As I inched through a sagebrush flat, I could feel the mule deer I was stalking 60 yards away grow more alert. My heavy Zamberlan boots were the culprit. Each step sounded like a crashing anvil in the silent landscape, and the deers ears perked up every time my foot hit the ground. I crouched down, untied the laces, and left them in the weeds behind me.

　　With only wool socks between my feet and the dirt, I crept within 15 yards and executed a perfect shot with my bow. The deer expired only a few feet from where I shot him. A frantic, unsuccessful attempt to escape by jumping over a downed log was his last act.

　　The heaviness of the moment hit me, shortly followed by the joy of filling an archery tag. It takes a lot of work to pull it off. Every notched tag is a huge accomplishment.

　　Since that day, Ive always been a boots-off kind of guy when spot and stalk archery hunting. When it comes to hunting boots, Ive always erred on the side of overkill, rather than underkill. But big, tough, burly mountain boots arent good for closing the distance.

　　But this fall, I had a chance to experiment with boots and stumbled upon the Irish Setter VaprTrek. Burly mountain boots arent my automatic go-to anymore.

　　In short: The VaprTreks ($230) let me keep the boots on while closing the distance. Theyre the lightest set of boots Ive worn, and feel like a set of tennis shoes with ankle support. While not perfect for every hunting situation, archery hunters and those hunting mild to moderate terrain should take a serious look at these boots. Theyre silent, breathable, waterproof, and offer plenty of traction.

　　See how they stack up to the Best Hunting Boots for Men.

　　Irish Setter VaprTrek Check Price at Irish Setter

　　8.0 How we rate products Specifications Height: 8 Weight: 2 lbs., 12 oz. per pair (size 11) Insulation: Uninsulated or 400g PrimaLoft Upper material: Nubuck leather Pros Ultra-athletic feel Great traction Lightweight Still offers ankle support while being light Cons Stiffer out of the box than youd think Not enough support for true mountain hunting Morgan Nowels Ultralight Build and Fit of the Irish Setter VaprTrek

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) I own multiple sets of hunting boots, but at 2 pounds, 12 ounces per pair, the Irish Setter VaprTrek boots are the lightest of the bunch. By a long shot.

　　To put that weight into perspective, my Nike Metcons weigh 1 pound, 10 ounces. I do CrossFit workouts in those shoes. Having a mid-height, fully waterproof hunting boot for only a pound more is just plain silly.

　　When you put these boots on, the lightweight build is the first thing you notice. In fact, I would do a CrossFit workout in these boots and wouldnt hate it. Thats not an exaggeration. Theyre that light and athletic-feeling.

　　The fit is excellent and runs true to size. I love the wide-open toe box with a narrow grab around the middle of my foot. As I said, athletic feeling.

　　Break-In

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) Dont let the lightweight, tennis shoe–like build fool you. I was surprised by how stiff they were out of the box.

　　Theyre not as stiff as a mountain boot, but theyre still constructed with Nubuck leather, so break-in is necessary. After a few days of wearing them around the house, they softened right up, and really came into tennis-shoe comfort form.

　　Excellent Traction

　　The tread extends up the toe box; (photo/Morgan Nowels) Im always skeptical of unique tread patterns. Theres a reason the best hunting boots on the market use Vibram soles — theyre awesome.

　　However, despite my initial skepticism, Ive been impressed by the tread on the Irish Setter VaprTrek boots. Its aggressive and has provided rock steady traction while hiking up soggy, leaf-covered bluffs in middle Tennessee. On one particular hunt, I faced muddy conditions and didnt slip.

　　The small lugs extend up onto the toe cap, and a textured portion wraps underneath and up the arch of your foot. I believe the extended sole is what creates such good traction in steep terrain.

　　I thought the small knobs on the tread would break off easily, but with about a month of use, I have yet to experience that. Now, I havent been able to test these boots for an extended period yet, so I cant speak to the soles life expectancy.

　　Support of the Irish Setter VaprTrek

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) Considering the lightweight build, these boots offer good support. The leather upper is mid-high, and its kept me from rolling my ankle on a few occasions. It can handle steep terrain when you need it.

　　But its not the same level of support as a true mountain hunting boot. The sole isnt very stiff. In fact, its not stiff at all. When walking over sharp rocks, you can feel the points underfoot.

　　And the upper isnt as stiff as a mountain boot that extends to midcalf. In extreme terrain, these boots arent the best option — no ifs, ands, or buts.

　　Thats perfectly fine, though. The beauty of these boots is how light they are. While they give up some support, they still have loads more than a tennis shoe, but they feel like one. The soft soles let me creep through the woods, and I can actually notice how much quieter they are when Im in the field.

　　After spending years in rugged hunting boots, its refreshing to move in the woods with such sleek footwear.

　　Waterproofness and Insulation

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) The Irish Setter VaprTrek claims to be fully waterproof. I walked through a few creeks in them and found it to be true. On another hunt, they kept my feet dry in a downpour that left the woods soaking wet. You can rely on them in wet conditions.

　　I have the uninsulated version. Ive worn them on hunts as cold as 45 degrees, and my feet were perfectly happy. There is also an insulated version available. I could see that drastically affecting the boots lightweight, athletic feel, so Im not qualified to speak to them.

　　Final Thoughts: Who the Irish Setter VaprTrek Is For

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) Due to the softer sole, these boots are not for those hunting in steep, rugged terrain. If thats you, stick with Crispi, Meindl, and Zamberlan.

　　But everyone else should strongly consider the Irish Setter VaprTrek boots. Im honestly surprised Im saying that. Ive always recommended going with as much boot as you can afford, no matter what.

　　After a month in these though, Ive seen the light. Often, big, burly mountain boots are overkill. Heck, sometimes, like on my archery mule deer hunt, they can even hurt you.

　　For spot-and-stalk archery hunting, these are the best boots Ive worn. They give you boot support, but moccasin stealth.

　　Outside of archery hunting, theyre great for hunting in mild terrain. I now live in the South, and these boots give me everything I need in terms of support, are more breathable and cool in warm weather, and are comfortable.

　　For this upcoming season, the Irish Setter VaprTrek boots will be on my feet during turkey season, summer scouting, and October archery hunts. The mountain boots will be staying at home.

　　Meindl Air Revolution Alpine Pro 200: Serious Boots for Serious CountryA cold-weather, wet-terrain, high-country boot that proved its worth in coastal Alaska. Read more