Jump to content

Hiking Boots


Recommended Posts

Ok, so after turning what should have been a 1.5 mile hike to the cache and 1.5 mile return into a 3.96 mile hike in and 1.5 mile return I have come to realize that my trusty wally world boots and Sam's Club gold toe socks aren't the right combo for longer cache adventures. They've worked great for < 1 mile round trip cache hunts.

 

So I'm looking for recommendations for light duty hiking boots and socks that I should consider. As soon as my blisters go away and I get some new boots and socks broken in there's some other longer distances caches I want to try but I won't make the mistake of trying them with my old wally world boots.

 

Also, any advice from women would be appreciated so I can pass those on to Donna.

 

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

 

Zack

Edited by ZackJones
Link to comment

Timberland makes fairly nice hiking boots at semi affordable prices. They can be waterproofed with something like sno-seal. If you are looking to spend a weeks paycheck, check Cabela's for high quality boots. Waterproofing can make all the difference though. Even the best boots can give you blisters if not proken in or waterproofed. Also re waterproof after you break the boots in, it will help with the seams.

Link to comment

There was a long thread on hiking boots/shoes a few weeks back, and I'm sure there were others before that. There's a lot of info there.

 

I have two pairs of hiking shoes and two pair of boots, depending on how heavy-duty i think my footwear needs to be. Most of the time I skip the boots and go with the shoes. If you really want boots and are OK with lightweight ones, Hi-Tec Magnums have been around for quite a while now, they're inexpensive, popular, lightweight, durable and relatively comfortable.

 

If at all possible, try before you buy!

Link to comment
Ok, so after turning what should have been a 1.5 mile hike to the cache and 1.5 mile return into a 3.96 mile hike in and 1.5 mile return I have come to realize that my trusty wally world boots and Sam's Club gold toe socks aren't the right combo for longer cache adventures. They've worked great for < 1 mile round trip cache hunts.

 

So I'm looking for recommendations for light duty hiking boots and socks that I should consider. As soon as my blisters go away and I get some new boots and socks broken in there's some other longer distances caches I want to try but I won't make the mistake of trying them with my old wally world boots.

 

Also, any advice from women would be appreciated so I can pass those on to Donna.

 

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

 

Zack

If you find blistering to be a problem try using some sock liners. Also, do not use cotton socks. Cotton kills, even on your feet and especially when they sweat.

Link to comment

Moleskin for your blisters.

I'm pretty satisfied with 2 pairs of Merrells, one ankle high with Gore-tex & a low cut ventilator. I've always worn 100% cotton socks but have been reading up on other types so there could be something much better out there.

Hi-tec's were the most comfortable out of the box but not near as durable as the Merrells, at least in my case.

Your mileage may vary.

Link to comment

There is no quick answer when it comes to hiking boots. The best boots are ones that fit right and comfortable. The best socks the same, and they don't rub creating blisters.

 

For boots find a local outdoor store that specializes in hiking and backpacking gear. Talk to the sales people and tell them the kind of hiking you plan on doing. Try on boots that you think might work for you and wear them around in the store for a while. If they won't let you wear them around in the store for a while, go someplace else. The last pair I bought, and best I've owned, I spent over an hour wandering around the store with them on before I purchased them.

 

Socks... I usually wear two pair. A think wicking pair of "sock liners". These wick the moisture away from your feet. I wear a pair of heavy socks over that, often wool, sometimes wool/polypropolyne. I never had blisters with this combination and as strange as it may seem, this combination works in 90°+ weather as well as 20° weather. Again try different combinations. You'll find what works for you.

Link to comment

Being an unemployed college student, my shoe budget is very small. I have a pair of Earth Shoe hiking boots that I bought from Wal-Mart for about $25. They have a good thick and hard sole, they're comfortable and waterproof too. So far I have no complaints. I've used them on hikes of up to 7 miles with no problems.

 

As for socks, I have a pair of Fox River hiking socks. I got them at Sportsman's Warehouse for about $5. They too are comfortable and have worked well for me.

Link to comment

Looking for recommendations, is good. Gather them and throw them all out the window. One person will tell you Asolo boots are the best, another will say you have to try Rachile. They may be the best boots for that person and living hell on your feet. Since each company has a different style (narrow/wide feet, high/low instep, wide/narrow toe box, etc..) boots that are great for one person aren't necessarily good for another.

 

Just choose a boot that fits from a quality boot mfr and buy it from a reputable outdoors store and make sure the sales person is knowledgable. Ask them some simple questions. "why did you decide on this brand for my feet?", "what are the attributes of this boot that make you think it's appropriate for me?" If he can't give you a good answer, go elsewhere.

 

Some excellent boots are made by LL Bean, Asolo, Rachlie, Montrail, Scarpa, Merrell, Salomon, Vasque, Lowa, La Sportiva, Danner and Technica. But don't get hung up on a brand, look for a boot that fits YOU.

 

Also, stay away from botique brands like Timberland, as well as Walmart specials. They may work great for a few months, or a year, then suddenly you're in the backcountry without a sole on your boot.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment
There was a long thread on hiking boots/shoes a few weeks back, and I'm sure there were others before that. There's a lot of info there.

Yup. Below are a couple threads I remember...

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=72955

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=70473

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=51004

 

Oh, imho, before investing in new boots, try first investing in a decent pair of non-cotton socks. (Cotton = blisters)

Link to comment
Ok, so after turning what should have been a 1.5 mile hike to the cache and 1.5 mile return into a 3.96 mile hike in and 1.5 mile return I have come to realize that my trusty wally world boots and Sam's Club gold toe socks aren't the right combo for longer cache adventures.  They've worked great for < 1 mile round trip cache hunts.

 

So I'm looking for recommendations for light duty hiking boots and socks that I should consider. As soon as my blisters go away and I get some new boots and socks broken in there's some other longer distances caches I want to try but I won't make the mistake of trying them with my old wally world boots.

 

Also, any advice from women would be appreciated so I can pass those on to Donna.

 

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

 

Zack

Actually, I bought a pair of "Bandits" made by Ozark Trail at Wally world...for $20 not too bad.....I have walked miles and miles in them and been pretty comfy...those, coupled with a pair of extra thick wicking hunters socks and my feet are comfy......They are waterprooof, so they say...though NOTHING is waterproof if completely submerged... :(

 

The boots held up pretty good until I walked through one of QUestmaster's water hazards and used the dryer on high heat to dry them out fast,...the rear sole of one seperated (glue came undone)......Got a second pair and so far so good.....though it has only been a couple weeks.....I am hoping they hold up, even for a year...then get another pair....

 

Definately not high-end boots, but they are lightweight, comfy (so far) and seem to hold up OK (except for the dryer incident)....

 

shadango

Edited by shadango
Link to comment
Ok, so after turning what should have been a 1.5 mile hike to the cache and 1.5 mile return into a 3.96 mile hike in and 1.5 mile return I have come to realize that my trusty wally world boots and Sam's Club gold toe socks aren't the right combo for longer cache adventures.  They've worked great for < 1 mile round trip cache hunts.

 

So I'm looking for recommendations for light duty hiking boots and socks that I should consider. As soon as my blisters go away and I get some new boots and socks broken in there's some other longer distances caches I want to try but I won't make the mistake of trying them with my old wally world boots.

 

Also, any advice from women would be appreciated so I can pass those on to Donna.

 

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

 

Zack

Actually, I bought a pair of "Bandits" made by Ozark Trail at Wally world...for $20 not too bad.....I have walked miles and miles in them and been pretty comfy...those, coupled with a pair of extra thick wicking hunters socks and my feet are comfy......They are waterprooof, so they say...though NOTHING is waterproof if completely submerged... :(

 

The boots held up pretty good until I walked through one of QUestmaster's water hazards and used the dryer on high heat to dry them out fast,...the rear sole of one seperated (glue came undone)......Got a second pair and so far so good.....though it has only been a couple weeks.....I am hoping they hold up, even for a year...then get another pair....

 

Definately not high-end boots, but they are lightweight, comfy (so far) and seem to hold up OK (except for the dryer incident)....

 

shadango

That's one of the problem with the cheap boots. You never know when they are going to fail. They're fine for quick hikes, but if you take them out into the back country, you're asking for trouble.

 

A friend of mine would always brag about his comfortable $20 Kmart boots and laugh at those of us who shelled out $200 for a good pair of hiking boots. Then, on a backpacking trip, the sole fell off one boot, then the other....within 15 minutes of each other. We tried everything. Duct tape, straps, but in the end he wound up walking out in his socks, carrying a full pack over some pretty rugged ground. He literally was not a happy camper.

Link to comment

I love my Merrells Summits so much I made them my avatar! Bought the boots first, now I have the sport sandals and trail runners too. By my pedometer, the boots have more than 450 miles on them in almost a year's time and except for being very dirty, they look are holding up very well. I do treat them occasionally with a spray waterproofing, because the Summits are not Gortex, though other Merrells are available that are, I didn't want the added heat and weight of Gortex.

 

I'm sure we'll be hiking together for years.

Link to comment

Dont trust any snotnose, acne face kid at the local sporting good store! Look Columbia, Timberland, Merrell, Nike make really nice trail shoes/ hiking boots you are going to have to go try them on. Dont order them online they all fit differently on different people. Be prepared to spend 75-150 dollars for a good pair you will not be dissapointed. I just bought some Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, I love them for everyday use and for some trail walks, but they are a midtop so they dont give total ankle support like a high top, but just because I like them you might hate them.

Link to comment
the most important thing to do is to have your feet measured & fitted by a professional. imo, the brand of boot is completely secondary to that.

 

I agree with the measuring part but just because you know you where a 11m you dont go to Wal-mart and buy some boots there. Size and a good brand are equally important.

Link to comment
Ok, so after turning what should have been a 1.5 mile hike to the cache and 1.5 mile return into a 3.96 mile hike in and 1.5 mile return I have come to realize that my trusty wally world boots and Sam's Club gold toe socks aren't the right combo for longer cache adventures.  They've worked great for < 1 mile round trip cache hunts.

 

So I'm looking for recommendations for light duty hiking boots and socks that I should consider. As soon as my blisters go away and I get some new boots and socks broken in there's some other longer distances caches I want to try but I won't make the mistake of trying them with my old wally world boots.

 

Also, any advice from women would be appreciated so I can pass those on to Donna.

 

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

 

Zack

Actually, I bought a pair of "Bandits" made by Ozark Trail at Wally world...for $20 not too bad.....I have walked miles and miles in them and been pretty comfy...those, coupled with a pair of extra thick wicking hunters socks and my feet are comfy......They are waterprooof, so they say...though NOTHING is waterproof if completely submerged... :blink:

 

The boots held up pretty good until I walked through one of QUestmaster's water hazards and used the dryer on high heat to dry them out fast,...the rear sole of one seperated (glue came undone)......Got a second pair and so far so good.....though it has only been a couple weeks.....I am hoping they hold up, even for a year...then get another pair....

 

Definately not high-end boots, but they are lightweight, comfy (so far) and seem to hold up OK (except for the dryer incident)....

 

shadango

Let me see if I got this right. You bought a pair of boots and they fell apart, but you think they are so good you bought another pair.

 

A properly made boot wood not have fallen apart from being worn in water.

Link to comment

KEYPERSN: I have to agree with you on the Merrells. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods last night and they had a pair of Merrells in my size on the clearance rack so I snatched them up. They feel 100 times better than my old Wally World boots. I'm going to wear them around the house this week to get them broken in and then wear them this weekend when we head out for another day of caching.

 

Thanks again to everyone for your replies.

 

Zack

Link to comment
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm merrells, my absolutely favorite most comfortable hiking shoe. So far I have worn out two pair and am working on pair number three.

Which proves my eariler post. Merrells cause major blisters on my feet and are very uncomfortable for me. The one pair I owned, I gave to my brother after a few month of break-in didn't change things. He loved them. They are excellent boots, if they fit your feet.

Link to comment
I just bought some Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, I love them for everyday use and for some trail walks

I just bought some last night! They're so comfortable. I'm wearing them around the house today to 'break em in' before going out on the trail. They don't really seem to need it though.

 

M_65302_1.jpg

 

P.S. I noticed that the insoles come out... where can I buy some fancy shmancy really comphy insoles... if I ever feel so inclined?

Link to comment
[Let me see if I got this right. You bought a pair of boots and they fell apart, but you think they are so good you bought another pair.

 

A properly made boot wood not have fallen apart from being worn in water.

Well, I don;t know if the water caused it (I had worn them in other muddy/water situations before and noticed no issues) or if I used too high a heat setting on the dryer.....

 

And before I get jumped on with "Well then you shouldn;t have taken them back" well, I did......I figured to err on the side that says they may have been defective to start with as I have dried boots/shoes like this before with no problems.......

 

The boots themselves fit well and are very comfy....hence my getting a replacement pair. If these second ones fall apart then I can return for a refund....nothing lost, and I have hiked several hikesalready in them.....

 

shadango....

Link to comment
[Let me see if I got this right. You bought a pair of boots and they fell apart, but you think they are so good you bought another pair. 

 

A properly made boot wood not have fallen apart from being worn in water.

Well, I don;t know if the water caused it (I had worn them in other muddy/water situations before and noticed no issues) or if I used too high a heat setting on the dryer.....

 

And before I get jumped on with "Well then you shouldn;t have taken them back" well, I did......I figured to err on the side that says they may have been defective to start with as I have dried boots/shoes like this before with no problems.......

 

The boots themselves fit well and are very comfy....hence my getting a replacement pair. If these second ones fall apart then I can return for a refund....nothing lost, and I have hiked several hikesalready in them.....

 

shadango....

I what happen if the boots fail in and you are injured as a result and cannot hike out. then you end up paying for emergancy personel to get you to a hospital. A real pair of boots would have saved you a lot more money. Boots are the most important item when you are hiking. You will neve get quality boots at Wally World types of retailers, You have to go to a Back Packing specialty store, in person. Plase like Big 5 and sports mart are not Back Packing specialty stores. Go read the article I wrote for todays geocacher. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
I just bought some Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, I love them for everyday use and for some trail walks

I just bought some last night! They're so comfortable. I'm wearing them around the house today to 'break em in' before going out on the trail. They don't really seem to need it though.

 

M_65302_1.jpg

 

P.S. I noticed that the insoles come out... where can I buy some fancy shmancy really comphy insoles... if I ever feel so inclined?

Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, wheres the ankle support?

Link to comment
[Plase like Big 5 and sports mart are not Back Packing specialty stores. Go read the article I wrote for todays geocacher. :rolleyes:

You can get quality footware at these places but the selection is less but the price is better. I got my Columbia Sawtooth's at Sport Chalet, but like I said before you have to know what your looking for, Some pimpleface kid is not going to know the difference between hiking, running, casual or basketball shoes. Go with a known brand.

Link to comment
Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, wheres the ankle support?

These are trail runners not hiking boots they are nice because you can wear them day to day or on the trail. I dont even wear hiking boots when I do hike, Being a Wildland Firefighter I have a pair of Whites Smokejumpers that cost about $400 that come up just under my knee and that have the best ankle support ever but since I wear them at work I am used to them and their weight. For the average Joe these would not be practical.

Link to comment
I just bought some Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, I love them for everyday use and for some trail walks

I just bought some last night! They're so comfortable. I'm wearing them around the house today to 'break em in' before going out on the trail. They don't really seem to need it though.

 

M_65302_1.jpg

 

P.S. I noticed that the insoles come out... where can I buy some fancy shmancy really comphy insoles... if I ever feel so inclined?

Columbia Sawtooth trail shoes, wheres the ankle support?

These kind of shoes are designed for light hiking on easy, well groomed trails, or in city parks. I have a similar pair made by Salomon. They are fine for probably 90 percent of the geocaches out there, but are not serious hiking boots appropriate for use on rugged hiking trails, or off trail use. They are basically sneakers (or tennis shoes to those of you in the rest of the country) on steroids.

 

 

P.S. I noticed that the insoles come out... where can I buy some fancy shmancy really comphy insoles... if I ever feel so inclined?

 

You can get Superfeet insoles at nearly any decent place that sells hiking boots. I don't see the need for them with shoes like this though.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment
[Let me see if I got this right. You bought a pair of boots and they fell apart, but you think they are so good you bought another pair. 

 

A properly made boot wood not have fallen apart from being worn in water.

Well, I don;t know if the water caused it (I had worn them in other muddy/water situations before and noticed no issues) or if I used too high a heat setting on the dryer.....

 

And before I get jumped on with "Well then you shouldn;t have taken them back" well, I did......I figured to err on the side that says they may have been defective to start with as I have dried boots/shoes like this before with no problems.......

 

The boots themselves fit well and are very comfy....hence my getting a replacement pair. If these second ones fall apart then I can return for a refund....nothing lost, and I have hiked several hikesalready in them.....

 

shadango....

I what happen if the boots fail in and you are injured as a result and cannot hike out. then you end up paying for emergancy personel to get you to a hospital. A real pair of boots would have saved you a lot more money. Boots are the most important item when you are hiking. You will neve get quality boots at Wally World types of retailers, You have to go to a Back Packing specialty store, in person. Plase like Big 5 and sports mart are not Back Packing specialty stores. Go read the article I wrote for todays geocacher. :rolleyes:

Well, its not like the whole boot disintegrated either.....The rear part of the sole seperated from the show....about 98% of the sole was still attached....

 

I am not climbing the faces of cliffs in them or travelling 400 miles into the wilderness with nothing around.....so, even if one of them failed "catastrophically" I dont think it would be a life-threatening kind of thing...Uncomfortable, I am sure, but not life threatening.....

 

Regardless, I guess time will tell.....Like I said, if the second pair fail, I will know they are junk...

 

But I have bought many pairs of shoes and boots in my life and I have had $100 running shoes die in 3 months whereas $20 running shoes lasted a year.....I am no longer convinced that $$$ = quality.

 

I buy my motorcycle riding boots at Walmart. They run about $30 a pair.....I wear the soles out before anything else happens to them (I drag my feet alot on the bike)....

 

To be honest, I got into caching becuase, for one thing, its a cheap sport I can enjoy with my kids.....If I have to spend $400 for a pair of shoes to do it I guess I will have to give it up... ;)

Link to comment
To be honest, I got into caching becuase, for one thing, its a cheap sport I can enjoy with my kids.....If I have to spend $400 for a pair of shoes to do it I guess I will have to give it up... :rolleyes:

I have my boots for work other wise I would not have them, I know if you are an avid runner you should replace your shoes once every 3-6 months, is that practical? not really. i have had apair of New Balance runners for over 2years ya they are not falling apart nor even look old but when I do run in them my lower back hurts and so do my knees, and I am only 25 years old, the padding braeks down inside the shoe where you do not see it.

Link to comment

I got a pair of $35.00 boots from Wally-world which felt fine until I crossed a stream and walked up onto the rocks on the other side with wet soles... That almost cost me a PDA, GPSr, and Digital Camera! A couple of weeks ago, I found a pair of Roots hiking boots on clearance from Sears; $135.00 for $60.00. Excellent soles, heavy leather construction, and none of those miserable ****ing "speed-lacer" hook things, just eyelets all the way to the top! As for socks, any of the "Wick-away" cotton/wool blend are probably okay.

Link to comment

There are certain things you can buy at Wally World (movies, CDs, Food, camping supplies, and alot more) but you dont buy boots there! You dont go down to the Dollar Store and buy Batteries for your GPSr do you :rolleyes: ? There are certain things there you can buy that are decent items but batteries are not among them.

Link to comment
To be honest, I got into caching becuase, for one thing, its a cheap sport I can enjoy with my kids.....If I have to spend $400 for a pair of shoes to do it I guess I will have to give it up... ;)

I have my boots for work other wise I would not have them, I know if you are an avid runner you should replace your shoes once every 3-6 months, is that practical? not really. i have had apair of New Balance runners for over 2years ya they are not falling apart nor even look old but when I do run in them my lower back hurts and so do my knees, and I am only 25 years old, the padding braeks down inside the shoe where you do not see it.

No, I cant afford to replace shoes every few months.....I know runners that do though......

 

I hear you on the running/pain thing....at 34 I was 315 pounds at 6'2".....I decided to lose the weight and started walking everyday.....after a year I had dropped 75 pounds or so and was walking 3.5 miles a day, and was wearing Adidas Cross Trainers......they were fine....then I started running a few days....2-3 miles....and walking the rest.....worked my way up to running 3.5 a day.....Knees and hips started hurting.....

 

So, i went out and bought some Adidas running shoes (about $75)and while I was more comfortable while running, I still had knee and hip pain.....Well, I backed off to just running 3.1 miles on a bike path with uphills and downhills and then a half mile cooldown walk during the week, and then 3.5 miles running on a flat course on Saturday and Sunday....I found my pain subsided a bit....My running shoes are about 4 months old and showing signs of the soles wearing out but they still give good support I think.....Have lost another 15 pounds since, 1.5 years after I started.....I think al ot of my pain is simply due to the fact that I was really overweight for so long....

 

Now, I just used my bike on a cache, after not riding it for over 10 years....I think I did about 10 miles total..... and my hips and knees have hurt like crazy for the last couple days...... :rolleyes: Nothing to do with the shoes there.....just my age and previous damage I guess. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
There are certain things you can buy at Wally World (movies, CDs, Food, camping supplies, and alot more) but you dont buy boots there! You dont go down to the Dollar Store and buy Batteries for your GPSr do you :rolleyes: ? There are certain things there you can buy that are decent items but batteries are not among them.

Actually, I have bought batteries at the dollar store for my GPS........I have bought the panasonics and they work fine.....seriously.

 

Like anything else, you hafta watch the brand and freshness....

 

I have bought coppertops that seemed to wear out awefully quick.....

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...