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Detecting Boots


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6 hours ago, madtuna said:

Did you by them here in WA? If so what brand are they if you don’t mind.

I wear thongs a lot but the Double-Gees here go right through them and nail them to your feet. They look like they’d do the job

I had them made by a cobbie in WA.... that’sWashington State
 

they started out as good leather soles, but like you say WA has some sharp rocks and such 

so I had him glue on the Vibram sole.. works a treat!

Expensive,,,, but so is the 7000... and you can’t use it if your feet are buggered

 had no issues with anything going thru these...

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Keenes are good boots, but the last two years the glue has been separating so I had to keep taking them back in for a new pair. One pair, the keene-dry barrier failed two days after buying them. So I don't buy keenes anymore. But you can't buy a more comfortable boot than keenes. I think their quality has gone down hill.

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Pure rubber boots, like those tactical military ones, never worked for me, they are just not made for the rough. The glue comes off, they crack easily and don't provide good support in rocky terrain when you hike. I use the Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX. They are not metal free but only have a small amount for support. They work just fine with the GPZ even when you run in HY/Normal >10. Just don't come too close to your boots with the coil. If you keep the coil at about 1 feet distance and greater it works well.

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Very good question my friend and I am not sure why you didn't get more replies.

I spend over $100 a years on boots and sometimes near $300, if I get some that do not last.  I go through about 1 pair of boots a year and sometimes 2, 1 year it was 3 pr.  As those who hunt with or around me know, I am extremely hard on my boots.  I use them as a surface scraper at Rye Patch all the time since I chase whisper ghost signals and I usually can't tell if it's an actual signal until I have removed 3 to 4" in a broad 18" wide by 16" tall area.  Could I use my Apex?  Most certainly and many folks do, but since I carry it on my back, the time it takes to reach back and get it out of the sling and then put it back 3 minutes later, I just feel the boot grader is fine.

In reality I have 3 pair of boots I take on a prospecting trip.  My #1 (current) boot is a Bates. https://www.batesfootwear.com/US/en/8"-tactical-sport-boot/20073M.html and it is very tough and durable.  Now, like most other Bates I have tried, it's not a comfortable boot, so I spend another $10 to $20 on inserts, which last about 6 months.  These boots are 100% non metal and even advertised as such.

My 2nd boot is a worn out pair of Converse and I can not read the part#, but they are tan in color.  They are actually pretty comfortable, lighter in weight than the Bates and great in summer.  My biggest complaint with them is their durability and they literally started falling apart after a few workouts.  Last years I went through 2 pairs of them and started on the 3rd pair.  I can't seem to find that style anymore, but mine did not have the size zipper as someone else posted pics of.  I ordered a pair of the side zipper boots (Converse) that were advertised as non metal and the zipper handle was metal as was 2 small breather ports near the bottom of the boot on the sides.  I sent them back and was refunded.

The most comfortable boot I wear is a Merrell Moab: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-2-mid-ventilator/720026487929.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplp720026487929&sc_intid=720026487929&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwf39BRCCARIsALXWETwfabwVRhrl8JlBSEJOOB1iZeyTA6rzeGwJKYSLhlkWjZF2B2FyG90aAoB8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds and I use it when I know I'm not going to be grading/dozing with my feet/boots.  These are not designed for that style of use and when I tired, dirt and gravel seem to get into the boot up over the sides as they are high ankle mid ridge.  Now one thing you'll need to do with these, is remove the upper eyelet as it is brass, but the rest of them will easily hold the show on there.

I also know of a staff Member who purchases cheaper $30 to $40 boots with no metal shank (takes his pinpointer into the store and tests them), but does have metal eyelets.  He then removes the eyelets and threads the laces in the holes where the metal eyelets used to be.  He puts an insert in the boots to his feel/liking.

A different Staff member just got a pair of (mentioned by another person) Keen's and he is quite happy with them, but they too are mid ankle level, but he says very comfortable.

I also know Doc's Detecting Supply used to sell Bates books, so maybe he has some that work for you.

Hope this helps and be sure to let us know what you eventually go to and how you like them.

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7 minutes ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

I use them as a surface scraper at Rye Patch all the time since I chase whisper ghost signals and I usually can't tell if it's an actual signal until I have removed 3 to 4" in a broad 18" wide by 16" tall area.  Could I use my Apex?  Most certainly and many folks do, but since I carry it on my back, the time it takes to reach back and get it out of the sling and then put it back 3 minutes later, I just feel the boot grader is fine.

I have always wondered why someone doesn't make a 'digging boot' that allows for the wear and tear on the sides of boots and not just the soles.

Do you ever buy boots with metal in them?  The military/police tactical metal free are good choices sometimes.

Mitchel

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I personally had no luck with the Bates. Poor quality and cracked after 2 months. Perhaps it was a lemon. But it really all depends what you do with them. On flat terrain they are a acceptable, but when you hike into steep rocky canyons you need something more solid

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57 minutes ago, Gold Catcher said:

I personally had no luck with the Bates. Poor quality and cracked after 2 months. Perhaps it was a lemon. But it really all depends what you do with them. On flat terrain they are a acceptable, but when you hike into steep rocky canyons you need something more solid

Bates, just like many other major brands, have cheaper and higher end products.  I have had exactly what you experienced, a couple models of Bates in years past, the stitching started falling apart after a few days detecting.  But at the same time, the last 2 pair of Bates I have purchased are tough as nails.  Thanks for the refresher of my memory, as I didn't like the early ones either.

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Not sure if these would be considered "detecting boots" but I'm partial to my Whites Smokejumpers.

https://whitesboots.com/firefighter/the-original-smokejumper/

 

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Here is an old boot thread and there have been others over the years:

 

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