Muck’s new Apex Pro Boots are the best thing to happen to my feet this winter. I just wish I were allowed to wear them.
My wife generally stays away from my hunting gear because most of it is plastered in tacky camo patterns, including boots. So when a new pair of Muck’s Apex Pro boots showed up in the mail, she didn’t pay much attention—until I opened the box.
Thanks to winter slamming into Montana right after Halloween, I slipped them on to shovel eight inches of fresh off the driveway. The temperature was a solid 20 degrees. When I came inside, she was holding the box.
“What you got there?” she asked.
“Some new winter boots. And they’re brown, no camo,” I said. “Want to see how they feel?”
And that was the last that I saw of them. She stole them. They are hers now. I have been told in no uncertain terms that I will not get them back. I don’t blame her one bit.
Comfort Food for Your Feet
For my brief test shovel around the driveway, I understand why she loves them. The memory-foam footbed is (was) a game-changer for me. It’s not too squishy, but it’s so damn comfy. “They’re like walking on a cloud,” she reminds me after she walked the dog around the neighborhood in them. “My feet are sweating now.” That is, in fact, a direct quote.
As for warmth, they just don’t make them any warmer. I’ve used a pair of name-brand (camo) knee-high boots for ice fishing in the past. They are warm enough but weigh a metric ton. And they’re camo. The Apex Pro has what Muck calls Thermo Regulation (TR) fleece, which wicks away moisture up to one-third better than standard fleece. Whatever. I don’t have a lab in my basement, but I know that these boots are warm and waterproof with that fleece and 5mm of neoprene. Their comfort rating is between -40 and 40F.
Snow Tire Traction
Living in Montana, we like the snow. It’s the ice that scares the crap out of me on the highway and in the driveway. Like a good pair of snow tires, these boots take a little of the trepidation out of winter activities. I’m impressed at the amount of grip, especially on ice, these boots provide. The name behind the grip is called Vibram Arctic Grip A.T., and it’s “designed to perform on wet ice.” They are essentially snow tires for your feet. I used to love sliding across the pond in my old boots. As I get older, my definition of fun doesn’t include falling on my ass, which is why I’m a fan of these boots.
Fit and Function
While these boots will keep your feet warm while you jig for perch on the ice, they’re meant to be used for everything from farm work, to hunting, to walking the dog. They’re not as rigid as some boots I’ve worn. Instead, they hug your feet. Stiffer boots tend to flop around and slide as you walk. These don’t. I wear a size 9, and these are spot on in terms of sizing.
Just 10 minutes ago, as I was finishing this post, my wife was walking out the door to pick up the kids. “You can drive in those things?” I asked. “Oh yeah. They’re super-flexible at the ankle,” she said. I’ll admit it sounds like a load of horse shit, but that’s exactly what she said.
Cons
The one downside to these boots is the hefty price tag. At $265, they’re an investment. If you live where snow and ice stick around for a few months, and you like it that way, then I’d recommend trying on a pair. Muck doesn’t make a women’s version of the 16-inch Apex Pro, but I’m not sure that matters to my wife. She shoveled the driveway once already this season. And that is worth its weight in gold.
Specs
- Tested size 9: true to size
- Weight: 4.3 pounds for 16-inch
- Height: 13- and 16-inch
- Waterproof
- Sole: Vibram Arctic Grip A.T.
- Price: $265
