Steel shank boots

Joined
Oct 20, 2002
Messages
10
I want to add a nice pair of hiking boots to my Christmas list, and was wondering if steel shank boots pose any problems in the heat of summer. I sport an ankle injury and need good support. Does a steel shank pass on the heat of the ground to the feet in higher temps? If not, or if so, are there any recommendations for say $100 and under? These will obviously need to be uninsulated. Hi-Tec, Rocky, Cabelas???

Thanks
 
I originally read your post to say hunting boots, so I went off in another direction, lol. Of the boots you mentioned, I'd be going with Cabelas brand for a good hiker. They use several name boot makers to put their boots together for them and the quality is above average for even their lower priced boots. I tried Hi-Tek's line and they were not for me. The price was cheap, but so was the product in my opinion. Rockey makes a fair hunting boot, but I have no experience with their hiking line.

I opted to go into debt for my boots and went with the Vasque Zephyr w/goretex. They offer excellent support for both arch and ankle and stability is also excellent. The break-in period was near non existent as well, so I am very happy with my decision. They were about 50.00 more than you want to spend and are a subsidiary of Red Wing boots.

It may sound strange, but I'd recommend wearing Merino wool socks while hiking. They cusion the foot and help to wick the sweat away from the foot. Add goretex and your feet will stay dry and comfortable. I suggest that you opt for a boot with removeable footbed inserts (most have them I think), so that you can replace them every few months, as they tend to break down with use.
 
You might want to read this review of several sub-$100 boots from the editors of Backpacker Magazine

Long story short, they really liked the boots from L.L. Bean and Cabelas, your $ buys more quality/features. The L.L. Bean GTX Mountain Treads Mid boots got more 'favorite boots' votes, and the highest overall score.

www.llbean.com

www.cabelas.com
 
i dont know if i would reccomend steel shanked boots if you have an ankle injury, the purpose of the shank is to help with climbing and they can be very uncomfortable to walk in as they offer virtually no flexibility for the sole of your foot, they can also give you huge blisters as the sole wont bend your foot usually ends up moving up and down inside and chafing your heel. support for the ankle comes from the upper part of the boot, a very important thing for ankle support is torsional rigidity of the sole, but this doesnt mean that the sole has to be inflexible, just resistant to twisting. you can test this by graspiong the boot towe in one hand and the heel in the other and twisting in opposite directions, a boot which is difficult but not impossible to twist that way but also will bend on the ball of your foot to allow you to walk is a good choice. without torsional rigidity of the sole it is very difficult to cover rough stony ground.
 
Back
Top