Best hiking boot?

[reilly]

Hey all,

I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a pair of hiking boots?
Or any boots to stay away from...
Or and specs that I should particularly look out for?

Thanks!

[theoilman]

Footwear gets to be very personal, and one of your most important decisions. My ankles are weak, been turned, twisted and sprained too many times, I definitely need boots with good ankle support. Many do well with trail runners, some even to flip-flops, gators and barefoot. Find you a good hiking outfitter, find the best knowledgeable person there (frequently the owner) who is willing to spend time with you. Discuss what you need, get fitted properly, get the complete break-in recommendations from him/her, and have some very happy feet.

I bought a pair of Vasque boots and 3 pairs of smartwool socks, nearly 2 months before hitting the trail, and had a pair of very happy feet with no blisters or hot spots at all (I section hike only).

[Blissful]

I love my Brooks Adrenaline ASR Trail Runners. They are good for my foot type (I pronate). Boots are not necessary on the AT.

[Spokes]

Depends. I agree with theoilman on using a good outfitter. Start trying on the various brands. Make sure you have plenty of toe room and use an incline board to test the fit, especially on the downhill. Consider inserts and adjust them for a good "volume fit". Consider your packs base weights and the boots or trailrunners amount of support.

My 'go to" boot on my 2009 thru hike was the Keen Targhee II Mid boot. Light, comfy, and never got a blister. The tradeoff was they didn't last long. The soles started to delaminate between 250-300 miles. I did try a pair of Vasque trailrunners and despised them. Vasque products should be banned by Federal law and burned in the nearest incinerator............ hehehehheeee.

Good luck.

[Sierra Echo]

I love my Keens. You will too if you have wide feet.

[Del Q]

I am as picky as they come, the new Vasque waterproof trail runners are super, hard to beat, I have a WIDE foot so there are a LOT less options. Am done with boots, makes no sense to me, the "ankle support" issue is really a falacy - now ski boots, they have ankle support, low top is the way to go in my view, opinions on waterproof or not varies widely,

[SassyWindsor]

Some of my friends, who do a lot of travel in hiking boots, tell me the results of quality, non-China made hiking boots, have now been downgraded to junk status when made in China. I wear European, mostly Italian made boots. Fabiano(no longer made) or "High End, all leather" Scarpa boots are very high quality and perform better than any other footwear I've owned. I do own footwear made in China, but I never get too far away that I couldn't walk home bear-footed if I had to. I would never backpack in them.

[nu2hike]

I recently switched from Keen Targhee mid height boots to Patagonia Drifter trail shoes. I have had problems in the past with my ankles rolling over easily so I was a little nervous about switching! I have to say I loved these new shoes! I did 40 miles on the AT in 4 days and never had a blister or a problem with my ankles! These aren't the lightest trail shoes on the market, but the soles provided great protection from sharp rocks encountered on the trail! I give them a five star rating! :]

[happybecca]

I love the La Sportiva FC eco series. They come in different heights. I like the 3.0 Eco.

[Papa D]

The best hiking boots (excepting deep snow) are SHOES - check out La Sportiva trail runners

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hey all,

I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a pair of hiking boots?
Or any boots to stay away from...
Or and specs that I should particularly look out for?

Thanks!

For a thru-hike? For sectioning? Only on the AT? What seasons will you wear them?

Most (not all) prefer low cut hiking shoes these days for thru-hikes and three season use. If you're hiking all four seasons a mid height boot is nice in the winter for warmth and snow / water repellency IMO. Others will disagree. YMMV.

While not the lightest, I like LLBeans Trail Model II hiker shoe for price / quality / guaranty. $59.99 (79.99 in goretex) and one of the best soles in terms of traction I've seen. The downside is the insoles could be more comfortable and of higher quality - an easy fix with custom insoles. The outer soles have better grip than my current "vibram" Vasque Breeze low cuts or Asolo mid heights, both of which are good footwear IMO.

[ScottP]

I'd start at a high-quality running store. They'll have an order of magnitude more shoe choices than any outfitter and will likely know far more about active footwear than any other resource you'll get to.

[sailsET]

Another vote for Keens. Very comfortable with little break-in time. Good for wide feet. Make sure you get them big enough. I'm told your feet can swell while hiking, but didn't personally notice that. Have someone help you with fitting. The ones that were recommended to me were a full size larger than my usual shoe size. I purchased them at REI, where the staff are knowledgeable about fitting, - they measured and used an incline board. They did well on slippery surfaces, and gave good support; only had one incidence of "operator error" on the trail. I had very happy feet on my first hike!

[sloger]

I drove 60 miles to the Mountain Trails store in Winchester VA so I could try differnt boots, with the excellent advice of the staff there I ended up with Vasque Breeze boots -- excelent advice and choice. Thier prices were competive with REI and Campmor. Sloger

[Nutbrown]

I bought Asolo Stinger GTX, and they tore my feet up. They are fine if you need a stiff boot, but were too hard for my feet.

[skinewmexico]

Trail runners unless you need ankle support. And you'll always get more ankle support with a trail runner and a real ankle brace than a boot.

[Creek Dancer]

The best boots are the ones that fit you properly. Some people can get by with trail runners. I tried a couple of different kinds of trail runners, but alas, I ended up with lots blisters and really sore feet. (And I don't really care a lot of weight.) I went back to using boots.

I also have wide feet, and I found that I need to buy men's boots to get the proper fit. Ladies boots simply don't fit me well. If you do buy boots, especially leather boots, be sure to break them in by wearing them around town before you hit the trail.

Good luck!

[Switchback2012]

I plan on starting out in my Asolo GTX but switch to Montrail trail runners when the weather warms up. I love both for different reasons. I agree with other posts - you need to find what fits you and a knowledgable outfitter to help you. Be wary of an outfitter that just wants to show you the most expensive pair. My first pair were Hi-Tec and they were great for section hiking. I wore them until the soles began to seperate from the shoe. Not sure I would consider them for a thru - hike but I was pleased with them and they were in economical.

[Del Q]

Ankle support...............bull honkey!

Low tops, comfy, solid support, strong tread to ease the rocks

I am 52 and 230lbs (and dropping - recent case of giardia from NH hike helped!), plus a 30lb full pack = potential trouble, what I have learned, go light, low tops, poles.

[clb]

I agree with what many have said about individual fit; just like buying a backpack. Having said that, I've had good luck with Salomon and La Sportiva trail runners. Started with a pair of Lowe Renegade boots, and they're great boots, but quickly switched to TRs
Good luck