What's your favorite outdoor boot?

BIGSHOVEL said:
ASOLO 520 GV best boots ever. 5 years in on the first pair, juist ordered the second.
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I bought a pair a few weeks ago and I have zero complaints. I have a really wide foot with a narrow heel. most wide shoes my heel floats around to much the asolo fit my feet very well. I did not have any intention of buying them tell I tried them on.
 
I've had numerous pairs of boots throughout my life.AT 15 I bought Vulseal Aussie GP boots & broke them in over many years & miles. Still got'em in fact.
Doc Martens -the two pairs I had were very dissappointing-the soul fell apart on the first ones and the replacements were just poor.
As I approach the half century I"m convinced that
the need to break boots in means that they are ill fitting & will cause you foot problems at some stage.
Nowadays unless they fit like a glove in the shop I'm not interested.
My current pair of boots for bushwalking are Ecco.
The general rule is -good boots aren't cheap and cheap boots aren't good-
cheers.
 
Once you try Meindl you wont settle for anything else. Ive got the goretex Island Pro MFS myself. Theyre the best boots ive ever worn. Period.

Ive also got a pair of their hiking shoes. Highly recommended too.

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Thanks for all the input guys! After spending a few hours at Cableas and trying on a ton of different boots I purchased an amazing pair of Meindl Denali boots. All I can say is wow! These are by far THE most comfortable, durable and well built boots I have ever owned. I'm pretty sure I'm set for the next few years and me and these great new boots are going to get along really well and put on many miles together!
 
I just returned a pair of Meindl Ibex Pro Hunting boots. They were the worst boot I've ever worn. After about forty miles of break-in hikes I just gave up on them. The foot beds were excellent, but there was something about the fit of the tongue that made them very painful for me, in fact, they got worse the more i wore them. I was bummed too, as i was very interested in a taller boot than my LL Bean Crestas. The Crestas are dynamite, but I'd really like a taller boot for some of the stuff I do. BTW, it is my understanding the Meindl Pro series of boots are not made at the original factory and may not be as good as their regular offerings, which I am considering.
 
Try Danner Boots. I have the Ft. Lewis Go Devil Boots. Bought them in 1988 when i joined the Dept. I have had them resoled 3x. I recently checked but only one place resoles them within an hours drive. They wanted $150 just to resole them. Not worth it to me. Sad really, boots are fine, just need a new Vibram Kletterlift sole. I have been using a Peet boot dryer since 1988 also. It REALLY helps your boots last.
 
What determines a good shoe? Do you base it on one that you've worn out?

I do. I a sole wears out and the rest of the shoe is still good, then that is a good shoe. But I'm wondering how others feel.
 
A good boot is also one that fits your feet in all dimensions. I have weird feet (rectangular wide, flat foot) and its a matter of finding the right brand with the foot last that fits YOUR feet, especially if you're an outlier like me!
 
For walking - Meindl Borneos for usual, a lighter pair of Zamberlans and a heavier pair of Gronnells for a heavy ruck

For general fishing and standing about time, Danner Quarries
 
lightleak said:
I think I might be the "odd man out" here. I love my Aigle Parcours Vario. Its a natural rubber boot with a very nice fit and a great sole. It's not like your usual rubber boot - it is very comfortable even for longer hikes, it doesn't give you sweaty feet and they will always be completely dry.

Edit: For pure alpine hiking I used to have Hanwag shoes similar to the model "alaska gtx". They lasted for about 10 years until finally the soles just fell off - I tell you it was a hard way down without soles :(. Hard in the truest sense of the word. But these shoes owed me nothing - they lasted a long time and fit my feet from day 1 without a single blister.:thumbup:
l.
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Actually in the last six months I've started to use rubber boots for outdoor activities. I still prefer "normal" boots but rubber boots as some merits, notably being waterproof, very quick drying and incredibly easy to care for.
 
I have a pair of Danner boots that i like a lot, all leather with a side zip

great boots, comfortable, and durable as hell

I have had only one problem with them, and that was with the side zip on one of them, i managed to break the zipper pull off so i had to use pliers to zip it, but nothing bad

had it replaced and they are going strong. I highly recomdend them. I got no blisters in the break in period either
 
I usually analyze products to death before I buy anything, but with boots, I went into REI, tried a bunch on, and picked the one that felt the best to me. And with REI, you can return them if you don't like how they feel after using them for a while.

With boots, it is a very personal fit, so I encourage you to see what fits your foot and body best. I ended up buying some oboz brand I think it is, in leather. Despite trekking through all sorts of snow and water, I have never felt any moisture in them. They were heavier than most of the others but for some reason felt lighter. Pretty thick rubber sole, which is good for backpacking. And pretty warm, without making my feet hot in the heat. And they are obviously very tough.

I recently picked up some used goretex boots at an REI sale for very cheap. I got one half size larger than my food for hiking in mountains (helps keep your toes from hitting the front on the way down). They also feel great, but I haven't used them much yet. I can't remember what brand.
 
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