Need a rugged boot that is at home in the frozen wilderness?
I contacted Kenetrek Boots and they certainly have the previous question covered.
This is how the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 1000 boots, Hunting Gaiter and Hunting Socks performed in the frozen lands of northern Ohio.
Hunting in the northern states during winter time puts any hunter in a literal freezer. What gets cold first in my experience of waiting on deer in the howling cold is my toes. Wiggling toes only works so much and the cold continues to creep and chill you to the core. The insulated rubber boots commonly sold are bulky for walking and not very warm when the hours start multiplying. What is needed is a fine tough pair of heavily insulated hunting boots that are at home during a long sit or pursuing game in tough to reach places.
Kenetrek Boots sent me the answer to the above problem for testing this hunting season. After the long wait winter is at my door and deer season is in also. Now is the time to see if a pair of boots can actually keep my notoriously cold feet more during a long wait. Also, the boots must be comfortable not just for sitting but actively hunting and hiking the toughest spots available. Many might think northern Ohio is all flat land but this is the farthest from the truth. The landscape is a mixture of everything. From low swamps that fill leaky boots with water quickly to ridges and ravines that overlook the rivers and tributaries all offer any boot major problems to overcome. Kenetrek Boots will have to survive and thrive in all of these areas to get this seasoned hunter’s praise.
This review that started out as a boot review has become a whole system review. Supplied with the Kenetrek Boots Mountain Extreme 1000 Boot is the Kenetrek Boots Ultimate Liner lightweight over the calf socks, the Kenetrek Boots Canada medium weight over the calf socks, and the Kenetrek Boots Hunting Gaiter. All of these items will be tested together as one cohesive product system. Oh yes, we must not forget the Kenetrek Boots Waterproofing Boot Wax to seal and protect your investment.
First lets take a look at what the boots offer. The Kenetrek Boots Mountain Extreme 1000 boots are actually made in Italy mountain boots ready for climbing any cold summit. I requested the 1000 gram Thinsulate insulation model for maximum warmth though uninsulated and 400 gram Thinsulate models are available too. You can never be too warm when everything has turned to ice.
Construction of the boots is very heavy duty for tough and rough conditions. The 2.8mm premium full grain leather one piece vamp uppers have no seams and have padded comfort collars. Windtex Waterproof Breathable Membrane allows for maximum comfort. The nylon (PU) midsoles give extra support and the anti-corrosion hardware swivels instead of breaking.
The reinforced rubber sole guard keeps abrasions at bay and not in your leather boots. If you hike and hunt anywhere with rough gravel, shale and other debris this is a great boot saver.
The soles on the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 1000 Boots is most impressive. The lightweight K-Talon Outsoles provide an incredibly aggressive traction. More on that later in the review.
Here is the close up of the hardware. Notice the quality and heavy duty construction of the no compromise construction.
Proper socks allow for the correct fit of a boot system. I prefer to think of my gear in total as a “system” and not individual especially when dealing with clothing. Remember clothing is your shelter system you wear. Supplied with the size 9 medium width boots are both the Ultimate Liner lightweight over the calf Socks and the Canada medium weight over the calf socks. Both are size large for 9-12 users. I have for years used liner socks underneath heavier hunting socks for great anti-chafing use. Both socks are made right here in the USA too!
The last layer of the boot system to be put on is the Kenetrek Boots Hunting Gaiter. Gaiters are great for keeping snow, mud and water out of the tops of your boots. They also save the bottom of your pants legs from the same. These gaiters have a ton of great features. First off they are in Realtree Excape coloration in size large. It sports a waterproof and breathable Storm Blocker membrane that repels moisture and allows perspiration vapor to escape. The heavy duty Hypalon rubber straps will not collect snow or ice and the 2″ wide full length hoop and loop closure is very secure. The quiet tricot exterior on the camouflage such as was tested are extremely quiet for the stalk. The adjustable top strap keeps snow out and the interior boot section uses 1000 denier coated nylon oxford to resist boot abrasions from hardware.
Before the boots ever left for the trail they were treated with the supplied Kenetrek Boots Waterproof Boot Wax per instructions. It is important to seal the leather to keep your boot’s exterior in great shape. In the instructions is noted never use mink oil as it can delaminate the glue bond of the rubber rands. Also avoid heat from campfires and wood stoves. No one wants cooked boots right?
Before you treat your Kenetrek Boots the leather will be of a lighter color. The image below is before the Waterproofing Boot Wax was applied.
After treatment of the Kenetrek Boots Waterproofing Boot Wax you will notice a dark rich coloration. Below are happy Kenetrek Mountain Boots ready for the rigors of the cold wilds.
Now that the specifications are all explained it is time to get out in the woods. Lets get this system muddy! Testing was done by hiking in rough country during cold weather and sitting on long waits for Ohio’s elusive whitetail deer. Temperatures ranged from the lows in the 20 degree Fahrenheit to the upper 50 degrees Fahrenheit during the somewhat early to mid season deer hunts. Sitting for hours I found no cold creeping in. I worried originally as the temperatures in the day got warmer and then decreased any perspiration from the higher temperatures would cause issues. That was certainly not the case and I look forward to testing them out more when the temperatures go sub-zero here shortly. Muzzleloader season in January is always a test of man against the elements when the winds are howling, the snow is high and the temperatures are 10 below.
What about hiking in the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 1000 Boots you ask? Well what good would a mountain boot be if it was not a very comfortable, highly cushioned and highly foot stabilizing construction? That is exactly what this boot is all about. It is built for rugged climbing with great support. There are no twisted ankles possible with this tough boot. The tread is beyond phenomenal. It allows the user to literally claw there way up slick hillsides with ease. Figure these boots are the Jeep Wranglers of the footwear world. They fit me better than any boot I have ever used before. Wearing the liner socks with the Canada socks I had a perfect fit where I could still wiggle my toes and have the correct room inside. The gaiters kept the tops of the boots and my pants legs clean and dry. I am highly impressed with the whole Kenetrek system sent to me for review. All of the items are certainly made for hunters by hunters. They just plain work great.
After the full evaluation of the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme Boots, Hunting Gaiter, Ultimate Liner, Canada Sock, and Waterproofing Boot Wax I can attest they work great. If you are buying the boots, get the other items too. They work great together and when you are out in the cold wilds you will thank me and of course Kenetrek Boots. Be sure to head on over to the Kenetrek Boots website and check out not only the gear I tested but the other great selections for the explorers of the wilds. Quality made gear is an investment that will pay dividends on the trail to you for years to come.
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