Hiking Boot Recommendations

[leghog]

So each pair last you 6 months or you alternate them.

Alternate. Unless afield I never wear the same pair of shoes two or more consecutive days. I rotate/alternate. Wearing the same shoes day after day every day day-in and day-out is bad for the shoes and bad for your feet.

With the Merrells I'd get 6 month of wear per pair over a year by rotating two pair (then relegated them to yard work). Had I worn only one pair day after day every day, I doubt I'd have gotten six months out of that pair.

Right now I'm alternating three pairs of shoes. Keen Targhee II, Keen Koven, and Ahnu Potreros. I wear one or another everywhere everyday. Work, church, out and about,and afield. Don't wear the Ahnu afield because they aren't really boots.

 

[omaha-beenglockin]

Two pairs of Alico's here----bought the second pair in case they stop making them----good old school all leather Italian hikers.

Made that mistake with my beloved Vasque Sundowners----when it came time for a new pair, the Chinese made replicas were no where near the quality of my old Italian made Sundowers----not worth the money and sent me on my search that led me to find the Alico's.

 

[GotSteel]

Thanks for the heads up on the Sundowners, I was considering those.

 

[Monofletch]

I wear boots every day. I am a mailman. I like Merrils and Keen. Keens builds their shoes witha larger toe box. If you walk a lot you will learn to love this feature!!!

 

[leghog]

..... Keens builds their shoes witha larger toe box. If you walk a lot you will learn to love this feature!!!

Yup...

 

[Monofletch]

Hey Leghog,
I am liking the Kovens more than the Tarahee II mid's. I love the way the T2's fit, but durability is very questionable!!

 

[leghog]

Hey Leghog,
I am liking the Kovens more than the Tarahee II mid's. I love the way the T2's fit, but durability is very questionable!!

I've not had an issue with durability of either. On the trail I prefer the Targhee II

 

[cchu518]

I've not had an issue with durability of either. On the trail I prefer the Targhee II

The regular or goretex? I almost feel like the two are not the same boot. The regular has a nice comfy toe box, the goretex not so much.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[cchu518]

Wrong thread (edit)

 

[GotSteel]

Picked these up @2nd hand shop the other day, with some new insoles in they're pretty comfy for a boot, no hotspots, although they're much softer than I'm looking for, at least they have a Vibram sole, the search continues.

 

[Monofletch]

Old school Merrill!

 

[GotSteel]

Yeah i like the construct they're pretty much what I was looking for except for the lack of stiffness, can feel the earth more than I'd like for this project but I'll probably still keep them in rotation since I kind of like all shoes from minimal to soft ride, at least until someone else needs a pair of boots anyway

 

[AreBeeBee]

My wife and I got pairs of custom-made Limmers in the late 1970s, and we have them still. I did the classic stupid thing, and picked them up at the shop in N. Conway, put mine on, and hiked up Mt. Washington (through Tucks) — and didn't get a blister.... The Boot Gods were smiling that day.

Anyway, still have them and they fit as well as ever. Limmer Boot Grease keeps them in good shape.

 

[GotSteel]

Wow! That's awesome that you still have them.

 

[leghog]

The regular or goretex? I almost feel like the two are not the same boot. The regular has a nice comfy toe box, the goretex not so much.

Keen doesn't use Goretex. Keen uses their KEENDRY waterproof breathable membranes. I've never seen a Targhee II Mid that didn't use that membrane. The Koven Mid may be available with and without the membrane, but mine have it, and I have no issue with the fit of either.

 

[cchu518]

Keen doesn't use Goretex. Keen uses their KEENDRY waterproof breathable membranes. I've never seen a Targhee II Mid that didn't use that membrane. The Koven Mid may be available with and without the membrane, but mine have it, and I have no issue with the fit of either.

They swapped out to their own membrane about 6 years ago. Maybe I'll try the wp one again next time u need a pair of mids.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Krav]

Merrell makes a great boot.

I've had my merrels for over a year, I wear them almost everyday on walks consisting from a mile to 5 miles.

Tread is in great shape and the still feel great. The price was $200 if you shop around you could find something cheaper.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Wow! That's awesome that you still have them.

If I recall right, they cost $130/pair back in the late 1970s — handmade to your foot contours and shape — so they have definitely lasted and been worth it. The boots have been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back in one day — and I'll tell you they are heavy, and we felt every !@#$! ounce by the time we reached the South Rim again. But they are sturdiness^3.

Also, we waded across the Rio de Chelly in them, and they were wearable without problems for a couple hours will we could dry them.

Really solid. This review is accurate: http://www.trailspace.com/gear/limmer/standard/

And this image from the review shows about what ours look like now:

 

[GotSteel]

Those soles look solid, do you have to go into their shop to have your foot measurements taken. I couldn't find any information on tailor made on their website, maybe they stopped making them to order.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Those soles look solid, do you have to go into their shop to have your foot measurements taken. I couldn't find any information on tailor made on their website, maybe they stopped making them to order.

What we did was contact them and they sent directions on how to measure our feet. We returned those measurements, plus a check, and sat down to wait (two months, I think). We were notifed when they were ready, and we planned a trip east to the shop to pick them up.

I understand they took our measurements, compared them to an extensive collection of wooden boot-lasts they own, picked the lasts that fit our measurements, and then started stitching. As I described, the fit was perfect right from the git-go for both of us.

They offer essentially the same service still: http://www.limmercustomboot.com/cgi-bin/CustomBoot/limmer.pl?domain=info&name=limmer-custom

They also offer a stock boot: http://www.limmercustomboot.com/cgi-bin/CustomBoot/limmer.pl?domain=info&name=stock

At one point years ago, I opened an LL Bean catalogue and saw that they were offering Limmer! boots! In the LL Bean catalogue!! Those must have been a run of the stock boots that Bean carried briefly as an experiment. Hasn't been repeated that I know of.

OK, they are SOLID like no other hiking boot you've ever tried on. And they are heavy (4+ pounds per pair). So if those aren't fatal objections — the trend today is for lightweight boots and greater flexibility — AND you've got a few hundred dollars ($350, I think it is now for custom models) to spend on these — they're the best you'll get.