Irish Setter Wingshooter ST 9"
The classic upland leather at a price that won't make a first-timer flinch.
Quick specs
| Category | Boots |
| Brand | Irish Setter |
| Price | around $230 ($$$) |
| Beginner score | 5/5 |
| Best for | A first-season upland hunter who doesn't want to drop $400+ on Crispis. |
The review
The Wingshooter has been around forever, and there's a reason — it's the boot every old-timer in the Sacramento Valley has worn on a pheasant opener at one point or another. Full-grain leather upper, steel toe (the ST), composite shank, and the unmistakable rust-colored sole that scuffs with character instead of looking trashed.
Out of the box it needs about a week of break-in. Once it's broken in, it's the kind of boot that disappears on your foot through a long day chasing a setter through cornstalks. The 9" height keeps cheatgrass out and gives you ankle support on the kind of irrigation berms and uneven dike walks that punish a low-cut hiker. Not waterproof in the modern sense — it's UltraDry-lined, which means it'll handle morning dew and shallow puddles, but it's not a wading boot.
Compared to a Danner Pronghorn (our default first-boot pick), the Wingshooter is heavier and stiffer but more abrasion-resistant in real chaparral. If your hunting is mostly Valley pheasant and dove-crossover, the Pronghorn is lighter and friendlier. If you're going into thorn country, the Wingshooter is built for it.
Where to buy
- Buy on Amazon
- Irish Setter product page (brand-direct)
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