It is rare to find a Jack-of-all-trades pac boot. Some boots are designed for extremely cold weather, but they are too large and cumbersome to allow for much movement. Some winter boots are crafted with high activity levels in mind, but they don't have enough insulation to keep your feet warm in extremely cold condition. But few boots do everything well. Cabela's, in partnership with three-time Iditarod champion Jeff King, set out to do just this and withstand the rigors of the Iditarod trail to boot (excuse the pun).

The Trans-Alaska series of boots have been constantly refined for the last several years, in the attempt to make them the "ultimate winter boot". Every year, after the Iditarod race in Alaska, Jeff King sits down with the Cabela's footwear staff and critiques the boot and gives suggestions to help redesign the existing model. With the Trans-Alaska III, complaints were few and praise was high. Jeff surmised their performance like this; "Finally a boot that is agile enough to use like a hiker, warm enough for any conditions Alaska can throw at them and durable enough to endure the entire 1,160 miles of the arduous Iditarod trail."

Jeff has been involved in the development of this boot from the start, and his Alaskan experience has been invaluable in their design. "I look for several features in a winter boot. Warmth is just one of them. There are many boots that are warm, but they always seem to sacrifice weight, comfort, or mobility to be warm. We designed the Trans-Alaska III to be extremely warm, but at the same time weigh less then five pounds per pair, have good traction and ankle support and are still easy to get on and off. We knew it was a tall order to fill, but after wearing them all the way through last year's Iditarod, I knew we had a winner. In fact, they are the only pair of boots I have worn from the start to the finish of the race."

The key to these boots starts with the sole. Unlike most extreme weather Pac boots, the Trans-Alaska III uses a sole combination similar to more mobile hiking style boots. The outer sole is lightweight rubber with a multi-directional tread. It is then meshed to a Phylon midsole and a 13mm EVA cold barrier footbed, that gives you three inches of layered protection between the soles of your feet and the ground. It not only keeps the cold ground away from your feet, but it also creates a very comfortable, stable platform for walking and hiking.

The inside of the boot is equally well thought out for both comfort and warmth. A moisture trap footbed underneath the liner wicks moisture away and traps it so your feet stay dry and warm.

The liner is also a revolutionary design. It is a 13mm Texel bootie that not only wicks away moisture, but it also reflects heat back towards your foot. For really cold days, a built in pocket in the bottom of the liner holds a chemical heat pack for additional warmth.

Depending upon your activity, winter boots are often put on or removed a lot during the course of a day. The "one pull" roller bearing hardware makes snugging these boots up and taking them off fast and simple. "I need a boot that can be easily removed. I really dislike coming inside, taking my boots off and then having to lace them up again 5 minutes later when I need to go back out. With the Trans-Alaska III, it is one quick pull and they are on." says Jeff.

The outer material also plays a critical role in the overall integrity of the boot. The tough, nylon outer material resists snags and tears that can be common place when hunting or trekking through the backcountry.

While my winter sports don't take me to Alaska to the world's "Last Great Race," I do find myself, walking through snow banks in pursuit of late season rabbits or sitting on a tree stand waiting for a whitetail when the mercury is hovering around the zero mark. I also find, for sedentary activities like snowmobiling and ice fishing, that the added warmth of the chemical heat pad keeps me afield much longer. In addition to cold weather protection, I need a boot that can hold up to a lot of walking, broken off, sharp branches and thick underbrush. These boots work perfect for all of my hunting situations. At the end of the day, the 4.5 pounds still feel as light as when I put them on.

Click here to view the Cabela's Trans-Alaska™ III Pac Boot .

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