I tried out these Woody Bayou boots, from the Muck Boot Company, on a recent waterfowl hunt in Manitoba, and these are clearly some of the best waterproof boots out there. I already own a pair of Woody Max boots, but these convertibles are amazing. Yes, they’re warm, as are my other Muck boots. But, what’s especially cool is that the Muck boot designers have added an 8-inch skirt on the top of the boot. Wear it rolled down and snapped close for most use; but then, if you have to wade in deeper water, or if you need to kneel down in mud or on wet ground, simply unfurl the skirt, cinch it tight above your knees with the elastic closure, and you’re ready to hunt.

In Manitoba, this feature came in handy for me when I was kneeling behind some rolled hay as flocks of Canada geese were coming into our decoys; and then, later, when I had to kneel down in a wet duck boot while decoying in some redhead ducks.

The Woody Bayou Convertibles have a rolled-down height of 17 inches, and stretch up to 25 inches with the skirt extended (see photo). The price of $199.95 may be a bit high, but you’re getting a lot of boot for your money, and Muck Boots are famous for lasting a long time. Check them out on muckboots.com – Jay Cassell