A Boot for Silent Stalkers: Irish Setter VaprTrek Hunting Boot Review

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 deer’s 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, I’ve always been a boots-off kind of guy when spot and stalk archery hunting. When it comes to hunting boots, I’ve always erred on the side of overkill, rather than underkill. But big, tough, burly mountain boots aren’t 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 aren’t my automatic go-to anymore.

In short: The VaprTreks ($230) let me keep the boots on while closing the distance. They’re the lightest set of boots I’ve 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. They’re silent, breathable, waterproof, and offer plenty of traction.

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

Ultralight Build and Fit of the Irish Setter VaprTrek

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 wouldn’t hate it. That’s not an exaggeration. They’re 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

Don’t let the lightweight, tennis shoe–like build fool you. I was surprised by how stiff they were out of the box.

They’re not as stiff as a mountain boot, but they’re 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

I’m always skeptical of unique tread patterns. There’s a reason the best hunting boots on the market use Vibram soles — they’re awesome.

However, despite my initial skepticism, I’ve been impressed by the tread on the Irish Setter VaprTrek boots. It’s 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 didn’t 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 haven’t been able to test these boots for an extended period yet, so I can’t speak to the soles’ life expectancy.

Support of the Irish Setter VaprTrek

Considering the lightweight build, these boots offer good support. The leather upper is “mid-high,” and it’s kept me from rolling my ankle on a few occasions. It can handle steep terrain when you need it.

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

And the upper isn’t as stiff as a mountain boot that extends to midcalf. In extreme terrain, these boots aren’t the best option — no ifs, ands, or buts.

That’s 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 I’m in the field.

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

Waterproofness and Insulation

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. I’ve 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 I’m not qualified to speak to them.

Final Thoughts: Who the Irish Setter VaprTrek Is For

Due to the softer sole, these boots are not for those hunting in steep, rugged terrain. If that’s you, stick with Crispi, Meindl, and Zamberlan.

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

After a month in these though, I’ve 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 I’ve worn. They give you boot support, but moccasin stealth.

Outside of archery hunting, they’re 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.