Any Good Boots Here?

[XCskiNYC]

Paragon's big shoe sale is coming up and these are some boots available at the store. Any feedback on these appreciated:

Lowa Renegade Mid GTX (goretex) -- felt good right off the bat. 41.6 ozs.

Lowa Renegade Lo GTX -- ostensibly the same shoe as the above in a low-cut design but, oddly, were not totally comfortable. 36.8 ozs.

Merrell Moab Ventilator Approach -- 24 ozs. Comfy fit.

Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid GTX XCR -- 31 ozs. Comfy, light.

Merrell Chameleon Evo Mid GTX -- 36 ozs. Less comfortable than the Ventilators.

Also, a couple of general questions. Can you expect a shoe like the Ventilator Approach, which is not Gore-Tex and has a part-leather/part-mesh upper, to stay dry in moderately heavy rain? The shoes I'm using now, inexpensive Coleman shoes of a similar design to the Moab Ventilator and countless others, stay dry in a fairly heavy rain (though the longest they've been out in heavy rain is maybe a half an hour).

What about Gore Tex in general? How much worse does sweat build up in a shoe with GTX XCR versus one with just the leather/mesh?

Finally, does it make much sense to have a GTX liner in a shoe with a leather upper? Can't you just treat the leather with some waterproof polish or coating? This question is specificically in relation to the Lowa Renegade shoes above which have leather uppers and a GTX lining.

The other lines they had at Paragon were North Face, Ahnu, Asolo, Salomon (all trail runners: XT Wings GTX and AT Comp GTX), Vasque, Scarpa.

What I'm looking for is a shoe listing for $80 to $200, something from a trail runner, to a low-cut light hiking shoe with leather/mesh upper, to a mid-cut light hiking shoe with mesh/leather upper, or even possibly something like the Lowa Renegade with all-leather upper. I'm looking for a shoe with a decent sole, maybe a Vibram or any proprietary sole that's stiff and rugged yet fairly light. I will be hiking the AT in the Hudson Highlands area (rated 3-6 difficulty on 1-10 scale by the AT Conservancy), an area with plenty of sharp rocks and steep ascents and descents. My pack will be 25 to 30 lbs total. So I want a shoe that's pretty solid, lightweight, and nimble. Some people will probably say there's no way a trail-runner will do this duty. But if you have had good luck with trail runners carrying this type of load on rocky up-downs, let me know about it.

[freefall]

I've owned several pairs of the Moab Ventilator mids http://www.merrell.com/US/en-us/ViewProduct.mvc.aspx/18797M/0/Mens/Moab-Ventilator-Mid-Wide-Width?galleryId=M-F and love them. They are light and fairly durable. The only thing I do change out the insoles for a little more cushion.

They do not stay dry at all in moderate, steady rain but dry quickly.

One thing, I talked to a Merrell CSR once about these boots and they said they weren't rated for my pack weight (30 lbs) but if they were comfortable then to wear them.

[Peaks]

The best hiking shoes for you are the ones that fit you best, not what others may be wearing.

[XCskiNYC]

freefall:
The only thing I do change out the insoles for a little more cushion.

I've been thinking of getting those. There were some at Modells that seemed decent that were only $5. And then there are some up around $35. And there are ones that are kind of elaborate and have pretty big rubber bumpers under one or more parts of the sole. What do you use for insoles?

[freefall]

The best hiking shoes for you are the ones that fit you best, not what others may be wearing.

I agree. When I was looking for new boots several years ago, I went to REI and tried a couple of pair on around the store and the Merrells are what were best for me.


freefall:

I've been thinking of getting those. There were some at Modells that seemed decent that were only $5. And then there are some up around $35. And there are ones that are kind of elaborate and have pretty big rubber bumpers under one or more parts of the sole. What do you use for insoles?

I use the Spenco Polysorbs http://www.rei.com/product/679216. They're mid priced ($20) and last me around 500-750 miles. I tried the Dr. Scholl's from Walgreen's and did not like them but some might.

[Not Sunshine]

[quote=freefall;891712]I agree. When I was looking for new boots several years ago, I went to REI and tried a couple of pair on around the store and the Merrells are what were best for me.


My only biff with REI and other local "boot fitters" is they insisted I was a smaller size. I have been a runner for 10 years and I always wore a size 10 in running shoes - but multiple people from multiple stores in different towns all sized my feet for 8.5 and said I should go with a 9. I did - I lasted 4 miles before I could not continue and instead of walking, more or less FUMED all the way back to the car. If it feels snug and your instincts are saying "this guy is f.o.s." believe your instincts and get the size you're comforable buying.

Thankfully, I ordered the boots on backcountry.com and they offered me a 100% money back guarntee, I only had to pay shipping.

[freefall]

Smak: I lucked out when I first started looking and the guy was extremely helpful. I made sure I wore my hiking socks to boot shop and when I told him I was planning on attempting a thru on the AT he bumped me up to a larger size.

I have literally only had one blister since using these boots and I'm probably on my 4th pair in 6 years.

If the boots aren't all leather, they should require minimal or no break-in period. So, if they don't feel right in the store, they probably won't feel right on the trail either. So, yeah, I agree with the "F.O.S." meter.

[XCskiNYC]

The best hiking shoes for you are the ones that fit you best, not what others may be wearing.

Well, I don't know if one would necessarily preclude the other. Fit of course is always the starting point. But if somebody else has had a good experience hiking under a load with a shoe, if they have found a shoe to hold up well, that could certainly factor in to a buying decision.