Written By: Zach Miller
"When it comes to footwear in the field it is almost a bit superstitious for gundog trainers. With a multitude of selections available were going to dive into which ones the pros love and which will serve you in every environment."
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| Photo Taken By: Cole Anstadt |
Why does it matter what shoe you wear as a gundog trainer, quite frankly it doesn’t, brand, size etc. it does not matter. When writing this article, I do so to bring you into what many handlers joke about amongst themselves; however, some of these shoes will say a lot about you.
Crocs 4x4
Crocs are the G.O.A.T. of dog training shoes, they must come in camo or a variation of it as others will simply not do. There has always been a phrase I was told that says, “Never trust a handler if they don’t wear crocs” and as long as I have been training, this phrase has held up. If we want to dive a bit deeper here, it is a judge of character in the slightest form. This person is laid back, they probably sweat a lot and don’t have time to tie up their laces. There's a good chance this person wears these to tests and trials and a few hunts, good thing they have good drainage as well! You will constantly hear folks say that they are unprofessional, but the average croc wearer does not care. Extra points if the wearer has the “Croc tan lines”!
XtraTuf Mid Tops 6” Boot
The Xtratuf Mid Top shoes are awesome for the fact that they are waterproof and are slip ons. These boots were originally intended for boating shoes and deckhands to help them better grip the ground. These shoes started making their way into the gundog world as of recent years and they are some comfy shoes. They have a pretty steep price point sitting north of $100 but they have earned their place on this list. I will say, these boots tend to break at the bending points after some really rough wear so be prepared to work with customer service for that warranty.
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| Photo Courtesy Of: XtraTuf Footwear |
Lacrosse AlphaTerra 6” Boot
Lacrosse holds a special place in my heart as they make fantastic boots for all purposes. These mid top boots are fairly new to hit the market and I have seen a few trainers rocking these at tests and on a few hunts/scouting trips. You can't go wrong with the laceless design and a zipper enclosure on the sides. Naturally these boots come in Mossy Oak Bottomland pattern and have the best sole out of this list by far. If you are looking for a once and done type boot, look no further!
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| Photo Courtesy Of: Lacrosse Footwear |
Grundens Deviation 6” Ankle Boot
This is a sleeper pick right here, while the brand has been around since the early 1900’s they have been able to keep up with the competition in terms of providing a well crafted deck boot. I have seen these in more tests/trials near the east coast and the folks I ask about them absolutely love them. As this is no surprise, these boots perform the best in wet conditions for not losing their grip even on grass. I had a pair of these boots for many years until I sat a little too close to the fire pit one evening and well, you can fill in the rest…
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| Photo Courtesy Of: Grundens.com |
Chene Scout Boots
Chene is the new kid on the block in terms of waterfowl gear, they most recently released their Scout Boots and I have heard nothing but great things. The price point for this is barely north of $100 and it sounds like they are worth every penny. Being the only boot on this list I have not tested, I am going off of straight reviews and word of mouth. Chene has established itself as a top contender brand since hitting the market and I think we will continue to see a lot more of these boots within the community in the future.
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| Photo Courtesy Of: Chene Gear |
In conclusion, the boots we wear does not define the handler or the wearer. Brand names are great to select based on reputation and dependability; however, if you show up in the classic New Balance “Dad Shoe” and run the other dogs under the table… more power to you in those grass stained beauties. To close this article out, get what fits, get what lasts and get what makes the most sense for your specific application. At the end of the day remember, if you take care of your feet, they will take care of you.
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