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hunt\hike boot recommendations

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Dmathews87

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2022
Messages
764
Location
SE Louisiana
Need some help picking new boots. Ive looked at merrel, danner,irish settler,randos at academy,etc and cant pull the trigger on a pair. I already have a pair of lacrosse burlys but i dont enjoy wearing them if i know im walking over a mile, especially if its at all hilly. If i know the area im going to isnt swampy and just water everywhere, then id like something more lightweight and comfortable but still performs. I want something truly water proof and extremally durable as im gonna but some miles on these bad boys....
 
The two that I wear a lot are Lowa Renegades and Crispi Valdres. There are tons of options here. It really comes down to what fits your foot the best and budget. I also have Irish setter vaportreks and their lace up snake boots. I wear the snake boots a lot as well, really comfortable but not as good in the mountains as the first two wit the crispi being the best mountain boot for me. Flat to moderate hills without a ton of rock, the others all work just fine. The vaportrek would be the least durable of the bunch by far.
 
BTaylor said:
The two that I wear a lot are Lowa Renegades and Crispi Valdres. There are tons of options here. It really comes down to what fits your foot the best and budget. I also have Irish setter vaportreks and their lace up snake boots. I wear the snake boots a lot as well, really comfortable but not as good in the mountains as the first two wit the crispi being the best mountain boot for me. Flat to moderate hills without a ton of rock, the others all work just fine. The vaportrek would be the least durable of the bunch by far.
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not too many mountains here in S La lol so i should be good. Im willing to pay for quality...the problem i had in the stores, and i hate to sound like the typical ''they dont make em like they used to'' guy but its true...every boot i picked up had quality issues to some degree and i could tell soles would be coming off or seams issues in no time...
 
Dmathews87 said:
not too many mountains here in S La lol so i should be good. Im willing to pay for quality...the problem i had in the stores, and i hate to sound like the typical ''they dont make em like they used to'' guy but its true...every boot i picked up had quality issues to some degree and i could tell soles would be coming off or seams issues in no time...
Click to expand...
I am a big fan of the IS lace up snake boots and wear them a ton in the river bottoms as much for brush and briar protection as snakes, which we both have plenty of. Got my second pair this year as my first pair finally gave up after 10 seasons. That was mostly split time use with alpha burly's when it was really wet or I knew I was going to be wading.
 
I've only had these one season, so I can't speak to long term durability. However, they are the lightest and most comfortable hiking boots I've ever owned while also seeming durable and well made. When you pick them up, they are light enough to surprise you. I find a pound on my feet is equivalent to probably 10 lbs in a pack (sprung vs unsprung weight in auto lingo).

Also, the heel (I have to have a heel on boots due to walking slick mountains) is the best I've seen for walking down hills (the overall tread is also great). The tread is Vibram and the heel is like a small bulldozer scoop and really grabs when walking downhill (which is when I'm most likely to slip catastrophically).

La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX Hiking Boot

The Nucleo High II GTX is a mid-duty waterproof hiker/backpacking boot. Featuring award-winning Gore-Tex® Surround™ technology with a traditional Nubuck leather look.
www.lasportivausa.com www.lasportivausa.com


La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX Wide Hiking Boot

The Nucleo High II GTX Wide is a mid-duty waterproof hiker/backpacking boot. Featuring award-winning Gore-Tex® Surround™ technology with a traditional Nubuck leather look. WIDE FIT.
www.lasportivausa.com www.lasportivausa.com
 
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BTaylor said:
The two that I wear a lot are Lowa Renegades and Crispi Valdres. There are tons of options here. It really comes down to what fits your foot the best and budget. I also have Irish setter vaportreks and their lace up snake boots. I wear the snake boots a lot as well, really comfortable but not as good in the mountains as the first two wit the crispi being the best mountain boot for me. Flat to moderate hills without a ton of rock, the others all work just fine. The vaportrek would be the least durable of the bunch by far.
Click to expand...

I wanted to love my Lowa Renegades, but the wides are still a bit narrow. This seems kind of common in European boots and clothing.
 
Kenetrek or Crispi. Leaning more towards kenetreks! There are a ton of boot options. With every foot being different it’s hard to really say what is “good” or “bad”
 
I bought a pair of Hanwag Makra Combi GTX last spring. The boots are stiff, however when putting on miles, particularly with weight off trail they performed great and I couldn't have asked them to do any better. At no point with a heavy pack did I have any feet issues.
 
Need some more help since I'm a complete hiking boot noob....

Found a local retailer that had a good selection of boots and the oboz fit like an absolute dream so I ordered a pair online to get the color I wanted. I normally wear size 9,and 9.5 in some stuff...the oboz fit better in 9.5. In the store I walked around and things felt great,however on my first outing I noticed discomfort on the right foot right on the ankle bone where it felt like it was rubbing me. Is this a break in thing or me just adjusting to a mid height shoe??
 
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