LaCrosse snake boot review: Snake 17 and Venom II

The usual disclosure: both protection claims below are LaCrosse's own, there is no independent standard for snake protection, and we have tested nothing. What follows is construction, coverage and value.

Both LaCrosse models, plus the benchmark

The Snake 17, the Venom II, and the Danner Sharptail for reference.

#1 · A straightforward leather snake boot

$249.95·Amazon

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LaCrosse Snake 17-inch

LaCrosse

8.6/10★★★★◐

LaCrosse's plain-spoken snake boot: 17 inches, full-grain leather, nothing clever. It does the one job and costs less than the Danner.

Published specifications

Protection claim	Snake-proof construction to full shaft height (manufacturer)
Shaft height	17 in
Upper	Full-grain leather and nylon
Waterproofing	Waterproof (manufacturer)
Closure	Lace-up

Specifications per LaCrosse Footwear published specifications.

What it does well

• Noticeably cheaper than the premium snake boots with the same coverage height
• Laces, so it can be tensioned for a long walk

Where it falls short

• No side zip - lacing 17 inches twice a day gets old
• Heavier than the Sharptail

Our rubric

Coverage

9.2

Comfort

7.8

Waterproofing

8.6

Durability

8.8

Value

8.4

#2 · Turkey hunting in snake country

$279.95·Amazon

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LaCrosse Venom II NWTF 18-inch

LaCrosse

8.5/10★★★★◐

Eighteen inches of coverage with a side zip, built for turkey season - which is exactly when snake risk and hunting pressure overlap most in the South.

Published specifications

Protection claim	Snake-proof construction to full shaft height (manufacturer)
Shaft height	18 in
Upper	Leather and nylon
Waterproofing	Waterproof (manufacturer)
Closure	Lace-up with side zip

Specifications per LaCrosse Footwear published specifications.

What it does well

• The tallest coverage here, and the extra inch is real when you are sitting against a tree
• Side zip plus laces is the best of both closures

Where it falls short

• Hot - this is a lot of boot for a May morning in Alabama
• Camo-specific colorway limits where else you will wear it

Our rubric

Coverage

9.6

Comfort

7.8

Waterproofing

8.6

Durability

8.8

Value

7.8

#3 · All-day walking in snake country

$359.95·Amazon

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Danner Sharptail 17-inch Snake Boot

Danner

8.7/10★★★★◐

The snake boot that walks like a hunting boot. A side zip, a real Danner platform, and 17 inches of coverage - which is why it is the one most upland hunters settle on.

Published specifications

Protection claim	Snake protection to full shaft height (manufacturer)
Shaft height	17 in
Upper	Full-grain leather and 1000D nylon
Waterproofing	Waterproof (manufacturer)
Closure	Lace-up with side zip

Specifications per Danner published specifications.

What it does well

• The side zip means you can get a 17-inch boot on and off without a fight
• Walks better than any other snake boot here - laces, a real last, a supportive midsole
• Danner's construction quality is the reason this survives multiple seasons of briar

Where it falls short

• The most expensive snake boot in this registry
• Hot. Seventeen inches of snake-resistant panel does not breathe, whatever the marketing says
• The guard is stiff for the first few outings and will rub a high instep

Our rubric

Coverage

9.2

Comfort

8.8

Waterproofing

8.8

Durability

9.4

Value

7.4

Seventeen inches, full-grain leather and nylon, lace-up, waterproof per LaCrosse, snake protection claimed to the full shaft height. There is nothing clever about it and that is the point - it makes the same claim as the Danner at a noticeably lower price, and the saving comes out of the closure and the platform rather than the protection.

• What you give up: no side zip, so you lace 17 inches twice a day. Less sophisticated support underfoot than a Danner platform.
• What you keep: laces, which is the single most important feature for walking, and the same claimed coverage height.
• Who it suits: a hunter who wants a tall lace-up snake boot and does not want to spend Danner money.

Eighteen inches, lace-up plus a side zip, in an NWTF-branded camo colorway. The extra inch is genuinely useful if you hunt sitting on the ground, which is exactly what the National Wild Turkey Federation branding is pointing at: turkey hunting snake protection.

• What you gain: the tallest coverage in this registry, and the best closure combination - zip to get in, laces to tension.
• What you pay: more heat than any other boot here, and a camo colorway that limits where else you will wear it.
• Who it suits: spring turkey hunters in the South, and anyone who sits on the ground in snake country.

LaCrosse's reputation is built on rubber knee boots, not leather, and that shows here: these are honest, solidly-built snake boots without the platform refinement of a Danner. The Snake 17 is the value lace-up in the category and the Venom II is the tallest coverage available. Neither walks as well as the Sharptail, and both cost less.

Both run snug through the forefoot, like every boot with a protective panel. Size over a midweight sock. The Venom II's zip makes the calf far more accommodating than the Snake 17's laced shaft, which is worth knowing if your calf is thick: snake boots for big calves. Break both in properly - how to.