Rubber Logger Boots for Climbing

[chris_girard]

Just wondering how the rubber logger boots work for climbers in spikes? Any of you guys use these for climbing and what are your thoughts?

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=201&item=1021

 

[SeanKroll]

What are you trying to achieve?

A lot of guys wear mountaineering boots, but no steel toe, generally not needed in the tree.
Warm, dry, heavy shank.

Makalu's IIRC are popular.


FWIW.

 

[MasterBlaster]

$105 seems oddly cheap.

 

[Jonny]

Hoffman makes a pac lineman boot. No chainsaw protection, but looks like they'll keep your feet warm and dry and probably comfy for spur climbing.

 

[stig]

They don't even work for walking on flat ground!

They are undescribably horrible and only worn by non professionals around here.

Forget it.

It sure must rain a LOT where you work if a pair of well maintained Wesco lineman's boots won't stay dry.

 

[MasterBlaster]

A pair of well maintained Wesco lineman's boots won't stay dry sloshing through puddles. Been there, done that, wet toes.

 

[stig]

I disagree.
I wear wescos for daily logging and winters are wet, here.
Of course I have 2 pairs, and wear one while the other dries out overnight.
And I'm absolutely religious about waxing them.

They are caulk boots, not linemans, but I have a pair of those ,too.
They are made the same way.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Denmark probably has wetter water.

 

[stig]

Not right now.

Our local well that supply my house and the nearest village has had a major pump break dowm.
We've had no water for 2 days.
Sucks when you have animals.
I can live without showering, but the horses need to drink.
So I have been taking all the containers we use for water when we are handspraying over to a friends house and filling them.
Today they made an emergency hook up with another well, so we have water between 5 and 6 PM and again for an hour in the morning.

Like living in a third world country.

 

[SeanKroll]

I don't think the rubber boots would stand up to the wear and tear. Would need some heavy protection, like...I don't know what, from the stirrup.

 

[Jomo]

Hard to beat Wesco Lineman boots for spur work IMO.

They kinda suck for pruning work though. I've messed up an awful lotta cambium tissue wearin em prunin soft bark species like Alnus rhombifolia(alders) n Betula pendula(birch) and many others.

I've often thought it'd be cool to have slip on overboots made of some kinda stretchable rubber/foam composite that's considerably more cambium/bark friendly.

Call em Cambies?

Jomo

 

[MasterBlaster]

I call em sneakers.

 

[flushcut]

Hoffman makes a pac lineman boot. No chainsaw protection, but looks like they'll keep your feet warm and dry and probably comfy for spur climbing.

View attachment 90495

I have these in caulks but I have never been in the Spurs with them. Nice and toasty.

 

[Jonny]

I got a pair of survus rubber overshoes I'm gonna try with my climbing boots this winter. Also made for linemen, so hopefully they're durable.

 

[squisher]

I've climbed a ton in boots like in your link Chris. They come from the cheap ass Viking brand to a real high end one with some European name that escapes me right now. The high end ones are comfy and durable. Remove the caulks in front of the heel where the spur fits and you're good to go. They are used a ton on the coast here or for winters too with a felt lining in the interior here. Bamas are your friend with this style of boot. They are like a little bootie that goes over your socks before inserting in the boot. Helps keep your feet dry from sweat/moisture.

 

[pantheraba]

And there you geaux!

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks for the info guys.

What I am looking for is a boot for winter work that is warm and dry and good for climbing. I do have a good pair of Pfanner removal boots that work great in spikes but aren't super waterproof, even with boot grease, so I thought about the winter Husky ones, or something similar.

Again, I appreciate the info.

 

[squisher]

To clarify Chris all my experience with them is with spurs and the caulk version. Woods work, they'd keep feet dry and warm but if not 100% needed as in torrential west coast winter rain or interior -20+(with felt inserts) laceups where by far preferred and superior for climbing on spurs.

 

[stig]

Amazing that two people can have such different views of a product.

Back around 40 years ago, when I worked as a faller for private forests, they were required to outfit the fallers.
They'd always try to pass those rubber boots off on us.
Eventually the falleres union had a rule put in, that they had to offer both rubber and leather boots.

The forestry school has to outfit their students, too.
They pull the same one. Give them the rubber boots.
I've yet to see an apprentice of mine wearing those rubber horrors, after we've given them a decent pair of boots.

Wearing them always put me in mind of somebody, who had fallen out with the Mafia and got tossed in the ocean, wearing a pair of concrete boots.

Apparently I've never come across the better varieties, and for sure never tried the felt inner boots, so however much it pains me, I'll have to defer to Justin on this one.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Rubber is waterproof. Leather is water-resistant.

 

[stig]

Not the point.
I'd rather have wet feet than wear a lump of concrete on my feet.
Ever tried those boots, Boss?

 

[squisher]

I never found them exceptionally heavy and yes the decision on the coast was either wear them or have wet feet. Even the half and halfs were not near as water proof as the orange rubbers. It was probably the ones that Stig hates that I recall as the upscale ones. Nokian was the name I think? Better fit and superior support to the cheap ass Vikings. You could wear your $500 leather vibergs and have wet feet and destroy them throughout the winter or you could have dry feet with less support and use some cheap ass rubber boots for the winter and really stretch out the life of your leathers.

Many people chose half and halfs. Leather uppers but with rubber lowers but the one pair I tried(vibergs of course) cut my feet up badly where the leather was stitched to the rubber. No amount of sock/liner juggling solved it for me and I swore them off and gave that one pair away to a co-worker.

 

[SeanKroll]

What stretches out the lifespan of your Only feet? This isn't making a saw last, its PPE. Don't skimp.

I've gotten new orthotics, way better. $450 well spent. Not even a consideration. Doctor visits themselves mostly/ fully paid by insurance.

Take care of your feet (which means taking care of your ankles, knees, hips, spine).

 

[squisher]

Well it's a compromise between wearing lace up leathers which are nicer for support vs having dry feet. Also soaking leather boots right through everyday you'd better have a hell of a drying system to even hope to start the day off with dry boots. And when you start to soak and dry(heat) leather boots everyday day in and out you drastically shorten their lifespan. So to most that is a consideration too.

 

[stig]

For sure.
Mine have only lasted about 10 years with a rebuild tossed in.