View Full Version : Recommendations for best gripping boot?
The current pair of OBOZ i wear for day hikes do not have a very good grip on wet surfaces. With an upcoming thru hike in 2019, I would like recommendations for very good gripping boots in wet conditions. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Slo-go'en
10-29-2018, 17:31
Good luck, I have yet to find any such thing. Some are better then others, none are all that great. For best grip you need soft rubber but for long life, you need hard rubber. So they compromise somewhere in the middle. Or try too.
I had pretty good luck with a pair of Jack Wolfskin boots this summer. They lasted about 500 miles, not too bad for a lightweight boot.
Read what the Section Hiker has to say about the La Sportiva Ultra Raptors.
I own 2 pairs of Ultra Raptors. I don’t have enough miles on them to offer a long term review. They do grip well on tilted slabs of Colorado and Wyoming granite.
They aren’t boots. They are just fine for backpacking with or without trails.
Wayne
The current pair of OBOZ i wear for day hikes do not have a very good grip on wet surfaces. With an upcoming thru hike in 2019, I would like recommendations for very good gripping boots in wet conditions. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I agree that Oboz don’t seem to grip well on wet rocks - but they were the only brand available when I needed a new pair of boots in Damascus. I think that Lowa Renegades have a better grip.
Best wet grip shoes I have found so far were the Vasque Constant Velocity. They are trail runners though and not boots, feet got too wide to continue wearing them. Great cushion though especially if you heel-strike. I had multiple times where others were sliding on wet rocks and I was having zero issues.
almost every new pair of boots or trail runners ive ever had grips fabulously for about 3 days. and then they dont.
i'm notoriously hard on shoes, so maybe it might be a week for normal people.
MtDoraDave
11-02-2018, 20:00
The keen targhee 2 has been great for me on most surfaces. I haven't hiked in anything else, do I don't know how they compare.
Well, you prob know vinram soles are pretty good at traction n gripping.
Traveler
10-31-2021, 12:06
almost every new pair of boots or trail runners ive ever had grips fabulously for about 3 days. and then they dont.
This has pretty much been my experience as well. Though I have seen some boots lose their grip but seem to regain it after a hundred miles or so. I think a lot depends on the type of surface and what is on the surface that will be between your boots and whatever you are walking on. I avoid trying to walk on wet roots or wood given they will secrete water sometimes as you step on them, mud is a self fulfilling prophecy that will ultimately lead to a slip if not careful, algae/lichen/moss can be treacherous on rocks and slaps even on dry days.
When you find the ultimate traction sole that gets more than 200 miles of wear, please let me know!
Mouser999
10-31-2021, 13:42
I took my Merrill MOAB's to a shoe repair and had Vibram Lug soles put on. They work better than the standard Vibrams that come with the boot.
I've been very pleased with the traction on all of my Salomon shoes. On the flip side, I found my Altra Timps to be extra slippery, and relegated them to pavement after 2 short hikes.
For gripping you want a softer rubber, probably with more surface area contact than the hard Vibram type boots that we all have worn for decades (those are for mountaineering, really). Watch out for deep lug boots, they can trip you up on sticks and rocks. Some of the more popular trail running shoes might be a good choice. I've had good luck with North Face, but several others too...Oboz are not bad.
camper10469
11-12-2021, 15:22
in my younger tears i had a pair of reichle boots that had black vibram soles. those boots gripped like billi goats!
when i replaced them 20 years later, the new boots slipped on anything wet. wet logs n roots, wet rocks.. etc.. the traction sux! i hate all the new soles on boots today. seems the newer soles are made of plastics instead of carbon rubber. car tire rubber was what soles were once made of.
i wonder if vibram still makes soles like the old ones?
this is what great boots looked like...
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Vintage+Hiking+Boots&form=IARSLK&first=1&tsc=ImageBasicHover
Tipi Walter
11-12-2021, 15:45
in my younger tears i had a pair of reichle boots that had black vibram soles. those boots gripped like billi goats!
when i replaced them 20 years later, the new boots slipped on anything wet. wet logs n roots, wet rocks.. etc.. the traction sux! i hate all the new soles on boots today. seems the newer soles are made of plastics instead of carbon rubber. car tire rubber was what soles were once made of.
i wonder if vibram still makes soles like the old ones?
this is what great boots looked like...
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Vintage+Hiking+Boots&form=IARSLK&first=1&tsc=ImageBasicHover
Love your post. I've been saying this for years---lug sole boots really grip the trail and don't tend to slide as much in mud. Nowadays most backpacking boots feel like every step is risky---and when I follow backpackers wearing tennis shoes, i.e. trail runners---I notice how often they slide on muddy trails---leaving their "skid marks". Boot soles are so bad nowadays that I often consider just slapping on my Microspikes even with no snow on the ground---just to get that lug grip.
You can still get Vibram lug soles but they don't generally come on decent lightweight backpacking boots. And the lugs aren't all that deep.
48827
Not so deep lugs.
48828
But much better than most boot soles.
peakbagger
11-12-2021, 16:43
If you really want Vibram lug soles, Peter Limmer and sons use them on their stand and midweight boots. They are lifetime investment if taken care of and they will replace soles.
TwoSpirits
11-12-2021, 17:33
I have a pair of modern "combat" boots that have a Vibram sole and have the best grip of any hiking boot or shoe I've ever tried. They are made by (or sold by) a company called Blackhawk!, that sells mostly tactical type stuff for military or law enforcement.
And yes, I do hike in them.
I spent a long time and a lot of money to come full circle back to these boots that I've owned for years (not these exact boots; this is my 3rd or 4th pair.)
They are less expensive, give better support and protection, and are infinitely more comfortable than anything else I've tried -- everything from Merrell's, Lowa's, Solomon's, etc. (And they weigh an ounce less than the Solomon's, too [emoji41]) The Vibram sole is a good, "grippy" compound, and the lugs are spaced well so as to not collect a lot of mud, etc.
I'm probably the only person who hikes in army boots. [emoji2957]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211112/8ef55ece03bc921a6333102b25cb588f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211112/53e8df10aeb72aec43b1840d9565215d.jpg
LOL, I’m pretty sure there are lots of active duty solders that wish you were right about being the only one to hike in them!
Tipi Walter
11-12-2021, 21:56
I have a pair of modern "combat" boots that have a Vibram sole and have the best grip of any hiking boot or shoe I've ever tried. They are made by (or sold by) a company called Blackhawk!, that sells mostly tactical type stuff for military or law enforcement.
And yes, I do hike in them.
I spent a long time and a lot of money to come full circle back to these boots that I've owned for years (not these exact boots; this is my 3rd or 4th pair.)
They are less expensive, give better support and protection, and are infinitely more comfortable than anything else I've tried -- everything from Merrell's, Lowa's, Solomon's, etc. (And they weigh an ounce less than the Solomon's, too [emoji41]) The Vibram sole is a good, "grippy" compound, and the lugs are spaced well so as to not collect a lot of mud, etc.
I'm probably the only person who hikes in army boots. [emoji2957]
Back in the 1970s/80s I wore Nam jungle boots for all my backpacking trips and they had good lug soles for the most part.
48829
Near Laurel Falls on AT 1980s in jungle boots. I actually used them in the jungle too (1972---Republic of Panama).
Jungle boots have been out since 1942 (developed in Panama matter of fact) and had several sole configs. Like this---
48830
Jungle boots have been out since 1942 (developed in Panama matter of fact) and had several sole configs. Like this---
48830
I'm doing most of my hikes in similar boots, developed and manufactured by a local company here around the corner especially for the Austrian Blue Helmets
(the middle one in my pic), and for winter hikes / snowshoeing I'm using the winter boots designed for the Austrian Alpine Military (the one to the right).
I just love boots for hiking mostly due to the simple fact that no debris is falling in from the top, so I don't have to untie and empty the shoes all the time.
Those military boots are sturdy, soles can be replaced and they are comparably cheap.
The grip of the soles on the winter boots ist just perfect (old-style black Vibram), the grip of the Blue Helmets' boots sole on wet rock is just OK, it being a special Vibram to not wear out too quick on sharp rocks. Desert means no wet rocks, anyway.
Tipi Walter
11-13-2021, 09:41
I have a pair of great lightweight Zamberlan boots with worn tread and thinking about using Shoe Goo to recreate more lugs for traction---like in this video at :43 seconds---
Any feedback??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nc81ioYrJs
Suits maybe for an emergency field repair, but I would not set off for a hike with boots pimped like this.
You can buy replacement soles and carry a suitable glue plus some essential tools and perform a sole replacement during the hike - maybe not out in the fild, but during a zero.
Even better yet, just carry a set of replacement soles and let do the work some cobbler - if you have any.
I wore jungle boots some in the Army but they were too narrow to suit me. I agree the soles were good in mud. I mostly wore the issue leg boots in the field. Jump boots, unless you got them resolved, were useless.
I’m hard on heels. I had a pair of my Lowa’s reheeled and wear them around but not hiking. They squeak some and I sound like a one man band walking.
Who Should Buy a Crepe Sole Boot
Guys who want better grip and cushioning than leather.
Anyone who likes the extra color from the white.
People who prioritize flexibility.
Those who enjoy the ease of break in.
Anyone who wants a boot that feels more like a sneaker.
Who Shouldn’t buy a Crepe Sole Boot
Guys who don’t want visibly dirty soles.
Men who want something dressier for the office.
Folks who spend time walking around liquids, especially oil, which the crepe easily absorbs.
People who require serious weather resistance from their footwear.
Wrapping UpCrepe is a classic footwear material. It’s decisive and definitely has its downsides. It wears out easily, gets dirty, and is informal. But the upsides are that it’s grippier than leather, more flexible than hard rubber soles, and offers a nice, comfortable cushion.
Resoled, damn autocorrect.
2Hobbits
11-14-2021, 18:11
Lowes makes a good boot. They may have one that suits you. Fit is the most important thing