Alaska is tough, but SE Alaska takes it to another level. The brush is thicker, the mountains steeper and the rain...good Lord, even the rain is wetter. Think hiking on a slip an' slide set at a 45 degree angle. Throw in a bunch of downed trees and you can imagine why a mile hiked in the SE rainforest is the equivalent of 4-5 miles hiked in southcentral Alaska. With these challenges come some unique gear requirements. After spending way too much time laying on my back on the forest floor I knew I needed to ramp up my footwear. A lot of folks just don their rubber xtra-tufs and call it good, but that hasn't been cutting it for me. Pictured are a pair of boots I've retired from sheep hunting but still have some life left. I sent them to a cobbler in Idaho and had them caulked (pronounced corked). I took them out on a test run last week. I haven't been this excited about new gear in a long time. These boots are like adding four wheel drive to my feet. I can walk across a slimy log with confidence. Paired up with a set of gaiters I now have waterproof traction with great ankle support. They are the killer boots of death because my deer hunting ability just got a huge boost and because you wouldn't want to be kicked in the face with these.
4 comments:
Be careful out there. You're not only a greater danger to the deer now... but possibly your own shins.
When will Autumn get her pair?
Brilliant.
The occasional poke to the shins is an acceptable trade-off for all the nagging knee and shoulder aches not to mention all the bruising.
Well, Autumn's boots are only big enough for a couple spikes, so it may be awhile yet.
Post a Comment