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- Sep 2, 2015
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I'll admit, I'm one of those guys who has been watching this and another unnamed site for years but have never had an account or posted anything. I had an experience today that forced me off of the side lines and to post is topic because I was treated very well. Almost exactly one year ago I purchased a new pair of Kenetrek Hardscramble boots from scheels, thinking that while these were the most expensive hunting boots I had ever even considered purchasing, they would be gods gift to killing giant bulls in MT. When I tried them on in the store it was like trying on a new pair of ski boots, they are so stiff that a guy doesn't know if they feel good or not. With the help of the sales associate, we decided that I had the pair for me. That's when the next year of misery begin. When I bought these boots, I was told that there is a fifty mile break in period. So, when I received a couple of different sets of heel blisters during last years bow season, I chalked it up to the fact that they were new boots. As much of a sent freak as I am, I forced myself to wear them all summer doing everything from hiking, to scouting, to mowing the grass just to put miles on these boots. I guess the next part is kind of my fault, as I should have known better. A week before this years MT elk hunt, I decided to hang a couple of stands in a couple of mid October honey holes, that I regularly haunt in when the leaves start to change. It wouldn't have had to have been this hard but since I was training for a backcountry elk hunt, I turned this into about a 4 mile heavy hike. My reward for all this elk hunting prep work was a half inch blister on my left heal. Again, I told myself that it must have been the fact that I was sweeting so much and I wasn't wearing my merino wool hiking socks, even though I had well over the fifty miles on these boots. A week and a half later I'm packing into spike camp in some of the roughest, yet elk friendly country MT has to offer, and I already have blisters on both heels on day one of a 12 day backcountry elk hunt. NOT GOOD. Even though I traded my shiny new Kenetreks in on day three for my crusty old keen Hiking boots, after packing out my elk, the trip was basically misery with two quarter size blisters on the back of both heels. Fast-forward to today; I thought I was going to get the usual run around for trying to return a year old pair of boots that I can't and refuse to wear any longer, I was pleasantly surprised to find a sympathetic ear at the hunting boot department at scheels. Not only did these guys repeated apologize for my situation, they offered me a complete refund. I was shocked. I didn't take the refund. I instead exchanged the Kenetreks for a new pair of Lowa's. Then these same employees suggested that I wear these this fall, to ensure that I don't find myself crying like a little girl in the backcountry during next years elk hunt. Stating that if the new boots do not work out after this fall to return them as well if necessary. I cant tell you how happy I was when I left there that I didn't have to worry about trying to sell some used boots for basically nothing just to turn around and buy another pair of $300 dollar boots, that may or may not work. THANK YOU SCHEELS!! I want to state the fact that I'm not bashing the Kenetrek brand, I completely understand that there are many die hard elk goo ruses that would bet their season on these boots year after year. I think that my issue was more of a size thing. As the sales associate today suggested a full size bigger than the boots I bought a year ago. But I wasn't about to take that gamble again. Thanks for listening, and support your local outdoor experts.
