Hiking boots...

[Ryan_Th3_K1d]

I'm in need of a good pair of boots for this summers 14erns/camping trips. I like combat boots cause of how tall they are, I don't like crap all through my shoes when I'm hiking. So any recommendations on a good pair that aren't too heavy but really durable (I beat the crap out of all my foot wear) would be greatly appreciated.

[blackford76]

I picked up a pair of Herman Survivors Commander at wally world last winter, and my only complaint was the cheap laces. Comfy and supportive, with good tread.

[GreenScoutII]

Stay away from any Wal-Mart boots. Plan to spend $100, minumum. I'm a guy who spends 90% of his waking hours in work boots, so I can tell you from experience, never skimp on boots, particularly if you are a big guy.

Georgia Boot Company has a lot of decent offerings in the $100-$175 range. I've had a few pairs and they hold up well. Carhart also has some pretty decent boots as well.

[denvernative321]

Stay away from any Wal-Mart boots. Plan to spend $100, minumum. I'm a guy who spends 90% of his waking hours in work boots, so I can tell you from experience, never skimp on boots, particularly if you are a big guy.

Georgia Boot Company has a lot of decent offerings in the $100-$175 range. I've had a few pairs and they hold up well. Carhart also has some pretty decent boots as well.

I would have to agree. After spending a lot of time in boots i can tell you that is one thing you need to drop some coin on. I spent 250 on a pair of boots and never looked back. Still have a brand new pair of boots from walmart that would make better black smoke clouds than actually wearing. The cheapest I would go would be Merrell.

[offgrid]

Been wearing Scarpa SL-M3 boots for over ten years, daily wear, on my feet all day on concrete, excellent all leather hiking boot. They are not combat boots, they are high enough above the ankle dirt getting into them is a non-issue. On my second pair, 1st pair lasted 7 yrs. Cost about $230. They also come in a variety of widths, not one size fits some.

Bought them at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, good selection of quality boots, knowledgeable staff.

[StagLefty]

Red Wings are always a good boot also-they carry a lot of styles besides just work boots. I paid about $180 for work boots a few years ago and have not regretted it.

[bianchi61]

Go to Danner Boots some of the best for where you are going.

[GreenScoutII]

Red Wings are always a good boot also-they carry a lot of styles besides just work boots. I paid about $180 for work boots a few years ago and have not regretted it.

Yes. Red Wings. I couldn't remember thier name last night, but those are outstanding good boots. Well worth the investment.

[cebeu]

"...cheapest I would go would be Merrell.

Always a better product "out there" to buy but...Merrell's are excellent IMO. I moved to their line a few years back re: hiking / biking. Durability and performance has far exceeded my expectations and like the OP; "I'm very hard on footwear." Unsure if they offer anything that will meet the "high" requirement but they make good stuff and they are comfortable right out-of-the-box (makes for easy break-in).

[Marlin]

Red Wings are always a good boot also-they carry a lot of styles besides just work boots. I paid about $180 for work boots a few years ago and have not regretted it.


So, I'm the only one that thinks Redwings are over hyped crap? Or did I get the one crappy pair they ever made?

[GreenScoutII]

So, I'm the only one that thinks Redwings are over hyped crap? Or did I get the one crappy pair they ever made?

I had one pair and I paid a damn fortune for them (by my standards). They were good boots and I had absolutely no problem with them. What I appreciated about them is the inner sole supports stayed intact and never collapsed. That's what typically goes bad in cheaper boots if you are a bigger guy, (I'm 6'1" & 240lbs). I got about two years of constant wear on the jobsite out of mine before they gave up the ghost.

That said, the pair of Red Wings at $260 (as I recall) didn't really perform any better than the $120 Carhart brand boots or the $140 Georgia boots. So, to answer your question, I think Red Wings are very good boots, but I also think you are paying a premium above and beyond their performance just for the Red Wing name.

ETA: Same deal with Justin boots. If you try to sell me a pair of work boots for more than $300 bucks, they better come with a no questions asked, full replacement garantee for at least five years. Otherwise, I won't even try them on.

[Ryan_Th3_K1d]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I bought some cheap combat boots last year, and never again...my feet never hurt so much. So dropping some serious coin is a must!


Merrell's are excellent IMO
Merrell's are a great hiking shoe! My dad won't wear anything else for hiking. I'm looking more for a boot for hunting and trail blazing.

[Marlin]

Well, I'll just say My experiance with them. I wouldn't take a pair if they paid me to do it.

I got a $35 "emergency" pair from big 5 that lasted longer. and felt better. AND, there was better customer service.

[Graves]

So, I'm the only one that thinks Redwings are over hyped crap? Or did I get the one crappy pair they ever made?

Nope, A former employer of mine used to give us a boot allowence every year at the red wing store and over the course of five years not one single pair lasted the full year before completely shitting out. Every pair I bought was between $120-$160 so needless to say I'm not impressed. They're tough boots but I have a pair of timberlands that are going on their third year - speaking of which, they're pretty much shot to S#!% right now. [Coffee]

[StagLefty]

So, I'm the only one that thinks Redwings are over hyped crap? Or did I get the one crappy pair they ever made?

All I can go by is my experience with them. My current pair is about 5 yrs. old-one of the soles came loose about a month ago-I took them in and they replaced both soles,oiled them up,and replaced the laces for no charge. That warranty is on all their American made boots. [Beer]

[Backinblackrifles]

I like Bates, But they are not cheap My winter pair is going on it's fourth Year and other than scuffs and a tear in the rear of the liner I think they still have about 2 years left.

[Cameron]

Boots for hiking or back packing really depend on you and what you will be carrying.

Do not be cheap when it comes to getting good boots, if you are just walking a trail carrying a water bottle then a decent pair of Merrel or Vasque hiking boots would be all you need. If you are going to be carrying more weight back packing or trekking then look at Lowa, Asolo, La Sportiva, Hanwag, Salomon etc. Typically commercial hiking boots, offer a better quality than the "tactical" or military alternatives.

I trail run in Merrel trail shoes (http://www.rei.com/product/748515) for about $80

Short light hikes in Vasque Hiking boots (http://www.rei.com/product/721359) for about $180

For heavier long range hikes I have a pair of Hanwag Light GTX mountaineering boots (http://lathropandsons.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/30/products_id/103) that cost about $250

Cameron

[blackford76]

Redwings are highly over-rated! I also got a boot voucher, the last set of Redwings cost me 200 over the 120 voucher, I was working in Sterling last Dec when I had to go to wallyworld to buy the "cheap-ass" "junk", "not worth burning in the street" Hermans to keep from loosing toes.
When I worked for Lafarge I had to get rid of a Pair of Redwings that caused plantar flasha whatever, painfull, thats for sure, with, yup, cheap wally world boots. Danners are ok, Matterhorns are better, Ariat makes the best workboot as far as I'm concerned, but he originally asked about hiking and camping boots.

[Marlin]

All I can go by is my experience with them. My current pair is about 5 yrs. old-one of the soles came loose about a month ago-I took them in and they replaced both soles,oiled them up,and replaced the laces for no charge. That warranty is on all their American made boots. [Beer]

I'm happy they worked for you.. My experiance with them just left such a bad taste, I won't own another pair. And, I will give you, it may have been a one in a billion thing. But, as said before, They couldn't pay me to have another pair.

[Ryan_Th3_K1d]

I've had good experience with Ariat cowboy boots! I figure if the boot is tough enough to be a work boot, then it better be a good hiking boot. I've found that some "work boots" hold up better than some of the past hiking boots I've used. Thanks for the advice, it's appreciated!

[offgrid]

I've had good experience with Ariat cowboy boots! I figure if the boot is tough enough to be a work boot, then it better be a good hiking boot. I've found that some "work boots" hold up better than some of the past hiking boots I've used. Thanks for the advice, it's appreciated!

I hiked in a pair of work boots before getting the Scarpa hiking boots. The problem I had with the work boots when hiking, the laces did not go far enough towards my toes, no matter how tight the laces were my toes would jam into the toe of the boot when going down on a steep grade. Not a problem with the hiking boots, snug up the toe laces before heading down, no toe jam. Bagged 38 14ers on the Scarpas.

[Graves]

Anybody try Oakley? They better make a damn good boot for $500.

[Marlin]

Anybody try Oakley? They better make a damn good boot for $500.

If I had $500, I sure wouldn't spend it on boots..

[cowboykjohnson]

If I had $500, I sure wouldn't spend it on boots..
+1
I like Danner boots, I've had the same pair for hunting and hiking for 3 years and they are holding up great.
Very comfortable and supportive.

[cowboykjohnson]

Anybody try Oakley? They better make a damn good boot for $500.
I want to try a pair of their drag racing shoes, they're only like 80$ but they look comfortable and hopefully I can feel the pedals better.

[Mtn.man]

http://www.kenetrek.com/products.asp?dept=12

[rellik74]

I wear Red Wing wildland fire boots avail in 8 and 10" high. Vibrran soles and tripple stiched. My current pair is 2 years and I wear them 5 days a week. Around $220.00

I mink oil them twice a month

[TennVol]

I've got several pair of Danner hunting boots and Merrell hiking boots. Both brands are awesome and I've worn them for years.

I'm surprised no one has suggested you purchase a pair of gaiters to wear to keep out the dirt, rocks, bugs, etc... I always wear mine when I'm hunting/hiking and I've never had a problem with anything ever getting into my boots.

[BushMasterBoy]

I usually wear military issue boots. The boots from the 60's and 70's we pretty bad. The newer military boots with Vibram soles, cambrelle lining and sewn in Goretex booties make life much easier on my feet. Add in Thinsulate insulation and they are usually warm and comfortable in the Colorado terrain. The other factor to consider is really good socks. A good wicking synthetic or a wool/synthetic blende is a must! I hike around mountains prospecting for precious metals and most civilian boots are too expensive and usually don't have the ruggedness of the made for the military versions. The popular brands are Belleville, Bates and Danner. Some of the boots are made under contract by these companies and don't have any names on them.

[Beprepared]

If you have a common size and can do mail order, here is yet another resource.http://sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/mens-footwear.aspx?c=11

[br82722]

Not sure if it was mentioned yet, but LAPG is a good place to catch closeout sales on boots. You have to act fast because the popular sizes sell out quickly.
http://www.lapolicegear.com/dastiidx8unb.html
http://www.lapolicegear.com/danner-42995-striker-2-assault-8-inch-unifrom-boots.html

I picked up some Goretex Bates combat boots from them a couple years ago for $35/pair. Still have them.

[palepainter]

I like Bates, But they are not cheap My winter pair is going on it's fourth Year and other than scuffs and a tear in the rear of the liner I think they still have about 2 years left.

I prefer Bates too. They are light, comfortable and solid. Around 100.

[theGinsue]

...no toe jam.

MMmmmmm. Toe Jam

http://www.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n248/lucyloo22/toejam.jpg&ei=IU7nS4GlC4aasgPK9JSXBA&sa=X&oi=image_landing_page_redirect&ct=legacy&usg=AFQjCNGD6YwMeCPNhM3ANb6wOKW3cKWOCQ

[patrick0685]

if your close to one i would go to REI they will spend tons of time making sure you get a boot that fits well for your foot and they carry a lot of different brands for hiking and backpacking. One lady helped me over two days pick out the perfect boot. I got Salmons for 200.

[patrick0685]

oh ya if your government or mil or police you can get the oakleys for alot cheaper at usstandardissue.com, sweet deals on some of there sunglasses too.

[cbs]

I have to agree with the Danner Boots,I have been hammering them for three decades now. the best boot made and very little break in time.

[glock56534]

I would stick with a good mountaineering boot (not a hard shell type, of course). My last pair of Asolos lasted me well over 10 years and through several mountaineering and backpacking trips. I got my second pair of Asolos last summer and haven't turned back, they are extremely comfortable and durable. They run around $200-$250, but are WELL worth it as they will last you for several years.

Hope this helps.

[Gritty]

Check the REI garage sales. I found a pair of Asolos for $85 (normally $195). There are deals around if you hunt for them.

[Ah Pook]

For me, Merrells have been the most comfortable and longest lasting boots I own.

I wore out two pair of Lowas in a year. Keens lasted eight months. Merrells are on their fourth year.

[BPTactical]

Die hard dedicated mountaineering boot guy here. I have yet to see a combat/tac boot that supports your foot the way a mountain boot does.
The last pair of all leather boots I had were Fabiano's and after 9 years and 2 sets of soles I had to retire them because the leather was breaking down and leaking. I still use them around the house. 9 years worth of boot for 250.00- not a bad investment.
My current boots are LaSportiva Makalu's that I had shipped in. Nice and stiff, light and GoreTex lined.

OT- what weatherproofing do you guys like? I like NikWax or SnoSeal. Rub it on the boot cold and then hit them with the blow dryer till it melts and is absorbed. Keep putting it on until the boot will take no more.
Once a year before winter after that.