Brands
Irish Setter hunting boots
The mid-price leather specialists, and one of the few makers offering genuine wide widths and a rubber boot built on a real last.
Belt & Bike earns a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Prices come from Amazon and change; the date beside every price is when we last verified it. Full disclosure.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Insulation | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Irish Setter Elk Tracker 12-inch, 1,000g Cold-weather hunts that involve walking | 1,000g | 8.6 | $279.95Amazon |
| Rank 2 |  Irish Setter VaprTrek 8-inch, 400g Light miles in cool weather | 400g | 7.9 | $219.95Amazon |
| Rank 3 |  Irish Setter MudTrek 17-inch A full-fit rubber boot that walks | Not published | 8.3 | $199.95Amazon |
| Rank 4 |  Irish Setter VaprTrek 8-inch, women's Women covering ground | Not published | 8.0 | $179.95Amazon |
| Rank 5 |  Irish Setter Terrain 17-inch A tall waterproof boot for brush | Not published | 8.0 | $239.95Amazon |
#ad Prices come from Amazon and change. How this site is funded. Scores are our published editorial rubric — see our methodology.
Irish Setter, part of Red Wing, occupies the part of the market most hunters actually buy in: leather boots that walk properly at a mid price, with width options and lasts designed around real feet. They are not the premium mountain-boot answer and they are not trying to be.
The Irish Setter range, priced
The 1,000g Elk Tracker, the light VaprTrek, the MudTrek rubber boot, the women's version, and the tall Terrain.
#1 · Cold-weather hunts that involve walking
#ad How we are funded · Price as of October 6, 2026
Irish Setter Elk Tracker 12-inch, 1,000g
Irish Setter1,000g of insulation in a 12-inch lace-up leather boot: the combination that lets you cover ground in the cold without the sweat-then-freeze cycle a rubber pull-on forces.
| Insulation | 1,000g |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 12 in |
| Upper | Full-grain leather |
| Waterproofing | UltraDry membrane (manufacturer) |
| Fit | Lace-up |
Specifications per Irish Setter published specifications.
What it does well
- Laces mean you can actually tension the boot to your foot, which is why it walks better than any pull-on
- 1,000g is the sweet spot for a boot you walk in and then sit in
- Leather takes a real conditioning treatment and lasts seasons longer than neoprene
Where it falls short
- Leather is not scent-free the way rubber is, and it absorbs whatever you walk through
- Needs breaking in, and the 12-inch shaft takes the longest to soften
- Water depth is limited to the top of the laces, so not a marsh boot
Our rubric
- Warmth
- 8.8
- Waterproofing
- 7.8
- Fit
- 9.2
- Durability
- 9.2
- Value
- 8.2
#2 · Light miles in cool weather
#ad How we are funded · Price as of October 6, 2026
Irish Setter VaprTrek 8-inch, 400g
Irish SetterA deliberately light 8-inch boot with just 400g of insulation - the right spec for an early-season walk-in where the problem is weight and sweat, not cold.
| Insulation | 400g |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 8 in |
| Upper | Leather and nylon |
| Waterproofing | UltraDry membrane (manufacturer) |
| Fit | Lace-up |
Specifications per Irish Setter published specifications.
What it does well
- Genuinely light for an insulated boot, which is the whole point of the model
- Breaks in faster than a full-leather 12-inch boot
Where it falls short
- 400g and an 8-inch shaft is not a cold-sit boot - read the spec and believe it
- Nylon panels wear faster than full leather in heavy brush
Our rubric
- Warmth
- 6.2
- Waterproofing
- 7.8
- Fit
- 9.0
- Durability
- 8.0
- Value
- 8.6
#3 · A full-fit rubber boot that walks
#ad How we are funded · Price as of October 6, 2026
Irish Setter MudTrek 17-inch
Irish SetterIrish Setter's rubber boot, built on a full-fit last rather than the loose tube most pull-ons use - which is why it walks better than its height suggests.
| Insulation | Not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 17 in |
| Upper | Rubber over neoprene |
| Fit | Full fit, pull-on |
| Widths | Standard and wide offered |
Specifications per Irish Setter published specifications.
What it does well
- A wide option, which almost no knee-high rubber boot offers
- The full-fit last means less heel slip, so fewer blisters on a long walk-in
Where it falls short
- Insulation varies by listing; check before buying for cold
- Tighter fit over a very heavy sock than a gusseted boot
Our rubric
- Warmth
- 6.8
- Waterproofing
- 9.0
- Fit
- 8.8
- Durability
- 8.4
- Value
- 8.6
#4 · Women covering ground
#ad How we are funded · Price as of October 6, 2026
Irish Setter VaprTrek 8-inch, women's
Irish SetterA women's-last VaprTrek. The last is the reason to buy it: a narrower heel and a lower instep volume than a men's boot in the same nominal size.
| Insulation | Not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 8 in |
| Upper | Leather and nylon |
| Waterproofing | UltraDry membrane (manufacturer) |
| Last | Women's |
Specifications per Irish Setter published specifications.
What it does well
- Built on a women's last rather than a men's boot in a smaller size
- Light and quick to break in
Where it falls short
- Insulation is not stated on every colorway - verify before buying for cold
- 8 inches of shaft is modest coverage in brush
Our rubric
- Warmth
- 6.4
- Waterproofing
- 7.8
- Fit
- 9.2
- Durability
- 8.0
- Value
- 8.4
#5 · A tall waterproof boot for brush
#ad How we are funded · Price as of October 6, 2026
Irish Setter Terrain 17-inch
Irish SetterSeventeen inches of waterproof leather and nylon. Irish Setter sells it as a tall hunting boot rather than a certified snake boot, and we describe it that way too.
| Protection claim | Not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Shaft height | 17 in |
| Upper | Leather and nylon |
| Waterproofing | UltraDry membrane (manufacturer) |
| Closure | Lace-up with side zip |
Specifications per Irish Setter published specifications.
What it does well
- Tall coverage against thorns, stubble and ticks at a sensible price
- Side zip makes a 17-inch boot practical
Where it falls short
- We have not found a published snake-protection claim for this model, so do not buy it as a snake boot
- Heavy for a boot with no insulation stated
Our rubric
- Warmth
- 6.0
- Waterproofing
- 8.6
- Fit
- 8.4
- Durability
- 8.6
- Value
- 8.4
What Irish Setter does well
- Full-fit lasts, including wide. More width options than most hunting makers, and the lasts are shaped for feet rather than scaled from a template: boots for wide feet.
- Mid-price leather that walks. The Elk Tracker at 1,000g in a 12-inch lace-up is the specification for a cold hunt that involves walking - a combination rubber cannot offer.
- A rubber boot on a proper last. The MudTrek is a 17-inch pull-on built full-fit rather than as a tube, and offered in a wide. Almost nothing else in knee-high rubber is.
- Genuine women's lasts on several models, which is rarer than it should be.
The range, by problem
Which Irish Setter solves which problem
- Cold weather and real walkingElk Tracker, 1,000g, 12 inches. See the picks
- Light miles, cool weatherVaprTrek 400g, 8 inches. See the picks
- Water, and a wide footMudTrek 17-inch, available in wide. See the picks
- Women covering groundVaprTrek women's, on a women's last. See the picks
- Tall coverage against brushTerrain 17-inch, side zip. See the picks
One thing to be careful about
Insulation is not consistently published across colorways and listings. Several Irish Setter models appear with and without insulation under similar names, and the gram figure is often buried in the variant. Before buying for cold weather, confirm the insulation on the exact listing in front of you - this is the commonest mis-purchase with this brand.
The same caution applies to the Terrain 17: we have not found a published snake-protection claim for it, so we list it as a tall waterproof hunting boot rather than a snake boot. If you want snake protection, buy a boot whose maker claims it: best snake boots.
Where the range is weaker
- No mountain boot. For steep country with a loaded pack, Crispi or Kenetrek.
- Membranes rather than Gore-Tex on many models. UltraDry is Irish Setter's own; it works, and Gore-Tex boots generally last longer in hard use.
- Nothing above 1,000g, so for static deep cold you are looking at rubber or a pac boot.
- Not recraftable, unlike Danner's stitchdown boots.
Where Irish Setter appears on this site
- Best insulated hunting boots - the Elk Tracker for walking hunts
- 1,000 gram boots - the sweet spot for cold mobile hunting
- Best knee-high rubber boots - the MudTrek's wide option
- Best boots for wide feet
- Best boots for saddle hunting - the light VaprTrek
Frequently asked questions
Are Irish Setter boots good?
Which Irish Setter boot should I buy?
Do Irish Setter boots come in wide?
Is the Irish Setter Terrain a snake boot?
Is UltraDry as good as Gore-Tex?
Sources
Read next
Cold Weather Boots
1000 gram insulated hunting boots
The cold-stand rating, and the heaviest insulation you can still walk in. Leather lace-ups at 1,000g plus the rubber options either side.
Cold Weather Boots
The best insulated hunting boots, by what you are doing in them
Five insulated boots from 400g to 1,600g, each matched to a temperature AND an activity level rather than ranked on warmth alone.
Rubber Boots
Best knee-high rubber hunting boots
Sixteen to eighteen inches of coverage, and the calf measurement that decides which of them you can get on.
Boot Fit & Sizing
Best hunting boots for wide feet
Width and length are independent, and sizing up fixes neither. The boots that come in a genuine wide.
Brands
Danner hunting boots
The maker to buy if you walk: recraftable platforms, Gore-Tex, and the best snake boot in the category.