Meindles and socks

[BucknRut]

I am soon heading off to purchase my first pair of Meindl Boots. I want to make sure I have the perfect fit...I am leaning towards the 'Alaskan Hunters', but looking for opinions on the 'Mountain Hunters' and the 'Canada Hunters'.

I am also looking for advice on what types of socks to use and how you layer them.

All opinions honored!
Thanks in advance,
Joshua

 

[L2Hunt]

Joshua,

You have picked (in my opinion) the Ultimate Boot. I have the Canadians and the Winter Boot and both perform awesome. I've been looking at the Alaskan Hunters so if you get them please let us know what you think of them, but I'm sure they will be top notch. All I wear is a pair of wicking liners and a medium weight pair of Fox Rivers. Whether I'm hunting spring bear/early season moose in the interior or caribou late in the year that has been the combo that has seemed to work the best for me not matter the temp. Hope this helps and good luck hunting.

Bob

 

[bizymocha]

Here is what you do.

Here is what you do.

I have two pairs of Alaskan Hunters so you know my thoughts. My first pair was purchased wearing a polypropolene sock and a medium weight wool blend sock. That was very good. After my first Ak. experience with them, I went back to Cabela'a and bought another pair. Why? Its been my experience that once you find something that works, they either discontinue it or change it.

Upon my return, the shoe dept. manager measured my two feet. He said you are a 9 but permit me to show you something. He brought out a 9 1/2. He took OUT the inner sole and put IN a size 8 1/2, yes an 8 1/2, premium Meindl sole.
I walked around with that setup and it was like walking on marshmellows. I used the same sock arrangement.

I bought a second size 8 1/2 premium sole to rotate for last year and this years trips to Alaska. There is nothing finer. Period!

 

[Daveinthebush]

Canadian

Canadian

I bought the Canadian model and love them. Have not been on a major outing yet but am breaking them in. They seem great. Ordered my exact size and the fit like a glove.

Might be goat hunting this weekend so I might be able to report back on how it went.

 

[LegionSix]

Denali Meindl

Denali Meindl

I am on my second pair of Denali's. These boots really work for me. I spent many years as a light infantryman, so I know that when you find a good boot, you need to stick to it. I also know that people's feet are different and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for others. Socks that I have had good success with are the Ultimax made by WigWam. I like the Hiking/Outdoor style. I also keep a pair of gortex socks in my pack just in case the boots get really wet. This has worked well for me also as long as I keep the laces a little looser than usual. The Denali's squeak like hell at first, but eventually lose the noise. I have also found that the Denali's don't need much wear-in time, at least not for me. They maintain their stiffness throughout their life.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Cabelas Meindl Alaska Hunters with a poly pro liner and Thorlo backpacking synthetic socks. Never had a blister and never get too hot.

 

[blackfoot]

Great Boots

Great Boots

I have the Alaskan Hunter and the Perfekt hikers. The Alaskan Hunters are awsome! I wear a Fox River Exstatic liner with a Thorlo oversock. This works great. For climbing just for extra protection against blisters I use an adhesive prep/bandage from my medical supply source with some moleskin on top. I have found nothing that sticks and stays on as well.

 

[375ultramag]

I have the Canada boot and love everything but the name. LOL

I wear a light poly pro liner and the Cabelas med weight sock. 3 years and love them. I have got cold feet a few times standing in frozen swamps moose hunting but if it gets that cold I put on the heavy weight wool sock then.

 

[Boss Gobbler]

Meindels

Meindels

I wore the Hunters on my sheep hunt with liner sock and thorlo. the medium weight sock worked best for me, not enough room for the heavier sock. I just purchased a pair of smart wool for my goat hunt this October, hopefully to keep my feet warm.

 

[AKDoug]

I'm with boss and Alask Cub.... thin polypro liner and the medium Thorlos. Warm enough for an October sheep hunt I did two seasons ago. I hunted the Forty Mile in my Alaska Hunters two weeks ago for moose and they performed excellent in the marshy areas even. I love the ankle support for the tussaks.

 

[BucknRut]

Thanks for all of the great info guys. Good to get lots of feedback...the confidence factor makes the buying process a pleasure when you know you're getting something good!

I'm with boss and Alask Cub.... thin polypro liner and the medium Thorlos. Warm enough for an October sheep hunt I did two seasons ago. I hunted the Forty Mile in my Alaska Hunters two weeks ago for moose and they performed excellent in the marshy areas even. I love the ankle support for the tussaks.

Doug, your post sparked another question I have. What is your setup for lowland/muddy/stream crossing? I've read that some where hipboots...that seems uncomfortable and "sweaty" to me. I've also hear of using gators and rain pants to keep the mud and water out.

What do you do?

Thanks fellas
Joshua

 

[AlaskaCub]

Josh, there are a lot of variables in the footwear needed for different hunts. Hip boots are great if you are in a lot of mud, riding a wheeler or hunting off the river via a boat. For standard hunts where there is a lot of hiking(miles) you wouldn't want hippers. As to crossing streams/creeks its done with a little tact, such as jumping from rock to rock using a trekking pole or a willow stick to support you while jumping from rock to rock. Yes if its not too deep with boots like the Alaska Hunters you can cinch up some goretex gaiters and get after it, heck you can even duct tape your raingear pants to the boots. Each and every situation can and will require a little creativity. On moose hunts I always bring hippers and boots, heck the Hondas carrying them anyway not me. Since your talking about getting some Meindls go ahead and throw some good hippers on your need list to. They are invaluable in the right conditions, plus you use them a lot for fishing.Hope this helps

 

[blackfoot]

Glacier Socks or Overboot Waders

Glacier Socks or Overboot Waders

How about the option of packing the glacier socks like Barneys sells? Or they also carry an overboot wader. These would seem like good options for the occasional stream crossing that just can't be done without waders. I haven't tried them, but was thinking of getting one or the other. Anybody out there have experience good or bad?

 

[cold zero]

meindls

meindls

the glacier socks work well with the koflach plastic climbing boots as the socks can be worn between the inner boot and the outer plast shell in so keeping the inner boot and your feet warm and dry.

this can not be done with the meindls as there is no inner boot so the inside of the boot would get wet in a stream crossing, this eliminates the beefit of having the glacier socks. no boot is perfect.

i have both the koflach alaska hunters with glacier socks and the meindls canada boots and have used both extensively for sheep and goat hunting as well as other alaska hunting.

for the canada boots i like x static, capilene or polypro liners with smartwool light hiker medium weight wool socks. bridgedale socks are great as well. i try to swap out the socks about mid day as my feet sweat a lot and this keeps my feet happy, warm and blister free. i just completed a sheep hunt with 2 1/2 weeks in the field and over 80 miles covered in the meindls. you will not be disspointed. y.m.m.v.

 

[TradBow]

ikky ikky

ikky ikky

Well if you havent noticed in years past I had issues with the AK hunters. The first loosing all waterproofness and basically falling apart at the seems after a 16 day sheep hunt.

The second pair the protective rubber started peeling almost immediatly upon breakin.


SO I went to the canada's for this year. On a one day 12 mile hike I blistered my feet to no end. Two twos and both heels. It was bad enough we thankfully turned around (not knowing how bad my "hotspots" really were). Thats not including a hot spot in my one foots arch and the other being sore as hell the day after!

I'm going to try a pair of custom insoles aint they aint cheap. If it doesn't work you'll never see me with a pair of cabela's miendls again!!!

 

[AKDoug]

Doug, your post sparked another question I have. What is your setup for lowland/muddy/stream crossing? I've read that some where hipboots...that seems uncomfortable and "sweaty" to me. I've also hear of using gators and rain pants to keep the mud and water out.

Lowland and mud that is only 6" deep or less I just tromp through it with the AK Hunters. I don't wear gators and use Rivers West H2P pants no matter the weather. I'm on my third season with the same pair of AK Hunters and no water leak issues at all. They do get damp inside from sweat, but that's it. I coat them religiously with Nikkwax also.

I hate hip boots. I'll do anything to keep from wearing them. I just strap them to my pack and put them on when I need them. I may look into some glacier socks or the Wiggys version to get across creeks. When I sheep hunt I just dance across the rocks the best I can or just get wet. Wet AK Hunters are still more compfortable than any hip boot.

 

[cold zero]

stream crossing ideas

stream crossing ideas

try putting your raingear on and duck taping the cuffs shut. it works for me in water up to 10-12" and step lively across and still have dry feet.

gators are helpful as well. speed going across is paramount.

 

[TradBow]

I've spent 14 days in wet AK Hunters. By day 6 trench foot had set in. They still werent dry 2 days after arriving home!!!

 

[Frankie 2 Times]

Flyweight waders

Flyweight waders

I too hate hippers, and knee high rubber boots for that matter. If you are talking about an occasional stream crossing you might try this. I have an old pair of redball fly weight waders. They have the stocking foot design, so they are made to wear with wading boots. They look like they are made from a nylon wind breaker. The pair I have is large enough that I can pull them on over my boots. I simple put them on, cross any stream up to a depth capable with waders, then take them off and put them back in my pack. They weight almost nothing and pack into a very small space. Only thing you have to watch is since the the waders are supposed to be worn inside boots, they aren't made for this type of an application. But we're only talking about crossing a stream then taking them off.

I haven't tried this they but think it would work. If I had to wear them for a long period of time, I would wear the waders inside my miendls and wear a pair of the waterproof socks. The kind from seal skin that keep the water out of your boots. The waders were designed to be wore this way with a pair of wader socks and wading boots. I just HATE wet feet, so I go through some fairly extreme exercises to keep them dry.

Believe it or not, in a pinch, I have actually use two hefty garbage bags. Place one on each foot and tip toed across. Not real durable, but worked in a pinch.

F2T