Editor's Personal Pick — This is gear our editor carries afield.
Matt's mountain boot: uninsulated, in its second season, and not rebuilt yet.
Why we picked this
Matt Gehrmann bought a pair of Schnee's Beartooth v3 0g boots last season, and this fall is his second season in them. They're uninsulated, which makes sense for most of California's upland calendar: it opens in September heat and stays warm well into October. The pair in the photos was in the Eldorado National Forest in October 2026. Schnee's is a Bozeman, Montana, company that says it has served "serious outdoors-people" since 1946. Its pac boots are made there; its mountain boots, the Beartooth among them, come from a factory in Italy.
Quick specs
| Category | Boots |
| Brand | Schnee's (Bozeman, Montana) |
| Made in | Italy |
| Insulation | None (0g) |
| Membrane | Sympatex, waterproof and breathable |
| Upper | Single panel of 2.3 mm top-grain leather, 9 inches tall |
| Rand | Rubber, 360 degrees, heel to toe |
| Outsole | Vibram Tsavo |
| Weight | 4.5 lb a pair (size 10, Schnee's figure) |
| Price | $499 at Schnee's (checked Oct. 22, 2026) |
| Rebuild | Schnee's mountain-boot factory rebuild, $189 plus shipping, about 3–4 months |
| Matt's pair | Bought last season; second season now; not rebuilt yet |
| Editor's verdict | An uninsulated, rebuildable mountain boot for California's warm opening weeks. |
The full review
The Beartooth is a 9-inch mountain boot: one panel of 2.3 mm top-grain leather, a rubber rand that runs all the way around, and a Vibram Tsavo sole, according to Schnee's. Matt's pair is stamped "0G" inside the collar and "Sympatex" on the heel, the uninsulated version with Sympatex's waterproof membrane rather than Gore-Tex.
Uninsulated is the point. In the 2026–27 season, grouse and the early mountain quail season in Zone Q1 open Sept. 12, and quail in Zones Q1 and Q3 and chukar statewide open Oct. 17, when the normal high is still 78°F at Fresno and 77°F at Bishop. An insulated boot is the wrong boot for those days. For January mornings on the Modoc, Schnee's makes the same boot with 200g and 400g of insulation.
The rand is the part that takes the abuse. On basalt and scree, and in chamise and manzanita, rock and brush hit the toe and sides of a boot first, and a rubber rand that goes all the way around keeps them off the leather.
At 4.5 lb a pair, this is a mountain boot, not a hiker. You notice the weight on the walk in. Matt's pair is in its second season and hasn't needed work yet.
When it does, Schnee's rebuilds its mountain boots through its partner factory in Italy: a new rand, midsole, outsole, laces and footbeds for $189, plus shipping, according to Schnee's repair page. It takes about three to four months, so the time to send them is spring, not September.
What we love
- Uninsulated for California's warm opening weeks.
- A full rubber rand between the leather and the rocks.
- Rebuildable: a $189 factory rebuild instead of a new pair.
- A real bootmaker: Schnee's says it has served outdoors people from Bozeman since 1946.
What to know before you buy
- Heavy: 4.5 lb a pair in a size 10.
- Rebuilds take three to four months because they go to Italy. Ship them in spring.
- Not made in Montana. Schnee's pac boots are; the Beartooth is made in Italy.
- Sympatex, not Gore-Tex, if the membrane brand matters to you.
- For cold days, look at the 200g or 400g version. The 0g is a warm-weather boot.
- Want a leather lining? Schnee's sells a Beartooth Classic v3 0g for $469.
Where to buy
- Beartooth v3 0g at Schnee's (brand-direct)
- Beartooth Classic v3 0g at Schnee's (the leather-lined version)
California Upland doesn't earn a commission on these links.
See also
- All boots
- Final Rise Summit XT Strap Vest — Matt's vest
- Brush Pants and Chaps for California Chaparral — what goes above the boots