Field Test

I'm a boot guy. Always have been. Since I was a kid, I've preferred pulling on footwear that is rugged enough for the conditions and offers ample ankle support and traction. I've owned hiking boots, hunting boots, pacs and even "bunny" boots in leather, Gore-Tex, rubber and more. But until this year there was one type of boot I'd coveted but never worn: custom boots.

To me, custom boots had been an extravagance. I'd been able to get by with off-the-shelf fitting and had found some boots of excellent materials and construction, but I always had been curious about a made-to-measure pair-something built specifically for my feet, with all their quirks and imperfections.

So prior to this past bird season I decided to take the leap-and it was only logical that I contact one of the premier makers of custom sporting footwear: the W.C. Russell Moccasin Co., in Berlin, Wisconsin. A call to company president Ralph Fabricius netted me a catalog, which I poured over for days. Did I want the South 40 Bird Shooters, the Featherweight Double Vamp Bird Shooters, the McIntosh Bird Shooters (developed with input from our own Michael)? Did I want shorter or taller boots, Thinsulate insulation, eyelets or speed-lacing, coarse- or smooth-grain leather? The choices seemed endless.

Being a New England upland hunter, I finally decided on the new Woodcock "TLC" (Toe Lace Climber) Bird Boot. This shorter, lightweight boot is of smooth German side leather, with lacing that allows the wearer to control tightness from the top of the boot down over the instep and ball of the foot. Double-vamp construction plus a unique way of attaching the rubber midsole to the bottom of the boot contribute to the boot's waterproofness. In the standard 8" height with Phoenix Gumlite soles, a pair weighs about 3 pounds. The boots sounded almost perfect for the damp conditions and not terribly severe terrain I encounter while grouse and woodcock hunting.

The next step was to have my feet traced and lower legs measured (following the order form's instructions and donning the type of socks I planned to wear in the boots). My wife did the honors, and the tape showed me to be relatively "symmetrical," with only slight variations between my leg circumferences above the ankles. I also decided to go the complete "custom" route and modify several of the boots' features, such as increasing the height by 2" and ordering air-bob soles (for extra traction) and heel counters (for added stability).

Within a month (I'd requested a rush) my boots were delivered, and I'm happy to report that when I laced them up, they fit like gloves-er, boots. I then applied the recommended three coats of silicone to the leather, waited the appropriate drying time and hit the woods. The boots were comfortable enough for daylong hunts right out of the box.

During the fall I trekked many miles through Maine alder thickets in my Woodcock TLCs, and I can honestly say they're some of the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. Despite damp conditions during much of the season, the boots never leaked, and they provided excellent traction and support on steeper hillsides. The leather held up well to scuffs and scrapes-and darn it, I looked pretty good in my snazzy footwear, "to boot."

Woodcock TLCs are available in chocolate, black, tan and reddish-brown leather for men and women, and they retail for $255 (sans options). For more information, contact the W.C. Russell Moccasin Co., PO Box 309, Berlin, WI 54923; 920-361-2252, fax 3274; russell@russellmoccasin.com; www.russellmoccasin.com.