Posted: 7/7/2015 12:21:19 AM EDT
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Any recommendations on boots? I have flat wide feet so would prefer something that I can try on before purchasing.
Personal preferences? Categories (in no particular order): Quality / Longevity Waterproof Snake proof Price Comfort Grip / Tread Weight Am I forgetting anything? |
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Salomon gtx boots, best boots i have ever owned and just replaced my original pair with the new 4D 2 GTX hiking boot.
Quality / Longevity-great quality, original pair lasted 5 years Waterproof-gortex Snake proof- relatively thick and have some real leather but are breathable Price-around $230 so expensive but not the most expensive around Comfort-extremly, i have flat feet and i find them to keep my arches from hurting Grip / Tread-super grippy on all kinds of rock wet or dry plus mud, gravel, snow,ice. i have never had an issue with slippage Weight-slightly heavy but heavy duty |
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Just curious why you'd want a waterproof boot in Texas?
FWIW if I'm in climates where the average temp is over 50 I'm more concerned about how much the boits weigh wet and how fast they dry than waterproofness. All it does when it's hot is give you foot rot IMHO. |
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Quoted:
Salomon gtx boots, best boots i have ever owned and just replaced my original pair with the new 4D 2 GTX hiking boot. Quality / Longevity-great quality, original pair lasted 5 years Waterproof-gortex Snake proof- relatively thick and have some real leather but are breathable Price-around $230 so expensive but not the most expensive around Comfort-extremly, i have flat feet and i find them to keep my arches from hurting Grip / Tread-super grippy on all kinds of rock wet or dry plus mud, gravel, snow,ice. i have never had an issue with slippage Weight-slightly heavy but heavy duty +1 on this. I wear a 13 EEEE in New Balance, but the 13 D works for me in Salomon. I've hiked extensively in the 4D 2 GTX and have had no issues. |
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Quoted:
Just curious why you'd want a waterproof boot in Texas? FWIW if I'm in climates where the average temp is over 50 I'm more concerned about how much the boits weigh wet and how fast they dry than waterproofness. All it does when it's hot is give you foot rot IMHO. Well I was more looking for a discussion on boots with personal experiences with brands and what not. I've owned one pair of stereotypical work boots, and thats about it so just looking for some pointers. I generally wear boots in the fall/winter/spring and then it's either cold or wet so waterproofing is plus in my eyes, though you bring up a good point with foot rot, dry vs wet weight, and drying time. The last two I clearly didn't even consider. |
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Quoted:
Salomon gtx boots, best boots i have ever owned and just replaced my original pair with the new 4D 2 GTX hiking boot. Quality / Longevity-great quality, original pair lasted 5 years Waterproof-gortex Snake proof- relatively thick and have some real leather but are breathable Price-around $230 so expensive but not the most expensive around Comfort-extremly, i have flat feet and i find them to keep my arches from hurting Grip / Tread-super grippy on all kinds of rock wet or dry plus mud, gravel, snow,ice. i have never had an issue with slippage Weight-slightly heavy but heavy duty Thanks for the suggestion. I had pair of solomon aggressive skates, quality products for sure! Glad to see other flat footers suggestions! |
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Wore merrels for ever. But switched to keen ..happy so far. They have a wide tie box so wide feet ain't an issue.
they are water proof (so far) ... Longevity can't say...as they are my daily wear. Merrel moab vents are...they are OK...but I wear them out fast 6-7 months. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I think boots are one of those things that can be very subjective and user specific. What works for me, might not work for you. AO, and activity plays a huge role to.
I have probably had the best luck with Danner, as far as combined comfort and durability. I have a pair of the original style pronghorns that fit like gloves out of the box. I have had them for going on 10 years. I only wear them during hunting season though, so its not like I am walking around on pavement with them all the time. They probably have at least 500 wilderness miles on them. I would expect they are almost at the end of their life range though. I have a pair of pathfinders that are equally as comfortable and seem to be holding up pretty good. I just received a new pair of Danner Jackal II GTX. I picked them up on sale so we will see how they do. Same for the pair of Danner sobo I got as well. I have several pair of Bates RAT boots, that I got on close out from LA police gear a few years back. I found them to be surprisingly comfortable and long wearing. I am still on my first pair and have wore the heck out of them. They are not waterproof though, they are meant to be quick drying and have little drain holes in the sides. I really lucked out with those boots and got them for something crazy like $25 per pair. I use them for work boots for the most part, and riding my KLR. My thing with boots is, I never will pay full price. The trick to finding and getting good deals is buying them before you NEED them. Watch sales, closeouts, etc. Once you find a brand your comfortable with and like, stick with it. Then you know, if you order online from a closeout or sale that the chances of getting the correct actual size is much greater then trying a brand you have never wore before. I have a storage bin in my man cave that contains about 5 new pair of boots. All $150+ msrp each, and I bet I didn't pay more then $50 for any pair. Its a catch 22 though, because if you pull your new pair of boots out, that you got 2 years ago, and they have an issue, sending them back doesn't work to well. Its a gamble that so for me, has paid off because over all money spent, even if a pair or two ends up being a bust, is crazy compared to paying top dollar. I always try them on and walk around the house to make sure they fit ok, but they don't get much of a stress test only doing that. YMMV |
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http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mens-Inch-S2v-Desert/dp/B00131PEE2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436473793&sr=8-1&keywords=rocky+s2v+boots the best The best is subject to opinion... A ME resident suggesting a desert boot... How's that work for a few days in the bush in 2~3' of snow? Just food for thought! ETA/ I have several different pair of Rocky boots, and desert style bates. One boot does not fill all roles. Unless you only go out for an hour at a time, and if you get wet feet just go home and dry them... So may subjective things to consider when it comes to footwear. |
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Quoted:
I think boots are one of those things that can be very subjective and user specific. What works for me, might not work for you. AO, and activity plays a huge role to. I have probably had the best luck with Danner, as far as combined comfort and durability. I have a pair of the original style pronghorns that fit like gloves out of the box. I have had them for going on 10 years. I only wear them during hunting season though, so its not like I am walking around on pavement with them all the time. They probably have at least 500 wilderness miles on them. I would expect they are almost at the end of their life range though. I have a pair of pathfinders that are equally as comfortable and seem to be holding up pretty good. I just received a new pair of Danner Jackal II GTX. I picked them up on sale so we will see how they do. Same for the pair of Danner sobo I got as well. I have several pair of Bates RAT boots, that I got on close out from LA police gear a few years back. I found them to be surprisingly comfortable and long wearing. I am still on my first pair and have wore the heck out of them. They are not waterproof though, they are meant to be quick drying and have little drain holes in the sides. I really lucked out with those boots and got them for something crazy like $25 per pair. I use them for work boots for the most part, and riding my KLR. My thing with boots is, I never will pay full price. The trick to finding and getting good deals is buying them before you NEED them. Watch sales, closeouts, etc. Once you find a brand your comfortable with and like, stick with it. Then you know, if you order online from a closeout or sale that the chances of getting the correct actual size is much greater then trying a brand you have never wore before. I have a storage bin in my man cave that contains about 5 new pair of boots. All $150+ msrp each, and I bet I didn't pay more then $50 for any pair. Its a catch 22 though, because if you pull your new pair of boots out, that you got 2 years ago, and they have an issue, sending them back doesn't work to well. Its a gamble that so for me, has paid off because over all money spent, even if a pair or two ends up being a bust, is crazy compared to paying top dollar. I always try them on and walk around the house to make sure they fit ok, but they don't get much of a stress test only doing that. YMMV Here are some photos for thought. Again for some one who is looking for boots, look at the specific reason you need them, the task your going to accomplish with them on your feet, your AO, weather... I did some serious damage to my feet on a two week hunt in the Rockies. The effects lasted almost a year. Proper footwear when it counts is very important. If you never go far from home then I guess its not a huge deal. Coming from some one who works in an office, then part time excavation, but puts several hundred miles on each year hiking, hunting, and collecting firewood; foot wear choice is important. Now don't take that statement to think I buy the best most expensive, because I don't. As my previous post shows I am very budget oriented. I have several low cost boots that are great. Heck, when I do my daily mile walk in the woods I often wear sandals. Depends on my mood. Just food for thought. 
Keep in mind, reference my above post... I never pay more then $100 for a pair of boots. Most shown are under $50. Quality can be a bargain if you watch sales, closeouts, and discounts. Another important factor is care, All my boots are used hard, but never put away wet. Keeping them clean dry and not leaving them caked in mud or dirt really goes along ways toward their longevity. Leather treatment is important as well if your boots are constructed with it. When the toes of my boots like the Danner pathfinders( camo boots above) start to wear or fray a little I take and put a very light coat of silicone over the tip of the toe to help with wearing. Little things like that go along ways. Modern boots are not meant to last forever. IF you want that look at customs like whites or nicks. They are a whole different animal in a league all of their own. Different strokes for different folks and one size does not fit all. |