Idaho Elk Irish Setter Vaprtrek

[Knippling]

Me and a few gentleman are about to embark on a couple week archery elk hunt in Idaho. We will be packing in and with any luck packing out some meat on the way out. I was noticing the Irish Setter Vaprtrek are high on the reviews list, but the more I read about them on here there are mixed reviews. I will only be wearing them for hunting and nothing else. Are they a decent boot for this terrain or should I look elsewhere? Thanks for the help.

 

[Randle]

I have used them 1 trip elk hunting and found them too soft soled for mountain hunting, By the end of that day my feet felt like I had stepped on every rock and stick on the mountain with not much more than socks. At least for me they will be used for lighter days of hiking and short trips

 

[CApighunter]

I only day hunted in mine, and not in particularly nasty rocky terrain, but they just don’t last. They’re a very light and comfortable boot, but not much support and I’d blow through them in a year without much trouble. Just picked up a pair of Crispi Idaho’s and they’re worlds different. The vaprtreks are closer to a running shoe with some ankle support.

 

[fatlander]

I walked through a pair of them in less than one spring turkey season in the rolling hills Virginia. No way I’d buy another pair for anything, let alone hunting in the mountains.


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[Btaylor]

If you need to have budget for other items, the vaportrek will work. The comment above about feeling rocks is spot on. They are not great for a lot of rock crossing at all. I have been wearing them the last couple of years and in steep terrain I had hot spot issues from the toe box that leukotape fixed. I just upgraded to Crispi's Valdres and so far really like the boot. It is obviously a more substantial boot that the Vaportrek but not clunky either. What you will see over and over here is spend money on the best boots and best pack your budget will allow. That advice is 1000% correct but you can make less than top of the line work too. Whatever you do on boots make sure you put a good number of miles on them before your hunt wearing a weighted pack and do so in terrain even if that is just stairs or bleachers. Buy a roll of leukotape too.

 

[Knippling]

If you need to have budget for other items, the vaportrek will work. The comment above about feeling rocks is spot on. They are not great for a lot of rock crossing at all. I have been wearing them the last couple of years and in steep terrain I had hot spot issues from the toe box that leukotape fixed. I just upgraded to Crispi's Valdres and so far really like the boot. It is obviously a more substantial boot that the Vaportrek but not clunky either. What you will see over and over here is spend money on the best boots and best pack your budget will allow. That advice is 1000% correct but you can make less than top of the line work too. Whatever you do on boots make sure you put a good number of miles on them before your hunt wearing a weighted pack and do so in terrain even if that is just stairs or bleachers. Buy a roll of leukotape too.

Awesome. Thanks for the advise. I think I will just spend the money on Crispis. I truly believe that if you wreck your feet in the first couple days the rest of the hunt will not be enjoyable.

 

[Btaylor]

The one other thing I would add is dont get hung up on brand name for boots or packs for that matter. There are multiple companies in both areas that make great products. Find the one of each that fits you the best, That may be Crispi and it may not be. I tried multiple boots other than the crispi and was down to either a Lowa or the crispi. I took the Crispi boots to the store and tried them next to the Lowa. I thought it was going to be a hard decision until I tried them on at the same time. Easy decision then.

 

[bigbaddad71]

I love my Elk trackers for most of my hunting, but when I'm under pack in the high up hills, they are not enough boot. Not enough foot support for heavy packing in steep terrain.

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