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Insulated Hiking Boots

Got my Meindl comfort fit hunters in a size 14D, as recommended by Meindl. Too narrow. Now I have a high arch, and I told the guy at Meindl. Anyway sending back and will try 14ee. Great return policy. They pay all the shipping costs.
 
GeoFish said:
Got my Meindl comfort fit hunters in a size 14D, as recommended by Meindl. Too narrow. Now I have a high arch, and I told the guy at Meindl. Anyway sending back and will try 14ee. Great return policy. They pay all the shipping costs.
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Thanks for sharing. We should get a good boot section going with fit and finish feedback.

I’ve got some Hoffman Explorers on the way. We’ll see how they fit.

Seems like a good company (family owned - mtn boots to their spec made by Armond of Italy), but the rep I talked too didn’t give me a whole lot to go on for sizing.
 
Plebe said:
Thanks for sharing. We should get a good boot section going with fit and finish feedback.

I’ve got some Hoffman Explorers on the way. We’ll see how they fit.

Seems like a good company (family owned - mtn boots to their spec made by Armond of Italy), but the rep I talked too didn’t give me a whole lot to go on for sizing.
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Well, my Hoffman Insulated Explorer boots are on their way back to Hoffman for refund.

I can't really review them, unfortunately, as they didn't quite work out for me. I had a fit issue with the right boot. The left boot was a dream though.

I summarized the situation and asked for some guidance and support and was pleased that Jim who runs the company responded. Ultimately, he suggested it may be a problem with the boot itself, but, as you know, hard for him to say from Idaho to NY. He sort of suggested trying a different pair.

The fit and finish of these boots is astounding. I'd have been over the moon for them both to fit so well as one of them did.

But, at $27.68 non-refundable shipping to me plus $40 to ship back...that's a hard pill to swallow for an exchange to...the same size boots. So, out $70, I've asked for a refund.

This is the trouble with boots. Saddles are cheaper to ship and do ok in the classified market...thank your lucky stars saddlehunters.
 
GeoFish said:
Got my Meindl comfort fit hunters in a size 14D, as recommended by Meindl. Too narrow. Now I have a high arch, and I told the guy at Meindl. Anyway sending back and will try 14ee. Great return policy. They pay all the shipping costs.
Click to expand...

Probably going to try them. I'm just a bit unsure of their sizing as they recommend 1/2 size smaller...but stop 1/2 sizing after 12. I'm like 13 D-E.
 
Plebe said:
Probably going to try them. I'm just a bit unsure of their sizing as they recommend 1/2 size smaller...but stop 1/2 sizing after 12. I'm like 13 D-E.
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I received th 14ee and they fit great. Meindl paid the shipping both ways. I have not hunted in them yet, almost too nice to use in the mud.
 
I've got a pair of Crispi West River 2.0 Gore-Tex 10" 400G Boots on route to my house. So no feed back to give yet, but I didn't see them mentioned in this thread.
 
@Plebe I believe I got into a conversation with @enkriss awhile back about Meindl boots and I'm certain he's pretty happy with them and he goes through a lot of gear so I trust his judgement. Although I haven't pulled the trigger yet I probably will at some point this year. Also considering going to gaitors too for the first time instead of rubber knee boots like LaCross Burley's or Dry Shod Haymakers for most of my hunting.
 
Check out Scheels. When I was in the market for new boots I ordered a few different pair because they had free returns. I ended up with the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400s.
 
Hall17 said:
Check out Scheels. When I was in the market for new boots I ordered a few different pair because they had free returns. I ended up with the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400s.
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I just picked up some MTN Extreme 400's and love the feel of them, much more than my 200g Crispi Guide's. The insole is top notch. I usually have to replace them right away but the Kenetrek offers very good support and felt very similar to the superfeet I was going to use. I did take them on a 5 mile scouting trip yesterday through the snow with temps being about 15° and my feet did get cold. I'm going to give them another shot next week with some heated socks and see how they perform.
 
TexaninSconny said:
It feels like they are glued down, but they aren’t. Give them a call and they’ll mail out the spacer.

@Plebe - Meindl has a foot measurement you can print out. I did this and it was helpful, FYI.

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That's good info about the spacer.

I've recently been measured on a Brannock, so I'm pretty confident on the sizing of my feet. It really comes down to how the boots run.

They're recommending 1/2 size down. That'd be a 12.5 for me, which they don't make. So, 13 then? 1/2 size is only 1/8" so, room for thicker socks I suppose.
 
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Plebe said:
Probably going to try them. I'm just a bit unsure of their sizing as they recommend 1/2 size smaller...but stop 1/2 sizing after 12. I'm like 13 D-E.
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Get the 13d they have a really wide toe box. Email them after you order ask them to include the volume reducing spacers just in case.
 
Hall17 said:
Check out Scheels. When I was in the market for new boots I ordered a few different pair because they had free returns. I ended up with the Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400s.
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Thanks. Looks like they still do, so it's a good option. You only eat the initial shipping cost if you do a return, worth it to get a pair that fits well.

I was looking at Schnee's Granite line. You'd think at $520 a pair they might give you a free exchange. They don't seem to help in anyway.

To be fair to Hoffman, they do cover shipping one exchange back to you. But you're on the hook for sending the exchange to them, and shipping a return, and they don't refund the initial shipping cost.
 
enkriss said:
Get the 13d they have a really wide toe box. Email them after you order ask them to include the volume reducing spacers just in case.
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Thanks. That's what I'll do.
 
Looks like Baker's Boots (bakershoe.com) will cover return shipping and insurance. They have a good selection. Lowa, Crispi, Hanwag, Zamberlan, Kenetrek. Glad I looked.

I remember them having a great sale around Black Friday. If the Meindl's don't work for me, I may look for a sale to spring up there.

Still, the only boots with Sympatex, Hoffman and Schnee, you're hung on shipping. I had a preference for that liner over Gore.

Edit: Baker's Boots has their own line with Sympatex, but at most 200g insulation. Look a lot like Schnees.
 
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GeoFish said:
Are you talking about Meindl boots? Mine did not come with a spacer and the insoles are glued dow.
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Yes sir. The comfort fit hunters and hikers have a removable insole. If you call Meindl USA in Nebraska, they will send you a mesh spacer to put between the bottom of the boot and the insole. That was if you are unable to get a half size, the spacer fills up that space like a half size would.
 
kyler1945 said:
I have no recommendation below upper teens, you should seek professional help for wanting to hunt in such conditions…
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Any recommendations for such help....in Northern Mn anywhere from mid Nov to end of season(end Dec) there's loads of hunting possibilities that are against these regulations. Help me want to stop hunting!!!!!
 
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