Yes<\/td> Hunting<\/td> ROCKY BearClaw 3D GORE-TEX Insulated Hunting Boots for Men<\/td> 5.2 lbs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWeight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Hiking boots are, in general, more lightweight than hunting boots. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, 5 of the most popular hiking boots at Cabelas weigh 2.44 lbs on average, while 5 of the most popular hunting boots at Cabelas weigh 4.66 lbs on average. The most popular hunting boots weigh twice as much as the most popular hiking boots. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThat’s just at Cabelas but as you look you’ll see the same. Why is that? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nInsulation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Most hiking boots are geared more toward summer travel because the vast majority of people will do most of their hiking in the warmer months. Hunting, on the other hand, is often done in the shoulder seasons or even in winter-like conditions, and thus hunting boots tend to have insulation <\/strong>which adds a bit of weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you’re looking for hiking boots with insulation, you need to be looking for “winter hiking boots”, <\/strong>or “snow hiking boots”<\/strong> or even “mountaineering boots”. Hiking boots with insulation are almost a completely separate category from standard “hiking boots”.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBoot Height<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The other factor that affects weight is the height of the boot. Both styles have lots of boots that rise to your ankle or just above it, but hunting boots are often very tall and rise as high as mid-calf. You\u2019ll rarely see that in a hiking boot, and as you can imagine, that type of style will definitely add weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s a couple reasons why hunting boots are higher–one of the main being that since hunters are almost by definition off-trail, they are going to be in brush and there are a lot of critters that bite at the ankles–so extra protection is a big plus. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNote the higher collar on these hunting boots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nPurpose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Those are some of the more obvious physical differences. Let\u2019s consider the difference in overall purpose <\/strong>for each type of boot:<\/p>\n\n\n\nHiking Boot:<\/strong> Hiking is all about walking. The goal is to rack up the miles to get to your destination, whether that\u2019s a high peak or a beautiful pristine lake, or even the next town on a long thru-hike of say, the Pacific Crest Trail. The boots are designed with these activities in mind. They need to be comfortable, provide good traction and good support, and be durable and strong while keeping the weight to a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNotice the lower profile of these hiking boots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHiking isn’t always on a trail but it often is. That’s why hiking shoes are a thing and you’ll never see a hunting shoe.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nA hiker can get away with not wearing boots at all! “Hiking shoes “<\/strong> don’t come up to the ankle (and it’s what I prefer to wear honestly). But it’s more obvious that this only works because as a hiker I hike on trails 95% of the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHunting Boot:<\/strong> Some hunters will cover a lot of ground on foot while out on the hunt, but others will prefer to keep the miles low and may spend quite a bit of time in the deer stand or the duck blind. However many miles a hunter chooses to travel, it\u2019s likely they will be traveling those miles on challenging off-trail terrain. For these reasons, hunting boots are designed to be extra sturdy and to keep your feet warm and dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA hunter may stay in the same location without moving for hours. Insulation is incredibly important for this reason. Hikers get to move around to warm up while hunters in many situations can’t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Look<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Probably the only other difference between hiking boots and hunting boots is the look<\/strong>. While they can look very similar in many cases, hunting boots will often have a camouflage pattern that is not used for hiking boots. You will rarely if ever, find a splash of non-earth-tone color on a hunting boot, including the laces. Hunter orange is typically used on jackets and hats, but not on footwear. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHiking boots are usually earth-toned as well. They certainly aren\u2019t like running shoes or basketball shoes which can be pretty wild, but they will occasionally have laces or maybe an emblem or some other swath that has a little pop to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do hiking boots have a bit more style? Unlike hunting, hiking can sometimes take place in a more urban setting, and some people want their footwear to go straight from the trail to the mall or the brewpub, and not look out of place in either one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When to Choose a Hiking Boot Or a Hunting Boot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n How intense is your outdoor activity going to be? Are you mostly going to be on established trails, or are you planning on testing yourself off the trails, through the streams, up the ravines, and into the thickets in all kinds of weather?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re staying on the trails, then a hiking boot is going to be a better bet. <\/strong>You\u2019ll appreciate the lighter weight and the ankle support for those rocky sections. They\u2019ll do a better job of keeping your feet cool as well, but of course, nothing can beat taking off whatever you\u2019re wearing on your feet, and dipping those barking dogs in a cool stream!<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat’s not to say a trail is easy terrain. But what’s crucial is that trails don’t usually have brush (sometimes grass), otherwise it’s not much of a trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you enjoy really getting to know a landscape intimately, at some point, you\u2019ll need to go off-trail. Right away, you\u2019ll encounter rocks, sticks, thorns, weeds, mud, snakes, cacti. You name it! Flip-flops need not apply! In fact, the more protection you\u2019ve got, the more confident you\u2019ll feel, and you can begin to increase your knowledge of the terrain even in rough weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re spending significant time off-trail (like if you’re hunting), then you’ll appreciate the extra protection with hunting boots.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAdditionally, hunting boots have that extra insulation. Another thing to consider is if you are going to be staying in one spot in the wilderness for long periods of time or if you are traipsing through snow, then hunting boots make a lot of sense.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDo You Really Need Hunting Or Hiking Boots?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Both hiking boots and hunting boots can be expensive. Sure, there are cheap versions of each, but they\u2019re not very good quality and you will likely be disappointed. Good hiking or hunting boots will cost $175-$300 and sometimes even more. If you\u2019re just getting started, are these boots really necessary?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The short answer is no – especially if you plan to stick to the trails. <\/strong>In that case, all you really need is a decent pair of walking shoes or really whatever you\u2019ve got as long as they are comfortable and have at least some support and some traction. Again, leave the flip-flops for the backyard barbeque.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA few other types of shoes you shouldn\u2019t bring to the trail would be heels, clogs, and any light, flimsy canvas shoes with no support. Anything else is fair game – no hunting pun intended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, if the only outdoor shoes you have is a pair of running shoes, you might want to check out my article <\/a>where I talk about the pros and cons of hiking in running shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne of the greatest things about hiking, and one of the biggest reasons I got into it, was that there is almost no up-front cost. Even if you\u2019ve never taken a hike in your life, it\u2019s possible to do a simple day-hike in whatever shoes and clothes you already own plus a small pack with a water bottle and a snack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can certainly choose to expand your gear from there, and what you want to do will drive those decisions, but even long-time hikers don\u2019t necessarily have tons of gear. In fact, ultralight hikers attempt to hike with as little gear as possible. Remember, it all has to fit in the pack and you have to carry it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Quick Tip About Soles In Choosing A Hunting or Hiking Boot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAlmost any shoe will give you traction on dry surfaces, but in both hiking and hunting, you\u2019re going to encounter wet weather and slippery surfaces. Cold can also make the rubber on your boots harder, which can reduce their ability to grip. If you\u2019re going to be traveling in wet or cold weather, be sure to get boots that have a slightly softer rubber on the sole. They might wear down a little quicker, but they might also save you from having an unplanned swim in the creek!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally speaking, lighter weight hiking boots or hunting boots will offer softer soles with better grip. The lighter boot will be more flexible and the sole will conform to the surface better giving you more traction. Heavier boots, such as mountaineering boots tend to be stiffer. They will have a harder sole and will be less nimble and potentially a little slicker on wet or cold surfaces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a tradeoff between traction and durability for boot soles.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some stores specialize in hiking boots and some stores specialize in hunting boots. Others are more general and may offer a variety of both types. If you are just looking<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4899,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":3,"label":"Hiking"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hiking-boots-in-use-1024x680.jpg",640,425,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Peter","author_link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/author\/outsidedecider\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Hiking","slug":"hiking","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":55,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":3,"category_count":55,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Hiking","category_nicename":"hiking","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4898"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4898"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4955,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4898\/revisions\/4955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}