Treadfast GORE-TEX Hunting Boots Review

Cabela’s Treadfast GORE-TEX Hunting Boots for Men

BFGoodrich Tires has partnered with Cabela’s on a performance hunting boot that delivers an edge for outdoorsmen. The Cabela’s Treadfast Zoned Insulation Boot allows avid hunters to focus on their target by providing breathability from the inside and grip on any terrain they encounter.

The short of it …

• Waterproof hunting boots that deliver a hunting edge
• Tough, yet lightweight, 600-denier textile uppers
• Direct-molded thermo-plastic support cage for maximum abrasion protection
• Moisture-wicking linings
• GORE-TEX waterproof/breathable membranes
• Breathable open cell foam padding
• Ultralight TC3 OrthoLite memory-foam insoles
• All terrain outsoles – inspired by BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire tread
• $159.99, www.basspro.com/shop/en/cabelas-treadfast-hunting-boots

The full story …

The tough, yet lightweight, 600-denier textile uppers feature a direct-molded thermo-plastic support cage for maximum abrasion protection. Moisture-wicking linings, GORE-TEX waterproof/breathable membranes, and open cell foam provide superior waterproof protection and excellent breathability. Ultralight TC3 OrthoLite® cushioned, memory-foam insoles offer 3 levels of superior cushioning.

Inspired by BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire tread, the Treadfast’s outsoles sport a proprietary tread design to provide all-weather and all-terrain footing. Featuring self-cleaning abilities with large voids and lower “stone-ejector-studs” between traction sculptures, the hunting boot prevents pebbles and gravel from sticking in the sole. This feature mirrors a technology that is used by BFGoodrich to improve tire performance in off-road situations.

During testing, deep in the heart of the Hook & Barrel Proving Grounds, a remote mix of rugged mountain terrain and bottomlands, the boot outperformed our expectations.

Wear in the Field

At first, they are extremely stiff (think like ice skates), but give them a solid half-day break-in period and they become trail grappling slippers. The weekend began with hours of scouting which included steep assents and descents coupled with miles of hiking. The 8-inch uppers provided more than enough support ensuring safety from rolled ankles as well as increased leverage for lunges uphill. One thing to note though, while this boot is great as an all-around hunting platform, they would not be our first choice for long, mountainous, spot-and-stalk applications. We prefer a more athletic boot for these sorts of hunts. That being said, unless you are part of the small fraction of hunters that chase sheep in the backcountry, you are good to go and then some!

Once the boot proved its wearability and durability, we decided to put it to the ultimate test – traversing creek beds. Most boots deliver on traction, but few are truly waterproof in our experience. Stepping into the frigid creek, we spent the next hour slushing through rapids, muddy creekbanks, and plunging (of course not over the top of the boot) the boots into deeper water. Not a leak.

To our excitement, the BFGoodrich KO2 tread soles performed like an all-terrain tire would. Easily gripping slippery rocks, shedding pebbles and sand forced into the lugs of the sole, while also molding around obstacles.

“As a brand, BFGoodrich offers outdoorsmen the opportunity to embrace activities that feed their spirit of adventure,” said Tom Jupena, director of brand licensing for BFGoodrichTires. “Whether it’s all-terrain tires that help hunters reach their favorite camp, tires that bring reliability on everyday driving, or boots that bring confidence in any weather, BFGoodrich equips enthusiasts.”  

Finally, we took notice of the warmth factor. While not used in snowy conditions during testing, it was mid-January and the outside temperatures were in the low to mid 20’s. Couple that with muddy and wet conditions, we feel that we gave them a fair evaluation in terms of insulation.  Cracking through thin layers of ice on puddles and traversing the mountainside for most of the day, we never once noticed even a twinge of cold – which was much appreciated as we scouted.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, the Treadfast GORE-TEX Hunting Boots get two thumbs up. High on durability, support, and comfort, these boots handled the toughest terrains while overdelivering on waterproofing and insolation.

$159.99, www.basspro.com/shop/en/cabelas-treadfast-hunting-boots

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