View Full Version : Real Boots are Back at STP
The "good ones" are back at Sierra Trading Post. These are REAL BOOTS (not glorified running shoes). Italian made, Norwegian welt construction (can be resoled), full grain, smooth leather. Made to last a lifetime.
Alico Tahoe
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseNo=63669&cm_mmc=MyUpdates-_-EMAIL-_-Department-_-Men's%20Hiking%20Boots&codesProcessed=true
Alico Summit
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseNo=61270&cm_mmc=MyUpdates-_-EMAIL-_-Department-_-Men's%20Hiking%20Boots&codesProcessed=true
Alico Mountaineering
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseNo=64724&cm_mmc=MyUpdates-_-EMAIL-_-Department-_-Men's%20Hiking%20Boots&codesProcessed=true
A pound on the foot is like 5 on the back.
max patch
01-29-2009, 14:16
Yikes! Those mountaineering boots weigh 6 pounds!
Lone Wolf
01-29-2009, 14:16
A pound on the foot is like 5 on the back.
who coined that goofy statement?
who coined that goofy statement?
I'm not sure but it's true. I heard it on the Internet.
Lone Wolf
01-29-2009, 14:21
real men hike in leather boots
real men hike in leather boots
No, real men march in leather boots. Big difference.
Those are beautiful boots.
Not sure why I'd need them, though.
The Tahoes are 3 lb 4 oz, but who's counting? I posted these links for people who appreciate real leather boots.
And though I didn't want to start a LW vs HW boot war, knowing this board I figured something like that just might spring up.
Have at it.
Lone Wolf
01-29-2009, 15:04
Hw?
The Tahoes are 3 lb 4 oz, but who's counting? I posted these links for people who appreciate real leather boots.
And though I didn't want to start a LW vs HW boot war, knowing this board I figured something like that just might spring up.
Have at it.
If they rock your world, cool. Good value?
Even on a big sale like that they are still out of my price range. I can usually find the trail runners that I like for 30 bucks for last years model.
WILLIAM HAYES
01-29-2009, 16:24
too much weight I gave up on boots several years ago
Hw?
Heavy weight v.s. lighweight. Wasn't talkin' about you
skinewmexico
01-29-2009, 16:33
who coined that goofy statement?
I believe that came from a US Army study @ Natick.
A different study - http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a779402900~db=jour~order=page
But as always - HYOH.
Jonnycat
01-30-2009, 17:35
who Coined That Goofy Statement?
:d
If you like wearing big, heavy, high-top boots go for it. I started that way. I like the total experience of trail runners and the way my feet feel at the end of the day compared to boots to ever go back to them. Definitely HYOH.
real men hike in leather bootsREAL MEN are more focused on functionality and could care less what others think of what they wear! :p
4eyedbuzzard
01-31-2009, 09:40
I'm not sure but it's true. I heard it on the Internet.
Then it MUST be true.:rolleyes:
who coined that goofy statement?Al Gore - father of the Internet! :D
If you like wearing big, heavy, high-top boots go for it. I started that way. I like the total experience of trail runners and the way my feet feel at the end of the day compared to boots to ever go back to them. Definitely HYOH.
I used to feel the same way and bought into the lightweight hiking shoe theory. But after a couple years of always feeling footsore after a hike I have decided to go back to something that gives my dogs better support, and lasts longer than a season.
What could be better than a well made, hand crafted leather boot? Certainly not the rubber and nylon glorified tennies they are selling today.
JMHO.
Hoz, insoles are your friend. You can get lightweight hiking boots that have 3/4 or full length shanks, add in some Super Feet and all is good. I wear SF in my trail runners as well (they have a 3/4 shank as well).
Having horrid memories of the blisters caused by waffle stompers.....and how tired my feet were back then. Was it only a decade ago when that was all one could get? Back when hiking boots cost $200-500 a pair?
But meh, my husband still wears waffle stompers when we backpack. He likes them. So what ever floats ones boat.....
I've used Superfeet for years. But lately I found Solo Ultras. I like them better than SF.
hiked this year in real boots.got a lot of **** for it.very minimal blisters,no rolled ankles,great support.all i saw of the runner bunch was winning,nerve damage,loosing chunks of flesh off their feet.my partner was one.she got a real pair of boots in gatlinburg,and the whining was over.everybody should find a middleground.i loved my heaveyweights.i still wear them every day.
Here's another vote for real leather boots, after doing the Maine AT in Brooks Cascadias w/green SF. Dreaded the steep, rocky downhills, especially Katahdin! My friend with good leather boots always had to wait for me because I had to be so slow and careful in my trail runners. The weight savings was not worth it IMO.
Never again! Being undershod on the trail is a terrible feeling! If you want to carry less weight, go on a diet, but wear decent shoes.
What could be better than a well made, hand crafted leather boot?
JMHO.The feeling that each time I lift my foot to take a step I'm not lifting a cement block attached to my foot . . . that's what could be and is better! :) Bottom line for you and everyone however, is if you can pound out high mileage and your feet feel great at the end of the day in these, then by all means go for it. I believe most folks who are accustomed to wearing these heavy monsters would shout for joy after experiencing the same day's trek in a good fitting, good quality trail runner. I have always enjoyed backpacking, even when I wore the likes of these many years ago. But the joy of backpacking has increased exponentially since converting to light-weight footwear.
As to trail runners not lasting as long, not an issue for me. I walk 3 miles nearly every day wearing my current pair of trail runners, typically wearing a pair out about every six months, give or take a month. I consider $85-100 twice a year to be the cost of staying in really good shape for my age. When I go backpacking, I just strap on what I was wearing the day before, which shoe and foot are well acquainted with one another, and my feet don't rebel with the shock of something new and foreign on them.
I used to feel the same way and bought into the lightweight hiking shoe theory. But after a couple years of always feeling footsore after a hike I have decided to go back to something that gives my dogs better support, and lasts longer than a season.
What could be better than a well made, hand crafted leather boot? Certainly not the rubber and nylon glorified tennies they are selling today.
I started with $250 Fabiano Rios, similar to these, on the AT and by Hanover they needed to be re-soled. The recommended place was in NY and cost $75. Resoling shrunk the boot enough they didn't fit anymore.
Also, by that time the inner leather had tore out. Fabiano fixed that for nothing but, IMO heavy leather aren't the best for a wet trail like the AT if you're thru-hiking since they'll hardly ever get a chance to dry.
Frick Frack
01-31-2009, 16:19
I hiked most of my sobo in burly Asolo Powermatic GV 400's and the last 135 miles in Salomon XA Pro's and did not notice the weight difference. Must be the 30 years of cycling.....
At the end of the day though...
Asolo's = Happy Feet :) Salomon's = Abused Feet :mad:
I tried "Soles" instead of Superfeet and they were worth their weight in gold.
hiked this year in real boots.got a lot of **** for it.
You mean like the responses to this thread?
I don't know what it is about the LW crowd. Their constant proselytizing sometimes gets on my last nerve.
I'm not a newbie (check my age). Like Lt Col Frank Slade "I been around some". I wear lite weight shoes in town and on day hikes or groomed trails. When the going gets rough like in the mountains and off trail I want boots, real boots, not the nylon, plastic GTX stuff.
I like a well made, full grain leather boot. I especially like the Norwegian welt, which is almost non existent today and cannot be found on the Chinese imports flooding our market.
I'm sure there are plenty others who feel like I do. All you have to do is read the reviews on Alicos. A few think they are hard to break in, some say they're heavy. But all say once they conform to their feet they are in foot bliss and don't want to take them off!
You mean like the responses to this thread?
I don't know what it is about the LW crowd. Their constant proselytizing sometimes gets on my last nerve.
I'm not a newbie (check my age). Like Lt Col Frank Slade "I been around some". I wear lite weight shoes in town and on day hikes or groomed trails. When the going gets rough like in the mountains and off trail I want boots, real boots, not the nylon, plastic GTX stuff.
I like a well made, full grain leather boot. I especially like the Norwegian welt, which is almost non existent today and cannot be found on the Chinese imports flooding our market.
I'm sure there are plenty others who feel like I do. All you have to do is read the reviews on Alicos. A few think they are hard to break in, some say they're heavy. But all say once they conform to their feet they are in foot bliss and don't want to take them off!
They're constant proselytizing? Like you're doing? :rolleyes:
RedneckRye
01-31-2009, 20:46
It you choose to wear big leather boots, why would you ever want to buy them on-line??? Big boots are something that take far more effort to find the correct ones for the right fit than trail runners or fabric / leather combination boots where fit isn't quite as absolutely essential and the break in is quicker, easier, and far less painful.
Seems like way too much hassle to guess size and ship them back and forth when the size just isn't quite exactly correct, as is likely to be the case.
It does not matter what a great deal the boots are, if they don't fit correctly, they aren't worth a dollar.
Although, big old boots do make great flowerpots. Put them on your front porch with a cactus in each one and everyone that passes by will know that you are a hiker. Do that with trail runners and they might think you are a short-short wearing marathoner that is obsessed with mileage, times and weights.
Blissful
01-31-2009, 20:54
The only time I was thankful for heavy boots was during my ankle recovery. Hiking SNP in them, lifting the foot up and down, etc, helped me get over my tendonitis (but wrecked my toenails). Once I conquered that menace and my ankles strengthened, I was glad to switch to trail runners.
Blissful
01-31-2009, 20:55
Although, big old boots do make great flowerpots.
Hurray for Miss Janet! (she had a few back in '07)
They're constant proselytizing? Like you're doing? :rolleyes:
I haven't preached, simply responded to comments from the LW crowd.
Whatever happened to
"hike your own hike"?
Only if it's like yours???
A thread starts about boots and a hockey game breaks out. Gotta love Whiteblaze! :D
papa john
02-01-2009, 08:50
A thread starts about boots and a hockey game breaks out. Gotta love Whiteblaze! :D
What he said..."can't we all just get along"? :)
It you choose to wear big leather boots, why would you ever want to buy them on-line???
Any online store I buy boots from will pay for their return should I decide they don't fit or I don't like them fro any reason. Sierra Trading Post has a very generous return policy.
I don't buy boots like this at the last minute. My purchase today will be in anticipation of a summer trip. Plenty of time for "adjustments", should I decide any are necessary.
Of the three boots posted I would only recommend the Tahoe for the AT. The other two are mountaineering boots, better suited to the rough and rocky wild parts of the CDT or PCT.
Sierra Trading Post has free returns??? They charged me 4.95 to return a pack. That being said I thought that was very generous since the shipped the pack for free to me.
papa john
02-01-2009, 10:42
They charge $5.75 to return an item for the shipping.
https://www.sierratradingpost.com/ReturnExpress/
But, if you order a replacement item, they will ship that item to you for free.
That's what I mean. It's a wash.
In the past I've returned items that evidently were worn. My only excuse was "Not what I wanted", exchanged without hassle.
I've always bought gear online. From the days when REI was a specialty mountaineering outfitter (not a yuppie store) EMS had just started up, and Cabellas was a small mail order operation in Sydney Nebraska. Local suppliers don't have the kind of gear (or the prices) I want.
Of the three boots posted I would only recommend the Tahoe for the AT. The other two are mountaineering boots, better suited to the rough and rocky wild parts of the CDT or PCT.
While there are wild (remote) parts, very little, if any, of the PCT and CDT are rough and rocky enough for mountaineering boots. It's why most hikers were trail shoes. The mountaineering boots weigh as much as some hikers loaded packs (without food and water).
While there are wild (remote) parts, very little, if any, of the PCT and CDT are rough and rocky enough for mountaineering boots. It's why most hikers were trail shoes.
Really???Most hikers? I didn't know there was a log at the border they had to sign declaring their footware.
Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions.
Really???Most hikers? I didn't know there was a log at the border they had to sign declaring their footware.
Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions.I'm confused? :confused: One post you complain about folks not adhering to HYOH, and the next you're on a rampage of 'do it my way!' :eek: Think about it . . . from your very first post your agenda was to convert everyone to 'your beloved boots'! :) :p
papa john
02-01-2009, 23:48
Sorry, but I disagree. All Hoz did was post a link to a good product at a good price. If you don't want to wear leather boots, the easiest thing for you to do is to move on to another thread. Why do you feel that you have to post about your footwear preferences? If you want to wear trailrunners, then so be it. Not everyone can wear a lightweight shoe when hiking.
Why does everything on WB have to be a pissing match all the time?
Sorry, but I disagree. All Hoz did was post a link to a good product at a good price. If you don't want to wear leather boots, the easiest thing for you to do is to move on to another thread. Why do you feel that you have to post about your footwear preferences? If you want to wear trailrunners, then so be it. Not everyone can wear a lightweight shoe when hiking.
Why does everything on WB have to be a pissing match all the time?Excuse me! I thought WB was a place of information exchange. When someone says, in this case, hey check out these beautiful, but heavy full-leather boots, the less experienced who visit this community deserve to hear the pros and cons. Check out my first post where I said 'hey, if you really like the way they feel/wear, go for it' and then go whiz elsewhere. :p :)
[QUOTE=hoz;767546]The "good ones" are back at Sierra Trading Post. These are REAL BOOTS (not glorified running shoes). Italian made, Norwegian welt construction (can be resoled), full grain, smooth leather. Made to last a lifetime.
Alico Tahoe Alico Summit Alico Mountaineering
So, when are your FREE ALICO boots arriving in the mail?
hehehehehehe:D
see ya'll out there in May...NOBO from Harpers Ferry (w/ "Jigsaw, Model-T & DAKS")
I'm confused? :confused: One post you complain about folks not adhering to HYOH, and the next you're on a rampage of 'do it my way!' :eek: Think about it . . . from your very first post your agenda was to convert everyone to 'your beloved boots'! :) :p
Mr Summit,
You have gone out of your way to "present your opinion." That's fine, you're allowed it.
However in your world I guess I'm NOT allowed mine?
No where have I stated everyone should buy leather boots, I simply posted links to some good boots on sale at STP. They often sell out of these and I wanted to spread the news. For some reason it set off a ****estorm among the LW fanatics. One that I either had to respond to or go hide.
You don't like em, I get it. But others may, even here on this board.
Live and let live, HYOH, go barefoot if you want. But don't try to besmirch another because they disagree with you.
Remember...the Golden Rule???
papa john
02-02-2009, 08:42
Excuse me! I thought WB was a place of information exchange. When someone says, in this case, hey check out these beautiful, but heavy full-leather boots, the less experienced who visit this community deserve to hear the pros and cons. Check out my first post where I said 'hey, if you really like the way they feel/wear, go for it' and then go whiz elsewhere. :p :)
This thread was not started as a discussion thread on the merits of different types of footwear. It was a reference to a place to buy leather boots for those inclined. If you want to compare the different types of footwear start a new thead and talk all you want. Your posts are off topic.
Mr Summit,
You have gone out of your way to "present your opinion." That's fine, you're allowed it.
However in your world I guess I'm NOT allowed mine?
No where have I stated everyone should buy leather boots, I simply posted links to some good boots on sale at STP. They often sell out of these and I wanted to spread the news. For some reason it set off a ****estorm among the LW fanatics. One that I either had to respond to or go hide.
You don't like em, I get it. But others may, even here on this board.
Live and let live, HYOH, go barefoot if you want. But don't try to besmirch another because they disagree with you.
Remember...the Golden Rule???When you make a statement such as "Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions" you are fueling the 'estorm' you condemn, AND violate your own Golden Rule, do you not?
I have no problem with you using the boots you suggested and stated so in my first post. It's just that many regulars here feel that newbies should be presented the complete spectrum on recommended products. Whether it's boots, stoves, tents, packs, etc. when you make a 'gee I love this product' post, be prepared to get a variety pros and cons comments. It's the nature of the beast of WB and while I certainly mean no disrespect for your choice of product, I feel folks with less experience looking to build their backpacking gear should hear what others think and have experienced. Then they can draw their own conclusions and buy what they want; you can buy and use what you want; and I can do the same.
SassyWindsor
02-02-2009, 11:45
Did a 2 nighter in GSMNP this past weekend. Noticed a few guys with trail shoes on, I'd have to say they (the hikers) looked very uncomfortable, their shoes looked very wet and very very cold.
I use non-goretex leather boots (treated with sno-seal) and low-gaiters. Feet stay warm and pretty dry (sweat does occur). Not anti-trail shoes at all, just think warmer, dryer weather more appropriate for their use.
SouthMark
02-02-2009, 11:55
A pound on the foot is like 5 on the back.
who coined that goofy statement?
The book The Complete Walker IV (p 59) credits Hillary's 1953 Everest expedition:
In his classic 1906 book, Camping and Woodcraft, Horace Kephart calculated the results of wearing boots just 1 pound too heavy: "In ten miles there are 21,120 average paces. At one extra pound to the pace, the boots make you lift, in a ten-mile tramp, over ten tons more foot gear." In 1953 the successful Mount Everest expedition came to the conclusion that in terms of physical effort 1 pound on the feet is equivalent to 5 pounds on the back. A consensus of informed opinion now seems to support that assessment. Anyway, today's trend is certainly toward lightness.
Tests by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine determined that carrying 1 pound on the foot used as much energy as carrying 6 pounds in the pack. Other studies confirm these measurements and provide evidence of the heavy price in expended energy as shoes weight increases.
In 1953 the successful Mount Everest expedition came to the conclusion that in terms of physical effort 1 pound on the feet is equivalent to 5 pounds on the back.
And yet I have not heard of anyone climbing Everest in "trail runners."
Really???Most hikers? I didn't know there was a log at the border they had to sign declaring their footware.
Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions.
Yeah most long distance hikers or thru-hikers I've seen and I've hiked both trails and been back on several occasions. As a matter of fact I only recall a couple people wearing boots.
And yet I have not heard of anyone climbing Everest in "trail runners."
And this isn't a mountaineering site. :rolleyes:
SouthMark
02-02-2009, 12:49
And yet I have not heard of anyone climbing Everest in "trail runners."
And no where did it refer to the type of footwear, only to weight on one's feet.
"For those who understand, no explanation is needed; for those who do not, none will do." ---Jerry Lewis
I only recall a couple people wearing boots.
Then this post was for those two people.
papa john
02-02-2009, 13:30
LOL, make it three! I just ordered a pair of the Tahoes. I can't hike in trail runners, at the end of the day my dogs are screaming.
LOL, make it three! I just ordered a pair of the Tahoes. I can't hike in trail runners, at the end of the day my dogs are screaming.
If I have helped one hiker find a pair of boots then this post was not in vain.
I hope your Tahoes give you many years of good hiking.
Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions.
Most PCT hikers beg to differ....
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4227&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=bff0445e1ef5ee3e2a473429764f440d
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4227&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=bff0445e1ef5ee3e2a473429764f440d
Nice pic Mags, But what I had in mind was more like this...
http://usera.ImageCave.com/hoz/climbing%20couloir.JPG
Nice pic Mags, But what I had in mind was more like this...
Apples and oranges.
Different tools for a different job.
I want everyone on WB to repeat after me:
What piece of gear is "the best"? The true answer is: NONE OF THEM.
The "best" gear depends upon what your use is for. Just as you would not use a screwdriver to put in a nail, certain types of gear are suited for different type of tasks than another gear.
So, saying "Anyone climbing a 12000' snow covered pass in lightweight trail shoes is a masochist, a fanatic or just plain dangerous, to themselves and their companions" is a false statement on a BBS dedicated to thru-hiking. I am speaking of nails; you are speaking of screws.
Now if were on a technical climbing board, I'd agree with your assessment.
I readily admit my ignorance of technical climbing. But I know a fair amount about long distance hiking (and general hiking/backpacking overall) than most I'd wager. With statements like the above in italics, it may make people get much heavier footwear than is needed for backpacking. Causing injury from overuse. Ending a person's thru-hike.
So, sometimes I like to add some info that is based on what I've seen. YMMV.
I don't know. Those PETA pumpkin babes seemed to have the correct gear.
I don't know. Those PETA pumpkin babes seemed to have the correct gear.
...I am at the library now. Otherwise I'd google it. :)
Off the Internet until tomorrow.
We're we'll have more scintillating conversation about how real backpackers users wear heavy leather boots, carry a big knife and filter every drop of water. (I readily admit my role in playing the court jester in these exchanges) Nothing wrong with any of the above..but I scratch my head when I am told my choices are just plain wrong, irresponsible, unsafe and are endangering others. Natch.
Meanwhile, in between said scintillating conversation, I'll just actually plan my outdoor trips, go on them and realize gear means jack sh** overall. I never heard Grandma discuss the knife she used to make the dinner for example.
Then I'll come back for an outdoor trip, repeat and listen to all the people who spent their free time buying gear tell me what is the actual gear that all real backpackers should use. Of course, I'll be told why I am wrong as well.
Off to see a friend for a beer.
Cheers!
Actually, I agree with Mags. His responses over this have been balanced. Read my original post, then the others to see where this thread went wrong. Too many people assuming something that wasn't there to begin with.
OK, I just skimmed over the pissing contest and now I'd like to comment on the boots. I am glad to see that the Alico boots are back in supply. Leather inside, leather outside, and beautiful all the way through. Wow Sierra Trading Post has really jacked up the price after the slew of good reviews! I got my first pair for about $110, the second for about $90 and the third for about $130. I liked the first pair so much I got two more when I could. They just happen to fit my feet really well, and I can't figure out if the company is actually still in business. I will say that these boots are not even remotely waterproof. You'd have to slather them with all sorts of waterproofing goo to get there, and you'd be reducing the life of the boot if you got it soaked. They're good for a couple of hours in light rain when they have some fresh conditioner on them, but I don't risk them beyond that. I wear mine when I'm exploring in dry areas or on dry days, and when I'm light daytripping on vacation.
Dang, I forgot this forum has the bizarre disability that you can't edit posts. Anyhow, I should clarify that I have the Alico Summits. Also, I hear that the sizes are UK sizes. My main comment is that these are not boots for the wet. Wet will eventually ruin them unless you encase them in goo or beeswax or something, which would be bad for the leather in its own way. Otherwise, they are beautiful boots and for my feet they're quite comfy after breaking them in. They can give the feet a bit of a pounding when going up and down rocks all day if you don't install some extra cushion.
I got my Tahoes last week. Out of the box they seemed pretty stiff. Been wearing them around breaking them in. Extremely well made boot. No loose threads or funny seams. In fact there are only three seams, at the tongue, back and scree collar. I like the full grain leather. At 3# 4 oz not too heavy. The fit is perfect.
I plan on using sno seal and a hair dryer to seal them. Like you point out (and some of the reviews also) the insole seems "liteweight" compared to the boot. I have a set of sole ultras to slide in there.
The interior on the Tahoe isn't cambrelle leather like the Summits. It's a wicking cloth liner from the wide scree collar down. Too bad, but I guess that's one way they shaved some weight compared to the Summits.
All in all, just the boot I've been looking for.
Dang, I forgot this forum has the bizarre disability that you can't edit posts. <clip>
sure, you can edit your posts....get directions here:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=donating_member
I got my Tahoes last week. Out of the box they seemed pretty stiff. Been wearing them around breaking them in.
The summits start out stiff as well, but once it settled into the right shape it wasn't stiff anymore.
SassyWindsor
06-21-2009, 15:26
Forrest: Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their boots. Where they're going. Where they've been. I've worn lots of boots. I bet if I think about it real hard I could remember my first pair of boots.
LockJaww
06-21-2009, 21:57
I love my Alico Summits. Im breaking in a new pair now...Ive got around sixty miles on them or so. They are stiff and the soles seems unyielding out of the box....I agree with the insole being kinda wimpy. I replaced with SF Orange. For me...I couldnt imagine backpacking in tennis shoes. As stated above by someone else...If the weight bothers you...lose the weight somewhere else....