I thought I'd post this in here since I already know some of the guys visiting this forum own Bombardiers like I do!! I don't want any of you getting out in "the bush", as you guys from Canada like to say, and getting "caught" like I did last year in Colorado!! Rocky Boots and Bombardier ATVs DO NOT Mix!!!! Here's why, and what happened...

Last year,02, was my first year to own a Bombardier. I have an 02 Quest 650, that performs here in Texas, and performed up in Colorado Elk hunting PERFECTLY!! I love that machine!!

Anyhow, I also like Rocky Boots, for several reasons, and have owned several pair of them. I don't buy the cheap ones either!! Last year, as always, I guided a hunter for first rifle season in Colorado for Elk, of course using my Bomb to transport the hunter and me where ever. As the first rifle season progressed, I noticed the soles on my Rocky Boots appeared as though they were disintegrating, rather rapidly too I might add! By the end of the 5 days of first rifle season, the soles on those Rocky's were TOTALLY gone. Honestly, they looked like they had rotted off!! I thought I had stepped into something while in Gunnison that had a chemical reaction with the soles, to cause this!!

Without thinking further, I went into Gunnison and just bought a new pair of Rocky's, again buying good Rockys for $189.00. I got back up on the mountain, and had one day before I started to hunt second rifle myself. I usually use that day to patrol the ranch on my ATV, and just generally check things out all around with my friend, the outfitter. Of course, I'm wearing my new Rocky Boots.

On opening day, I busted my Elk by 9AM and I noticed the soles on these new Rocky boots were disintegrating too!! The "knobbie" lugs on the outside edge of the soles were ripping right off, and the smaller lugs in the center of the soles are just disintegrating, period!!! The soles were about 1/3 gone by 9AM the second day I had them on.

Well, I took them back to the store and got my money back, of course, but wondered why I had this problem for the first time ever! I knew it wasn't some chemical reaction by this time. It didn't take very long, after ruling out a chemical reaction, to figure out that the footrest on my Quest 650 was what was tearing those boot soles apart!

After researching further, I later learned that others had problems with Rocky Boot soles too, although not necessarily from this exact same thing. In fact, the tech at Cabellas said they hear about Rocky sole problems all the time, but mine was the first due to this reason. If you own a Bombardier, and also wear Rocky Boots, let this be a "heads up" to you to get other boots with different and stronger soles, or you could have a real problem if you can't get to another pair of hunting boots quickly!

Let me state further, this IS NOT a Bombardier problem, but rather a Rocky Boot, soft sole, problem. I ride my Quest constantly, year round here on my place, wearing other brands of boots and have never had a problem, except for these Rocky Boots!!

I find that very strange. I own two pairs of Rocky boots. That is all I wear on my Quest. The first set of boots has over 4000 miles of ATV and Snowmoblie riding on them. The second set has over 2000 riding miles on them. This is not including the 1000+ walking miles I have on them. On my sled I have sheet metal screws drilled in to the running boards for traction. These do not even chew them up.
The only thing I can think of is that the different sole maybe causing you some grief??? I do know that they make differnt treads with different rubber compounds.
I will take a pic of my soles to show the little wear they have.

What model of boots are you wearing?

Buck...very interesting story. I've got a couple of pairs of Rockies and have been pleased with them...I used to spend a lot more for boots, but someone encouraged me to give them a try and I've been real pleased so far. I'm sure yours tore up, different situations will do different things to gear...we all know that. Not owning a bomb, are the foot rest exceptionally rough on boots? Do you think your riding style might be causing it, not that it should be an excuse for the boots. I was reading your story expecting to hear you say you had a gas leak or something like that, to be honest.

Really strange situation...but your definitely going to need to a much harder moulded sole, that's for sure.

Where in Colorado were you hunting...I go every couple of years, last two trips were Gunnison/Cimmeron and then Mt Evans most recently. I'm not headed up this year, but plan to go next.

Rocky Mountain,

Hey buddy!! Well, I'm glad to hear you're not having any problems with your boots! My first pair to go bad on me last year was a pair of Bear Claws. I had had them for several years with no problems at all and was very satisfied with them, and Rocky in general. The new pair I bought and that went bad right away was a pair of their "Xtreme Stalker" boots.

It was that piece that's screwed onto the footrest for extra traction, (about 2inches by 5-6 inches, with the jagged edges sticking up) or for cleaning mud off your boots, with it's jagged edges that ate up those soles! Rocky boot soles, on some models are different than others. On a number of their models, they are lighter and made of softer rubber for lightness. I think that my standing, getting onto and off of my Quest is what tore up those soles. It is no excuse for that to happen though!

You know, you stand up to get off, and still have your foot on one rest, at the same time turning your whole body as you do. It just ate those soles up!!

Anyhow, I bought a pair of Cabellas 12 inch high, Whitetail series, all leather boots for this year. They'll be a little heavier than Rockys are, weight wise, but I was assured their soles would hold up!! I' going to wear them around here to break them in, so I imagine I'll find out!! I don't walk up and down the mountain all day anyway when hunting. I take my hunter and hunt smart!!! HeeHeeHee!!! I don't think that extra pound of weight will hurt too much...I hope!!!


Forker,

Above, what I said to RM, explains what happened, the boots etc, pretty clearly I think. I too really like Rocky boots and was surprised to hear that soles not holding up was a common complaint from people about their boots!! I found out first hand though, personally.

I hunt, and have hunted for years, Unit#67, right there at Gunnison. I'm very fortunate in that I go every year for a two week period! I usually guide first season and then hunt second season. Unit 67 is a "draw only" unit, and on the south side of Gunnison. I look forward to going every year, just to be on that mountain for those two weeks, in addition to the hunting.