First Take a look at the New Sitka VentLite GTX Boots, an all GORE-TEX Knee-Excessive Boot

Admittedly, I’ve by no means been one for knee-high rubber boots. Throughout my youth, like many whitetail hunters, I reluctantly wore them to the treestand as a result of it was the factor to do. If I used to be fortunate, I’d make it an hour or two earlier than the chilly set in and my toes went numb.

On the time, I didn’t understand that these previous knee-high rubber boots provided little to no breathability, inflicting my toes to sweat on even quick walks to the stand. As soon as that moisture was launched, the chilly was by no means far behind. Earlier than I started carrying completely different boot kinds and discovering out that my toes didn’t must be chilly each time I went looking, I struggled to benefit from the time I spent afield.

In case you’ve endured your individual battle with rubber boots, the brand new Sitka VentLite boots are the answer to your breathability points. I’ve been testing them whereas looking deer and sheds in below-freezing temps, and I’ve had no points with sweaty, chilly toes.

• Full-coverage PSC GORE-TEX development
• Primaloft Gold insulation
• Vibram Litebase Megagrip outsole with proprietary tread design
• Heel kick pad for straightforward exit
• Proprietary plush PU insoles
• Weight: 2.1 kilos per boot
• Top: 18.5 inches
• Value: $399.00
• Colour Choices: Olive Inexperienced, Earth, Optifade Cowl

PSC GORE-TEX Building

The brand new VentLite GTX boots are the primary knee-highs to ever be constructed with full-coverage PSC GORE-TEX. With that, you get the entire waterproof, breathable, light-weight, and sturdy advantages of GORE-TEX with out sacrificing any options you like along with your present rubber boots — like insulation. 

Insulation 

The VentLite GTX boots additionally provide Primaloft Gold insulation, which affords the next worth of insulation than Thinsulate. They’re additionally the primary boot to make use of Primaloft Gold insulation in a full GORE-TEX development. In contrast to Primaloft Gold, Thinsulate tends to get matted down over time, reducing your insulation worth over the boot’s life. With insulation that received’t get matted down and reduce its worth, these boots will hold your toes heat in virtually any climate from early season to late, however because of the breathability of the GORE-TEX, it isn’t too heat the place you’ll start to sweat.

Weight

I weighed my measurement 10 pair on my Garmin Index S2 scale, and so they weighed a mixed whole of 4.2 kilos. At 2.1 kilos per boot, the VentLite GTX is without doubt one of the lightest knee-high choices obtainable. For comparability, my pair of LaCross Alpha Evolutions in measurement 9 weighed 5.2 kilos. Whereas a half-pound on every foot might sound trivial at first look, over the course of mountain climbing miles within the snow, I seen the distinction.

Vibram Litebase MEGAGRIP Outsole 

The Vibram Litebase MEGAGRIP outsole with Sitka’s proprietary tread design affords traction that I had by no means skilled with my previous rubber boots. Searching within the northeast usually means trudging by way of snow, ice, or slush on the best way to my late-season haunts. With my previous rubber boots, that meant mentally making ready to slide and slide my solution to and from the stand, with a number of falls thrown in for good measure. However as I spent the late season making an attempt to fill my remaining tags carrying the VentLite GTXs, I’m completely happy to report that I didn’t fall as soon as. Heck, I barely even slid or misplaced traction momentarily, which is saying one thing given the facet hilling that occurred within the central Pennsylvania mountain laurel.

Extra Options 

The VentLite GTX’s don’t cease there. Additionally they provide further options like a polyurethane exoskeleton for enhanced sturdiness and puncture safety alongside a TPU heel kick pad for straightforward removing. Additionally they have a proprietary PU insole for a cushty really feel as you placed on the miles. A last function that meant loads to me was the design of the highest collar of the boot. The collar on the VentLite GTX offers a comfortable however snug match to my calf as an alternative of a sloppy match that promotes rubbing, which is one thing I’ve had points with when carrying knee-high boots. 

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Testing the VentLite GTX Boots within the Discipline 

Whereas the entire options and specs would possibly sound nice, there could be a stark distinction between assumed and precise efficiency. As I discussed earlier, I’ve nonetheless hunted throughout Pennsylvania’s late season in these boots, however I’ve additionally spent over 30 hours in a treestand and logged one other 25 miles searching for early dropped sheds thus far.

Past a shadow of a doubt, I can say that these are the very best knee-high looking boots I’ve ever worn. Whereas strolling, the breathability of the GORE-TEX paired with some Merino wool socks stored my toes from sweating, which has at all times been a downfall of different knee-high boots I’ve worn. However what I used to be most involved about was the time spent strolling to a tree stand after which logging a four-hour morning sit in sub-freezing temperatures. My toes by no means received chilly whereas logging some lengthy, chilly hours in a tree after a mile or so hike again in.

After confirming that these boots would hold me heat with out making my toes sweat, my last take a look at was to see simply how waterproof they had been from the skin. I do most of my shed looking in a lowland marshy space, and relying on the 12 months, it may be brutally moist with the incorrect footwear. However as I trudged and sludgged by way of the muck whereas searching for some tines, the VentLite GTX boots by no means let a drop of water in.

What the VentLite Do Finest 

I used to be totally impressed with the VentLite GTX’s efficiency within the discipline. One other factor I liked about these boots was that there wasn’t a break-in interval for consolation. Proper out of the field, they match my toes, let me stroll a number of miles round some public land, and by no means triggered blistering or any ache by any means.

They delivered every part they promised to do; they had been light-weight, snug, breathable, and heat. For somebody with a tough previous with knee-high rubber looking boots, they re-opened my eyes to the advantages of carrying them.

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The place the VentLite Can Enhance

As with something, I feel there can at all times be room for enchancment. The most important factor I seen with these boots was the toe field. It’s very huge, which can in all probability appease the wide-foot crowd, however for me, there was virtually an excessive amount of play at occasions. It wasn’t sufficient to trigger blisters for me, however maybe with cotton socks, that might find yourself being a difficulty. To unravel this, I feel providing a wide-foot and a regular-foot model of this boot might be a possible resolution.

Last Ideas

I actually can’t stress sufficient how impressed I’m by these boots. For years now, I’ve sworn off knee-high rubber boots, and I used to be a real skeptic after I received my arms on the VentLite GTX’s. However after a number of months of testing and a few eye opening observations, I’m formally a knee-high boot converter, so long as it’s a pair of those. Whether or not you like or hate knee-high rubber boots, you received’t be disenchanted with a pair of Sitka’s new VentLite GTX boots.