Question for hikers and outdoor types

These are awesome boots. I bought a pair of other boots that didn’t fit my feet well and had blisters after a couple miles. Bought the solomons and hiked 5 miles the first day without any.

 

Get you a backpacking boot then. Hiking boots are fine with little or no weight, but if you carry a heavy pack, it's going to affect the stability of your boot. My wife and I have been taking 10-15 mile backpacking trips for the last 15 years, so boots are our most important piece of gear. Asolo Fugitives, Vasques, Danners are a few of our favorite boots.

 

Going to Europe, maybe you want consider Meindl shoes as well.

 

Check out the Lowa Renegade. Seriously great light boot.

 

I don't know about using them for traveling in Europe but theres all kinds of Military style desert combat type boots that are made for hot climates and are durable and very reasonably priced. I bought a set of Altima desert USMC type boots for work in the hot summer months and they can take a beating, although I don't think I would use them for traveling thru Europe or vacation, some styles that are available don't look overly strictly military tho.

 

I wear the Lowa Renegade GTX for years. Waterproof and breathable don’t go together, water resistant maybe. As for comfort everyone’s foot is different so that will be subjective. Also keep in mind the lighter it has the less durable it will be but how long do you want these to last?

What kind of terrain will you be going through? Will it be mostly flat dirt trails or will you be going over small rocks/boulders, next to waterfalls or across streams, in light rain? If it’s mostly flat dirt trail you’re probably better off with a mesh hiking shoe style. Sometimes hiking boots are over rated. I’ve even hiked in running shoes on some trails.

Shop at REI if you’re not sure which one to get, they have a good return policy.

 

Something else to keep in mind is socks. Someone touched on it in an earlier post, but I think it's worth harping on for a minute. I work in ship engine rooms. It's not unusual for me to spend 8 to 14 hours a day walking on deck plates that are running 160*F. I wear uninsulated leather work boots that have no ventilation whatsoever. If I throw on a pair of cotton socks, my feet roast and I spend the day walking in wet squishy boots. I also get a ton of blisters as a result. If I wear a midweight pair of merino wool hiking socks my feet are comfortable all day long. They might be a little damp by the end of the day, but not enough to complain about and certainly not nearly as bad as with cotton socks. My boots themselves will be damp from sweat and they will develop salt stains on the outside when they dry. The wool does a wonderful job of wicking the moisture away from my feet. I have tried synthetic socks, which also do a good job of wicking, though they tend to be much thinner and not as comfortable. Synthetic socks also tend to develop odors that are difficult to get rid of.

Smartwool and Darn Tough are the two brands of socks that have worked best for me. REI makes some less expensive ones but I got tired of wearing them out. Unless you're allergic to wool, I highly recommend picking up a couple pairs of socks and trying them out.

 

Check out Merrell boots. Super comfy, and they have options with stiffer material in the sole to provide more support. Many have mesh and other breathable materials, but you can't expect anything too breathable when you want a waterproof boot. Just bring a few extra pairs of socks so you can swap them out every once in a while. I just tie the wet pair to my pack so they can air dry as I hike.

 

This!
Picked up a pair in Germany several years back for a lot less than what they go for stateside.
I'm also a longtime fan of Danner boots.

@Cold Iron Any input??

 

I second what Louisd75 said about socks...right down to the brands he mentioned. Darn Toughs have become my go-to every day sock.

 

Someone that most likely knows what Cold Iron stands for Retired Pit Snipe Chief and haven't watched water boil in more than 20 years now. Well at least in a superheated pressure vessel.

Darn Tough = good. Last few years Smartwool has gone down the crapper IMO. The founder of the company started another company Point6 and they are as good or better than the Smartwool of old. 40% off for fathers day right now too.

All I have worn is wool socks for many years. Your feet will thank you.

Cabelas has a monopoly in North America on Meindl boots but the rest of the world gets the full selection. So most certainly check them out while there, up until a few years ago they were my favorite load bearing and hunting boot.

I am a bit of a boot whore and have been since the 70's. My favorite the last couple of years is Crispi boots especially the ones with A.B.S.S. - Ankle Bone Support System. I own 4 pair and will likely pick up another pair soon I pretty much live in them. They are a hell of a boot. If I was in Europe they would be the first ones I'd check out.

 

So now I read the entire thread LOL. The Crispi boots I mentioned are the most expensive of any boot listed. But to me worth every cent my feet are old and jacked up. I don't buy into the minimalist philosophy, eventually you will pay with degenerative arthritis of the feet and ankles.

A decade and a half or so ago I commissioned Russell Moccasin to build me a pair of Grand Slam Sheep Hunters with triple shank, 2" extra height, extra leather toe cap as toes wear first busting though brush, I don't do trails, etc. But they failed to provide good ankle support especially for side hilling. No Gore Tex so they breathed but had to coat heavily with Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative to keep my feet dry. There is no free lunch.



I wore Vasque Sundowners since the 70's as my main footwear, even took a pair with me around the world in the early 80's. About 15 years ago got a new pair and the soles delaminated and they started to fall apart in months they were my last pair. About 8 years ago took a lady friend to a Red Wing shoe store when she was looking for a good pair of shoes for walking and mentioned it to the salesman. Vasque is owned by Red Wing. He told me that Red Wing had moved production of the Vasque from Italy to China and at first they had some issues but they had since resolved them. Too late for me done with Vasque but I still like Red Wing and OP I'd think it worth your time to visit a Red Wing store.

 

Years to figure this out for my self, cotton socks suck. Hot and sweaty in the summer, cold and sweaty in the winter.
Never again

 

Lowa Renegade. Best boots ever.

 

I think I can count on three fingers the number of times I've cold ironed in the past decade in the commercial side of things. I'm lucky if we're FWE for more than 24 hours with the way cargo is run, but we don't make money sitting at the dock. I've been bouncing between 1AE and Chief for a couple of hitches now, but it looks like I'll be bumping up permanently to CE before this year is up, knock on wood. It's not like I don't already have enough gray hair.

I'll have to check out Point 6. The big advantage of SmartWool or Darn Tough is that I can get them at REI and use my dividend. $20 a pair is a tough pill to swallow and is the biggest pushback I get from people just starting out in the industry. They're also the same people that bitch when their $40 WalMart Special work boots start falling apart halfway through a two month hitch.

 

Was in the yards in Bremerton in 81 and took the ferry to Seattle to pay my $5 to join the REI Co-op. Bought my FJ55 from a yard bird in Bremerton around the same time with my reenlistment bonus.



Yeah with pit snipe sea shore rotation I have more sea time than Moby Fucking Dick. 6 heat strokes and passed out at least 20 times of heat exhaustion. Retired from the Navy in 96 and been in computer systems ever since, with Air Conditioning. A system is a system, from nuclear power to the bit is either on or off. But I get paid to fix them when they go sideways. My hair has gone from grey to white but at least I have hair LOL.

 

The LA Sportivas are are very low profile

 

I wear North Face low cut and Salomon high top ,both with Gortex. Wich one I wear depends on terrain and weight carried. My Girlfriend wears high top Merrells, buy the best you can afford. I wore Vesque for thirty years and swore by them, but they are cut on the narrow side. At the end of the day buy the boot that fits best for you regardless of the Manufacturer. Also, don't forget good quality collapsible hiking poles, (the cheap ones won't support your weight) they will save your knees and be a great help with stream crossings. Have a great trip.