Hunting Boots: Don’t Get Soaked By Herman Footwear

In a GGG 'boot camp' evaluation of waterproofing, durability, and comfort, we thought Cabela’s $130 Brush Busters outperformed sets from Wolverine and Bass Pro.

For lacing, Cabela’s Brush Busters sport two hook pairs, five sets of D-rings, and one pair of eyelets.

The success of most hunting gear is measured by how spectacularly it performs. The highest praise for our boots, however, is that we don’t even notice them. As long as they’re doing their job—providing proper traction, keeping our feet warm and dry, and lasting more than a handful of seasons—a pair of quality hunting boots, like a sturdy set of tires on a 4x4, allows us to focus on what’s ahead and enjoy the ride.

Yet selecting an appropriate pair of field boots is not easy. Even a casual perusal of any of the major hunting outfit catalogs shows a staggering array of models, ranging in price from around $75 to $200 and beyond.

We recently had a chance to size up four pairs of hunting boots from two of the major mail-order suppliers, staying around the $100 price range. We tested Cabela’s Brush Buster Ultra Hunting Boots, $130; Wolverine’s 8-inch Gore-Tex Intrepid Boots, $125; and Cabela’s Pinnacle Hunting Boots, $90. Also, we tested a boot from Herman, which is Bass Pro’s new house-brand label, replacing the RedHead brand. In our view, the Herman Cordura 400 Boots, $80, were all wet (they leaked), and are a poor replacement for the item they replaced, the now-discontinued but high-quality RedHead 8-inch All-Cordura Gore-Tex Sport Boots, $90, which we covered separately.

How We Tested
Water resistance is a key characteristic of a reliable hunting boot. The best boots are made with a combination of quality, waterproof materials and solid craftsmanship, i.e., strong seams and tight stitches.

One way that we tested water resistance was to insert absorbent paper into the toe area of each boot, and then more paper into the heel section. Each test boot was then immersed in water about two-thirds of the way up the boot’s height and rigged to soak in that position overnight. After 12 hours of immersion the absorbent papers were removed and evaluated for moisture.

The ability of boots to keep your feet warm is also paramount, and, therefore, figured prominently in our testing protocol. We measured temperature retention by placing two cups of warm tapwater inside a “Zip-Loc” style plastic sandwich bag and sealing it. The water-filled bag was then inserted into the test boot, along with a thermometer. The riser was closed by constricting it with the shoelaces or closing the area with the tongue. An initial temperature reading was taken, and the boot was placed in a freezer. Temperature readings were taken at 30-minute intervals over two hours.

Finally, we “walked a mile in their shoes.” Our field testers traversed a course consisting of rough, rocky terrain, some wet or muddy areas, and steep inclines and declines. We evaluated the boots for traction, resistance to damage, shoelace integrity, and overall comfort. Here’s how the boots performed.

Cabela’s Brush Buster
Ultra Hunting Boots
Like the others, Cabela’s Brush Busters are constructed of 1000 denier Cordura nylon. Gore-Tex and Thinsulate (800 grams) shed water and retain warmth. It, too, has a Cambrelle lining, plus a removable cushioned footbed. The toe and heel are reinforced.

Considerable design effort appears to have gone into the sole, with Vibram outsoles, Goodyear welts (to reinforce the soles with the uppers), and an EVA midsole intended to absorb shock. Additionally, it is designed for easy resoling. These boots also sport eight pairs for shoelacing, but in a different arrangement. They include (from top to bottom) two hook pairs, five sets of D-rings, and one pair of eyelets at the bottom.

Laboratory tests were the most favorable for this 61-ounce product, which showed complete resistance to water and excellent temperature retention.

The field trials left us satisfied, but not impressed. Overall comfort was fair, though objective performance attributes were almost on a par with RedHead’s boots (see sidebar). The one major exception was in the risers. Our preliminary inspection showed them to be too soft. But once we put them through the paces, we found that they were less flexible than they should have been, reducing the overall comfort. The lack of flexibility also made inclines more difficult to negotiate. Another downside is the $130 price tag, the highest among the panel participants.

Cabela’s Pinnacle Hunting Boots
Coming in behind the Cabela’s Brush Buster product, the Pinnacle Hunting Boot shares many construction features with the other products in our lineup: 1000 denier Cordura nylon, 200 grams Thinsulate, Gore-Tex, removable cushioned footbeds, and Cambrelle moisture control.

The 53-ounce Pinnacle boots diverge in other respects, however. They sport polyurethane-injected mid- and outsoles, and the risers have additional leatherwork on their exterior, serving to stiffen them up and increase the wearer’s support. The toes and heels are reinforced, even though the material along the sides of the foot seem soft and susceptible to damage. Shoelaces go through (from top to bottom) three pairs of hooks, two pairs of D-rings, and three smaller sets of D-rings. Of all the boots tested, these seemed the easiest to lace and unlace. Moisture and temperature tests showed good results. Moisture resistance was no problem, and warmth retention was middle-of-the-road, yet acceptable.

Field evaluations of the Pinnacles were comparable to the Brush Busters. Comfort was a bit higher but still did not match the discontinued RedHead’s Sport Boot. The shoelaces and outer material easily withstood trips through underbrush, and traction over rocks was good. The soles tended to squeak somewhat when our tester walked carelessly over the rocks. Though this was controllable, it’s worth considering if you do much hunting that requires stalking.

At $90, this product matches the RedHead in price.

Wolverine 8-inch Gore-Tex Intrepid Boots
Bringing up the rear in our “boot camp” is a product from a well-known name: Wolverine. While the company’s 58-ounce Intrepid boots share many structural features with other models in our lineup—1000 denier Cordura, Gore-Tex, Cambrelle—some differences had a negative effect in our rankings. These differences include the use of 200 grams of Thermolite from DuPont as an insulator (instead of Thinsulate), polyurethane soles with “Dura-Shock” and compression pads, and fiberglass shanks.

Reinforced toes and heels were present here also, with soft sides in-between. Shoelaces travel through one pair of eyelets, four pairs of hooks (the last pair set back from the others), and four D-ring sets at the bottom..

Overall results were disappointing. Although these boots, like their panel mates, showed complete resistance to water, they placed last in the temperature retention category. The boots showed a loss of 43 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of the trial—7 degrees more than the next-worst result.

Of the boots tested, this is the only one that showed lasting damage from immersion, in the form of some corrosion spots on a few of the metal lace fittings (hooks and D-rings). They were also difficult to lace up, partly due to the lowest lace hooks set back from the others; it was tough to “grab” these with the laces while putting the boots on.

Field trials weren’t too bad, yet faint praise is the best we can manage. Comfort was fair and traction was fine, but the soles seemed more likely to squeak on rocky surfaces; this was harder to control than with Cabela’s Pinnacles. Also, at $125 these cost only $5 less than the panel’s priciest pair.

Herman 8 Inch
Cordura 400 Boots
Leather construction with 1000-denier Cordura is designed to make these waterproof. Warmth is provided by the use of 400 grams of Thinsulate, and the Vibram outsole is intended to maximize sole durability and traction. Comfort is enhanced by the use of padded upper collars and removable foot cushions. Lace configuration is the same as the RedHead boots, with three pairs of eyes at the bottom, followed by four sets of D-rings and one final pair of eyes at the top.

This boot performed very well in warmth retention, falling just shy of the Brush Buster models, but they weren’t waterproof. After completing the water-immersion period, we found the boot to be filled with water, despite catalog claims of being 100% waterproof. The boots weighed 56 ounces.

Guns, Gear & Game Recommends
• We think Cabela’s Brush Busters are a good pair of boots, if somewhat pricey at $130 the set. Also, unless their relatively inflexible risers don’t break in over time, they could make a trek through hilly terrain very tough. However, the product’s outstanding performance in temperature retention makes it an excellent candidate for still, cold-weather hunting applications such as winter stand-hunting for deer.

• Cabela’s Pinnacle boots offered adequate performance at $40 less than the Brush Busters. If money is a factor, they are a good pick.

• Disappointing were Wolverine’s Intrepid boots and Herman’s Cordura 400 Boots. The Wolverines were costly and subject to wear/corrosion. The Hermans weren’t waterproof, which in itself was enough to disqualify them in our eyes.

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-by Oliver Shapiro