Hiking Boot

Hiking Boot

what's the best hiking boot?

need a boot for extended hiking, carrying 50 lb pack, terrain ranges from rock to mud. Area: Smokey Mts

I've worked for outdoor retailers for over five years.... the mainstream, over-commercialized retailers, all the way to the small, mom-and-pop, hardcore mountaineering stores. I have to say that the two best boot brands on the market are Scarpas (good luck finding them in the USA), and Lowa.

The short-lived trend right now is to "go light" - the lighter the boot the better. But, I have to say - it is just a trend. The better you take care of your feet, ankles and knees (all of which is done by boot choice), the better the hiking. To take care of your feet/ankles/knees, you need to get heavy-duty / "REAL" boots. "Real" boots, as we call them at my current store, are all leather - high-tops, leather innside and outside. Leather is waterproof - ever seen a cow die of a rainstorm? So, avoid the Goretex mimic (Goretex with leather is totally unnecessary, not too mention Goretex breaks down rather quickly in boots.)

Boots with leather interior are kind of hard to find, but when you get them broken in, they fit like a GLOVE - literally. Also make sure you get Vibram soles. They will "stick" to wet rock and slick rock, so that you don't have to excessively worry about where you're going to put each step.

For backpacking with a 50 pound pack, "real" boots are a must. My top two picks for you would be the Scarpa Concordia and the Lowa Banff (Lowa Baffin would work well, too.) All three of these models will run you about $200, but will be the last pair of boots you ever buy. When you've run the sole out, you can get them resoled for $75, and you still have your favorite, comfy, broken-in pair of boots.

Vasque, Merrell, High-Tecs, etc. are just junk. You get what you pay for.

Hiking Boot

Tagged with: hiking boot • merrell • tot

Filed under: Mens Shoes Discount