Briksdal SF GTX Boot Review

I’ve owned and been using the updated Crispi Briksdal SF boots since they came out in May 2020.  I’ve used them on all my adventures so far this year: summer scouting, sheep hunting in Alaska, elk and mule deer hunting, and hiking through 10” of snow to pick up some moose sheds I’d found while hunting before the canyon closed for the winter.  I’ve been able to use them in a wide variety of terrain and temperatures, and they’ve yet to let me down.  I’ve been very impressed with them, and for me they are the ideal boot.

The Briksdal SFs have some features that are pretty standard to most hunting boots, such as Vibram soles, a full rubber rand, a GORE-TEX lining, and ~200 grams of insulation, but the main thing I like is the stiffness of the soles.  Crispi gives all of their boots a flex rating and the Briksdal SF are the stiffest boot available in their lineup.  They are ideal for rugged and/or alpine terrain, and anyone who simply prefers a very stiff sole.

The Briksdal SF was originally released in 2017, and the updates for 2020 include additional padding in the tongue of the boot, specifically where the laces cross where your foot transitions and changes angle at the ankle.  Also, the original model had fabric lace loops at the ankle, and the updated model has metal lace locks.  I never owned a pair of the original model, but I do like the metal lace locks and can see how the lace loops would have been less than ideal.

UPDATED IN 2020

This was my second pair of Crispi boots.  My first pair, the Nevadas, are boots I still own and use.  Personally, I prefer a very stiff soled boot, and the Nevadas weren’t quite as stiff as I like.  The Nevadas have a decent amount of flex in the forefoot of the boot, right under your metatarsals (the balls of your feet).  The Briksdal SF boots are very stiff and don’t have hardly any flex in the sole.  

SIZING & FIT

When I got my Briksdal SFs, I’d ordered them online and had never tried them on before.  I ordered two pair to see which fit better: a 10.5 (what I usually wear), and an 11.  I’d read some reviews that said to order up a half size, but I ended up keeping the 10.5’s, so definitely try them on before you commit based off others experience.  Boot fit is very unique from one person to the next; what works great for someone else may not work for you.   

I really liked the concept of the boot and what I’d heard about them, but I needed to verify that they would work for me.  What I always do first with new boots is put them on, lace them up, and start walking up and down the stairs to my basement.  As I walk the stairs, I try to ‘flex’ my heels by walking on my toes and putting as much pressure as I can on my heels.  This is how you can best tell if a boot is going to work for you or not.  You can take this even further by walking stairs in your new boots with a weighted pack.  Stiff boots have very little give, so most all the pressure is applied to the heel area.  If you feel an uncomfortable amount of pressure and/or rubbing in the heel area of your boots, you should return them and find a different pair because extensive exposure to this extreme and uncomfortable pressure will eventually turn into hot spots, which leads to blisters.  When I worked construction and bought my first pair of boots, I got a cheap pair from Wal-Mart and didn’t pay attention to how uncomfortable the heels of the boots were.  I did nothing to break them in, thinking that walking around the job site all day would do the trick.  After my first day in them I had blisters on both my heels the size of silver dollars and couldn’t put anything on my feet for a couple days; lesson learned.  

Don’t keep a pair of boots that don’t fit well thinking the discomfort will break in over time and is not a big deal, no matter how long you’ve been eyeing this specific pair of boots; odds are that discomfort will not go away.  With how stiff most hiking and hunting boots are in the heel area, it’s one area that will break in the least as you wear them because there is so little flex in that particular section of the boot.  The sides of a boot have much more give and aren’t as stiff, so if the side pressure isn’t bad, it’s likely that area of the boot will flex and better accommodate the form of your foot over time.

After walking stairs several times for a few days, I’ll start wearing them around the house in the evenings to continue verifying that these boots will agree with my feet.  At this point, if I’m comfortable with how they feel and have no reason not to keep them, I’ll start wearing them to work and around town.  The whole point of this process is to try and get as much time in them as I can before I take them into the mountains.  This has been my recipe for vetting boots for the last 3 pair I’ve purchased, and I feel this system has worked very well for me so far.

WHY SO STIFF?

Another reason why I prefer a very stiff-soled boot is because flexible boots can actually contribute to worn out legs more than you’d think.  Wearing a flexible boot is more of a leg work out because your feet are constantly flexing more in your boots as you climb, step over objects, and navigate mountain terrain.  The additional work your feet do to stabilize you as you move travels up your legs and into your calf muscles, and after thousands of steps in steep, harsh terrain, it adds up and contributes to increased leg fatigue.  Also, in my personal experience, with more flexible boots I’m more prone to develop hot spots when navigating mountain terrain simply because my feet aren’t surrounded by the necessary structure to prevent them from sliding back and forth inside the boots.  All this sliding and rubbing can quickly lead to hot spots and eventually blisters.  This is another reason why I really like the stiff soles in the Briksdal SF boots.

WATERPROOFNESS

The upper portion of the Briksdal SF boots is made with water repellent Nubuck leather, and they also have a Gore-Tex lining.  I’ve worn them crossing streams whose water level came up above my ankle, and I stayed dry.  I wore them for 2 ½ weeks in Alaska where we had above-average rainfall this past season, and I never had any problems with my boots leaking.  On the hike in to spike camp we had to cross multiple bogs and fields of muskeg…to say the ground is always wet there would be an understatement.  I’ve been very impressed with how well they keep my feet dry.  Periodically applying a coat of wax will help with the waterproofness of the boots, as well as prolong the life of the boot material.  Cleaning your boots off somewhat regularly also helps them last longer.

INSULATION

The 200 grams of insulation has never been an issue for me.  I hiked many miles in them during the summer and never felt like it was too much.  I made sure to always wear lightweight socks if I was going to be hiking in the heat.  The insulation came in handy during some later season hunts when the temps dropped into the low teens.  I think the 200 gram insulation is the sweet spot for boots: not too hot when you don’t need it, but it definitely helps when you do.

INSOLES

One thing I would suggest is to get a pair of aftermarket insoles to put in your boots, regardless of the make/model.  I don’t know how much truth there is to this, but I’ve heard that most boot manufacturers do not put quality insoles in their boots.  In fact, some manufacturers actually intend for users to get aftermarket insoles to replace stock insoles.  I got a pair of Superfeet Orange insoles to put in my Briksdal SFs.  This was my second pair of these insoles and I’ve really enjoyed them.  I actually replaced the stock insole in one of my Briksdal SFs with the Superfeet, and left the stock insole in the other boot.  I could definitely feel a difference in how well the Superfeet insole cupped my heel, had extra cushion under my metatarsals, and actually elevated my heel ever so slightly compared to the stock insole.  The Superfeet were definitely more comfortable.  You don’t necessarily need the Superfeet brand, but do yourself a favor and get a pair of quality, comfortable insoles for your boots; you won’t regret it.

CONCLUSION

I’ve been very happy with my Briksdal SFs.  They’re the perfect boot for me.  I love how stiff the soles are, the 9” height is not too high but offers ample ankle support, the insulation is right at the perfect level for a wide variety of climates, and they’re just downright comfortable.  I fully plan on getting another pair once I’ve worn out my current pair.  If you like stiff soled boots and want to keep your feet happy in the mountains, look no further than the Crispi Briksdal SF.