Hiker/Camper Boots/Shoes.....?

Masteroffajitas

Masteroffajitas

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All I have is a pair of US GI boots that didn't fit my dad. I love them, they are rugged and tough. I hunted with them and they wound up to be uncomfortable to walk in and trek in. I want it to be a shoe or a short boot, either is fine. No crazy neon colors or mossy oak, no acu, dcu, abu, bdu, or multi-cam. Under $100, I know price is not the first thing you should look at in things, moreso for boots, but that's my budget.


Not looking for a site, more for brand names found at places like REI, Sportsman's, and Cabelas.....etc, etc...
 
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Hiking boots are one of those items that, in my opinion, you really should try on in person. That said, you can get some really good deals at outlet sites like www.sierratradingpost.com, and Sierra has a 100% satisfaction guarantee that never expires. I have hard-to-fit feet since I really wear a 12.5. Of course, here in the States, for whatever reason, shoes/boots jump up to full sizes once you get past 12. European shoes, however, do not. I found some Lowa (German) hiking boots at Sierra and bought two pair. I'm still wearing them nearly 5 years later.

I just did a search there for "men's hiking boots" and got hits on a lot of good name brands, including Vasque, Merrell, Patagonia, Montrail, Asolo, Lowa, etc. A lot of them are in the $100 range or under.
 
Not really looking for a site, rather have a brand name, so I can tell them at rei, sportsmans what have you.
 
I have a pair of REI hiking boots. They are holding up well. I have also had good experiences with Merrel products.
I have a hard time finding footwear as well. I wear a fifteen- most companies stop at fourteen.
 
I like my pair of wolverines with carbon fiber safety toes. Formerly fond of my steel toed wolverines, but these 21st century models are nice & light.
 
Masteroffajitas said:
Not really looking for a site, rather have a brand name, so I can tell them at rei, sportsmans what have you.
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Guyon said:
I just did a search there for "men's hiking boots" and got hits on a lot of good name brands, including Vasque, Merrell, Patagonia, Montrail, Asolo, Lowa, etc.
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The names I mention above are all solid brand names. However, brands and feet vary, so you might want to try out a lot of boots and see what brand name fits your feet the best. Thing is, one person can say, "Man I really love my Vasque Sundowners," but those particular boots might not fit your feet well at all.

You're going to pay a lot more at REI unless you use the Outlet. However, like Sierra, REI is a solid choice because they stand behind their merchandise 100%.

I shopped around locally and found out which brands fit my feet the best. Then I went online and found the above-mentioned Lowas in the size I needed. I saved quite a bit of money by doing so.
 
Source: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/hiking+footwear.html

Get the Right Fit

Once you've narrowed down your options to a handful of boots or shoes, the best way to decide between them is to try them on and give them a test drive. A good fit involves:

* Foot length
* Foot width
* Volume

The first two can be measured with a Brannock Device. The third, volume, refers to the space your foot occupies, top to bottom, inside a shoe. A high-volume foot may feel snug in some footwear; a low-volume foot may feel too loose. If you have a high-instep (the top of your foot near your ankle), you likely have a high-volume foot.

Different brands and styles will fit different combinations of width and volume. A good fit allows you to easily wiggle your toes inside the footwear. Feet should not slide around inside footwear. Good-fitting boots hold feet firmly without binding.

When trying on shoes, walk on inclines and declines. If you detect heel-lift on inclines, adjust the tension of your laces atop the instep and try the incline again. On declines, toes should not feel too compacted in the toebox.

TIPS: Bring along a pair of your own hiking socks when trying on shoes in store. And it's best to try on footwear later in the day; feet tend to swell a bit during the day.
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A good store like REI can help think more clearly about hiking boot fit. They will have an incline/decline on which you can walk, and they can advise about in-boot inserts that help make the boot a better fit and more comfortable. Though they are a little pricey, I use the Superfeet insoles.
 
Guyon gave some great advice. As to brands, I like Merrell, Vasque, Keen (my wife loves Keen hiking shoes), Danner and Salomon...all make very good hiking/trail shoes that I've used and all can be found under $100; some can be located on many of the website out-let sites or other sales listings.

I do highly recommend you try them out in person; every shoe fits differently and for some people it can be a big issue. Good example is that New Balance running shoes kill my shins...it's just the design and I can't wear them when I run. My wife has had a lot of luck with Keens. They just fit her foot perfectly and she's able to find them on Ebay at great prices/deals...she wears them at School (teacher) and is on her feet all day; plus she has a pair for bouldering/hiking that she would swear by.

ROCK6
 
The best boots iv ever had are Hanwag boots.

Iv have had my pair of Hanwags for years now and there still kicking on.
They have seen me through snow and rain in Scotland to sticky humid jungle river hikes in Taiwan. :thumbup:
 
Merrel and Danner. I have a pair of Danners that I bought a few years ago, Agitator 45 GTX, and they are still holding up great. I mainly use them as my winter everyday boots but they are super comfy and light at just under 2lbs. a pair. I got mine at Gander Mountain. Merrel you can pretty much find at most stores like Gander, Cabela's, Sportsmans Warehouse, etc.
 
+1 for Merrel's - they've treated me well over the years. Dicks Sporting goods usually has some good prices on them.
 
Check out the Timberland White Ledge (12135). These are very durable boots for the money. I've been wearing the same pair, pretty much daily, for 21 months straight. They didn't really start goinguntil month 18-19. Great buy for the money. I'm going onto my second pair now.
http://www.denimexpress.com/timberland-boots-12135.html

These are available at most Dick's Sporting Goods stores and are usually on sale for about $70.
 
Masteroffajitas said:
Not really looking for a site, rather have a brand name, so I can tell them at rei, sportsmans what have you.
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I don't think you understand. Great discounts are available at STP and I will second the recommendation.

I just got a pair of Asolo boots from them and love 'em. Why pay $180-plus for boots when you can get them for under $100. I recently got Asolo FSN-95 pair for about $90 with email coupons from STP.:thumbup:
 
Boot sizes vary from batch to batch,so trying a pair on is essential;some brands that I have used and would reccomend are Merrel,Danner,Zamberlan and if its about price ,Hi Tech Magnums.
 
metalfof said:
Boot sizes vary from batch to batch,so trying a pair on is essential;some brands that I have used and would reccomend are Merrel,Danner,Zamberlan and if its about price ,Hi Tech Magnums.
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They can very from pair to pair as well. When I bought my first pair of the Timberlands, I had to try a couple before I found the one that was perfect. I sometimes order boots online, if I am familiar with the company's sizing and cut- especially if I have worn that brand/ style before (ie. my Altamas)- sometimes significant savings can be had.
 
Had a lot of luck with Montrail (hiking boots) and Irish Setter (hunting boots). If you have access to a Cabela's, they have a huge range of footwear. Even their own "Cabela's" brand stuff tends to be ok. You just have to get to the store and try them. Honestly, $100 will limit you to some brands and some styles. If I had to pick one piece of critical gear, footwear would be first. You can have the best jacket/knife/pack/whatever in the world. They aren't worth sh**t if your feet hurt:)
 
metalfof said:
Boot sizes vary from batch to batch,so trying a pair on is essential;
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This is true, and I must confess I got somewhat lucky with the Lowas from Sierra. However, I bought them online partly out of frustration. I wanted an all-leather upper, and every pair I tried on at REI, Bass Pro, and two or three other shops just did not fit. However, in my search, I did find some Lowas that fit well but were not all-leather. When I saw my boots at Sierra, I actually ordered two sizes (four pair) and kept the two pair that fit the best. Yes, I had some extra shipping costs that way, but I did finally find what I was looking for. They still wound up right around $100 a pair.
 
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