Hey folks, I would like to mention that in my opinion, the type of hunting that you do should also be a key consideration as well the location you will be hunting in. Petey kinda touched on this below with respect to the weight of the boot.
For most of my deer hunting in stands or ground blinds, during bow/gun seasons, I could personally care less of the boot weight as long as it provides good traction, allows me to climb safely, and keeps my feet warm. The majority of my hunts are less than a mile and a half into deep woods so heat build-up isn't a main concern.
During early season (October-to about mid November) I use rubber boots (1200 gram Thinsulate LaCrosse Alpha Burly's) and then switch over to Rocky 2,000 gram Blizzard Stalkers for the remainder or deer season on stand. If it's completely miserable (below zero with high wind chills) I go to Sorells pac style hunting boots. I will use all three of these boots also during duck season depending on the weather and conditions. If I am stalking on windy, wet days during deer season, I use a pair of Cabelas mid ankle height hikers (not sure of the model, I've had em awhile though
) with rubber soles and a gore-tex membrane for water protection
For upland hunting, I use a lightweight pair of Meindl hunting boots (200 gram Thinsulate) In my opinion, this type of hunting demands a quality lightweight boot. They offer a very good traction and superior ankle support when walking a variety of conditions afield. They do take awhile to properly break-in but are well worth it, in my opinion.
Next to your shootin irons or bows, I would place a quality pair of hunting boots right on top of your important gear list.
