Footwear?

midnite-penguin

midnite-penguin

Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
244
What are you guys putting your feet in when you hit the trails? In the summer-time I usually just throw on some comfy new-balance running shoes. It's a pain when you get them wet though, i was thinking about picking up some Merrell Waterpros. I can't stand the feel of open-toed hiking sandals - not to mention that anyone over 13 that wears them looks like a sex offender

Can anyone suggest me some nice winter hiking shoes though? I usually don't mess around with big boots - they tend to be expensive, uncomfortable, hard to fit, and a pain in the ass to put on/take off, but I'm open to suggestions of any sort.
 
Where I live live there are no winter hiking shoes that do anything worth while. Boots are the order of the day. Once off trail in nasty terrain shoes are a big mistake. Buy what fits and the best you can afford, moreso than a knife as when your feet pack up you are finished.

In the Search and Rescue world boots are just madatory for good reason. It doesnt take much to injure your feet or legs due to inadequate footwear and leave you in big trouble.

Skam
 
I'd go for what skammer said, you never know what to expect, and anything but boots probably can't stand up to the tests of mother nature. Well, he didn't say exactly that but you get my point. A nice hiking boot, preferably high-top with laces, and be sure to carry extra laces. The high-top boots help give support to your ankles and does it's best to prevent any slight injury to them as well. The laces can be used for a variety of things when lost or hiking. I didn't catch where you are from, but there should be some inexpensive boots that cost just as much as a nice looking tennis shoe. I found a pair of wolverines that were around 65~80 dollars and I had mine with the steel toe version (for work of course, but these are all terrain so I can kick the sh!t out of rocks!!! lol) Hope this helps, J.
 
waterproof Nikes, with waterproof winter type socks. I'm a diabetic, so I can't play around with deep snow anymore.
 
I suggest Zamberlans,great boots,but again you get what you pay for;another alternative for wetter conditions would be waterproof socks such as Sealskins,I've had mine for years.
 
Got a pair of Irish Setter brand boots, very satisfied with them, and I have an extremely hard time finding comfortable footwear.
 
i use a pair of redhead bear creek hikers and for the winter when its colder i use a pair of wally world brahma 200grm thinsulate goretex type boots olny because my feets havent stoped growing yet but when the do ill buy either a set of danners or redwings
 
I go between Hitech Altitudes, Belleville jungle boots and the Australian Army issue (the older style was crap, but the newer version isn't too bad).
 
If it's cold enough, the winter boots do not have to be water-proof, but they have to be insulated. Colder it will get, the more insulation you need -- all relative to the activity. Also, different folks have different needs. A buddy of mine wears boots that would have my feet soaked with sweat, but he's just comfortably cool.

If you opt for less insualtion 'cause you will be active, an insulated foot bag is a nice add-on.

Around here, it can be 60 or -20 in January. Right around freezing is quite normal. So waterproof boots seems prudent.

Thinsulate seems to be the boot insualtion of choice.

Gore-Tex is the common waterproofing, but eVent is much better according to tests done by the G -- the only tests by someone without an axe to grind.

Strangely, lots of winter boots turn out to be lousy for walking -- the heel slides up and down with each stride -- nothing to keep it in place. Makes you wonder what they expect you to do with them. That means you need to try them on. You also discover lots of badly-built internal seams that way.

Meindl has been good to me, with my foot shape.
 
i have a pair of dr.martens with the airwalk designed soles, really really comfortable and their WATERPROOF!...but anyways, these peoples are high tops and it seems like its harder to roll your ankle
 
I wore boots for years - Vasque Newbriers, great boots.

However for the last five years I go barefoot as much as possible. In the woods or where I have to I wear footwear I use Chacos Z1s until it gets down in the 40s - even off trail in very steep terrain. Below 40 I go to a light hiker or sneaker. I can't do the heavy boots anymore.
 
If you've got narrow feet, Vasques, Asolos, and Danners may work for you.

Gordon
 
Quiet Bear said:
I wore boots for years - Vasque Newbriers, great boots.

However for the last five years I go barefoot as much as possible. In the woods or where I have to I wear footwear I use Chacos Z1s until it gets down in the 40s - even off trail in very steep terrain. Below 40 I go to a light hiker or sneaker. I can't do the heavy boots anymore.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's how i feel about it, i just like light trail/hiking shoes. Boots are warm and protect you more but they are just SUCH a pain to walk great distances in and are very hard to fit my feet to. I wear New balance tennis shoes or go barefoot in the summer. I'm going to pick up something amphibian so i can run through a stream and not have quadroupled the weight of my footwear

I despise hiking sandals though, both in look and feel, swimming with those things on is like suicide.
 
I have a old pair of Vasque Sundowners that have held up great. For dayhikes & summertime I have a pair of Lowa (discontinued model now) light hikers that have held up fairly well and were comfortable right out of the box.
 
I picked up a pair of Lowa boots last year and i cant recommend them highly enough. They are the only pair of boots i have found to fit me perfectly out of the box, they are very light, waterproof and give excellent ankle support. The very least you should do is try a pair, i will probably cry the day i have to throw mine away!
 
I bought a pair of Rocky's a few years ago. They are light with Thinsulate insulation and Gore-Tex water resistant lining. They were under a $100.00. I've splashed through creek beds beds with temperatures in the 40s and I didn't notice a thing. I've used them in deer stands with temperatures in the 20s and they kept my feet warm for hours. One day, when it was in the 20's I hiked about 7 miles with them and did not notice any slippage to cause blisters. I haven't gotten a lot of wear in them, but so far so good.
 
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