Best Boot: Cabela’s Silent Stalk Sneakers

It’s a strange trend, but in recent years it seems like more and more outdoor companies—including those that don’t make footwear—are peddling a new lightweight hunting boot. And they are eager to get them onto the feet of outdoor writers and editors. Boots just show up on my doorstep. Standing in my foyer, I couldn’t peel an orange without dropping rinds onto four or five pair.

It’s a real hardship.

Anyway, the point is that I’ve tried lots and lots of these boots and the best among them is a sneaker—Cabela’s Silent Stalk Sneakers. This is not a new model. (I’m not wild about reviewing boots until I’ve worn them for at least a season, and quite a bit longer if I plan to say anything about their durability.) I’ve been wearing a couple of pair of Silent Stalks for at least five seasons, which has led me to the same conclusion hunting editor Will Brantley made when I visited him earlier this year. We were headed out to go bowfishing, and he grabbed his Silent Stalks and waved them at me: “Best lightweight hunting boots you can buy right here.”

Yup.

Specs
8 inches high
2.5 pounds
Rubber outsole
Microtex and leather upper
Gore-Tex membrane
$110-$140; cabelas.com

Hits

As the name implies, they wear just like sneakers. They’re light, and the snug fit makes them feel even lighter. More important, they make you feel lighter on your feet, more athletic. The soft-rubber outsole lets you feel the ground beneath you—perfect for stalking and still-hunting.

Misses

Like a pair of sneakers, they’re not made to last forever. That thin rubber sole is going to wear down eventually. But even my five-year-old pair isn’t completely shot. Like most “waterproof” boots of the type, they can handle some rain and moisture, but in truly drenched conditions, your foot is going to get wet.

The Bottom Line

I have my pick of lightweight boots, and like Brantley, these are the ones I grab. They’re simply more comfortable and athletic than the rest, and they’re pretty reasonably priced, too.