If you must hike in boots, "combat" or hiking?

The pair of boots I've been using for a while; is a pair of Rocky Outbacks. Thay are water proof and are like wearing a sneaker, but with ankle support. I do like the military boots.
 
Combat boots (CDN) for me as well . I've had no problems with them, they're relatively lightweight, and as a surplus buy, inexpensive. I can walk a good, long time with them without sore feet. My newer backups are Prospectors. My last pair lasted 7 years of daily use. I wore them till they fell apart , as I do all my footwear.
 
In the good old days when I was about 8, I had a pair of combat boots with straps and buckles on the collars and a pocket for a jackknife. The best part: I could take a jackknife to school.
 
I was unaware that anything other than the low top, 6" hiking boots existed (I have seen super heavy, high top Lowa boots, like you'd wear for an Everest summit, but I don't really think of those as hiking boots). Based on the comments above, I guess it's just a matter of fashion that dictates that most "hiking" boots are low tops. Thanks for the input, guys, lots of good stuff here.
 
Uniform purposes for 99% of it, but assault boots are used by many and they're the lightweight breathable alternative to heavy guage leather sewn to a 1 pound rubber block.
 
I use my issued boots from when I was in the army and they are still holding up. I honestly couldnt see myself spending alot of cash on boots unless I was a hard core hiker so Combat boots it is preferably surplus with some good insoles.
 
Bushman5 said:
OLD school Combats for me, 100% leather construction except for the soles. They are butter soft and feel like slippers on my feet. I can wear them for days on end and my feet dont stink ever. I get them wet and they dry quickly.

*Snip*
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+1

You said it better than I did, I never got mine re-soled, looking back, I should have. :grumpy:
 
I wair a pair of matterhorn 12900's about 10 miles a day at work but when I am in the woods its white's 8 inch smokes
 
Combat for me too, 8in daners are my favorite. I worked construction and cable with them and the height/support plus comfort saved me a few times. They also worked good in freezing temps with the addition of wool socks.

Nothing else seems to hold up or be as comfortable and that's why their my choice.
 
combats... i wear boots everyday at work, and as i phase out a pair from work duties they become my primary dirt boots...
 
I'm guessing here but military gear is heavy so you'd want ankle support.

Also if you are having to potentially run thru mud or sand while being shot at you would want something high enough that stuff wouldnt' go over the sides and down into the boot.

However if you go to any outdoors store that has a place for customer reviews under the insoles you will see numerous reviews by service members who are trying to alleviate foot problems and blisters due to combat boots.;)

A lot of times, especially on knife forums there is sort of a glorification of all things military, since knives are frequently and have a history of use as weapons.

However that does not mean that everything the military makes is superior for hiking and camping. To paraphrase Nessmuk somewhat We aren't going to the woods to conquer it we are going to commune with it.:thumbup::D
 
When I was in, the first thing you did was ditch the issue leather boots with the tire tread outsole, and picked up some jungles...preferably the green jungles without the padded collar. Then you had them resoled with Vibram lug or ripple sole. I used Sorbathane insoles back then.

Then I discovered Matterhorn ATD's and they were my primary pair of boots, unless I was wearing DCU's, which required the desert jungles, which were a pretty comfortable boot.

The modern combat boots looks sweet, like a pairing of Matterhorns and desert jungles. A lot of people deployed are wearing Merrell Moab Ventilators and Garmont TR8's. They're both great hot weather boots.
 
BlackHills said:
Because the military wears uniforms and thus requires uniformity. :) Imagine what a formation would look like if everyone wore the footwear they wanted. :eek:

Remember that military gear is made to take a beating and last for a long time. Light weight high tech gear may be able to handle that but in most cases it won't last anywhere near as long. I was issued some gear that was older than I was and it was still serviceable.....imagine how many other people used it before me.
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just wanted to say i love the avatar flags.
 
hollowdweller said:
I'm guessing here but military gear is heavy so you'd want ankle support.

Also if you are having to potentially run thru mud or sand while being shot at you would want something high enough that stuff wouldnt' go over the sides and down into the boot.

However if you go to any outdoors store that has a place for customer reviews under the insoles you will see numerous reviews by service members who are trying to alleviate foot problems and blisters due to combat boots.;)

A lot of times, especially on knife forums there is sort of a glorification of all things military, since knives are frequently and have a history of use as weapons.

However that does not mean that everything the military makes is superior for hiking and camping. To paraphrase Nessmuk somewhat We aren't going to the woods to conquer it we are going to commune with it.:thumbup::D
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i'm curious as to whats causing the blisters and foot problems with military boots? only because i have never had such problems with the combats. Regular hiking boots have torn up my feet with blisters, due to the extremely rigid construction. Whereas my combat boots are soft like mocassins.

thoughts?

(come up to BC, its all about conquering the woods! conquering IS communing! :D
 
Bushman5 said:
i'm curious as to whats causing the blisters and foot problems with military boots? only because i have never had such problems with the combats. Regular hiking boots have torn up my feet with blisters, due to the extremely rigid construction. Whereas my combat boots are soft like mocassins.

thoughts?

(come up to BC, its all about conquering the woods! conquering IS communing! :D
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Have no idea but for me the higher topped boot the more moisture accumulation which leads to blisters.

Not sure what you mean by regular hiking boots. But if you mean the old style stiff leather hiking boots I'd agree with you totally.

I have a pair of these:

http://www.outdoorswithdave.com/backpacking/cabelas_big_sky_mid.htm

If I hike over 5 miles without stopping in them I've got blisters. Even without a pack.

Where I've hiked up to 12 miles in these in one day w/o problems :

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62973?pi=1065789&qs=3012739-Google_Base&subrnd=0
 
^ are the hi top ones padded with foam? mine are 100% leather which breaths, whereas foam traps moisture and leads to all sorts of bacteria goodness...
 
Bushman5 said:
^ are the hi top ones padded with foam? mine are 100% leather which breaths, whereas foam traps moisture and leads to all sorts of bacteria goodness...
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No. But they are gore tex lined which also cuts down on the breathabiltiy.

Pretty much any sort of leather boot gives me blisters if I don't stop every mile or so, take off the boots and let the feet dry out.

I love leather boots esp for wet or snow and have numerous pairs but would never wear them for an extended trek.

Now not saying that would be YOUR experience. :thumbup:;)
 
Bushman5 said:
i'm curious as to whats causing the blisters and foot problems with military boots? only because i have never had such problems with the combats.
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I'll go out on a limb and guess that the boots don't fit some people. It's not so much the boot as it is the person trying to wear it. The military has to go with what works best for the majority and hope the others can adapt. That means a "last" that works for maybe 6 or 7 out of ten.

Bushman5 said:
Regular hiking boots have torn up my feet with blisters, due to the extremely rigid construction. Whereas my combat boots are soft like mocassins.

thoughts?
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If regular hiking boots have torn up your feet it's because they did not fit you or they may have needed a "break in" common with the finest custom boots.


hollowdweller said:
Pretty much any sort of leather boot gives me blisters if I don't stop every mile or so, take off the boots and let the feet dry out.
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That sounds like cotton socks. If not cotton, fitting a boot for two pairs of wool socks would help. Many leather boots that have been oiled or waxed heavily no longer breathe at all so if your feet sweat heavily they will make you miserable. Ten plus miles should be no problem for leather boots that fit and worn with wool socks.

Aside from advising how a particular style or brand of boot wears over time I'm convinced one person cannot recommend a boot for someone else based on the boot they wear themselves. There's just to many variables between the "last" of different companies and the feet going into them.
 
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