[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Backpacking boots (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/9/2010 5:15:59 PM EDT
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I did a search of the forums for the last three months and there are a lot of topics discussing boots. None discussed hiking/backpacking boots in particular too well. I've been doing research lately on boots and my head is spinning! I find a pair I want but they are like $200 or they are made for winter backpacking/hiking which I don't do. My question to you all is, may you recommend me a pair of backpacking boots that are like $95 or less that breathe well? I'd prefer that they were waterproof as well. I don't care as much for style as I do functionality. And.... GO! |
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Anything in that price range is considered "budget priced" the boot mfg'rs. I have a pair of Vasques, that originally sold for $110, and was closed out at $80 at Camp-Mor.I use the Vasques most for hiking in the shopping malls, car camping, and church camp weekends stuff. It has a Gor-tex lining, which saved my butt a couple of times, when I came out of the shopping mall it was pouring rain.
I did a search of the forums for the last three months and there are a lot of topics discussing boots. None discussed hiking/backpacking boots in particular too well. I've been doing research lately on boots and my head is spinning! I find a pair I want but they are like $200 or they are made for winter backpacking/hiking which I don't do. My question to you all is, may you recommend me a pair of backpacking boots that are like $95 or less that breathe well? I'd prefer that they were waterproof as well. I don't care as much for style as I do functionality. And.... GO! For more serious walking, I have some Danner Mtn Lights, they are ~$150 boots that seem to work well for me. ETA: I think that I have the same boots as "entropy" described in the above post. |
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Do you have any REI's nearby? If so become a member and go to their "garage sale" where they sell off the stuff people used for one eweekend and decided it didn't work out. You can get some great deals that way. REI ? Hippy infested outdoor store with stuff at 3 times the price. |
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Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? I REALLY, REALLY want some Oakley boots. They're so damned expensive though. |
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If those are the boots that you want, they are just over your price range.
http://www.trails.com/gear/p/oakley/mens-sabot-high-boot/ I would recommend Asolo boots. Sierra Trading Post has some good prices. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Asolo.html |
| Lots of threads about boots but not many people mention La sportiva boots I have been using there gear for years and they are great comfortable boots right out of the box I use these as my every day hikers and jut bought a pair of these for winter mountaineering. Give them a try you won’t be disappointed. |
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Pick up a membership at REI for $20 and wait for a 20% coupon to come out, then buy your boots. You have to spend that initial $20, but the membership is lifetime and you get 10% back on all non-sale items. Good long term "investment" if you buy lots of outdoor gear.
On that note, finding a waterproof boot for < $100 will be difficult. Most sturdy (mid-height) boots in that price range will be heavy on the synthetics and mesh, without a goretex lining. If you want a truly waterproof boot, either made of waterproof leather w/o goretex, or a boot with a goretex liner, you're going to be looking at more like $150 to $200 for a pair that will hold up. To the poster that mentioned REI is overpriced - A.) they don't generally sell crap, and good products cost more than crap, and B.) you can get really good discounts with coupons, annual sales, garage sales, etc. |
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I burned thru a few pair of hiking / backpacking / mountain boots in my time.
Different manufactures use different lasts to build their boots on. The last is a form the boot is shaped around. Some have narrow heels and wide foot box, some have wide heels and wide foot box, etc. You need to find out which manufactures make boots on lasts similar to your foot. REI 1-800 tech support is a good source for this. I live in an area with no good stores around. First, I narrow the choice down to several pairs. I then order the assumed size, plus one size smaller and larger for each pair. A nine in one brand might be an 8.5 in another. I’ve never had trouble returning boots only worn on the carpet (both functionally and morally). Zappos has free shipping both ways. Wear each pair for at least 1/2 hour - marching around the whole time. Sounds like a pain but you can’t go anywhere on sore feet. A blister on day one will only get worst for the rest of the trip. In my opinion, a good pair of boots is your most important gear. Get the best pair you can afford. |
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"Waterproof" and "breathable" are mutually exclusive concepts. Goretex boots do not breathe. They also do not dry out once wet inside (And they will get wet while backpacking, if only from foot sweat)
I use Merrell Moab Ventilators. If it's wet, I wear sealskinz socks. They are not expensive ($80-90), breathe very well, dry overnight, and have yet to give me a blister. Caveat: Your pack weight needs to be under 35lb to use a low-cut shoe like this safely. Heavier than that and you're risking foot and ankle injury. |
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Some of it comes down to how much you weigh as well, this includes with pack. Without a pack I am darn big so I just went ahead and bought heavy duty boots and my feet and ankles are happy. When I was smaller the cheaper boots often did well and depending on if you just wear them backpacking or make them an everyday wear item they can last a differing amount of time. Right now lots of places are doing sales here and there and it is becoming a game of finding out about the deals before things are sold out. I personally use all leather danner boots but they weigh a ton compared to what lightweight backpackers prefer. Once I lose some weight, a decent amount of weight, I will be more willing to go to lighter weight boots using fabric. For now the heavy leather and tough sole keep me and my feet happy and that is worth the weight cost to me. Then again they cost more than your price point by a bit, depends on what sales you find. Buying in person locally they are 100 more than the price point I think but online you can sometimes find coupons and discounts to drop the price a lot. |
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FWIW, I only wear running shoes or, more recently, trail runners–– basically running shoes with a more aggressive tread. I used to wear high-top all leather Vasques and loved them, but an ankle injury keeps me from wearing anything but a very low runner now. I've been hiking in runners for ~12 years and don't miss my Vasques any more. |
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$95.00 is a tough price to stick to. Realistically I'd try to up that to $125-$150.
For a midweight breathable boot I recommend Asolo. For a heavier boot for a heavier load I recommend Vasque but $95.00 will barely buy one boot. Check out www.sierratradingpost.com they sometimes have very good deals on Asolo and a few others. |
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I've had good luck with Vasque Breeze GTX XCR, but $95 is gonna be tough to find a decent hiking boot. How long did they take to break in? I tried on a pair last weekend and while I liked the comfort, they were very stiff. I tried on a pair of Merrells that felt good, but they lacked the ankle high style in my size. |
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I was given a brand new pair of Converse 8'' Desert. At first I wasn't sure how they would do for hiking, but I have used them for a lot of hiking in mountains in addition to their use as my work boots. They are extremely comfortable. They felt broken in right out of the box and only got better. My feet don't hurt at all at the end of the day. The safety toe doesn't dig into the top of your foot when you sqat down, which is something that always annoyed me about my Timberlands.
Not exactly a hiking boot, but they work very well for that and other things too. 
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I've been using columbias for years now for spring-fall boots.
I typically do 2-3 day hikes around 20+ miles, once a month or more. I've been a big proponent of quality gear over the years after learning the hard way 
However, none of the big names make much in wide sizes...so, I grabbed a pair of columbia trailmeister years ago and haven't looked back! They are cheap (~$70) wear forever and require no break in. The only bad thing I can say is that the waterproofing isn't so hot, but a can of campdry will solve that ;) They sell them at gander mtn and famous footwear...go check 'em out. ETA: TrailMeisters Waterproof boots at Famous Footwear for $70 Speed |
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Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! |
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I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! I thought the OP (who's in Kansas) wanted something that would breathe. In my experience, Gore-Tex doesn't do that. |
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I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? I REALLY, REALLY want some Oakley boots. They're so damned expensive though. They're $20 over your limit, but shipping is free and I think they're definitely worth it. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! I thought the OP (who's in Kansas) wanted something that would breathe. In my experience, Gore-Tex doesn't do that. I hadn't given thought to the fact that breathing meant usually not waterproof. Sorry it took so long to respond all, been busy with work. I'd rather have waterproof over breathe-ability though. ETA: Originally Posted By FIELD_MP: Originally Posted By Ares337: Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? I REALLY, REALLY want some Oakley boots. They're so damned expensive though. They're $20 over your limit, but shipping is free and I think they're definitely worth it. Is this where I start doing the whole "My membership expires in three hours" by saying "My wallet is light and I REALLY need some boots" just hoping someone will shoot me some money? Only thing is, I can't log out and back in to get the results. DAMN! |
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I have a pair of that that I bought from Camp-Mor, I think I paid like $80+shipping for the obsolete model. I just walked around the local shopping mall to break them in. To me a decent boot for the money. Zero complaints. I should've bought two of them at that price. Quoted:
I've had good luck with Vasque Breeze GTX XCR, but $95 is gonna be tough to find a decent hiking boot. How long did they take to break in? I tried on a pair last weekend and while I liked the comfort, they were very stiff. I tried on a pair of Merrells that felt good, but they lacked the ankle high style in my size. 
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Quoted: Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! not really. My "shtf" boots are way different than my "backpacking" boots. Mine line of though is similar to sabres. I have been wearing merrel moab vents for 2+ years now. They are the NON goretex ones. I have had zero issue when backpacking with them. If i know its gonna be super wet i'll wear my goretex socks, or wear my goretex boots . For the most part down here there is two options. goretex- but once wet on the inside takes forever to dry. non goretex- go light,fast,mesh, breathable. Dry times cut in half. it's a balance and a chevy ford deal. my shtf boots are belleville 790's( black ICBs) Ive worn converse boots(they suck and fall apart), ive worn jungle boots, and numerous others. Once i got the merrels....they been whats on my feet when i hike. I only just now started wearing some avia trail runners/hikers to dayhike in and wear around town. They work well, but i fear they will fall apart way before my merrels ever will. |
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I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! not really. My "shtf" boots are way different than my "backpacking" boots. Mine line of though is similar to sabres. I have been wearing merrel moab vents for 2+ years now. They are the NON goretex ones. I have had zero issue when backpacking with them. If i know its gonna be super wet i'll wear my goretex socks, or wear my goretex boots . For the most part down here there is two options. goretex- but once wet on the inside takes forever to dry. non goretex- go light,fast,mesh, breathable. Dry times cut in half. it's a balance and a chevy ford deal. my shtf boots are belleville 790's( black ICBs) Ive worn converse boots(they suck and fall apart), ive worn jungle boots, and numerous others. Once i got the merrels....they been whats on my feet when i hike. I only just now started wearing some avia trail runners/hikers to dayhike in and wear around town. They work well, but i fear they will fall apart way before my merrels ever will. Protus, So this is something that weighs heavily on my soul (Sole?) I used to wear my Ft. Lewis Danners day-in, day-out. Hiking, playing, whatever... they were on my feet no matter what. They also had to be on the Peet shoe dryer nightly or at least bi-nightly or they would simply be soggy inside. Part of me is still inclined to call the Danners my 'shtf zombies invade omgwtfbbq' boots, and simply call the Merrells what I wear to backpack, work (including construction type work), play, ect. I think the issue here is obvious - why wear the shoes that I would never otherwise wear in the shtf? They are more durable (I guess. The outer sole and midsole wear out just as fast), more tacti-cool, and 10" tall. On the other hand, I don't really run into a problem with the Merrells doing, well... anything. The only thing I've found that I don't really want to do in the Merrells is walk through deep, sucking mud. Discuss. |
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Has anyone used Hi-Tec brand boots? my old issue boots are a little heavy and some of the Hi -Tec boots get good reviews on amazon and their only like $60 I have a pair of Hi Tec Altitude IV's I use for hiking in the winter...I got them on clearance for $50 
They are great boots, extremely waterproof and warm w/ good socks. However,I wouldn't wear then in the spring, summer, fall as I like something that breathes. Also, as protus mentioned, It has been my experience that even decent NON-waterpoof hiking boots made of synthetic materials usually dry Very quickly. For warmer weather hiking, I would not be very concerned about a boots waterproofing abilities as I would it's ventilation. Step in a creek and the boots and your feet are dry in an hour (as long as you wear good socks); wear something waterproof but too warm and your feet are wet all day from sweat 
YMMV Speed |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I rocked these in the sandbox and they served me well. LINK http://www.zappos.com/images/747/7474685/9755-762406-p.jpg? They may have rocked in the sandbox, but here in Florida we needs Gore-Tex! not really. My "shtf" boots are way different than my "backpacking" boots. Mine line of though is similar to sabres. I have been wearing merrel moab vents for 2+ years now. They are the NON goretex ones. I have had zero issue when backpacking with them. If i know its gonna be super wet i'll wear my goretex socks, or wear my goretex boots . For the most part down here there is two options. goretex- but once wet on the inside takes forever to dry. non goretex- go light,fast,mesh, breathable. Dry times cut in half. it's a balance and a chevy ford deal. my shtf boots are belleville 790's( black ICBs) Ive worn converse boots(they suck and fall apart), ive worn jungle boots, and numerous others. Once i got the merrels....they been whats on my feet when i hike. I only just now started wearing some avia trail runners/hikers to dayhike in and wear around town. They work well, but i fear they will fall apart way before my merrels ever will. Protus, So this is something that weighs heavily on my soul (Sole?) I used to wear my Ft. Lewis Danners day-in, day-out. Hiking, playing, whatever... they were on my feet no matter what. They also had to be on the Peet shoe dryer nightly or at least bi-nightly or they would simply be soggy inside. Part of me is still inclined to call the Danners my 'shtf zombies invade omgwtfbbq' boots, and simply call the Merrells what I wear to backpack, work (including construction type work), play, ect. I think the issue here is obvious - why wear the shoes that I would never otherwise wear in the shtf? They are more durable (I guess. The outer sole and midsole wear out just as fast), more tacti-cool, and 10" tall. On the other hand, I don't really run into a problem with the Merrells doing, well... anything. The only thing I've found that I don't really want to do in the Merrells is walk through deep, sucking mud. Discuss. i hike in my 790's...i just "enjoy" my hikes better when im wearing the merrels or other "lighter" boots. |
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I found some Asolo Sasslongs at sierriatradingpost.com for $125 shipped. Solid boot. I havn't had it that long but was looking for a more waterproof boot. I still have my BassPro version of the vasque breeze. They are nice lightweight boot. Got them on discount at about $65.
Good hunting. nct |
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I found some Asolo Sasslongs at sierriatradingpost.com for $125 shipped. Solid boot. Great boot! I have the old model of the Sasslongs - TPS 535. Same boot without the rand. I took them on a 10 day cross country in the Sierra's less than two weeks out of the box. Only walk around the property a few times. Not a single hot spot - fit like a glove. |
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I'm starting to get the feeling when it comes to a good pair of backpacking boots its a "You get what you pay for" situation. I think I'll spend the extra money to ensure that my feet stay happy. I'm still more interested in water-proof rather than breathe-ability. |
| I purchased some Vasque hiking boots (similar to the Switchback) about a week ago and took them out for a hike. About an hour later, I noticed that my left achilles tendon was getting rubbed raw about an inch from the top of the boot. Any idea what the issue might be? |
| Merrell makes quite a few boots in the range you are looking to spend. Some gore-tex some not. For me they have always been comfortable and have good Vibram soles. I just picked up a pair of Chameleon waterproof Merrells this week. For just over $100 they are great. Will they last as long as my Danners? No, probably not but for half the price they are a damn nice boot. |
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Years ago I would buy surplus combat boots at the surplus store for $5 a pair. I found them very comfortable, especially the canvas sided jungle boots. I wore some form of them year round, including a fair number of day hikes.
You might want to look at used boots. There are no more $5 combat boots but you might find a nice pair of lightly used boots at a garage sale or a thrift store if you look around. I have my eyes on this pair right now on eBay. This is the time of the year to be looking for cheap boots for next winter. http://cgi.ebay.com/COLUMBIA-TITANIUM-BUGABOOT-XTM-OMNITECH-BOOT-MEN-SZ-13_W0QQitemZ400108250648QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Men_s_Shoes?hash=item5d284f6618 I am kind of a cheapskate and am inclined to buy at lower price points if I can, but shoes are a poor place to be stingy IMO. Having said that, I have found some very comfortable and inexpensive shoes at Shoe Carnival. They often have some decent hiking boots as well, but the selection and sizes available are pretty much random. Its not unusual for them to have a whole bunch of nice shoes of all types in smaller sizes and not much in size 10 or better. With a size 13 foot, I don't find much there. You might want to look at places like Farm and Fleet as well. They have a nice assortment of outdoor boots that are a whole lot better then people give them credit for. I have not tried them but a friend who spends a lot of time outdoors (mostly hunting) says WalMart carries a brand called Herman Survivors. I think it is a WalMart house brand, but he swears they are very nice and it is what he wears. I am not real brand loyal on shoes. I have bought name brand stuff I hated and cheap stuff I wore till they fell off my feet. I would point out that for run of the mill hiking, you are not going to need anything real special. Just walking shoes with a better than average tread will work, although I much prefer some ankle support. |
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I purchased some Vasque hiking boots (similar to the Switchback) about a week ago and took them out for a hike. About an hour later, I noticed that my left achilles tendon was getting rubbed raw about an inch from the top of the boot. Any idea what the issue might be? I don't recall the brand but years ago I bought an expensive pair of hiking boots and had the same problem. I ended up wearing them a couple times and gave up and put them in the closet. They ended up in a garage sale, did not sell, and then went to the Salvation Army. I am not real sure what the problem was, but I know I did not like it one bit. They seemed to fit nicely, but walking in them was just downright uncomfortable. |
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I have a pair of Garmont's with gortex, and they have served me very well. I got them on sale for around $70 several years ago, and they are still holding up. I dread the day when these things die and I have to find a new pair of boots. With a quick search, I couldn't find them for less than $180 today.
Garmont Syncro GTX: 
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Montrail Torre GTX are great for hiking and backpacking with minimal break in. They are not as sleek as the Asolo Fugitive, but the Asolo is for higher volume foot. If you have a low volume foot then the Montrail at 1/2 size larger than you usually wear is fantastic.
They can be found online for ~$90 or ~$180 at REI... |
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Quoted: Montrail Torre GTX are great for hiking and backpacking with minimal break in. They are not as sleek as the Asolo Fugitive, but the Asolo is for higher volume foot. If you have a low volume foot then the Montrail at 1/2 size larger than you usually wear is fantastic. They can be found online for ~$90 or ~$180 at REI... I had actually been spying these. Honestly, I think its what I'm going to go with. |
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I stopped by shoe carnival to look through the hiking boot selection. Lots of nice boots - nothing in 13W that I liked. Ironically they had the same Columbia boot I am watching on ebay on sale. $69 plus 1/2 off a second pair of equal or lesser cost. I think I am going to need a 13W based on the 13s I tried on that were not comfortable, and it looks like the ebay boot is a 13 regular.
Maybe I will stop by Farm and Fleet tomorrow and look around. I tried on a pair of Dickie's work boots that looked like they might make decent hiking boots, but they were not comfortable at all. |
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For some of you folks who want to wear a gore-tex lined boot, but find that your feet sweat too much, have you folks tried those high tech socks that wick moisture away from your feet, and dissipate it through top, I find it works pretty good for me. Lol, there is a picture of me drying (roasting) a pair of those over a fire floating around on here somewhere 
Speed |
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I stopped by shoe carnival to look through the hiking boot selection. Lots of nice boots - nothing in 13W that I liked. Ironically they had the same Columbia boot I am watching on ebay on sale. $69 plus 1/2 off a second pair of equal or lesser cost. I think I am going to need a 13W based on the 13s I tried on that were not comfortable, and it looks like the ebay boot is a 13 regular. Maybe I will stop by Farm and Fleet tomorrow and look around. I tried on a pair of Dickie's work boots that looked like they might make decent hiking boots, but they were not comfortable at all. I had problems finding wide hiking boots for the longest time and ended up going w/ Columbias, however i really like them; see my previous post. Also, New Balance is getting into the hiking boot game now. I can't say anything about their boots as I've only looked at one pair that was all leather and a bit heavy, but New Balance makes Everything in wide sizes
FWIW, I love New Balance tennis shoes in 2E. Speed |
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Seriously, one of the few places NOT to go cheap is your feet.
If you are talking serious hiking/backpacking, you need to find a pair that are comfortable, durable and give you good support - Worry about how you are going to pay for them after you find the right ones. I would not want to be out in the middle of nowhere with a backache, rubbing my feet, thinking to myself ... if I had only spent that extra $50 
Repeat after me: These are my feet. Everyone has a pair but these are mine. Without my feet I am ..... you get the point.
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Quoted: Seriously, one of the few places NOT to go cheap is your feet. If you are talking serious hiking/backpacking, you need to find a pair that are comfortable, durable and give you good support - Worry about how you are going to pay for them after you find the right ones. I would not want to be out in the middle of nowhere with a backache, rubbing my feet, thinking to myself ... if I had only spent that extra $50 Repeat after me: These are my feet. Everyone has a pair but these are mine. Without my feet I am ..... you get the point. You make a good point. I'm still trying to decide what I want. I'm wanting to stop by a backpacking store that deals in nothing but this stuff. Rather than buying something from online. |
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Exactly why I listed the REI price previously on the Montrail Torre GTX
I had originally started out with the svelte Asolo Fugitive which was VERY light, almost like trail runners and felt like I'd just had a trainer wrap my foot. I didn't find the issue with my low volume feet until the downhill 5 miles of a 20 mile over nighter  I had even taken the time to change the lace pattern for the downhill portion, but I still ended up with black toes!
Back to REI I went and explained what happened and was immediately shown the Montrail Torre and I haven't looked back. They aren't as pretty, but they are very stable and supportive and no black toe
Now that I know what works I know that I can order these online if need be. But, since REI is in town that's not a big deal as long as I'm here. OT - Yeah, REI charges retail, but they also stand behind every purchase forever and their employees know of what they speak... |