Hiking Footwear

[o3jeff]

Just got my boots back from Merrell. They did not send me back a pair of Moabs, they sent me the Perimeters. Serious upgrade!

Good deal, those look like they should last a little longer.

[mattm59]

and though they're beautiful, they ran too small and tight for me. I returned them after tearing my last silver dollar sized chunk of skin off my heel, and got some Teva something or others. Light, waterproof, and most importantly, comfortable. Also wear Columbia mesh hikers when it's dry out. Timberlands when the snow is deep, and the weather down around zero.

[o3jeff]

Anyone have the Vasque Breeze GTX that they want to comment on?

I ordered a pair, they seemed to get good reviews.

[bigbog]

Anyone have the Vasque Breeze GTX that they want to comment on?

Can only speak to the Wasatch GTX...but midsoles have worked well into the boot's 4th year(worn year-round). Outer sole's tread has worn down some...prompting me the need to buy new this spring, but that's the only issue I have had.
5/13 EDIT: Tread has worn down to point of needing new this year...........Thinking to try on Asolo, REI, Vasque, and one or two others...

$.01

[o3jeff]

I ended up getting a pair of Vasque Scree http://www.rei.com/product/810237/va...ing-boots-mens

Got a couple hikes on them so far and no complaints yet.

[bigbog]

0 Cons = pretty good.

[skiersleft]

What about North Face hiking footwear? Any thoughts?

[Morwax]

Light, comfortable and breathable...
http://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/pr...harvest%20gold

[PWDR8S]

I log an excess of 2-3000 miles of hiking each year... not including winter trekking which requires other gear than traditional hiking boots. I used to have Asolos with the full leather uppers and enjoyed them while waiting for my custom Limmers were being created. Since I got the Limmers, I never looked back. The comfort and durability is beyond any boots I've hiked. My Limmers have taken me to Brazil, Everest Base Camp, throughout the Alps and all the 4K's in NH and then some. They're due for a resoling and I may just order up another pair for posterity. The custom boots are still made in Intervale, NH. Pete has been good making them and he hopes his kids carry on the trade as do I. There is like a 3-4yr waiting list but that changes as demand does. $50 deposit and drawing of your feet are taken on the day of order and then you get a call 6 months prior to finish so you have time to gather your money for the buy. Well worth the wait. Who knows, you may get lucky and find a stock boot that fits off the shelf but you have to visit their shop in order to try them on for size, etc.

The aforementioned Asolos are now my work boots although my feet seemed to be getting wider thus they're starting to pinch/squeeze uncomfortably. But for toughness... they hold up well. I've tried other boots/shoes and they all fail due to too many materials(=too much stitching or glue to fail) or poor quality craftsmanship.

[billski]

It all depends what type of hiking you do. If you're sticking to the state park, well blazed and traveled paths, anything will do. If you are doing any trail that is popular and "gentrified", any real hiking boot will do. If you need high-performance with high price, go for it. I'm an all-leather upper hiker. I started wearing them during my backpack days in the 70's before there were not many choices and you needed heavy ones for the weight. Each boot has lasted me about ten years.

My hiking tends to be different than many, so my demands are different. I do a lot of exploring, bushwhacking and hiking through questionable terrain, mostly without blazes or wide open trails. I go through a good amount of muck, brush rock hopping, boot-sucking mud and general crud. I've been uber-disappointed with the gore-tex "waterproof" boots. I blew out a pair of Vasques after two years, and was delighted to replace them. They always left me with a soaker in the muck. I also swear by Vibrams. They have never let me down, even on the slipperiest of rocks.