Our feet are probably the unsung heroes of any hunt. They are responsible for carrying our butts miles through brush and fields, over mountains, into dense terrain, up tree stands, through rivers and much more. Given the amount of abuse they take, it makes sense to outfit our feet with good footwear. On this installment of Buy or Bust, we’re talking boots.

I don’t do sandals, tennis shoes, loafers or any other kind of shoe. I am a boot guy. I wear cowboy boots on a daily basis. When I’m hunting I wear lace up or pull on hiking/hunting boots. And for outdoor treks where I know I’ll be dealing with wet, marshy, snowy or muddy conditions, I opt for a water-resistant boot.

This week we’re talking about the latter - water resistant footwear. Some folks may discount the advantages of having a few different pairs of boots to choose from and specifically a dedicated pair of water-resistant boots. However, if you’ve ever hunted in wet and cold conditions, where your feet ended up soaked all the way through, then you might just change your mind. Once your feet are wet and cold, it can make for a miserable hunt. The Cabela’s Instinct Men’s Lockdown Hunting Boots with 1,200-Gram PrimaLoft and 4MOST DRY-PLUS is an excellent candidate to help you solve this problem.

So, here’s the deal, this boot is essentially a hiking boot that is stuffed inside a rubber boot. The inside hiking boot is about 9-inches tall and in lieu of laces it uses the Boa lacing system. For anyone who doesn’t know what that is, the Boa lacing system utilizes a dial to snug your boots on to your feet. To operate, you press the dial in and turn. As you turn, the aircraft-grade stainless steel laces ratchet down to firmly secure your boot to your foot. What’s great about this system is you don’t have the issue of tightening down your laces too tight or not tight enough or tripping over shoe strings when they come untied. A few quick clicks and you’re ready to go. If you don’t want to sleep with these beasts on, then you’ll need to know how to release the Boa system. All you have to do is pull the dial outward and the system releases its grip.

Built into the boot is a 20-inch waterproof gaiter that keeps water out and your feet dry. It pulls down, so you can easily access the Boa system and then pulls right back up and secures around your calf with lockdown hook and loop tops. These boots are waterproof, breathable, filled with 1,200-gram PrimaLoft insulation, have 900-denier nylon uppers as well as odor fighting and moisture wicking liners. They come in sizes 8-14 D and in either Cabela’s O2 Octane or Cabela’s Zonz Whitetail.

Listen in as we take a closer look at the Cabela’s Instinct Men’s Lockdown Hunting Boots with 1,200-Gram PrimaLoft and 4MOST DRY-PLUS.

Tread Lightly

Trav