19 replies to this topic

[Air Rifle Hunter]

I'll start by saying that I just purchased a pair of Cabela's snake boots. They are about 15" high and actually fit well when I put them on and tighten up the laces.

The problem is that both times that I've worn them I've gotten an extremely bad, well... rash for lack of a better term. Each time I wore a different type of sock to see if the sock type and or thickness would make a difference. When I wore the thicker, knee height socks, the fit was much better but the "rash" was worse. I've never had something like this occur before, but of course, I've never worn boots that laced up this high before either.

The location starts about 2" above my ankle bone and is about 2 1/2" to 3" high. This mainly occurs only to my right leg with minimal to no occurance of the same effect on the left leg. I'll try to take a photo of it and attach it. Ok, I took a photo and I'm attaching it below here:

 IMG_0289.JPG   49.29K   0 downloads

Sorry if it grosses anyone out. It actually looks much better and has faded in intensity a good deal since Saturday. On Saturday when I took off the boots to change into some shoes, it was extremely bad and very, very red. Almost like the cells under the skin had burst/ruptured from something. One thing I have noticed is that my right leg does tend to swell a little throughout the day while trekking around; especially when it is hot. In the photo you will notice an impression in the skin. That is from a compression wrap that I've been wearing on it since Sunday to help keep the swelling down in my lower leg.

I'm just curious if anyone else has had something similar happen while wearing similar types of snake boots. I really like wearing them and hunting in them. They are comfortable and I worry alot less about tromping though the areas I hunt while wearing them. The next time I wear them I'm going to try wearing the compression wrap to see if perhaps it is from the side of the boot pressing in against my ankle area.

Any ideas?

[modoc squeek shooter]

Hunter, you probably are allergic to the leather. I imagine the boots were made in asia somewhere. The tanning process is different. I had a friend that bought some sandles that were made in India, she got a rash just like yours. Ed

[Air Rifle Hunter]

So do you think that the chemicals are soaking through my sock and into the skin? I'm curious as to why it mainly only happens to my right leg and not my left though.

[modoc squeek shooter]

I am not sure, but when they tan leather they use chemicals, bark or whatever. The leather is washed to get the chemicals out. Maybe the leather on the right boot wasn't washed enough to leach out the tanning salts. Not sure how they are constructed, but I would wash, soak the tops of the boots, rinse untill the leather is soaking wet, let air dry. Don't put heat on them. then get some saddlesoap(paste kind) and work it into the leather. I make saddle, work with leather all the time. ED

[Air Rifle Hunter]

There doesn't seem to be too much leather on them. They are mostly GoreTex Cordura.

Here's a photo of the boots:

 CabelasSnakeBoot.jpg   27.09K   0 downloads

As you can see from the picture. There seems to be very little leather on the boot itself. The interior of the boot has a material that creates ventilation around the legs (at least it appears to provide that function). I think it might possibly be that for some reason, that section of the boot on the right leg might press in on my ankle area, creating a contusion type of effect. However, I won't know until next time when I wear the wrap on the leg and see if it is still affected.

I'll post any findings here for others in the future that might run into this same problem/issue.

[mtn dog]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q... rash new boots

One thing's for sure, you are not alone. Lots to read there.

[GSH]

It looks to me like your lower leg is swollen, you might try lacing the boots a little less tight.

[Bisley]

The legs/feet are the lowest spot on us therefore the hardest to pump out liquids and water. None of us are 21 anymore and our legs tend to swell up more. Unless you are in athlete condition you will probably have this problem, it is called aging . Our family learned a lot about this when they took a piece of artery (or vein, can't remember) from my dad's leg for his heart surgery. Just being on it now for a few hours, without even walking, it swells up over 25% its original size. If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that your right foot/leg does not "flow" quite as well as your left (neither of them like you did as a teen obviously) and with the new boots being still tight and not broken in you are just experiencing a little rubbing or chafing for the time being. But I am not a doctor, I just play one on TV

As far as the wrap goes, they did give my dad one to use on really bad days. They do work to help keep the fluids from settling in the legs. His looks like a white leotard thingy that I would not be caught dead in but for some reason he wears it with shorts everywhere while we're with him . But it does work, and you want to try it also, but please wear pants, not shorts, for your family's sake

[Air Rifle Hunter]

As far as the wrap goes, they did give my dad one to use on really bad days. They do work to help keep the fluids from settling in the legs. His looks like a white leotard thingy that I would not be caught dead in but for some reason he wears it with shorts everywhere while we're with him . But it does work, and you want to try it also, but please wear pants, not shorts, for your family's sake

You don't have to worry about that with me! I have my pride.

The wrap that I have is black and constructed out of neoprene. It attaches using velcro and has areas for shin reinforcements if needed. I purchased it a few years back when I injured my lower left leg by tearing something in it. I limped real bad for about 4 months and even walked with crutches and then a cane for about a month until it was healed up better. That leg swelled up something fierce from that injury and took and entire year before I was able to run decently on it again. Now that seems to be my good leg and the right leg is the one giving me problems.

While I wouldn't consider myself currently in "Athlete" condition. I'm not in terrible shape. I'm 6'2 and 225lbs and try to stay fairly active. I could stand to lose about 15 to 20 pounds, maybe 25 and then I'd be in the same condition I was at 30. I'm hoping that doing all this hiking while hunting will help a little in that as well as a slight adjustment in diet and intake levels. As a general rule I try to eat vegetables and meats that are lower in fat. I also drink a good amount of water during the day.

Anyway, I figure it is from the swelling and the heat that is produced within the boot. I read some articles on the internet and it sounds like a pretty common problem that many have when wearing either hiking boots or taller/higher boots. I never had any issues when wearing hiking boots, it just started with these high boots. Like you mentioned, I probably need to break them in too. This next time out I'll wear my wrap under the socks and see if it helps any.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

[Bisley]

Yep, your calves are where the swelling is at its worst. That would explain why the height is not helping.
And by athlete, I meant like professional sports stuff. No matter how god of care we take of ourselves, we are not 21 any longer and things like pumping out fluids are naturally much harder on our bodies. I was going to ask you about the heat with those, but I always heard Gore-Tex breathed well, but wouldn't know, never owned anything with it.

Drop them boots in a bucket of water, then wear them all day until they dry. That will break them in for your feet in a hurry. Old military trick, and one I've used on my regular (western) boots

[jeager]

Socks for ski boots are taller. I'm sure you can get a good deal on closeouts.
Two pair of thinner socks would help reduce friction.
Seen 3 rattlesnakes already this year and have had a dozen ticks.

[KNOCKED UP]

Just for the sake of elimination, Are you diabetic by any chance? Diabetics can have poor blood circulation in their feet. I had the problem with my western boots, My right foot swelled up until I couldn't wear them. Before I was diagnosed with Diabetes. Now I can wear them without my foot swelling. Don't have a clue why.Tom

[GSH]

They alsoj produce socks that help with the circulation, I used them when I crushed my right foot in 1999, they help with the swelling.

[tawnoper]

Looks almost like a heat rash as them tall boots can get pretty warm. I had a tall set a long time ago I got mainly for snake protection, but I never got comfortable in them so I gave them away (they were not as nice as yours).

I'd try some Gold Bond foot powder and see if it helps. I used to use it a lot while backpacking. It helps.

You could try some compression stockings as well...but I don't think that's the problem.

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Yep, your calves are where the swelling is at its worst. That would explain why the height is not helping.
And by athlete, I meant like professional sports stuff. No matter how god of care we take of ourselves, we are not 21 any longer and things like pumping out fluids are naturally much harder on our bodies. I was going to ask you about the heat with those, but I always heard Gore-Tex breathed well, but wouldn't know, never owned anything with it.

Drop them boots in a bucket of water, then wear them all day until they dry. That will break them in for your feet in a hurry. Old military trick, and one I've used on my regular (western) boots

I'll definitely give that a try if the wrap doesn't help this next time out. The boots do get hot inside, but not as bad as one would think. My feet have a bad habit of sweating alot anyway. It has been like that since I was a kid. I guess I'm just going to have to accept that more things are going to start happening now that I'm getting closer to 50 . Six more years to go and more things to probably go bad. At least I'm still kicking pretty good and hard too.

Socks for ski boots are taller. I'm sure you can get a good deal on closeouts.
Two pair of thinner socks would help reduce friction.
Seen 3 rattlesnakes already this year and have had a dozen ticks.

The socks I wore this last time out are socks I wear when riding my dirt bike. They are thick and pretty much come all the way up just under my knee cap. They were actually more comfortable than my shorter socks, but also made the rash/irritation worse.

As far as the snakes go, I haven't seen or heard one the last 5 times I've been out (and I've been looking around boulders and large rocks too just to be safe). I keep my ears and eyes alert though because even though I have the boots it is better not to have them get the chance to take a bite in the first place. If I do find one, it is going to end up getting skinned, tanned and fried up. My daughter already told me if I kill one that she wants the tanned skin for the wall of her room (she always amazes me with the stuff she says when in comes to hunting and animal life).

Fortunatelly for me, I haven't seen any ticks just yet or found any on me. Even the last three Jack Rabbits I harvested didn't have any ticks in their ears or fleas crawling around on them. I was really, really surprised. Usually (at least last rabbits season) when I get cottontails there are fleas in their fur and ticks in their ears. These jacks were tick and flea free though. Better for me when cleaning them.

Just for the sake of elimination, Are you diabetic by any chance? Diabetics can have poor blood circulation in their feet. I had the problem with my western boots, My right foot swelled up until I couldn't wear them. Before I was diagnosed with Diabetes. Now I can wear them without my foot swelling. Don't have a clue why.Tom

I don't believe I am diabetic... at least not yet . I know my Grandmother on my Father's side was and my Dad is borderline diabetic, so there is always that possibility. Although at my last physical they said other than a touch of high blood pressure I'm in excellent physical health and have a strong heart. I was taking a doctor prescribed low daily dose of Hydroclorithiazide for a while, but when I took it I couldn't go out in the sun. When I was taking it I went to play golf one time when it was hot out and it felt like my heart was trying to pump crude oil through my veins! I had to down (3) 32 ounce bottles of Gatorade in a matter of 20 minutes just to get my heart pumping back to normal. After than occurance I decided to not take it when I was going to be out doing physical activities in the sun and heat. Unfortunately for me, that is 75% of the time, so now I try to limit certain things I could eat that I know will raise my blood pressure and I take my vitamins and suppliments daily.

If the doctor prescribed mediciation like the Hydroclorithiazide, which is a diaretic and makes your body rid itself of excess fluids, along with your change in diet, that would explain why your foot no longer swells. Did they prescribe anything like that for you at that time?

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Looks almost like a heat rash as them tall boots can get pretty warm. I had a tall set a long time ago I got mainly for snake protection, but I never got comfortable in them so I gave them away (they were not as nice as yours).

I'd try some Gold Bond foot powder and see if it helps. I used to use it a lot while backpacking. It helps.

You could try some compression stockings as well...but I don't think that's the problem.

I may give that a try too. It does seem to be caused by heat and moisture, but I would also attribute at least some of the occurance to the swelling of my ankles.

Thanks everyone for you input and suggestions.

[screwwork]

You might try some liner socks that wick the moisture way from your skin. I wear two pairs of socks (liners & fleece) when is cold because my feet get really hot & sweaty. Same goes for when it is really hot liners & cotton socks.

[dangerranger]

I teach skiing and snowboarding and have seen a couple of rashes like that, usaly its on kids that there parrents have dressed them in three pairs of socks, two pairs of jeans and they try to tuck it all into the boots. Not saying that the cause of yours but Id make shure I didnt have any pressure points in the boot and that the boot itself doesnt crease there causing a pressure wound. Hope it works it self out. Ive often thought of getting a pair myself. DR

[mtn dog]

Since I get a mild rash that looks a lot like your photo, I've been snooping around the Google info.
I'm willing to bet all of Shooter John's assets that this is something called "Golfer's Vasculitis". Nothing to do with golf except it usually shows up after extensive walking, especially in heat.
Not as easy to find treatment other than keeping the feet elevated and applying certain lotions.
Google "Golfer's Vasculitis treatments" and you'll find anecdotal info on what worked for some people. A medical journal article concluded that it probably is not an allergic reaction.
Good luck.

[KNOCKED UP]

If the doctor prescribed mediciation like the Hydroclorithiazide, which is a diaretic and makes your body rid itself of excess fluids, along with your change in diet, that would explain why your foot no longer swells. Did they prescribe anything like that for you at that time?

The doctor prescribed Metformin.
But my foot stoped swelling long before I was diagnosed.
Tom