First Look at the New Sitka VentLite GTX Boots, an all GORE-TEX Knee-High 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On the time, I didn’t notice that these outdated knee-high rubber boots supplied little to no breathability, inflicting my ft to sweat on even brief walks to the stand.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 types and discovering out that my ft didn’t must be chilly each time I went searching, I struggled to benefit from the time I spent afield.

When you’ve endured your personal battle with rubber boots, the brand new Sitka Ventile boots are the answer to your breathability points. I’ve been testing them whereas searching deer and sheds in below-freezing temps, and I’ve had no points with sweaty, chilly ft.

See It

• 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
• Peak: 18.5 inches
• Value: $399.00
• Coloration 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 supply Primaloft Gold insulation, which provides 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. Not like Primaloft Gold, Thinsulate tends to get matted down over time, lowering your insulation worth over the boot’s life. With insulation that received’t get matted down and reduce its worth, these boots will preserve your ft heat in nearly 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, they usually weighed a mixed complete of 4.2 kilos. At 2.1 kilos per boot, the VentLite GTX is likely 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 provides traction that I had by no means skilled with my outdated rubber boots. Searching within the northeast usually means trudging by way of snow, ice, or slush on the way in which to my late-season haunts. With my outdated rubber boots, that meant mentally making ready to slide and slide my strategy to and from the stand, with a number of falls thrown in for good measure. However as I spent the late season attempting to fill my remaining tags carrying the VentLite GTXs, I’m pleased 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. In addition they supply extra options like a polyurethane exoskeleton for enhanced sturdiness and puncture safety alongside a TPU heel kick pad for straightforward removing. In addition they have a proprietary PU insole for a cushty really feel as you placed on the miles. A remaining characteristic that meant lots to me was the design of the highest collar of the boot. The collar on the VentLite GTX supplies a cosy however comfy match to my calf as a substitute 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 Subject 

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 on the lookout for early dropped sheds thus far.

Past a shadow of a doubt, I can say that these are the most effective knee-high searching boots I’ve ever worn. Whereas strolling, the breathability of the GORE-TEX paired with some Merino wool socks stored my ft 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 ft by no means bought chilly whereas logging some lengthy, chilly hours in a tree after a mile or so hike again in.

After confirming that these boots would preserve me heat with out making my ft sweat, my remaining check was to see simply how waterproof they have been from the surface. I do most of my shed searching in a lowland marshy space, and relying on the 12 months, it may be brutally moist with the unsuitable footwear. However as I trudged and sludgged by way of the muck whereas on the lookout 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 cherished about these boots was that there wasn’t a break-in interval for consolation. Proper out of the field, they match my ft, let me stroll a number of miles round some public land, and by no means brought on blistering or any ache in anyway.

They delivered the whole lot they promised to do; they have been light-weight, comfy, breathable, and heat. For somebody with a tough previous with knee-high rubber searching 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 is able to most likely appease the wide-foot crowd, however for me, there was nearly an excessive amount of play at occasions. It wasn’t sufficient to trigger blisters for me, however maybe with cotton socks, that would find yourself being a problem. To resolve this, I feel providing a wide-foot and a regular-foot model of this boot could possibly be a possible answer.

Remaining 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 bought 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 disillusioned with a pair of Sitka’s new VentLite GTX boots.