Need hiking boot help...

Mongo

Mongo

Joined
Nov 5, 2001
Messages
8,969
Greetings all,
In an effort to get some exercise while actually enjoying it, I have been doing some day hikes. I have been walking in my hunting boots, Filsons... uplanders I believe. They are a full length leather boot with cork insoles, which are recently replaced/new. My problem is that my feet hurt like HOLY HELL starting the same evening and next day. They've never given me this problem before while upland bird and turkey hunting, both of which have lot's of walking involved.

My issues: I am a fairly large person, weighing about 260-270 now. My feet are fairly "special"... I have wide feet, HIGH arches, and I walk on the outer edges (pronation?). My "mean-lean fightin' machine" weight is probably 220-225 lbs.

I am looking for a dedicated hiking boot. I am looking for waterproof, excellent support for my "special" feet, preferrably light enough in weight, and not hugely expensive. I am willing to spend in the low $100's, but don't want to cut in too severely to my knife money!;)

What would your recommendations be for me?

Thank you in advance for your answers and recommendations.
Mongo
 
Not a recommendation on a boot, but:

Walking on the outer edges of your feet is supination.

Easy way to remember: knock-kneed is pronated, bow-legged is supinated.

It makes life difficult: you're prone to rolling your ankle, so you need good support, and you have high arches which, in footwear without the correct shape insole, will make your feet hurt by the end of the day.
 
Holygoat is exactly right. Excessive supination can lead to some serious ankle problems, especially for big guys. So here are my recommendations:
1) look into some kind of insoles. Out of the box (i.e. Superfeet), or custom orthotics. Customs can be expensive, but if your feet are bad enough, you may need them. Sounds like you've been able to hike and hunt in the past without serious pain, so you might be able to get away with something simple, that has arch support and a fairly rigid base. A nice middle ground to the two above options, is custom Superfeet. You can get a normal pair of Superfeet custom-molded at some of the larger REI stores. I have a pair of these, and am very happy with them. They also cost a lot less than orthotics (about $100 if I'm not mistaken), but really make a difference.
2) For supinators, I can recommend 2 boots (for, you see, I have very similar feet to yours, and my weight is getting up around 210, so I'm no lightweight). If you want light, a nice fabric/leather boot is the Keen Targhee II. Waterproof, fairly durable, costs about $120. For a full leather boot, I've always liked my Montrail Torre GTX. Pretty light and nimble for a full leather boot. They'll run you about $150. That may be out of your price range, especially with the insoles, but spending the extra $ on your feet can pay large dividends now, and down the road. How you gonna use those knives if you can't hump it out to the bush? Hope this helps.
 
Take a look around at Cabelas. Lots of boots to choose from and they all have reviews from users. Personally I think Meindl and Lowa make the best boots. Russell Moccasin makes really nice customs to fit. For what you are looking for you are probably gonna need to cut into that knife money. Spend the money your feet are worth it.
 
norcalblacktail said:
Spend the money your feet are worth it.
Click to expand...

+1

Yeah mate I'm not sure 100 bucks will get you what you need. A good pair of hikers are a worthy investment and they'll last years if properly cared for.

I'm a fairly solid fella 6'0" and 230ish and the best boots I've ever owned are scarpa.

rockshelfsticks.jpg


http://www.scarpa.com/scarpa.php

I've got the SLM3's.
 
+1 on the Custom Orthotics. I got some made by a podiatrist. They are some kind of plastic/composite material and they last for 5-10 years or so. They are 3/4 length & fit in any shoe or boot. I usually slip them under the footbed/insole if there is one. Fixed my bad overpronation problem.:thumbup:

You NEED to get the alignment of your feet right, as it affects your whole body posture and alignment. Then, and only then, get a good stable pair of boots. Scarpa, La Sportiva & Redwing/Irish Setter - for example make excellent boots.(including hunting boots) I'd say Scarpa & Redwing may fit wide feet better, but go to a store and try them on in person.

SIR
 
You might consider a pair of justin goretex lined loggers. They aren't a lightweight boot, but they're very well made (in the usa no less), comfortable boots. I wear a pair of the regular work boots 10-12 hours a day on concrete and they're very comfortable (they would probably be a good choice as well, although they cost more).
The loggers have a more aggressive sole, for better traction and also have a padded ankle which should be more comfortable on uneven terrain. They have a multi layer insole/footbed that I find very comfortable. I wouldn't bother with the steel toed version for what you're doing as it will cut down on weight and be better in cold weather.

http://www.justinboots.com/boots/Gore-tex.html

I bought my last pair from these guys:
http://www.boots-etc.com/product_in...13544&osCsid=beb93c70ffabe023d82f02cbb26e11d2

In my experience, you won't find a better pair of boots for the price. Especially not made in the usa.
 
Custom orthotics will cost a few bucks but then you can buy any shoes you want and you won't wear them out. You'll get your money back in no time just on the shoes you won't have to keep replacing.
 
I'm in the same boat as you Mongo. These have been exceptionally comfortable and durable.

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/11133472/c/78383/g/men/w/12.html

Average shock absorbing and average arch support. Even without after market insoles, they are the most comfortable boot I've ever worn. This is mainly because my feet now have room to flex with a 14 5E boot. They seem adequate for off road based on my little treks down by the creek. Their main use is for work though.

Zappos is first rate when it comes to customer service and has the widest selection of hard to find sizes. They set the bar in that regard.
 
I got some garmont flashes on sale at campmore for 70 bucks! For my feet they are the most comfortable lightwt boot I have ever worn. I have foot issues not worth going into but these boots are comfy.

I have read some reviews that complain of the sole separating but not sure how much wear caused it. Others like me love the fit. You can go to the garmont site and read their propaganda about how the sole is designed, I found all the claims to be true, my ankles are comfy, the tongue wraps around the ankle and doesn't shift, and the sole both cushins and controls movement. I have superfeet insoles in all of my shoes but don't really need them in these. Oh, and they have a gortex lining.

I would try boots on first before bargin hunting on the web though.
 
I have terrible feet and I'm way above my fighting weight too. Same ballpark as you. I have flat feet rather than high arches so what I wear probably won't work for you, but the basic principles are the same: Do not scimp on the boots and orthotics. Nothing (well, almost nothing) is worse than being on the land with painful feet, and you can do permanent harm if you are at it long enough, especially at our weight.

I found it's largely hit and miss with both boots and orthotics. I spent a small fortune on a pair of orthotics with a big shot chiropodist, which never worked too well, but I've found a few off the shelf that actually work better for me. I wish I knew how to predict what will and won't work without trial and error, but I don't. For heavy loads I find heavy traditional boots are by far the best, like Limmer, Scarpa, Fabiano, Zamberlain etc. You can find them around for good prices but they all (except custom Limmers) require some kind of orthotic; nothing fancy, just superfeet or even scarpas. But, beware the breakin period. They all need it and it isn't always pleasant.
For dragging around minimal weight, except my own bloated carcass, the softer boots, like trail runners, can be very comfortable as long as they are fairly rigid so they stand up over time.
If you live near a decent outfitter like MEC or REI or Paragon etc, I suggest you pay them a visit, try some on, walk up and down their stairs/ramps, whatever is there, and see what feels best for you.
Really good boots are worth the price of a knife, maybe two.
I hope I don't get barred for knife heresy ;)
 
I personally recommend Merrell boots. They are the mot comfy shoes & boots that I have ever worn.
 
Ming65 said:
+1

Yeah mate I'm not sure 100 bucks will get you what you need. A good pair of hikers are a worthy investment and they'll last years if properly cared for.

I'm a fairly solid fella 6'0" and 230ish and the best boots I've ever owned are scarpa.

rockshelfsticks.jpg


http://www.scarpa.com/scarpa.php

I've got the SLM3's.
Click to expand...

I am little guy but I have not found a better boot than Scarpas yet, I have a pair of Scarpa Attacks that I need to get sent off to get resoled, I bought them in 94.

Bad thing is it seems there is limited availability in the US, or was. I was going to have a friend in Greece ship me some a couple of years ago but shipping was more than the boots.

They still sell the Manta here in the US; I have a pair from 91 or 92. They are to far gone to resole but that is a great boot. I never had a problem with going with a heaver boot than needed. I will spend more on footwear than any other piece of gear.
 
Well, here's what I've done. I purchased a pair of heat moldable inserts from REI called SOLE Ed Viesturs Ultra Cushion custom footbeds. I heated them up and molded them to my feet and replaced the cork insoles of my Filsons with them. Unfortunately, weather/family/holiday crap has not let me get a good day-hike in to see how well they work. I will eventually post a review of them. I think my foot pain issues were a warning shot of plantar fasciitis. Hopefully with good support, this won't be a continuing issue.
 
Horned Toad said:
I am little guy but I have not found a better boot than Scarpas yet, I have a pair of Scarpa Attacks that I need to get sent off to get resoled, I bought them in 94.
Click to expand...

Great boots HT - I've got the same pair - bought em in '93 and they are still in very good condition (I've only worn them in the bush so the soles are still fairly healthy). The only reason I upgraded recently is my feet, over the last 18 years have spread slightly and so now I get toe impact issues with my old favourites.

Mongo, my other $0.02, is that I'm not sure good quality work boots will be optimal for hiking. Comfort for standing around on hard surfaces and moderate walking is different for long distance/trail walking, expecially when a pack is thrown into the equation.

Go Italian mate - they might be cheating stage-diving bestardos in football but they sure can make boots.....
 
Ming65 said:
Great boots HT - I've got the same pair - bought em in '93 and they are still in very good condition (I've only worn them in the bush so the soles are still fairly healthy). The only reason I upgraded recently is my feet, over the last 18 years have spread slightly and so now I get toe impact issues with my old favourites.
Click to expand...

I am a bit worried about how much my feet have changed also. But I found a guy that will resole them for around 75 dollars so it’s worth that to see if the boot will still be comfy. I also have the BregHaus goretex gaiters with the rand that fits the sole on the Attacks, which was a nice setup. If the guy I found that can resole them has the original style soles that would be great.
 
I wear Merrells for just about everything, tennis shoes, dress shoes, and hiking shoes. I haven't found a lighter more comfortable boot anywhere. They have excellent arch support and fit in my opinion.
 
zenheretic said:
Hopefully you have already found what you need, but if you ever need some really hard core boots that are made to fit your foot, use what a lot of forest fire fighters use:
http://www.whitesoutdoor.com/store/sub-category.php?category=Boots&id=Boots|Whites+Boots
Click to expand...

One word of caution on Whites boots, they take a while to break in and for your foot to get used to the arch in the boots. Till they break in and you get used to them most foks describe it as standing around with a broom handle under the arch of you foot.

They are also a very heavy boot.

The good thing is if your feet are messed up and spread out from years of hiking they make them to fit your feet. Right now I am wearing a set of Hunters about 5 or 6 days a week no matter what I am doing because they are that comfortable.
 
Horned Toad said:
. If the guy I found that can resole them has the original style soles that would be great.
Click to expand...

I don't reckon you'll have much luck there - My dad had his re-soled recently and they had to fit a different, more generic, sole to the boot as the originals weren't available.

DadsScarpa.jpg


Here's his boots - 20 years old and he walks in them every day (pre-resoling)
 
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