina Summers... but where I go.. it usually is Cold!!
Click to expand...
Just recently went on a mission trip to Belize and a friend wore his Timberline model with no insulation. 90s and raining/muddy. He sold me on them and at the time they were on sale for half price. By the time I got service they were out of my size. 😢 They have since restocked but the price went up also. He told me that they do a sale like that a few times a year so I’ll wait and get me a pair when they go back on sale.
 
You can go down a deep and confusing rabbit hole on the You Tubes regarding American made boots. Several of the top brands are in Washington state a la Nicks, Franks, etc. The Origin boots are getting play because of Jocko's popularity and the fact that they are making products with materials and all manufacturing in the US. If you can afford it, buying from an American boot maker that makes great effort to source American made materials is a worthy endeavor imo. I need a new pair of boots and i don't know which way to go. Most of the brands you find in the stores are made outside the US. The need for these companies to use cheaper materials and labor is huge. Even established American brands are selling out.

V
 
I think the best American-made are Danner. But footwear is so personal; feet are like fingerprints, no two are the same. Non-American, though, the Italians (La Sportiva, Zamberlan, Scarpa, some others) have it down.

RE: Chippewa. when we were doing cold-weather/mountain ops we were issued their Arctic 50, which were awesome: warm, waterproof, could bind with snowshoes and cross country skis. But outside of that environment, it was like putting on a down parka when it's 90 degrees out. Unbearably hot.
 
I wore Danner Snake boots for a decade or so. Mostly just for the support. They're like having a lower leg exoskeleton. But after the Kennetreks I'm pretty sold on those. That said, I'd rather not use them for creek walking.
I've tried packin in extra river shoes/sandals/sneakers but that's aggravating to fool with not to mention lacking in the protection needed from all the crap in these creeks. They invariably fill up with sand, rocks, shells and what-have-ya to make walking miserable. So yer stoppin and clearing them out every whipstitch.
..That's where I got to thinkin about mebbe trying some kindof "jungle boot". But they need to be of a reasonable quality cause "muh dogs".
..I'm also curious how that whole walkin with damp feet gig works out once back on dry land as well.
 
HawgBonz said:
I wore Danner Snake boots for a decade or so. Mostly just for the support. They're like having a lower leg exoskeleton. But after the Kennetreks I'm pretty sold on those. That said, I'd rather not use them for creek walking.
I've tried packin in extra river shoes/sandals/sneakers but that's aggravating to fool with not to mention lacking in the protection needed from all the crap in these creeks. They invariably fill up with sand, rocks, shells and what-have-ya to make walking miserable. So yer stoppin and clearing them out every whipstitch.
..That's where I got to thinkin about mebbe trying some kindof "jungle boot". But they need to be of a reasonable quality cause "muh dogs".
..I'm also curious how that whole walkin with damp feet gig works out once back on dry land as well.
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I think Kennetreks are right acrss town from Schnee's. IIRC, heard they are good boots!
 
A good slot for me to plug some I need to sale if anyone is a 12 Wide...will be listing Danner Stalwarts, Zamberlan Vioz (even though they are listed as 12 W, they are not wide enough-almost a 12 R), Rocky S2V in tan, and others. All are VG to LN; my boot fetish costs me money as I buy by Internet and then realize they are too tight and keep them past return windows... :rolleyes:
 
Big Dave said:
Pretty sure McRae was a noted military supplier at one point...well respected...I think they still are.
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I was issued a pair of McRaes at some point, well made. They were even better once I got a pair in the correct size. If they are based in NC and they use American components/American labor they should be g2g
 
From my statistical sample of one, if you get your boots and socks wet and then continue to walk any distance on dry land you will get blisters.
If you put on dry socks in your wet boots, you will still get blisters unless you are only walking a short distance.
Once again this is a sample size of one, your feet may tougher than mine.
 
I'm not opposed to packin in a pair of boots n socks just for creek walking.
The club trip first of the week I was walking down thru a creek bot and tripped across this as if on que.
For context, this is ~1 mile off any road in an area that last had houses in it well over 100 years ago.
These little tributaries aren't a problem with my current boots. The bigger creeks/small rivers in the area
that I frequent in my search for relics are the issue.

20240206_130749.jpg20240206_131646.jpg

This is an example of the last inhabitants of the area. This is right up the hill from camp.
I dunno where all this junk comes from.
20240205_172334.jpg 20240205_170158.jpg
 
I've never worn any for any extended time, but have done some surveying work for the McRae family that lives about 15 minutes up the rode from the plant and they are good, Christian folks.

Cheap Converse One-Stars suited me just fine for years of standing and walking in creeks. They're light enough to carry in a grocery bag with a hand towel and a pair of socks. When you're done in the water, sit down, let your feet dry while you eat some nabs, and put your boots on.
 
The best boots I’ve ever put in my feet are Mongrels. They’re Australian made. Soft soles, wide toes with plenty of room, and zipper side options.

If you ever have a chance to get some, buy a pair. They’re phenomenal.
 
VA_GENTLEMAN said:
Schnee's ALL THE WAY.... Have 2 pairs, Hunting Buddy has 4 pairs. Made in Montana and the Hunter II's... you can feel every twig under your feet, every rock.... and sneaky sneaky. Feet will not get wet and will not get cold either.

I would not advise to wear in the Carolina Summers... but where I go.. it usually is Cold!!
Click to expand...


We have stopped at Schnee’s the last two summers on our way to hike in the Bob Marshall. Last summer, a really friendly employee came up to us, found out we were on our way to backpack in the Bob, and spent about 45 minutes talking with us. Turned out he was the owner/president of the company. Really nice, down to earth guy. He apologetically left us because he was late to a big Zoom meeting they were having about a new line of boot. Late because he spent so much time with us.
 
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cubrock said:
We have stopped at Schnee’s the last two summers on our way to hike in the Bob Marshall. Last summer, a really friendly employee came up to us, found out we were on our way to backpack in the Bob, and spent about 45 minutes talking with us. Turned out he was the owner/president of the company. Really nice, down to earth guy. He apologetically left us because he was late to a big Zoom meeting they were having about a new line of boot. Late because he spent so much time with us.
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That's what my cousin said about them. They are all for the customer and have been since started. Cuz, turned me on to them, I and my feet are glad for it.
 
I’m wearing Chippewa boots now. Non/Uninsulated. They’ve served me well for many years and are about to be resoled. I’m going to check out some of these in the event I don’t buy another pair of Chippewas..
 
Crankbait said:
I’m saving up and waiting on their sale. I’ll own a pair of Schnee boots for my next pair of working/ hunting boots

Schnee's Boots

At Schnee's, we make the world's best pac boots and best mountain boots for mountaineering, hiking and hunting. Schnee's Boots, the best boots on earth.
schnees.com schnees.com
Click to expand...
For those that want a good deal, the Schnees boots are on sale. I just ordered a pair of the Timberlines.
 
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