Thread: What do you look for in a hiking boot?

I'm sure the world is waiting with great anticipation to find our if Iceaxe is gay or a lesbian and which is sexier a thong or a booty (I voted booty). But I've got far more pressing problems, hiking boots.

This pair that I recently bought at Recreation Outlet about did my feet in during our last hike a week or so ago. Pretty much made the hike OK, but when we stop hiking and started driving my feet started to kill me. And then to get back on them to walk was almost unbearable. The next morning getting out of bed my feet didn't work at all till I'd walked for a bit.

Now I know I'm old (53) but I didn't think this was going to happen until I gott into my eights.

I'd like some suggestions as to what you all look for when you buy your boots. We mostly do hikes, maybe a few rock / boulder climbs if they gets in the way. But I'm mostly grounded to the flat earth.

Hmmm...boots. I just bought these for our Wind Rivers trip this last summer. Here is my review that you may have read in the reviews section. http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=934

You certainly cant buy a pair of boots, hit a hike that day and expect things to be peachy. Most boots have a break in period (as you well know). Of course leather takes the longest, but some of the newer materials have a shorter break in. I try to wear a new boot all around, like to the store and on weekends and perhaps a few short hikes before doing a long haul with them. Which I didn't get to do with this last pair. I am not sure that I would buy leather again.......read the review.

I may have mistated the "recently", it has been three months or so and I do wear allllll the time. But the hike was the first time I'd put them to the test. "GARMONT" I believe is make.

Walking down hill on all those flat rock areas mad my toes hurt. I think the down hill was forcing my toes into the boots.

I somewhat blame my boots because until this hike I've had very few problems.

Personally I like these babies that Gucci just recently came out with:




Seriously though, I like Vasque hiking shoes. They mould to your foot, they last forever, and most models have Gore Tex linings. A little pricey though.

How long was your last hike? How long is a typical hike for you?

Comfort, Comfort, oh yea and more Comfort!

Seriously go to a good shoe store or a foot Dr. and get a wet test done on your feet and figure what type of lasting and cut you need in your shoe. As we age our feet are the first to break down and the lasting and sewing of the shoe can make or break any boot for you.

Price does not always make the boot right..........but Vasque are good and durable.

Outside magazine does a "best of..." issue every year and hiking shoes is part of it. Most of the shoes they recommend are out of my price range, but occassionally they do come up with some that are affordable.

I went cheap one time and still regret it. I don't put any money into clothing, but have learned that decent shoes are going to cost me at least $100. Also, the $15 hiking socks I have found to be a pretty good investment.

Fit.

and Comfort

breathability,

and waterproofness.

First and foremost, look for boots that fit. If you have boots that aren't perfect for you feet, any hike will be turned into a deathmarch, like you found out. For me, the Asolo Fugitive GTX, a leather/fabric boot with a gore tex membrane, works very well. The heel is very narrow, so it really grips my foot and prevents it from slipping forward, which was one thing i was worried about when looking for boots. They really fit my feet well, but then for you the fit might be way off. The best thing to do is try on a bunch of boots, and have an experienced and knowledgable salesperson at an outdoor store measure your foot and help you narrow down the selection. I think that this should help you find the right boots.

Originally Posted by crazy horse

best thing to do is try on a bunch of boots, and have an experienced and knowledgable salesperson at an outdoor store measure your foot and help you narrow down the selection. I think that this should help you find the right boots.

Agreed. This is the advice I give my patients all the time with regards to purchasing any type of shoes, but particularly boots and running shoes. I send them to specific stores in my town that I know: 1) carry high-quality shoes; 2) know how to fit shoes/boots properly. This means they have and know how to use a Brannock device.

A couple of years ago, I went into one of the locally owned hiking stores, The Hike Shack, and introduced myself (I am a podiatrist) and was immediately welcomed into their good graces, esp. after explaining that I'm an avid hiker/backpacker, and that I was looking for a good store to send my patients. Their certified boot fitter showed me how he goes about fitting boots using the Phil Orren method, and I was impressed. Using his method, feet are measured for length and width in both standing and seating positions and the difference is taken into account when selecting a boot for a customer. They look at "high volume" and "low volume" feet, which is basically how much room they take up in a boot, and that is matched with the qualities of the various boots they carry to help fit the customer. They also carry a good selection of OTC inserts, like Superfeet, Sole and Lynco, and will use these to further improve the fit of the boots if necessary.

You don't want to skimp on boots, as others have mentioned. I know someone mentioned that they buy and like Hi-Tec, but I personally tell people to avoid this brand - it is cheap and poorly constructed (I have one cut in half given to me by the folks at the Hike Shack to prove it). Yeah, they are better than WalMart boots, but that isn't saying much

The key is to make sure the boot is long enough and not too wide or too narrow; these problems can cripple you during a trip involving any mountain or canyon climbs. When you have the boot on and are wearing the socks that you will be wearing (very important!), move your toes up and down in the boot: you should not feel them contact the end or top of the boot at all. There should be no motion in the heel and if you jam your foot forward, your toes should not move and touch the end of the boot.

Technically speaking, boots shouldn't require much of a break-in period - they should fit well right away and should not cause significant blisters. However, that being said, it is never a good idea to wear a new pair of boots on a long hike for the first time....that is asking for trouble. There is some minor break-in that will occur as the uppers stretch a bit and conform to your feet.

Also, any decent boot (or running shoe) will have removable sock liners. I replace mine with my custom orthotics. But, a good pair of OTC inserts (like the brands I mentioned) are fine and will last longer and provide better support/cushioning than the liners found in most boots. One of the perks of having a good working relationship with the shoe stores is that I get free merchandise to wear test and offer opinions on, including inserts, socks and shoes . I have found that some brands fit just about as well as my custom orthotics.

I always hesitate to tell people what brand or style of boot to buy - as I think Crazy Horse mentioned, different brands will fit different feet better or worse. The key is to try on different pairs and see which one fits the best - both subjective and objectively, and combine that with your activity requirements (mountaineering vs. light day hikes vs. backpacking, etc.).

Hope that helps!

SJ

One more question and then I'll let you all go on to other forum subjects.
I've had surgery on both ankles to tie them back together, right one twice. I'm not uncoordinated, just had a lot bad luck in my life. Are there any real ankle support advantages to high cut boots over those of low cut?

Thank you,

John

Originally Posted by canyonphile

Originally Posted by crazy horse

best thing to do is try on a bunch of boots, and have an experienced and knowledgable salesperson at an outdoor store measure your foot and help you narrow down the selection. I think that this should help you find the right boots.

Agreed. This is the advice I give my patients all the time with regards to purchasing any type of shoes, but particularly boots and running shoes. I send them to specific stores in my town that I know: 1) carry high-quality shoes; 2) know how to fit shoes/boots properly. This means they have and know how to use a Brannock device.

And be sure about that salesperson knowing his or her stuff. One local shoe store I use for running shoes, because they have the lowest price, has a particular salesman who acts like he knows what he's doing, but if you happen to check his facts with Runner's World expert opinions, he's usually way off on what he tries to sell you.

As for boots, I once bought a pair of North Face boots from REI clearance. They felt good at the store, but I found a nagging problem of severe rubbing upon wearing them for hiking. I eventually had to cut out a large piece of the upper edge of the boot, the part that wrapped around the outside of my left ankle--and that was in the middle of a long backpacking trip. It cleared up the rubbing problem though.

My shoe of choice right now is Adidas Trail Shoes--I forget the model name. Not waterproof, but lightweight, comfortable, and I'm much more sure-footed in them.

Shane