I have a real stupid question

[fatnhappy]

I honest to God don't know. I wear knee high muck boots hunting, but only to a dairy farm that I hunt possibly twice a year. So I don't wear them much nor do I have previous experience with them.

Do muck boots break in like other boots? I put a couple miles on them yesterday. Since they don't flex at the ankles like my well worn bean boots or danners my calves are killing me this morning.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Rubber uppers? Nope ...well, the soles will kind of break in.

[Maineboy]

I live in far northern Maine and wear Muck Arctic Sport boots almost daily from the time the snow flies until it is all melted, basically from November to April. They are great boots but not much fun for walking long distances like when I am hunting. If I carefully tuck my pants in them, they are tolerable, if not, they chafe my shins. I like that are warm and easy to get on and off but they are not made for walking in my opinion.

[Winger Ed.]

I think its a deal where they break you in.

[RU shooter]

This is a timely post was considering getting a pair after Christmas ,I was just talking to a buddy of mine about muck brand boots that I saw him wearing after a day hunting . He claimed he loved them his were the neoprene looking camo upper type not just a tall rubber boot . Maybe there are different types ?

[Rcmaveric]

I have a pair of neoprene Academy brand boots I wear that go up to just under knee high. I love them and find them quite comfortable to trapes around in all day hunting. Keep my feet dry even when submerged in water for hours. They are also thin and light so I have to double up on socks for warmth. Florida can be be 30 degrees in the morning and 80 plus by high noon. I look like Ralphie's little brother going hunting in morning and by noon I am darn near naked.

I find my self quite often in swamps or rain in Florida and I can't stand wet boots. I should probably invest in snake boots enstead but I am mostly only in the woods in winter and don't see many snakes. The price of snakes boots dont motivate me to get a pair. Probably just jinxed my self now. Gators are still active in winter maybe its too cold for the snakes.

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[jeepyj]

Been wearing them for years up here in cold country and my opinion be quite similar to as new till their worn out. Like any footwear they have their purpose but walking all day isn't it.

[RickinTN]

I have Muck Artic boots. I haven't noticed the problem you mention. I did buy some knee high wool socks when I bought the boots and always wear them. My walking has been on the light side the last few years because of peripheral artery disease so I can't tell you I've really given them a good workout.
Good Luck,
Rick

[MUSTANG]

If it is raining, snowing, or muddy around the house - I wear the muck bots. Quick on and off. If I am headed to the rifle range (Not Pistol Range) where I have to walk back and forth between the 100/200/300/400/450 Yard lines; then it's time to put on some good hiking boots (and possibly gators) because they support walking distance better. Same for going to cut firewood, etc..

[remy3424]

Ed, that was funny! And fitting!

[Winger Ed.]

Ed, that was funny! And fitting!

I had to laugh at the OP myself.
It reminded me of a pair of steel toed work boots I had once.
It was like a running gun fight to see which one of us was going to be 'broken in'.

I tried everything to soften up that all too narrow steel cap.

I finally concluded that if I stayed in the fight, I'd end up crippled for life.
So I gave in and threw them out while I still only had a bad limp.

[Gregorious]

I purchased the Columbia River version of the Muck Boot. Neoprene rubber, made in China. Ended up with cellulitis and septic blood poisoning after wearing them. Allergic contact dermatitis due to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para_tertiary_butylphenol_formaldehyde_resin

https://www.skinsafeproducts.com/ingredients/p-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde-resin

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1868718/

Was misdiagnosed by local doctors and hospital, said it was a yeast infection of the skin. Went to the Cleveland Clinic on my own and was properly treated. Almost died.

Something to consider. Never thought it would happen to me.

[RU shooter]

Was that from contact against bare skin or it happen through the socks or what ?

[cwtebay]

It's not the boots, I wear mine when it's -20 or cooler and not walking. Breaking in boots doesn't have anything to do with the manufacturer - it's about the owner realizing that the boots they bought are meant for work, not walking. And full disclosure here - Muck gives me a significant pro deal.
Buy your shoes for the task at hand. Buy shoes for your needs. Hunting twice a season? I work outside in subzero temps for months and months - and hunt in the mountains and high country, hiking 12-15 miles per day ( my time off is incredibly valuable to me, it means time with my family) I am wearing my boots for next season now.

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[Gregorious]

RU shooter,

I was wearing cotton based work socks. Bought the boots to use when using friends pressure washer. Feet were so soaked with perspiration that I had to peel the socks off my feet. Had a rectangular red rash on the top of both my feet, where the tongue of the shoe would be. Went to my doctor for my yearly check up and he said it was a yeast infection of the skin and gave me a prescription for a creme that made it go away.

Several months later it came back. I became ill and had the symptoms of listeria or food poisoning. A friend convinced me to go to the emergency room. While there, they said I didn't have food poisoning but had a massive infection with cellulitis on my left leg. I was admitted immediately and spent 3 days in the hospital. They ultra sounded my legs to make sure I didn't have any blood clots. The doctors wouldn't believe me when I told them i thought the boots had something to do with it. The issue went away at that time and I thought all was well.

2 1/2 months later, I developed an oozing rash on my feet, (dead white blood cell turn tan then leaked out). Went to my doctor and he sent me to a foot doctor. Foot doctor wrapped my feet in zinc oxide bandages and had me stay off work for 4 days. Symptoms went away, but a month later I developed hives over my entire body, especially my head. This abated slightly but for the next 5 months I was getting nowhere with my issue.

In desperation, I drove the hour drive up to Twinsburg, Ohio to the Cleveland Clinic center there. I admitted myself to the emergency room. The doctor checked me out and answered my questions to my satisfaction. He said that we would have my problem taken care of that day. He made an appointment for 1/2 hour later at the dermatology department on the 3rd floor. Within the hour there I was told I was suffering from a massive allergic reaction my body was having to something. The doctor planned a course of treatment which included a patch test to determine what was causing it. The treatment was correct and I was cured. I also found out with 100% certainty what caused my issue, the poisoned chinese boot.

I now use moisture wicking non cotton socks. All my footwear is MADE IN USA. Instead of neoprene rubber boots, I use the LL Bean Bean Boots. I use the rubber galoshes slip over boot if I need more water resistance.

I could have avoided the cellulitis and septic blood poisoning if my issue was correctly diagnosed when it happened.

Sorry for the thread highjack and long post, but if my plight can help out some else from suffering as I did, well, it would be worth it.

Greg

[MUSTANG]

Chinese have been poisoning our pets food, our medicines, and now our feet! Sufficient reason to bring our manufacturing capacity entirely internal to the US.

[koger]

I am on my 2nd pair of muck boots, and going to buy a 3rd shortly, the ankle high. There are several different models, the ttrailblazer is lighter. I find them very comfortable for working around the farm, and deer hunting from stands and blinds, especially in cold weather. I usually wear a pair of wool blend socks in them in fall and winter.

[dverna]

I have a pair but will not hike in them. My buddy uses them for cement work and he says the quality has gone down over the years. He wears them all day.

Nice to have something I slip on and off but not very comfortable IMO.

[megasupermagnum]

No, they do not. I had some that would wear my ankles raw, never broke in. The boots on my waders are too narrow, and hiking too far rubs on my big toe, and it hurts for days. I've now worn the waders out, and the boots never broke in. Best I found were some from Fleet Farm. Cheap too, $25 or so, plain rubber boots, made in the USA though. I can hike for miles in them. They either fit, or they don't. There is no breaking in, only breaking. Mine always get small leaks where the top meets the tread.

[fatnhappy]

RU shooter,

I was wearing cotton based work socks. Bought the boots to use when using friends pressure washer. Feet were so soaked with perspiration that I had to peel the socks off my feet. Had a rectangular red rash on the top of both my feet, where the tongue of the shoe would be. Went to my doctor for my yearly check up and he said it was a yeast infection of the skin and gave me a prescription for a creme that made it go away.

Several months later it came back. I became ill and had the symptoms of listeria or food poisoning. A friend convinced me to go to the emergency room. While there, they said I didn't have food poisoning but had a massive infection with cellulitis on my left leg. I was admitted immediately and spent 3 days in the hospital. They ultra sounded my legs to make sure I didn't have any blood clots. The doctors wouldn't believe me when I told them i thought the boots had something to do with it. The issue went away at that time and I thought all was well.

2 1/2 months later, I developed an oozing rash on my feet, (dead white blood cell turn tan then leaked out). Went to my doctor and he sent me to a foot doctor. Foot doctor wrapped my feet in zinc oxide bandages and had me stay off work for 4 days. Symptoms went away, but a month later I developed hives over my entire body, especially my head. This abated slightly but for the next 5 months I was getting nowhere with my issue.

In desperation, I drove the hour drive up to Twinsburg, Ohio to the Cleveland Clinic center there. I admitted myself to the emergency room. The doctor checked me out and answered my questions to my satisfaction. He said that we would have my problem taken care of that day. He made an appointment for 1/2 hour later at the dermatology department on the 3rd floor. Within the hour there I was told I was suffering from a massive allergic reaction my body was having to something. The doctor planned a course of treatment which included a patch test to determine what was causing it. The treatment was correct and I was cured. I also found out with 100% certainty what caused my issue, the poisoned chinese boot.

I now use moisture wicking non cotton socks. All my footwear is MADE IN USA. Instead of neoprene rubber boots, I use the LL Bean Bean Boots. I use the rubber galoshes slip over boot if I need more water resistance.

I could have avoided the cellulitis and septic blood poisoning if my issue was correctly diagnosed when it happened.

Sorry for the thread highjack and long post, but if my plight can help out some else from suffering as I did, well, it would be worth it.

Greg

wow. just wow.


I think its a deal where they break you in.

yeah, you're probably right.

[fatnhappy]

It's not the boots, I wear mine when it's -20 or cooler and not walking. Breaking in boots doesn't have anything to do with the manufacturer - it's about the owner realizing that the boots they bought are meant for work, not walking. And full disclosure here - Muck gives me a significant pro deal.
Buy your shoes for the task at hand. Buy shoes for your needs. Hunting twice a season? I work outside in subzero temps for months and months - and hunt in the mountains and high country, hiking 12-15 miles per day ( my time off is incredibly valuable to me, it means time with my family) I am wearing my boots for next season now.

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I believe you misunderstand my post. I spent 4 weeks deer hunting this year. I only spend 2 to 3 days a year as a guest in the swamps and creek bottoms of a dairy farm.

[fcvan]

Having read this, it made me question my choice of boots and socks for specific uses. I have a pair of rubber boots I often use for yard work in the Pacific North West. Lots of rain and moisture. Sometimes, duck hunting in swampy conditions.

My feet sweat profusely and anything other than cotton, which was a pain when working in Law Enforcement, resulted in rash and rot. White socks were not allowed, black socks were required but black cotton socks were hard to come by. I took to wearing black nylon socks over white cotton which did 2 things. 1) they complied, 2) they helped during prolonged walking, often 8 - 10 miles per shift, often double shifts. I learned the 2 pair sock thing when in the boy scouts but that was 2 pairs of cotton.

Boots that breathed were preferred due to the high humidity and of course, the profuse sweating of feet. Some years after I became a LEO, lace boots were allowed. For years I wore leather combat boots which breathed enough to deal with my sweaty feet. At times, it would be so rainy that it didn't matter if my feet would sweat. Black shoe polish took care of seams and the leather uppers, a pair of boots lasted about 2 years before replacement. The older pair became training boots with our 'SWAT' team, new boots became 'dress boots.' New boots, back to 2 pairs of socks during break-in. I haven't worn those boots for 3 years.

I know this thread is more about 'field' boots and I had different boots for that. The above mentioned rubber boots worked in some cases, always with 2 pair of cotton socks. That helped the firm fit of normally sloppy fitting gear. It also helped with the sweat that had nowhere to go.

In really wet weather, I wore cotton under neoprene socks (think surfing booties) which helped with warmth and fit. One day at work, I spent the entire day as a safety officer in what turned out to be 8" in 14 hours. At the end of the 14 hour day, I was the only with dry feet as I wore the above mentioned rubber boots and good rain gear. On the next rainy range day everyone else wore rubber boots.

Duck hunting required waders as the lake had very wildly fluctuating water levels. One week, I was in mid shin level water, the next week I was chest-deep at the same location. I didn't have waders but was loaned a pair that had rubber boots and neoprene from the shin up. The guy that loaned them to me was a big man. I had to wear sneakers inside his wader boots but I had a comfortable fit. The length of the waders put the top right under my arm pits, cinching the straps was humorous. The extra length proved helpful when I took a step and almost filled the waders with water. Ammo belt was around my neck to keep the shells dry. It might have looked silly but I did not care. A buddy next to me wore his ammo/game vest and let his shells get wet. I advised him to get his shells out of the water and he replied 'these are water proof shells. Of course, he had a 'poof,' with steel shot rolling rolling barely out of the muzzle. The wad stuck in the barrel and I told him to knock it out with a cat-tail. Barrel cleared, he then asked for some dry shells.

The Pacific North West is really the 'North Wet.' Colorado's Front Range is far different than California. Sure, I did some hiking/camping/hunting in the snow covered CA Sierra Range, but it wasn't the same sort of snow or deep cold. I have seen a lot of folks wearing L.L. Bean style boots, and they swear by them.

For the most part, my old lace boots have been good for either CA or CO snow, but cold feet are cold feet, more so in CO. I am sure if I bought lace up style boots, large enough for neoprene surf style booties over socks, I would do fine. Still, boots with the features already built in would likely be a better choice. Looks like I need to buy a new pair of boots.