October 25, 2024
By Adam Heggenstaller
Boots for whitetail hunting must do three things: keep our feet warm and dry while we sit for hours on stand, control scent if not eliminate it, and be comfortable enough for several miles of hiking. I’ve found that rubber boots often check the first and second boxes, but rarely do they excel when trekking any sort of distance, especially if the hike involves steep or rocky terrain. For whitetail hunters who only have to venture a few hundred yards from their vehicle to reach their stand or blind, this may not be much of a concern. Those of us who hunt farther from the parking area—the mantra of the dedicated public-land hunter—need a boot that will let us put on some miles without trashing our feet.
Dryshod builds boots for comfort in all conditions—including when hiking in those conditions. The Evalusion Hunt boot I’ve been wearing for the past few months fits into the rubber-boot category—it’s made with natural, hand-laid rubber and Densoprene, a very dense neoprene material—but it handles long walks through the woods much better than I’ve come to expect from this type of boot.
The Dryshod Dureva outsole helps the Evalusion Hunt weigh up to 12 percent less than Dryshod’s other boots. (Photo courtesy of Dryshod) The Evalusion Hunt has a reinforced tuck board sub-sole—think of it as a full-length foot foundation—with a steel shank for stability, which helps when going up, down or across steep terrain. Just as important, the rubber and Densoprene snuggly surround the ankle and the heel, so the foot doesn’t slop around inside the boot. The four-way-stretch, breathable airmesh lining permits air to move inside the boot, keeping the foot dry and helping a moisture-wicking sock do its job.
Another big feature that contributes to comfort in the Evalusion Hunt is the lightweight Dureva outsole. Dryshod says it reduces weight by up to 12 percent compared to the company’s other boots. Dureva is an exclusive Dryshod compound that is durable enough to serve as the outsole without secondary reinforcement. Less material equals lighter weight. While the Dureva outsole provides stability, the multi-lug tread flexes over the ground, helping keep footsteps quiet.
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There are a few other things I like about the Evalusion Hunt. The boot is not only waterproof, but the Densoprene upper is also treated with Hydokote water repellent, so moisture rolls off instead of soaking into the material. The uppers roll down to make tucking pant legs into the boot easier. It’s also a quick way to vent heat in warmer temperatures. A big tab on the heel helps with taking the boots off, too.
Dryshod-Evalusion-Hunt-heel: A large tab on the heel of the Evalusion Hunt makes removing the boots stuggle-free. (Photo courtesy of Dryshod) Dryshod gives the Evalusion Hunt a comfort rating of 20 degrees to 75 degrees. Most of my time in the boot has been spent in temps of 35 degrees to 65 degrees. My feet weren’t hot, even after a 1 1/4-mile hike to my stand location, nor were they cold. I’ve crossed a few small creeks in the Evalusion Hunt, and my feet remained dry. DryShod also offers the Evalusion Hunt Max Gusset, with a comfort rating of -50 degrees to 65 degrees, for colder hunts.
To hunt a stand, first you have to reach it. The Dryshod Evalusion Hunt will get you there comfortably—and keep you that way for as long as you want to stay.
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