As the ol’ saying goes: if you don’t like the weather in Northern Michigan, wait 10 minutes and it’s bound to change. This winter has proven the cliche, with wild swings between wintery weather and spring-like thaws. Climatalogically, 2017 has been warmer and wetter than typical.  Consequently creating a perfect testbed for boots.  Enter: The Original Muck Boot Company’s Girls With Guns – Artic Hunter Tall. Designed for the true female hunter, this boot promises rugged performance over tough terrain and warmth to -40º. Big shoes to fill. Let’s put them to work…

I’m used to working around guys. Actually, I quite prefer it for all of the reasons you’d expect. Less drama, more realism. Less gossip, more tell-it-like-it-is. I hold these virtues in high regard. I graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the mid-nineties with a ratio of 9:1, guys to gals. My transition from aviation to our family business in heavy-construction brought new equipment, but essentially the same workforce: mostly men. However, these Girls With Guns boots fit right in! All of the function, none of the fuss; similar to working with guys. Whether sloshing through the equipment yard, checking-in at the maintenance garage, or visiting a job site, these boots keep me sure-footed in mud and snow while remaining dry and warm. Plus, they work just as hard in the office, cleaning easily to avoid tracking mud, and wicking sweat as they adjust to indoor heat.

But my guy-time doesn’t end at work, dudes surround me at home too. Erik and our two sons definitely tip the scales, making ours a male-dominated home. Like most boys, my guys and I subscribe to the notion: work hard – play hard. The only way to survive and thrive through a Northern Michigan winter, lasting from October to May, is to get outdoors to play! A local Up North outdoor retailer says it best, “there’s no bad weather, just good gear”. Truth. These Muck Boots fall into the “good gear” category.

In addition to working, the Girls With Guns boots have become my staple footwear for recreating, too. You know you love your boots when you long to wear them. That longing, for me, happens after Wednesday night Ski League when all I want is a cold beer and slippers.  The liberation of unbuckling my calf-strangling downhill race boots and slipping into warm cozy boots that feel like slippers. It’s bliss. These Mucks are my winter-bliss slippers.

Best of all, they are like slippers with grippers; tried and true. Our husky, Kayla, challenged these boots through every weather condition. A February thaw first brought melting snow, then came the rain leaving puddles of slush, and finally the temps plummeted promising horrendous driving and a Snow Day for the kiddos until winter returned again with an old-fashioned blizzard. Weather be damned, Kayla’s a husky, always ready to run! Thankfully, my trusty Mucks were up for the task, maintaining traction and keeping me on my feet for our adventures around the neighborhood.

Girls With Guns Arctic Hunter Specs: courtesy of muckbootcompany.com

• 5mm CR Flex-Foam
• Warm Fleece Lining
• Extended Rubber Exterior
• Comfort Insole
• Slip-Resistant Rugged Outsole
• Comfort Range -40F / 40F
• 100% Waterproof
• MSRP $184.99

As the song should go… these boots aren’t just made for walking. They are meant for hunting and shooting. And that’s just what they’ll do. Multiple days at the Range have secured my appreciation for the Girls With Guns fit and function. With soft fleece lining and a wide footbed, my toes have plenty of wiggle-room keeping me comfortable all day. Finally, you likely noticed, they aren’t just camo but the ever-popular Mossy Oak Break-up Country camo. I’m not sure where you live, but in our neck of the woods camo isn’t just a pattern but a fashion statement worn far and wide. I think the girls from Northern California who launched the Girls With Guns clothing concept would agree.

In closing, as much as I like having guys around, I’m still a girl. That means, the stuff I wear needs to work well AND look good. My final analysis: Girls With Guns – Artic Tall by The Original Muck Boot Company is right on target. Highly recommend.

Written by Brandie Meisner (wife of author Erik Meisner)