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Kenetrek boots so heavy vs hiking boots

lifesupport4u

lifesupport4u

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Kenetrek and similar boots are so heavy. I have been wearing normal Solamon hiking boots that are over half a pound lighter per foot. If I were in deep snow I would want something heavier, but otherwise I don’t understand why many hunters prefer such heavy boots. Am I missing something?
 
I opt to carry the extra weight because they keep my feet dry, comfortable, and give my legs/ankles the needed support for carrying a heavy pack.
 
Kenetrek to me = quality product that endures my trekking abuse. My kenetreks are used in later months of the hunt though I have others I enjoy as well.
During earlier season hunting I use my Under Armour tactical waterproof boots. Superlight, ankle support, flexible, and soft soled - quiet in comparison...

We all wear what best fits for our setting. I personally have thoughts towards wearing my Danners... They are my heavy boots. Season dictates my use.
 
I don't think you are missing anything. I went shopping for boots last year 90% sure I would buy a really expensive pair and could not believe how heavy the Kenetrek boots were. I opted to stick with a cheap ($90) pair of hiking boots.

At around the 20 mile mark during our elk hunt last year I sarcastically asked my hunting partner, "Don't you wish you had been carrying an extra pound of boot around for the past 3 days?" I should do the math to see how many calories those lighter boots saved me. I bet it is significant. And remember that it is more significant than an extra pound in my backpack because I'm not just carrying the boots, I am lifting them up on every step.

I'm sure the Kenetrek's a are awesome boots for all the reasons Fire_9 mentioned above, but I haven't had any problems with my cheap boots other than they wear out faster (Randy hunts more than I do and says his are 9(?) years old) - I have to replace mine every other year. So unless I move somewhere with easier access and/or flatter terrain, I'm sticking with the lighter boots. For me, lighter boots mean more miles and elevation that I can cover.
 
Nope you're not missing anything. I used to hunt everything even antelope in my kenetreks but bought a light pair of hiking boots last year for fair weather hunting. For snow, steep, heavy, and wet the kenetreks are hard to beat though.
 
I have a pair for early season, mid season, and late season. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a perfect for all conditions boot. Nothing worse than having cold/wet/damp feet in late November when it's in the single digits. The tradeoff is well worth it at that time of year for me. I will wear my Salomon 4D GTX 2's as long as I can but when the weather changes for the worse, the "heavy" boots come out.
 
I wear light boots for trail hiking & such. Maybe scouting.
But I would not plan on packing out an animal in them anymore,so I don't wear them hunting.
 
There is a trade off, as with most things. I definitely don't wear my heavy boots hiking down trails on the weekends.

The "heavy" boots in various brands are going to offer better stability and stiffness. Walking with a heavy load or through terrain with questionable footing is much easier in better boots.

I definetly wouldn't pack out an elk in a lightweight REI backpack either. I know it's not intuitive, but sometimes heavier gear means LESS energy used.
 
I've been using my Kenetrek Mountain Extreme NI boots for over 5 seasons with no issues. I don't notice any added weight, but I workout. I've had several buddies head out West in cheaper and lighter weight boots only to have them fail before the hunt is over.

Buy what you want, but these work the best for me.
 
I wore some Merrill boots for the last 4 years and bought Kenetrek's after my NM elk hunt this year.

The Merrell's were great when on trail but I rolled my ankle more than once this year and decided I needed more support. Time will tell if I made the right call but I don't want to go home early because of a sprained ankle I could have prevented with a taller/heavier boot.
 
I switched to Lowa boots a couple years ago. I used to use Merrill hiking boots and my feet ached so bad after a day hunt.
 
I've always wondered why hunters used really heavy "stiff" traditional leather boots compared to some like a modern mountaineering or approach boot from Scarpa, La Sportiva or Salewa for instance. In those boots its possible to have more support and stiffness with less weight.

Is there anyone who can say that they tried modern mountaineering/backpack boots and went back to the heavier leather style of boot?

Kuiu has been pushing Scarpa boots for hunting based on their weight and performance across multiple heights and stiffnesses as a viable alternative. I've seen plenty of sheep hunting videos where you can quickly recognize someone in head to toe Sitka gear, but recognize the bright red or rainbow pattern of the La Sportiva Trango cube before they were offered in Krytek camo.
 
I switched to Lowa boots a couple years ago.
Click to expand...
I love my Lowa Renegade boots, which are worn for hiking, backpacking ('put 76 miles on them one August week in the Bob), and early season hunting. When off-trail mountain elk hunting starts, I wear my Kenetrek Mountain Extremes which cannot be surpassed for foot and ankle support and traction on steep sidehills.
 
Straight Arrow said:
I love my Lowa Renegade boots, which are worn for hiking, backpacking ('put 76 miles on them one August week in the Bob), and early season hunting. When off-trail mountain elk hunting starts, I wear my Kenetrek Mountain Extremes which cannot be surpassed for foot and ankle support and traction on steep sidehills.
Click to expand...

I have the Lowa Tibet GTX and they have work well so far.
 
i love lightweights but my feet get hammered after putting 70 plus lbs in my pack. so im thinking of going to some kenetreks for winter weather conditions. being cold sucks.
 
cgarner said:
I have the Lowa Tibet GTX and they have work well so far.
Click to expand...

3 yrs,no complaints.
I was thinking of checking the Renagades for daily use. I got some Merrills but I get a pain in the achilles if I lace them tight for hiking.
 
Good discussions. It seems like boots are much like comparing Fords to Chevys to Dodges.

One thing I've noticed is the simple fact of different individual's feet.

I've known folks who tended to do fine with what would be in some circles... cheaper...or a bit lower quality footwear. Others suffered greatly with cheaper models. As well as some doing well in all conditions with lighter type footwear. Kinda like some people handling colder fall weather with a fleece hoodie. Others needing a much heavier down jacket.

13 years or so ago I had a pair of heavier thinsulate Lowas for a few seasons and they performed well in colder snowy conditions. Fabulous on a continually wet cold DIY AK Caribou trip. But they were much more narrow in the toe and I felt that. And after the year to AK one of them blew out in the heel.

Since then I have had a pair of Kennetrek 1000gm Mountain Extremes and have been totally pleased. Cold, snow, wet, steep, rocky, and elk meat on a BullPak, ... they work well for me. And the toe fits me much better than the former Lowas. They have basically been a October to May boot for me. Hence much more of a lifetime of use. Did have to get them stretched at the shop last fall as my feet have "changed" with age. They do work fine for me in the summer and early fall months. But normally I tend to use other styles of shoes at these times.

And I guess I'm from that experience of the 1970's when we tromped the mountains. foothills, and Unlimited Sheep Units in those old European/Italian made boots. There you had weight!!! Look at the "old timer" pictures on the different threads here! Guys like me form those days feel like anything built today is a Bedroom Slipper!
 
Light hikers like a Renegade or Salomon Quest have treated me well when walking/hiking on dirt and an occasional stick.

The flexible sole of my Quests were almost like wearing moccasins on this rocky ground.

1.jpg

I doubt you'd get many days out of a hiker in a real rock unit like 16E NM.
 
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