View Full Version : Hiking Boots
need advice on buying hiking boots. I am not sure if I should buy full leather, or not. I know I have always gone with Hi-tek or Vasque, but I know there are a lot of good names out there these days.
I plan on hiking the whites, day hikes, weekend overnight hikes.
any favorites? or advice?
I am looking to spend around 80.00
I know that its not a super favorite brand but I LOVE MY montrail. It has vibrum soles and leather. Pretty good price thats not going to break the bank. $159.00.
I would go with Trail Runners. For the VAST majority of hikers, full leather boots are not necessary.
I've found my Vasque Blurs to be very comfortable and reasonably durable. Last years model can be had for about $69, this year's is going for just over $100. I do replace the insole with a pair of orange Superfeet.
Footwear is very user-centric. What works for me might not work for you due to anatomical foot differences. I will say that at 59 years old, the older I've gotten, the lighter I have gone with footwear. Check out trail runners and try on: Vasque, Montrail Hardrocks, Merrell Moab Ventilators, Salomon, Brooks, New Balance. Among those, go with what feels and fits best . . . they're all good quality.
I've owned everything from sandals to custom Limmers (pretty much right down the road from you, in Intervale).
Like Summit, as I've aged I learned how to pack lighter so as to be able to get the miles in and keep up with "the kids" (most other hikers :)).
Since all feet are different in shape and motion, the only effective advice I can give is to buy as light a shoe (or boot, if you prefer) that gives you the cushion, support, and traction as you can find that fits perfectly from the moment you put them on. I know its next to impossible to find such a pair of footwear, but I have, on several occasions, of different manufacturer and style. Of course, I use orthotic inserts which make most shoes feel pretty good anyhow.
All leather boots take longer to get wet, but stay wet longer and they can grow a batch of fungus faster than a more airy nylon/leather combination boot can, plus they need more frequent care, usually cost more, and weigh more. They may or may not last longer than a fabric boot or shoe, depending upon how well they are made. I still have my Limmers and could get a couple of lacing hooks replaced and use them (I bought them new in 1993), but because of their weight, I don't.
The best 2 things I have ever bought for hiking are my Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo tent and my Inov-8 Roclite 370 ultralight boots.
http://www.zombierunner.com/store/brands/inov-8/shoes/product1728.html
take-a-knee
04-25-2009, 17:03
The best 2 things I have ever bought for hiking are my Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo tent and my Inov-8 Roclite 370 ultralight boots.
http://www.zombierunner.com/store/brands/inov-8/shoes/product1728.html
Those look interesting, it is a shame they don't make them in wider widths. In Outside Magazine many years ago some university study was cited of the effect of footwear weight on heartrate while walking a treadmill. I don't remember the particulars but heavy boots equaled high heartrate, IE you cover a lot less ground and wear out faster.
Those look interesting, it is a shame they don't make them in wider widths. In Outside Magazine many years ago some university study was cited of the effect of footwear weight on heartrate while walking a treadmill. I don't remember the particulars but heavy boots equaled high heartrate, IE you cover a lot less ground and wear out faster.
My first experience with these boots were the 390 series - same boot as the 370 but with a Gore-Tex upper. The 390's cost $30 more and I'm not a big fan of Gore Tex in shoes so I switched to the 370 series for my next pair.
They are great boots and are well made.
Turtlehiker
04-25-2009, 17:47
Something you might consider for the whites is get alittle more durable shoe or boot which ever way you decide to go. the rocks in the whites can really tear up a shoe. Look for something with a good wide rand(the bumper around the toe) I have a pair of Asolo 520's full leather but not much rand and they were torn up after a few trips in the whites.