If you’re of the opinion that you can’t wear rubber boots on a mobile hunt, chances are high that you haven’t yet tried the Alpha Agility’s from LaCrosse Footwear. (Photo courtesy of Joseph White/Mossy Oak)
September 16, 2021
By Drew Pellman
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. Maybe you’ve even complained about this very subject to your hunting buddies.
“You just can’t walk in rubber boots.”
While that opinion has held some merit in years past, time — and technology — is certainly changing. And if you’re still saying that today, well, I would argue that you’re clearly wearing the wrong rubber boots!
To claim something like that in such a matter-of-fact way — and to be able to back up my words — I’ve got to offer a solution to your problem, right? No problem. I’m prepared to do that.
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Enter the Alpha Agility rubber boots from LaCrosse Footwear . At just four pounds per pair, the first thing you’ll notice is how light these 17-inch knee-high boots truly are — especially if you’re accustomed to wearing other hunting rubbers that feel heavy, bulky, and are borderline unbearable. But while weight is certainly important, that’s really only half the battle. The other, of course, is fit — and the Alpha Agility doesn’t disappoint in that area either. With an active fit that is nice and secure, your feet will be firmly held in place while on the move — an absolute necessity if you need to get from one place to another to cut off game, or even if you have an extended walk in and out of your hunting areas.
I had this exact scenario happen to me last fall in Oklahoma. Daylight was dwindling and there was very little happening at our current location. I knew there was a large field on the edge of that property, so before calling it a night we decided to make a move to see if any deer were beginning to head that way for an evening meal. To get there in time, however, we needed to make a move and take the road less traveled.
A barbed wire fence was the initial hurdle, and after that we needed to hurry to get to the top of a nearby hillside to glass down into the field. A quick look through my Leupold binoculars showed that there were deer on their feet, and they were headed right where we expected them to go. With last light approaching, I dipped into a nearby gully and started working my way down toward shooting range. It was a modest descent with tricky sidehill footing, but my boots handled everything I threw their way. I made it with time to spare, but there ended up being no shooter bucks present that evening. Had there been, however, I was certainly in the right position.
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Although the quick stalk didn’t end up with a shot opportunity, it did reveal a few things to me. The first is that it’s now possible to get from point A to point B with rubber boots on my feet. Once considered a style for stationary hunting only, technology has certainly changed that thought process. Now, you’re able to enjoy the benefits of a rubber boot while moving about in the field — something that might have been a bit unheard of just a few years ago. And secondly, I didn’t just make it into position that night, but I did it quickly, comfortably and quietly. The Alpha Agility’s were super flexible from the time I pulled them out of the box — a true credit to LaCrosse’s Alpha construction, which utilizes a premium rubber over 5mm of naturally insulating neoprene that also aids in durability and complete waterproof protection. And in case you’re looking for one other underrated feature, look no further than the adjustable gusset on the back of the boot. No matter the size of your calves, you can quickly get everything fit to perfection. In other words, there is no hunt-ruining tightness from these boots.
Bottom line? This is a high-quality rubber boot that feels a lot more like an athletic shoe than anything else. So, are my words strong enough to make you re-think your boot selection for mobile whitetail hunting? Maybe. Or maybe not. In all honestly, there isn’t a wrong choice here — that’s your call to make. But I’d say the fact that there’s a rubber boot available that’s good enough to warrant consideration is quite impressive in and of itself, wouldn’t you agree?
The Specs
