Boot Tread

J

Jerryv

Member
The thread about boots reminded me of a question that came up last year while I was hunting. One of the friends I hunt with had just purchased a new pair of boots with a fairly smooth sole. He said the salesman had recommended it for pheasant hunting with the theory that the smooth sole would push through the grass easier than a waffle tread. He felt he was less fatigued at the end of the day after using these boots.

I know they give up something in the traction department, but we hunt mostly open grasslands where that isn't a problem. I am tempted to get a pair of that type of boot to try. Has anyone else experimented with this?

Jerry
 
I would not want a smooth sole, period!! Absolutely no traction in snow, wet or muddy conditions. Or even trying to climb out of a road ditch on slick grass. I'm not saying you need a real aggressive tread but you certainly do need a decent tread for some traction. And I don't buy into the theory that the saleman had on the smooth sole pushing through the grass easier. He was just trying to sell a pair of boots.
 
I would say the boot's tread has little to do with ease of pushing thru grass.
I have found that the boot's toe style and construction matters much more.

Smooth toe and moderate sole lugs work pretty well in many areas.
I prefer airbobs if I was given druthers....for traction and mud release.
 
Well I have Russell boots, fit comfortably, have basically crepe soles, no tread basically. On normal ground, they are great, no mud adheres, lightweight, have triple sole, so no wet inside. I get a little west, and the rolling plains, with creek bottoms, I learn to go quickly to vibram soles, just to get out of the creek bottoms! and or scramble up a hill. Horses for courses. Best choice would be go west, no mud, sandy soil, in river bottom country, dry, use your addias. If it's easy to walk, not very many birds there!
 
I once bought a pair of Danners and opted for the fairly smooth sole. It had only small cross ribs. First hunt I got out of the rig and started down a dewy grass slope and couldn't keep my feet under me. I sent them back for a pair with the old waffle stomper Vibram sole which is the best there is for traction. I will never use anything else.
 
OldDublin said:
I would say the boot's tread has little to do with ease of pushing thru grass.
I have found that the boot's toe style and construction matters much more.

Smooth toe and moderate sole lugs work pretty well in many areas.
I prefer airbobs if I was given druthers....for traction and mud release.
Click to expand...

You may be right about the toe. That is certainly the area that wears out first for me. What are the airbobs you mention? Is that a type of sole or a boot?

Jerry
 
AirBob is a sole tread design....there are knock-offs of the original around.
Rather than the blocky Vibram-type, the lugs are rounded and soft-ish.
I find they shuck mud a bit better.
I doubt the sole is as rugged but it works for me when available....not really a big deal either way.
Hunting the Apps tho allows one to understand what steep terrain actually means re tread design.
Actually, for pheasant, only a moderate tread has ever been necessary as any will slip and slide under the right circumsatnces....just part of it.
A crepe sole does, to me, fell easier on the feet.
Something short of leather-soled Luccheses works fine most times.
 
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