Whites/Hawthorne custom boots?

the noobie

the noobie

New member
Been looking at getting a pair of Hawthorne smoke jumpers. I run into issues with finding a boot that gives me enough toe room but will also lace up around my ankles. I jave small ankles and usually boots are too big in that region.

I know you can send your own foot measurements to them. I was just curious if anyone has done this? Does it cost extra?
 
Everything. Mostly work but they would also probably get worn hunting. My old Danners are about dead and I know this year was a chore trying to hunt in them. Hawthorn had a smoke jumper explorer or something like that and it had a bit less agressive of a heel but still a nice design.
 
Have you looked at Lowa, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Meindl, or other high end backpacking and/or mountaineering boots? I live in boots for probably 10 months out of the year between work (wildland firefighter, logging, tree work, farm/ranch work) and hunting and have owned White's, Nick's, Wesco, Lowa, Meindl, Danner (crap), and other custom boots. IMO, White's style boots are good for tree climbing with spurs and logging...that's pretty much it. They are too heavy, not waterproof in any way, shape or form and when they do get wet take forever to dry out, and in many cases are more expensive than the good mountaineering/backpacking boots. If you are going to hunt in your new boots, the smokejumper would be very close to the bottom of my list (I've owned at least 3 pairs of White's smokejumpers).
 
Its hard for me to find many boots to try on. I have quite literally tried on every hunting/hiking/work boot that Cabelas keeps in stock in both Boise, Post Falls, and Billings. Danner Pronghorns fit nicely, just didnt see them holding up. There was also a Cabelas/Meindl boot that fit nicely but it was nearly $500 at the time.

2 weeks ago I was able to run into an REI and try on a few and I still run into the same issues. I generally have to go up half to a full size so that my toes have room but then the boots get sloppy around the ankle.

Danner Quarry I have now I have worn for 4 years and they have been worn almost daily. Work, play, hunting, fishing, walking to class, everywhere. They have done OK but they are a cheap chinese boot. They are about worn out. I would buy another pair but I am not happy with the gortex liner in them and the leather is to thin.

I had a pair of Merrel Moab hikers. Not bad shoes, after 4 or 5 hours they killed my feet. Just not the arch support I wanted, even with insoles.

Tried a pair of Keen hikers. Werent bad just didnt like the low style and couldnt find a mid height that fit well.
 
I have a pair of Whites Smoke jumper I wear for work and I wouldn't wear them hunting. They are great for work but hunting no.
 
Trailhead in Missoula has a good selection of the higher end mountaineering/backpacking boots in stock to try stuff on, or at least they used to, haven't been in there for a while. Another brand to look at is Kenetrek (made in MT), they are available at Scheels or you can go to the factory in Bozeman and I think Sportsman's Warehouse sells them as well. I have had two pairs of the Cabelas Meindl's and have not been dissapointed. I have wide feet so some brands don't fit me, Lowa makes wide width in addition to their regular width. My favorite Lowas are the Baffin Pro (all leather) and the Tibet (same as the Baffin Pro but has Gore Tex).

I had a pair of Danner Pronghorns once, they lasted a few months...
 
Danner pronghorn leather is too soft for serious use, even snags can be worse due to soft leather.
A couple USA made danner mosdels a much better but their GoreTex is known to have a limited life under daily use.
I sure like the Meindles and they are a bit spendy.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3Danner pronghorn leather is too soft for serious use, even snags can be worse due to soft leather.

That's the exact problem with the Danner Quarry as well. Leather is to soft. Wile out cutting firewood I dropped a spare saw chain on the boot and that almost cut through the toe.

Thanks guys. Maybe I will hold off a little longer. I'm back in Idaho but was hoping to pick something up before spring turkey season. I just can't find much that fits around here.

Maybe this is a good excuse to drive home over spring break and hit every place I can find across montana.
 
Originally Posted By: the noobieOriginally Posted By: tripod3Danner pronghorn leather is too soft for serious use, even snags can be worse due to soft leather.

That's the exact problem with the Danner Quarry as well. Leather is to soft. Wile out cutting firewood I dropped a spare saw chain on the boot and that almost cut through the toe.

Thanks guys. Maybe I will hold off a little longer. I'm back in Idaho but was hoping to pick something up before spring turkey season. I just can't find much that fits around here.

Maybe this is a good excuse to drive home over spring break and hit every place I can find across montana.

Sounds like you might be wanting a different boot for hunting than you wear for work? To me they are two separate and entirely different boots.

Look at Sierra Trading, they have hundreds of boots, as soon as you have bought things from them they start offering deep discounts off of already good prices, I have bought $250 hiking boots for as low as $60, and their return policy is hassle free, they even provide the return shipping and UPS picks it up from your house. You will be surprised at some of the high end brands and models they have.
 
I have wore whites cowboy packers for 40 yrs. Best boots for me. The smoke jumper as said would be good for work not hunting if your doing a lot of packing. Check out whites outdoorsman, it may be a little lighter then the other boots they make. Whites boots are not light wt. boots. You have to keep them oiled in the hot months and greased in the cold months. Always keep them clean, wash off mud and cow manure or any other type manure every night.
 
Run away from Whites boots. If you really want the old Whites quality go a few blocks away and buy from Nicks. Nicks are still build to last, Whites are not. I loved my first pair of Whites, great quality there. The last pair I bought cost just as much but they'd cut corners on quality and they boots didnt last much longer than much cheaper boots would have, they rebuilt them and one working day later I was out a pair of boots again. $300 for a rebuild that lasted one day of work. I won't support a company like that. They sold me a pair of Nicks that day.



ETA: Mountaineering boots would be better for hunting than heavy work boots like those made by Whites or Nicks.
 
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About two yrs. ago Whites were bought out and are owned by investors from Japan. They said they would not change the quality or anything that had to do with materials. Maybe they did. They also bought out La Crosse a yr. before Whites.
 
I used to wear Danner Longhorn Ropers & they were the best work boots I could find, semi pointy toe (for climbing fences & rebar) aggressive vibram soles, goretex lining & well built to boot (no pun intended)

Then they quit making them here in the USA & started making them in china & the quality went out the window, then to top it off they quit making them all together.

I've spent the last 6 years trying to find a suitable replacement, nothing has come close, my latest pair of work boots are a pair of USA made Danner Quarries, the stitching has come undone in a few places & the goretex lining has rubbed through where my big toe was rubbing against it. I've taken better care of these boots than any others I've owned, oiling them 1 - 2 times a week, cleaning the mud or concrete off every night, trying to strech the life span out of them, but in less than a year I can see these are not gonna last a few more months til the leather on the the toe splits in the crease from crouching down.

I make my living on my feet, so a GOOD work boot is a must. I guess Im supposed to shell out $250 or more every year, for a new pair....

I did own a pair of whites cowboy packers 20 years ago & they were the heaviest duty boots I've ever worn, the breakin period was painful to say the least, I wore new calluses in places I never thought possible. But in the end the stitching rotted out, had to have them resoled twice & the leather dried & cracked all in a 6 month period.

Lee
 


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