View Full Version : American made hiking boots
clambelly
03-12-2008, 18:21
I'm new to hiking and have a lot of questions. One of the most important things, or it seems to me would be the most important article of clothing are boots. Any help in selecting a good pair of American made boots (hiking boots) would be helpful. All suggestions or comments welcome!
surefoot
03-12-2008, 18:47
Not all boots or feet are created equal. The best advice I could give you is to go to a good outfitter with a wide selection and try on as many as you can in the price range that you can afford. Depending on the hiking that you intend to do, and your feet, you may want to consider trail runners instead of boots. On the other hand, if you have problems with your ankles, you may want to stick with the boots for a little extra support. Find what feels the best for you and if you are going to splurge on any piece of equipment, spend the money on your feet. If your feet hurt, you will not enjoy the hike. Good luck.
wilconow
03-12-2008, 19:00
As Surefoot says, consider trail runners.
clambelly
03-12-2008, 19:18
thanks for replys...
clambelly,
Next time you're in Portland, Lewiston, Augusta or Lewiston, visit EMS. Ask to speak to their footwear specialist. Try as many styles/brands as necessary 'til you find one that fits right.
It's impossible for us to recommend a boot for you, not knowing what seasons you'll be hiking and the type of terrain.
Don't buy your hiking boots at Big Al's. ;)
PS: I spent many years messing about on boats in BBH and Southport.
Blissful
03-12-2008, 20:14
Trail runners are great. You can also get fit at a running store as well as outfitters.
fiddlehead
03-12-2008, 20:16
Don't know any shoe companies that still make their shoes in the country.
I heard that New Balance does but then i heard they don't (I see what i assume are copies in Asia)
Used to be Limmers, made in NH. Weighed in at about 7 lbs/pair i think and some people swore by them.
I know the town i come from used to have a big shoe factory (Sch. Haven/Walk in Shoe Company) but they went out of business about 15 years ago i think.
The going rate for labor is $6-8 a day here in Thailand. Cheaper in Indonesia and Bangladesh for sure. I think Nike and the big boys get most of their shoes made now in Indonesia.
good luck in your quest.
The going rate for labor is $6-8 a day here in Thailand. Cheaper in Indonesia and Bangladesh for sure. I think Nike and the big boys get most of their shoes made now in Indonesia.
Child labor is even cheaper and more common. :mad:
I'll do trail maintenance in Red Wing logger boots. Made in USA. Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, steel toe. Once you add insole inserts they can be fairly comfortable. You can thoroughly kick the a$$ of any gram weenie you catch while wearing these things. Of course, catching such game is not likely.
fiddlehead
03-12-2008, 22:14
Child labor is even cheaper and more common. :mad:
- JT
Haven't seen any of that here in Thailand. But i imagine it's going on in Bangladesh and possibly Indonesia. Those people are poor! I doubt there is a big need to bring in kids as there are plenty of people (adults) looking for work.
My sister in law works at one of these huge industrial cities that are just growing like mad with hundreds of factories making mp3 players, blank cd's, Ford trucks, etc. Huge apt blocks everywhere. Hundreds of thousands of workers on all shifts. Most all the people there appear to be in their 20's to early 30's. I think the work is hard and the pay is about $9.75 a day (decent wages compared to the rest of the country) (she works 12 hour shifts as does her husband)
Haven't seen any of that here in Thailand.
You see reports of it from time to time here in Los Angeles and New York City so it can happen anywhere and be hidden well.
I owned a pair of custom made Limmers, bought in 1991. I used them until 1999, when I tried hiking in low top shoes. I would not buy heavy boots again.
That said, the Limmers (once broken in ) fit like slippers, albeit heavy ones (a little over 5lbs for my size 11). I can't bear to throw them out, even though I don't use them at all anymore (they need a couple of eyelets and resoling for serious hiking).
American made trailrunners??
Good luck trying to find that.....
Mooselook Marty
03-13-2008, 08:29
I heard that New Balance does but then i heard they don't (I see what i assume are copies in Asia)
Most, but not all New Balance shoes are US made. If you are visiting northern Massachusetts, I would highly recommend visiting the New Balance Factory Store in Lawrence, MA. http://www.yellowbot.com/new-balance-factory-store-lawrence-ma.html
Their prices are great. The selection is extensive and they come in multiple widths. There are many types of trail runners, including the AT 811, which seems to be very popular these days. You should be able to check with someone working there to see if the shoes you like were made in the US. The store also has Dunham Boots. Dunham is a New Balance company. No idea if their boots are still made in US, but again, the store can help.
Marty
Old Hillwalker
03-13-2008, 10:08
First off, greetings from a former resident of Five Islands (Georgetown Island, ME) Who still sneaks off to dig softshells from time to time.
Anyway, I have owned a pair of Custom Limmer boots since 1980, and am still using the same, many resoled pair with heavy loads and when I'm hiking above treeline in the White Mountains. I live in the Whites so that's quite often. I also have another set of Limmers on order from the Limmer boys up in Intervale, NH.
I also hike in Keen Arroyos when I want to go lightweight and carrying light loads.
For my upcoming SOBO I will bre wearing my Keens until Andover, ME where I will switch to my Limmers until I reach my house through the Whites. Then I will go back to lightweights until Unionville, NJ to where I will have bounced my Limmers. After the PA Rocks, who knows. They are pretty good for cold weather hiking. I winter hiked in them in NH until I bought Koflach Ultra Plastics some years ago. I would never winter overnight in the Limmers though since they are not a double boot.
Limmers let you rock hop over really awful scree and talus sharp edges and you never feel anything other than a good comfortable platform. But they are leather, waterproof (if greased properly) right up to the top of the boot, but also heavy.
Pricey, today they are at about $650 a pair for handmade customs. Long wait too, about 3 to 5 years........
I paid $160 for mine in 1980.
http://www.limmerboot.com
As of my last visit to the old green barn in Intervale, just north of North Conway, there were only three of the Limmer family still building boots. The barn is worth the visit just to see all the photographs on the wall from all over the world including all of the Seven Summits.
Sir Edmund Hillary was one of their customers as well as many other notable climbers from around the globe. The Limmers specialize in building boots for those climbers who have lost toes from frostbite, and there a not a few of those people.
rlharris
03-13-2008, 13:02
Most, but not all New Balance shoes are US made. If you are visiting northern Massachusetts, I would highly recommend visiting the New Balance Factory Store in Lawrence, MA. http://www.yellowbot.com/new-balance-factory-store-lawrence-ma.html
Their prices are great. The selection is extensive and they come in multiple widths. There are many types of trail runners, including the AT 811, which seems to be very popular these days. You should be able to check with someone working there to see if the shoes you like were made in the US. The store also has Dunham Boots. Dunham is a New Balance company. No idea if their boots are still made in US, but again, the store can help.
Marty
New Balance (and Dunhams) are assembled in the US. Most of the pieces are imported because there are no domestic suppliers of those materials anymore.
In addition to the factory store in Lawrence, MA, there is another in the Brighton section of Boston and one in Maine. Check the New Balance website for the location of all their factory stores.
climberdave
03-13-2008, 14:08
Take your pick.
http://www.newbalancetampa.com/made-in-usa/
I personally want the 1061OG :)
Yeah, I really like new balance as a company and for a quality product. Good stuff.
bigcranky
03-14-2008, 08:57
My New Balance 810's are made (assembled?) in USA. They are comfortable on my feet. Dragonfly likes the 90x series, which have a different last (narrower in the heel, wider in the front.)
Mother's Finest
03-14-2008, 22:18
First off, greetings from a former resident of Five Islands (Georgetown Island, ME) Who still sneaks off to dig softshells from time to time.
Anyway, I have owned a pair of Custom Limmer boots since 1980, and am still using the same, many resoled pair with heavy loads and when I'm hiking above treeline in the White Mountains. I live in the Whites so that's quite often. I also have another set of Limmers on order from the Limmer boys up in Intervale, NH.
I also hike in Keen Arroyos when I want to go lightweight and carrying light loads.
For my upcoming SOBO I will bre wearing my Keens until Andover, ME where I will switch to my Limmers until I reach my house through the Whites. Then I will go back to lightweights until Unionville, NJ to where I will have bounced my Limmers. After the PA Rocks, who knows. They are pretty good for cold weather hiking. I winter hiked in them in NH until I bought Koflach Ultra Plastics some years ago. I would never winter overnight in the Limmers though since they are not a double boot.
Limmers let you rock hop over really awful scree and talus sharp edges and you never feel anything other than a good comfortable platform. But they are leather, waterproof (if greased properly) right up to the top of the boot, but also heavy.
Pricey, today they are at about $650 a pair for handmade customs. Long wait too, about 3 to 5 years........
I paid $160 for mine in 1980.
http://www.limmerboot.com
As of my last visit to the old green barn in Intervale, just north of North Conway, there were only three of the Limmer family still building boots. The barn is worth the visit just to see all the photographs on the wall from all over the world including all of the Seven Summits.
Sir Edmund Hillary was one of their customers as well as many other notable climbers from around the globe. The Limmers specialize in building boots for those climbers who have lost toes from frostbite, and there a not a few of those people.
the response from Hillwalker is really right on
trailrunners or straight running shoes are great for some people all the time. they truly work best when the trail is not too rocky..
well fitted boots make a difference during more uneven sections. Limmers are a great example. Custom I believe. Same idea with a boot that fits you properly. You really want the boot or shoe to match the shape of your foot.
A person with a narrow foot will generally do better in a brand like Saucony...while a wider foot may feel more comfortable in a brooks Beast.
boots for wide foot....look for something with a wide toe box.
as always.
the insert or orthotic makes the difference. body and pack weight is a key component. only orthotic on the market that takes weight into account properly..... www.solesupports.com (http://www.solesupports.com) to fine a practicioner in your area to cast you properly
peace
mf
First off, greetings from a former resident of Five Islands (Georgetown Island, ME) Who still sneaks off to dig softshells from time to time.
~
I spent many summers working and playing, out of Ebenecook Hbr.
I enjoyed paddling to Five Islands, at first light. I am hooked on the feeling one gets from watching a new day come to life. Few places satisfy those senses, like mid-coast Maine.
Old Hillwalker
03-15-2008, 08:44
I spent many summers working and playing, out of Ebenecook Hbr.
I enjoyed paddling to Five Islands, at first light. I am hooked on the feeling one gets from watching a new day come to life. Few places satisfy those senses, like mid-coast Maine.
I lived there from the age of 3 until about 15. That was 1942 until 1954. I still go back every summer. Except for a few new houses and that the roads are now mostly paved it tends to look just like it did in the 40s. Great memories. Once saw the distant smoke from a ship that had been torpedoed by a German U-boat when I was a child. The image has stuck with me all my life.
clambelly
03-18-2008, 20:30
Thanks for all the great replys., alot of good advice given.
clambelly
03-18-2008, 20:47
To Hillwalker and Roland....This area has changed so much...I wish my children could have experienced what it was like to grow up in Boothbay in the 60s and 70s. My family first settled this area in the 1680s, and my generation will be the last Hodgdons to live here. My children will never be able to afford to live here, plus theres no real jobs, just the tourist trap type. John Lennon sang........there are places I remember all my life, though some have changed, some forever NOT FOR BETTER......... I could go on but enough of the sourass.....take care and thanks for advice
Jason of the Woods
03-18-2008, 20:50
Yep, trailrunner or in my case low Merrills.
I'll do trail maintenance in Red Wing logger boots. Made in USA. Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, steel toe. Once you add insole inserts they can be fairly comfortable. You can thoroughly kick the a$$ of any gram weenie you catch while wearing these things. Of course, catching such game is not likely.
I purchased a pair of Red Wing medium weight hikers recently and I have learned that even Red Wing shoes and boots aren't built in America anymore, that they are built in China and only "finished" here.
I purchased a pair of Red Wing medium weight hikers recently and I have learned that even Red Wing shoes and boots aren't built in America anymore, that they are built in China and only "finished" here.
Yep, mine are a few years old now and of course the end user doesn't know what's behind the tag. I see from their web site now they are pretty vague now about where they're made, and there aren't any production positions listed in the job openings (that's what I've resorted to now as a truth or dare evaluation :) )
Yep, mine are a few years old now and of course the end user doesn't know what's behind the tag. I see from their web site now they are pretty vague now about where they're made, and there aren't any production positions listed in the job openings (that's what I've resorted to now as a truth or dare evaluation :) )
After buying my Red Wing hikers I noticed I didn't see the "Made in America" tag, nor was this mentioned in their catalog, so I did a little research, and according to Wikipedia (online free encyclopedia): Red Wing uses facilities in China to produce its WORX,Vasque,Irish Setter,and Carhartt products,as well as the upper portions of "some" Red Wing branded items.
Username75
04-02-2008, 03:13
White city hikers, and redwing irish setters