Hiking boot recs?

[Name Redacted]

I've been in Salomon GTX trailrunners for years now. Best fitting shoes ever. But yeah, they get swampy because of the GTX. I also need waterproof for work and wearing old ones keeps my feet drier.

I recently found a need for some bigger hiking boots again for hiking off trail and some scrambling, carrying heavy shit for long distance.

Any recommendations there? I was going to go with some Salomons but don't think that they'll be durable or supportive enough. I want light, but supportive and durable. Every "mountaineering" boot I've ever owned was more like a medieval torture device. I'd rather hike in my ski boots.

[Bronco]

Could try a full leather (non GTX) approach shoe like the Scarpa crux or Sportiva boulder. IMO more supportive for hiking than a trail runner and not so "swampy".

[The SnowShow]

Definitely now reconsidering gtx but need a full boot for ankle support, regardless of torsional stiffness of sole

[Wildtype]

I love my Oboz boots. I have had the Sawtooth for three years and put 300-400 miles on them. Very comfortable, lightweight, grippy and a stiff shank. Use them as approach shoes for climbing and have done several 5-6 day trips. Can't recommend them enough. Only drawback is they used lightweight materials and they have definitely suffered slot more damage than my full leather asolo's. With this consideration, I think it is also worth looking at the next model up, which are heavier, but are also supposed to be sturdier.

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[GeezerSteve]

Oboz boot with a stiff midsole? Nah

[adrenalated]

Yeah, I used to sell the Oboz Sawtooth. A lot of them, in fact. They're a good little mid-height hiking shoe, but definitely do not fit narrow feet and definitely are not stiff (except compared to trail runners and sneakers).

[Bronco]

There's a LS Boulder High/Mid top that a lot of guys are using in the Cascades. Unfortunately it's a GTX boot.

http://www.sportiva.com/products/foo...lder-x-mid-gtx

[Harry]

There's a LS Boulder High/Mid top that a lot of guys are using in the Cascades. Unfortunately it's a GTX boot.

http://www.sportiva.com/products/foo...lder-x-mid-gtx

La Sportiva's hurt my feet. I practically had to crawl out of the Bob Marshall Wilderness because of them.

Everyones feet are different though, but Lowa's always fit me well.

[RockChalk]

I loved the fit of Keens, lots of room in the toe box and very comfortable.

What I didn't love about the keens was that they fell apart within a year of light use, the soles were peeling off of the bottom and wearing down to almost nothing...I had a trip on Isle Royale that I was lucky to have my Chacos with me bc I could feel every pebble on the trail through my Keens.

If Keen could address durability issues they would be at the top of my list, their GoreTex membrane is top shelf and keep my feet dry in even the nastiest shit .

Bought some Garmont mids last yr and they have been great for my purposes, mostly off trail travel in the Wind River range and a few other local spots here in the Bay Area. I actually even took them straight off the shelf to a 5 day trip in the Winds with a >30 lb pack and they were great, no hot spots or blisters and kept my feet dry as a bone.

[The SnowShow]

What about Asolos? Solid boots right?

[RustyGroomer]

Danners are for me. Fit my feet perfectly. To each his own w/boots though. Nice looking pair on the Clymb.

https://www.theclymb.com/show-product/113898#

Haven't tried this model on. My other Danners have been incredible.

[grubbers]

What about Asolos? Solid boots right?

I've got a pair of the Asolo Powermatic 200s that are still going strong after 5 years. I don't wear them as much anymore after switching to trail runners for hiking, but I put them through the wringer the first season I had them and when I used them as work boots a few summers ago.

Don't have much experience with their other boots though.

[Beetman]

Not sure if they came up yet, but I have a pair of Zamberlans and like them a lot. I've only had them for a season but they broke in quickly and worked well hiking in the whites. Full leather, goretex, vibram soles, Italian (because you know the Italians make great stuff) et cetera.

http://www.rei.com/product/774690/za...ing-boots-mens

[The SnowShow]

How are the Salomon Quest 4 gtx? Solid boot?

[mnflyfish]

How are the Salomon Quest 4 gtx? Solid boot?

I have them and I really like them! Great support, wear like iron, and no hot spots.

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[The SnowShow]

So are they burlier feeling on the rocky trails than the Salomon trail runners? I love those for class 1 stuff but class 2 and 3 Id want more boot and support...I can feel all the edges and bumps of the rocks under my trail runners soles

[jmedslc]

I picked these up last year to replace some worn out Sportiva's:
http://www.rei.com/product/706762/as...ing-boots-mens

[stfu&gbtw]

I picked these up last year to replace some worn out Sportiva's:
http://www.rei.com/product/706762/as...ing-boots-mens

I had a pair of those. They were just slightly too narrow for me, but held up great. Got 3 years out of them..

[The SnowShow]

Insole question - is it a bad idea to put a Spenco flat insole: http://m.rei.com/product/679222/spenco-flat-insoles

under a Sof-sole insole: http://m.rei.com/product/849037/sof-...l-arch-insoles

in order to fill some void but more importantly add needed cushioning to a boot?

[Harry]

Insole question - is it a bad idea to put a Spenco flat insole: http://m.rei.com/product/679222/spenco-flat-insoles

under a Sof-sole insole: http://m.rei.com/product/849037/sof-...l-arch-insoles

in order to fill some void but more importantly add needed cushioning to a boot?

I did that when I was in the military. Running 10 miles in combat boots sucked.

[bodywhomper]

This thread has some overlap with this other thread.

If you're looking for recommendations of supportive and durable do-everything shoe, including offtrail and multi-class scrambling, many friends and customers in the late 90's swore by the old model garmont sticky weekend. they were indestructible. my wife still has hers, on their 4th or 5th resole. they have a stiff sole, so fit's important. They never fit me right. the newest incarnation (rebadge) of this shoe is the dragontail mtn.
http://www.garmont.com/en/outdoor-sh...ntail-mnt--gtx

it appears that they make a non-gtx version. i would suggest the non-gtx version and using a nikwax-type product to increase water resistance.

[GeezerSteve]

Garmont Sticky Weekends stiff? Mine weren't. Good scrambling shoe but lacked torsional rigidity of a LMB. Off-trail? Nah, not off-trail as I know it, e.g., edging on steep heather, firn, death-by-cheesegrater, etc.

These boot threads are goofy unless the OP gets specific about what kind of hiking.

[Meadow Skipper]

...These boot threads are goofy unless the OP gets specific about what kind of hiking.

And an idea of the basic foot shape. Recommending La Sportivas to someone with wide feet=not so much.

[GeezerSteve]

Depends which LaSportiva. The Trango models are way too narrow for me, but the Pamir fits great, is at least D width in the forefoot. Pamir is a very nice NON-GTX all leather XC hiking/general mountaineering boot, great edger, wee bit of fore-aft flex, reminiscent of a old school 3/4 shank boot but without the eventually kink and lighter.

[bodywhomper]

Stiff? Yes. I sold plenty of them for lock. What other low tops are stiffer? Maybe confused with the bazillion other "sticky" shoes from garmont.

Agree about the nature of shoe threads....

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