Model: Brown, 8”, Non-Insulated, Waterproof
When I started planning for my elk hunt in Colorado, I knew I wanted a lightweight, waterproof, athletic-style boot. I needed a boot that could keep my soles from bruising on rocky terrain, had an aggressive outsole for acquiring a stable grip on high-altitude scree fields, and had a tall upper so I could forget about wearing gaiters.
Enter the LaCrosse Windrose. The boot checked all the boxes. LaCrosse offers three models that vary mainly in color versus camo and levels of insulation, ranging from non-insulated up to one-thousand grams of Thinsulate Ultra. I didn’t need the insulation or the extra weight that came with it, so I opted for the base model in brown.
A summer of quarantine offered a level of test mode I’ve never experienced before. I abused the boots every chance I got. I hiked hills with a weighted pack, walked the dogs every day, push-mowed the yard, and stepped in every puddle of standing water I came across. They performed well across the board. (A quick note about sizing: order true to size. My wide, flat feet have put me into a half-size larger boot in the past. The Windrose fits like a sneaker. I had to exchange mine for a smaller size because the DuraFit heel cup wasn’t holding my heel in place.)
In the end, my elk hunt didn’t produce a chance to test the boots under a heavy pack filled with elk quarters, but I was able to hike and hunt comfortably all week — $140.
