After 4 seasons, and countless miles, I think I can finally give an honest opinion on Lacrosse Alpha Burly boots. I’ve tried nearly every rubber/coated neoprene boot out there, and I think these rank among the highest and are possibly the “perfect” bowhunting boot for about 90% of the conditions the average bowhunter will encounter.
Lacrosse pioneered the idea of using neoprene covered in a thin layer of rubber to create a durable, lightweight boot that is scent free and waterproof. They use a 3.5mm neoprene that will slightly flex to provide a personalized fit, and the neoprene itself will insulate as well. Lacrosse also built into these boots a back gusset type of design along with a cam-loc buckle to allow you to make these fit no matter if you wear your pants legs on the inside of the boot or the outside.
Despite what is most likely hundreds of miles covered in these boots over the last 4 years, they still feel like slippers on the inside, yet provide me with the support my feet need to cover rough terrain. They are very light, and are still just as waterproof as the day I bought them. I have worn these through briars and thick brush, covering extreme elevation changes in the Adirondack Mountains and through days of early season turkey hunting where I can cover several miles in a single morning. I’ve never had another pair of boots that took the kind of abuse these have and are still around for more.
My current Alphaburlys are the 800 gram Thinsulate model. They are perfect for about 80% of the temps I encounter while whitetail hunting. I’ve also worn them in the early part of spring turkey season. They do tend to be too warm for temps above about 60 degrees. With a good quality pair of wool socks, they will keep my toes warm on stand down to about 20 degrees or so. Anything below 20 degrees, you would want either a pair of ThermalFeet Warmers (also available on www.bowhunting.com), or instead a pair of the 1500 gram Alphaburly’s.
If I could do it again, I would have bought two pairs of these boots. The areas I hunt I see extreme temperatures, and I would have bought a pair that was uninsulated, and another pair with the 1000 gram Thinsulate option. This way I’d be covered for both early season whitetails, spring turkey season, and late season whitetails when the temps are sometimes below 0. For most of the hunters in areas that won’t typically see temps below 20 degrees, I think the 800 gram would be the perfect all around whitetail hunting boot.
Also, I normally wear a size 11-11.5 sneaker. I bought my Alphaburly’s in a size 12 after trying them on at a store. If you want to layer good cold weather socks under them, make sure to order at least a half size bigger than you normally wear, and if in doubt, order a full size bigger.
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