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BACKPACKING BOOTS OPINIONS NEEDED

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BOOT FITTING 101

 

Due to my occupation I deal with this on a daily basis and I have seen what bad boots can cause and what good boots could have prevented.

Regardless of the brand you choose there are some things you need to do before you buy them:

1. NEVER TRY ON BOOTS IN THE AM AND WEAR THICK HEAVY SOCKS, THE KIND YOU MIGHT WEAR SAY... HUNTING - you should always try boots or any foot gear for that matter, on in the afternoon because your feet will have swelled some by then and this will prevent you from getting boots that are to small for your feet. This is one of the number one causes of blisters.

 

2. ALWAYS TRY BOOTS ON AND WALK AROUND THE STORE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES --Cabelas and etc all sell great boots

however, you are insane if you do not try the boot on somewhere before you buy it. I treat at least one or two hunters every year who has ordered new boots online and never tried them on somewhere. They come in with achilles tendonitis, popped off toenails etc.

 

3. BE CAREFUL OF BOOTS WITH HIGHER THAN 9 1/2 TO 10 in UPPERS- Higher than this places the top of the upper in the middle of your calf muscle, this is also where the muscle turns into tendon and you can get serious injuries to the achilles tendon because of this. If you sit in a stand all day long go for it, but if you like to put miles on your footgear in rugged terrain, steer clear of these puppies.

 

4. BUY THE APPROPRIATE BOOT FOR YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL- I see alot of sprained ankles here in Silver City because most people think one boot can do it all. If you are in relatively easy walking terrain you dont really need extra medial and lateral ankle support, however, on rough hikes, rocky terrain etc, the more medial and lateral support the better and the average run of the mill hiking boot does not have this.

 

5. MAKE SURE THE BOOTS HAVE REMOVABLE INSOLES- Most factory insoles are crap, it is always better to replace the factory insole with an aftermarket insole I usually recommend spenco CROSSTRAINER inserts to my patients, they have good arch build up but are not rigid and give good shock absorption, superfeet are good as well, but DO NOT BUY DR. SCHOLLS GEL INSERTS!!!!!!! THEY ARE CRAP!!! A good rule of thumb, just dont buy inserts from big box marts period.

 

6. ALWAYS BREAK IN YOUR BOOTS!!! I know that is a no brainer but you would be surprised how many people dont do it!!!!

 

These are just a few points to consider and hopefully will help you all with your foot and ankle health

That being said, I have used rockies(sucked), Coleman (ingrown toenails!!!) Wolverine(fair), Cabelas (great) and MEINDL(best by far)

 

AG

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Wow! AG, thanks for the info..... never thought about some of that stuff.

 

The best pair of boots that I have found in the last couple of years is from Irshsetter and I think the name was the Deer Tracker and it was a 200 gram boot. It is the only boot that I have owned in years that has good support, good & soft tread that grips the rocks but doesn't just wear off.... and didn't blow out under extreme conditions of hunting and packing. However..... Lathrop, Meindl, and Lowa all have some Great hunting/backpacking boots if you don't mind spending more $$$.

 

Let us know what you find.

 

CnS

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Thanks for that awesome information Fatfootdoc!!! I have always used Danners.........thinking that spending the extra $$ meant I was getting a better boot :blink: I have bought 2 pairs of Danners and have spent almost $350.00 on boots.......since last SEPTEMBER! That just ain't right, but that's pretty much what I do every year, I just can't get a pair to last me an entire season. I am hard on boots (obviously) but the stitches on the side, and the sole under the toe part are what always goes first for me. I am giving up on Danners and will buy the MEINDL's next. I have heard many people talk about those and I'll try em'........where's the best place to find a good selection of MEINDL's? Thanks, and good topic! JIM>

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I'm still young and crazy, I use light hikers or trail runners for all of my hunting - mostly because I try never to have a pack that is over 30 pounds. That said, I haven't found a light hiker or trail shoe that can stand up to more than 6 months of shed hunting - I've destroyed 4 pairs of Merrell Chameleons, and one pair each of New Balance, Saloman, and Brooks Trail Runners. If you live in the desert get shoes that breath but can turn a cactus spine or grass seed head; if you live somewhere wet get GoreTex or treated leather.

 

Imagine getting on a herd of elk and having them flank you by a few hundred yards, are you going to run in a pair of heavy boots?

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I'm still young and crazy, I use light hikers or trail runners for all of my hunting - mostly because I try never to have a pack that is over 30 pounds. That said, I haven't found a light hiker or trail shoe that can stand up to more than 6 months of shed hunting - I've destroyed 4 pairs of Merrell Chameleons, and one pair each of New Balance, Saloman, and Brooks Trail Runners. If you live in the desert get shoes that breath but can turn a cactus spine or grass seed head; if you live somewhere wet get GoreTex or treated leather.

Imagine getting on a herd of elk and having them flank you by a few hundred yards, are you going to run in a pair of heavy boots?

 

 

I wear slip on camp shoes that I bought at Cabela's for chasin' bulls in the rut.......they are lighter than any hiking boot and you can take em' off fast if need to. It's all the other hunting that tears my boots up.....I have to have a good ankle support and I usually end up with a fairly heavy boot because of that.

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Thanks for that awesome information Fatfootdoc!!! I have always used Danners.........thinking that spending the extra $$ meant I was getting a better boot :blink: I have bought 2 pairs of Danners and have spent almost $350.00 on boots.......since last SEPTEMBER! That just ain't right, but that's pretty much what I do every year, I just can't get a pair to last me an entire season. I am hard on boots (obviously) but the stitches on the side, and the sole under the toe part are what always goes first for me. I am giving up on Danners and will buy the MEINDL's next. I have heard many people talk about those and I'll try em'........where's the best place to find a good selection of MEINDL's? Thanks, and good topic! JIM>

 

 

Cabelas actually has them and has a better than average selection. At the very least you can go there and try them on and then find them somewhere else cheaper. ag

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I have the Lowa Tibet and it is comfortable, yet sturdy. Lowas tend to fit 1/2 size small, so order/test-fit larger.

http://www.summithut.com/products/mens-tibet-gtx/

 

The Scarpa Nepal looks like another good choice to test fit and it has no Gore-Tex unneeded in the dry AZ desert.

https://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/product.a...56&mscssid=

 

Summit Hut is in Tucson, and could help you with boot fitting. There was a good hiking shack on Cave Creek Rd in N Phoenix (north of the Outdoorsmans), but do not know if it is still there. You might look at REI and ask for their best boot fitter.

 

Best to get your foot measured and find what brands have a last that fits your foot and heel. Do not want heel slippage when walking. Or toes against the front when test-kicking a wall or walking steeply downhill. I have heard of having a fingerwidth minimum of clearnce behind the heel when the foot is slid forward in unlaced boots. I do not know what kind of last various makers use for various foot shapes (European/Italian/German/American?). This is why it is important to test fit a boot with the hiking socks you'll use, and not buy blindly over the internet.

 

I am sold on Smartwool socks and a thin liner sock. (I also like Ultimax)

 

Doug~RR

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Another Meindl fan here.

I have gotten all of mine from Cabelas except for one pair that I bought from ScottyBoy. I have used the ibex hunter, canada hunter, Perfekt, denali, and my dad and brother have both used and liked the Alaska hunter. I have liked all of these boots, however some models take a little more break-in time than others. For a fairly light boot that still provides decent support I like the Ibex hunter. This boot is way better than trail runners for hiking and hunting, and I can still run in them in those situations when speed is called for. I don't understand how some people use tennis shoes or trail runners for hunting/hiking because I have tried it and you can feel the rocks poking your feet, the shoes fill up with pebbles and sticks (if not using gaiters), you can't walk right over cactus without getting stabbed, and in loose rocky terrain the rocks will tear up your ankles.

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Due to my profession, I spend a ton of time hiking and have experimented with several different types of boots. IMO the best all around hiking boot is LA Sportiva Glaciers. I got mine from Summit Hut. These are pretty heavy duty boots that should last a long time. They are super stiff at first, but after they are broken in they are pretty much bomb-proof.

 

http://www.sportiva.com/products/prod/239

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Another Meindl fan here.

I have gotten all of mine from Cabelas except for one pair that I bought from ScottyBoy. I have used the ibex hunter, canada hunter, Perfekt, denali, and my dad and brother have both used and liked the Alaska hunter. I have liked all of these boots, however some models take a little more break-in time than others. For a fairly light boot that still provides decent support I like the Ibex hunter. This boot is way better than trail runners for hiking and hunting, and I can still run in them in those situations when speed is called for. I don't understand how some people use tennis shoes or trail runners for hunting/hiking because I have tried it and you can feel the rocks poking your feet, the shoes fill up with pebbles and sticks (if not using gaiters), you can't walk right over cactus without getting stabbed, and in loose rocky terrain the rocks will tear up your ankles.

 

How are the MEINDL footbeds? I did some research and noticed it claimed to have a "body heat activated" foot bed that conforms to your foot. That sounds very comfy to me!

 

Thanks for the feed back, keep em' coming. Like a wise OL' MAN once told me, "There are three things in life you need not skimp,.... a bed, armchair, and boots, cause you spend your whole entire life either on your feet, your butt, or in bed." :lol:

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I have always just left the factory Air-Active footbeds in the Meindl boots and have found that these are comfortable for me. Some of the models have a poron heel insert as well. I think that the "Fit IQ foam" is a newer addition to this footbed and I don't have any boots with this in them.

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