Kenetreks or Mendils?

J

jeff28

Guest
I need help chooseing between the Kenetrek Mt Extreme 400 or the Cabelas perfkt Mendil boots. My feet hurt this year hunting so bad that my danners have seen there last trip. My dad has the Mendils and said there the best boots he's ever had. The Kenetreks are more money but are they worth it? I'll be useing them to hunt deer and elk in idaho, anyone who has them or who's used them your opinion would be great.Thanks.
 
I bought a pair of Hardscrabble hikers before my Colorado hunt last year and loved them. I mainly got those because I got a good deal on them and I wanted some hiking boots for summer. I liked them so well I've bought two pairs of Mt Extreme since then, one 400 grams and one uninsulated. I tried Lowa SheepHunters before getting the Mt Extreme and decided to send them back. They hurt my feet as bad as the Danners I had.
 
Used the Kenetreks on a 10 day dall sheep hunt this year and I was the only one out of four people without sore and blistered feet. 2 had Meindls and the other had the Trapper top GTX. I HIGHLY recommend them.
 
I picked up a pair of Kenetrek 400s this fall. I have worn them from the nasty lava chukar and elk hunting to the sand on the Pauns. I have been wearing them chasing pheasants that past week. They have been GREAT. I was a little concerned when I first started breaking them in that they might be a little stiff. However once broke in they have been awesome in all the terrain.
 
A couple years ago, I went to Cabela's set on buying Kenetreks and retiring my Danners. After trying them on, I found they didn't fit to good. I ended up with the Meindels as they fit better. I have large 13-14, wide, feet and they are flat as boards so fitting shoes/boots have always been difficult. The Meindels were comfortable out of the box. They have worn well and look to have many years left. My suggestion is to try them on and then decide. I think both are quality boots.

Ed
www.huntpacks.com
 
Go with the Kennetreks. I bought a set this fall, used them for deer and elk season. Stiff at first, but after wearing(breaking them in) for a week at work they were very comfortable. Never a blister, good all around support. I hunt some areas that are extremely rocky and steep. Liked the overall support they gave my foot. I 'll never wear Danner's again in the rough stuff. Wish i had put the money out years ago. Have a friend who is concrete construction, he wears them every day at work and while hunting and said he gets up to three years out of them. cannot ask any more than that out of a set of boots.
 
First off, it is spelled Meindl. Do not get either one from advice over the net. They are both GREAT boots but one of them may not fit your foot. Go to a store and try them both on. Take the socks you will be wearing with you as well as a good aftermarket insole, unless you are looking into only the Perfekt, as they have an awesome insole. Wear them around in the store for a while, like 1/2 hour. Put your street shoes back on and shop for a little bit. Once your feet have relaxed, go try on the other manufacturer. Rinse and repeat until you find the ONE that fits YOUR foot.

I tried on some of the Kenetreks but they were sloppy in the heel. I ended up with the Meindl Alaskan Hunter, it fit MY foot the best.
 
Awesome advice Abomb, but where do you go to trial fit Kenetreks? I love my Kenetreks, and I'll never buy Danner again, but I wish I had worn them first to get the best pair for my feet.
 
I agree with Abomb. Your decision should be based on intended use and fit. Order both and wear them around the house so you don't ruin their ability to be resold and return the ones you like the least.

The Kenetreks are a stouter boot than the Cabelas model. Make sure you really need that much boot.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
I have owned both, the Mendels is a good boot but I like and think the Kennetrek is a great boot. I can't say anything bad about the Mendel I owned, but I think the Kennetrek is warmer and just a better built boot. That is my opinion and experience.


Slide
 
Kenetreks all the way any day of the week!!! The extra money is worth it. I bought the uninsulated version this year to use on my brother-in-laws mtn. goat hunt, and they made the hunt for me. I never felt unstable in those boots coming off the south side of Mt. Massive with the goat in my pack. I will never buy another pair of meindl's for serious hunting. I have had two pairs, but last year I broke 3" out of my fibula in the top the Denali boot and severely dislocated my ankle. I now have a 6" plate and 11 screws in my leg to thank these boots. The Kenetreks are much more stable, and the K-talon outsole has performed great.
 
Wade,
I was walking down a pretty steep slope (not too extreme or out of the ordinary) and slipped on some pebbles on a small sandstone shelf. My right ankle rolled in, and foot went out sideways to damn near a 45' angle. Not the greatest thing to look down and see. When I got the the ER 2 hours later they x-rayed my ankle and lower leg. The fibula was broken in two places 3" apart with another small piece of bone broke off. The inside of my ankle was dislocated enough to have a little over a 1/2" gap between the bones in the joint.

The break was below the top of my boot. As far as the boots being faulty, I would have hoped that my leg being laced tight in the top of the boot would have had enough support to not fracture bones that badly. Maybe it was just a fluke deal with the bones breaking in the boot, but none-the-less it wasn't a real confidence booster for meindl's. I was 28 at the time and the Doc said my bones were tough as they come, and that wasn't an issue, just gravity.

I think the Kenetreks would have had enough support to prevent such a severe break, but who knows. I damn sure ain't trying it a second time to find out.

sagefrog
 
You can't blame that injury on that boot. If you had been wearing a lighter weight hiker or low top trail runner you might be able to make an argument that more support could have helped but not the Meindl Denali. The Denali is not one of my favorites but it is a sturdy, supportive 9 inch boot made by a reputable manufacturer with a long history of mountaineering experience. It is similar to the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400.

The Meindl Denali is actually a little stiffer than the Meindl Perfekt (I assume it is the 10 inch Hunter version) model the OP asks about.

I would call an injury that serious while wearing a heavy duty boot like that a fluke. Blaming the boot is not fair.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
Fair or not, fluke or not, I will not buy another pair of Meindls again. Also, with the two boot in front of me, the Meindl Denali is not anywhere close to the same class of boot as the Kenetrek. If you say the Perfekt is less stiff, it is well below the Kenetrek.

The OP hunts in Idaho. Lots of steep and deep terrain. Is $100 on boots better than a trip to the ER and a several thousand dollar bill? It all depends on where you are hunting and how you will use the boot.

Good luck on the Ankles,
Sagefrog
 
I have tested both boots. Both will do the job in the Northern Idaho country I frequent. The boots were no more to blame for your injury than the socks you were wearing.

My standard advice still makes sense. Match a group of well made, high quality boots from reputable makers to the intended use and find the pair that fits your unique feet the best or find a master boot fitter to help you. Don't get hung up on the name or what somebody else uses. Money should be the last consideration, if at all, in the decision making process.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
if you need a stiffer boot, one that is like wearing a cast, and can almost 100% eleminat any of those accident happening, i'd recomend the MEINDL ALASKA HUNTERS. if you break your leg in it, you'd break your leg in a cast:)


my new issue? my DENALI's have FINALLY became very comfortable, i have never complained about MEINDL's quality, top notch. i was starting to really join the MEINDLE family! problem? now the dang sole is coming off the bottom, THE RUBBER ON THE TOP OF THE TOE IS COMING OFF, which i have said time and time again- i always were that part off first, and were the rubber side seam together is seperating.



i WILL send them back to cabelas, i might try the perfects to see if they are more comfortable, less break in time. but after 6-8 month of just short of every day use, the denalies were very comfortable.

if cabelas carried the KENETREK, i'd try it.

still on a mission to find a good boot.........
 
We have covered this subject before. I keep telling you that you are supposed to ride in the truck not drag behind it!

Did you ever try my Shoe Goo suggestion?

Sucks that you have to give them up now that they are broken in.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-09 AT 10:03PM (MST)[p]yes on the shoe goo, problem is plain ol' silicone calking is basically the same thing. i used that stuff on my waders this yr to, and they leaked again. 2 weeks later. a quik fix, but nothing long term.

i have some new test in mind if you really want to start testing the quality of boots.

1. roof a house in them.
2. lay a big tile floor in them.
3. duck hunt a full season, in an area that gets extreme temp{ today are high temp was 14 degrees}

why n the heck does any one use a "glue on " sole??

1 month ago i almost made a post about how i finally liked my MEINDL boot, now i can put my finger between the boot and the sole.

i might be a tuff customer, i dont know. but still to this day, the best pair of boots i own are a pair of 100.00 lacrosse boots, and they leak. the DENALIES took over, but 6-8 months is not exeptable for me. i dont know about anyone else, but if that's all i'm getting, i'm not spending 300.00
 
killerbee,
i had the same thing happen to some Alaska Hunters I had.
Polyurethane caulking will re-adhere the sole and NEVER come loose. The sole out lasted the leather after the fix.
 
Ironhead,

Forget it. It is hopeless.

Damer,

It is not a question of not liking the Denalis, actually I do but I like others better. That's all. As far as the Zamberlans, I have been talking with their people for more than a year, put my order in twice, sent follow up emails and still nothing. They strike me as either a little flaky or they don't think their boots will fair well. I don't know what else to think.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
I got a pair of the Kenetrek uninsulated boots this summer and at first I thought I'd have to send them back because they were so stiff I could barely walk in them. I stuck with them, as I wear my boots 365 days a year at work, at the farm changing sprinklers, and hunting on some rough backpack hunts.

I backpacked all summer and early fall every day preparing for my Nevada deer hunt and the boots felt like they were good to go. I went on the hunt in early October and after the 6 day backpack hunt in some rough high country, my feet were blistered on the left heel on the back of it. The stitching seems to rub on the back of my foot. I also had a blister on the bottoms of my heels, and my big toes were also very sore, but no blisters.

I love the boots for their support, ability to stay dry for a long time, and their traction, but I may have to try another boot to find one that fits my feet better. I have issues with the heels in these things, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better either.

The rubber on the front of the toe on top is starting to separate too.

For whatever that's worth. I guess I am shopping for the perfect fitting boot too.

DeerBeDead
 
I haven't looked at the posts above in detail but I bought a pair of Kenetreks and ended up returning them. I tried them on and they hurt the balls of my feet..very little padding! My feet are fairly sensative but the Kenetreks may be perfect for someone elses feet!

I ended up getting Lowa Tibets and they were a little lighter weight and still had plenty of support for sheep/goat cliffy/sidehill/rocky terrain. They worked great on my AK dall sheep hunt! I added a pair of insoles and would recommend doing that with any boot you buy!
 
Lowa's have better soles than Kenetreks. Both brands of boots are almost exactly alike except the soles. I spent a long time doing research all over the internet on different websites and forums. Go with Lowa's or Zamberlin's (from Italy). Both of those brands have better soles than Kenetreks.
 
Blacktail Slayers post brings back a couple flashbacks from when I tried on the Kenetreks and another reason I returned mine. I almost felt like I had stilts on my feet w/the kenetreks. Their soles were so thick and high I tended to stumble all over the place on uneven surfaces (rocks and steep slopes). I'm not sure if it was the particular boot I wore but I have never felt so unstable in my life! Not sure if other's have experienced this same thing?

Another thing to mention is if you plan on archery hunting you may want to consider a different boot than some of the "mountaineering" boots mentioned above (at least for stalking). They are designed more for performance on steep, rocky terrain and are by far a lot more cumbersome than a lighter boot with quiet soles that you can feel sticks and other noisy debris under your feet!

Obviously each type of boot has it's own purpose and you may want to invest in an assortment!
 
Jims,
I know what you mean when you say the Kenetreks feel like stilts on your feet. I had several guys ask me how they felt during the first week or two that I had them and I told them they felt like logs on my feet. My kids still to this day remember me saying that, and when I wear my Kenetreks they always comment about me wearing my "logs".

I had a hard time staying on my feet while wearing them too. Seems like they are too tall and too stiff to balance on rough terrain.

I like them in the snow, but one rocky ground I'm not sold on them.
 
I have worn a lot of hiking boots over the years and yea Kenetrek are stiff but that is why you buy that boot. I like to have some real support when carrying a pack or hunting rough country. No it is not a sneaking boot for sure.

I am curious what you found in regards to the sole Blacktail?


If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.
 
Different feet, styles of hunting and intended uses call for different kinds of boots. There is no perfect boot for all situations that will fit everybody. Meindl, Kenetrek, lowa, Hanwag, Danner, Scarpa, Asolo are all very good boots. Find the one that fits the task and fits your feet then take good care of them and you will be fine.

The Kenes are not my favorites but they are a well made, high quality boot and while they are not Vibrams there is nothing wrong with the soles-insoles, outsoles or midsoles.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
are the soles glued on or sticked on the kenetreks? lots of people saying they are stiff. some guys like a stiff boot others dont. ankle support is one thing, a walking cast is another. but to each their own.
 
Stiffness or rigidity of the upper and sole structure depends on the design intent of the boot. A boot that is great for trail running won't work well for heavy loads, long trips or exteme terrain and visa versa. For example the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid and the Lowa Tibet Pro GTX. Both are great boots but made for entirely different uses and thus are very different boots in terms of stiffness/rigidity/flexibility/support. Like I said, you have to narrow your search by matching boots with tasks then find the one that fits your feet the best.

"are the soles glued on or sticked on the kenetreks" I assume you meant to say STITCHED on.

Kenetrek makes a number of different models and styles of boots. Which ones specificly are you asking about.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 
yes i meant to say "STITCHED"

why would they use a glue on sole? is there any benifit?

it's my new pet pieve, as i watch my soles fall off my Miedl Denali's [ i still need to send them back] , but i do wonder why any of the big brands would use a glue on sole?

in general, as far as the question on the kenetreks, i'm not trying to get caught in a trick question, say a boot that a HUNTER would want to buy,a 0-400 gram thinsulate, rubber overmolded toe, would they use a glue on sole or a "STITCHED" on sole?
 
The hardscrabble and mountain boots are stitched on they have replaceable soles.

If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.
 
It isn't that straight forward but bhunter is basicly correct. Depending on the model and manufacturer in thiat class of boot the midsoles are stitched to the bottom of the upper and the actual outsole or tread is "glued" to the bottom of the midsole. Less expensive boots tend to be hot injection molded where the soles are actually molded onto the bottom of the midsoles. There are many other techniques and variations being used out there. The point is that some of the best and not coincidentily most expensive boots on the market use a glue or lamination step in their process. It has proven to work and hold up very well.

With the exception of one of the La Sportiva boots I am not aware of any major manufacturer having problems with their outsoles failling to stay bonded with the midsole or upper. The technology is really very good.

The La Sportiva problem was came from wildland firefighters using the boot on the fire ground where the intense heat caused the adhesives to fail. Again, an inappropriate use of an other wise very good boot. That boot is not designed to or made for firefighting.

Does that all make sense?

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com
 

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