Boots

[Peter Polack]

I now have 6 pairs of the Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid Gore-Tex boots from different years. I don't think I will go to anything else for hiking and everyday use.

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I have 4 pairs of the X Ultra 4 Gore-Tex shoes as well. Great price, great color choices, and incredibly comfortable.

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Is your first name Imelda?

[9tubes]

I live in Seattle. A few years ago I asked the folks in REI's flagship store about the debate between lightweight trail runners vs hiking boots. They said the trend was away from the super lightweight shoes and towards something more substantial. It depends on where you hike but the trail shoes don't offer a lot of protection from roots and rocks. I found that my feet liked the light weight of those but my feet felt sore and beat up at the end of the day. I switched to the modern lightweight versions of traditional boots and I was much fresher at the end of the day.

Hiking boots are just like cycling shoes, the first, second and third considerations are how well they fit. There are plenty of good brands at the top end. Just go to a real mountaineering store and find which one works with your foot. Unless you wear them daily as a park ranger they will last a long time, so my suggestion is to make your feet happy and spend the extra.

I have a pair of Zamberlans and love them. They are sort of like the Sidi of hiking boots, and be warned that they are narrow and fit like them too. Every time I wear them I marvel at how they seem to make walking easier. I don't know why, maybe the rocker in the sole?

[COVRTDESIGN]

Is your first name Imelda?

Imelda Romualdez Marcos? The Filipino politician who served as the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986?

[BBB]

When I worked in outdoor equipment retail, we had probably 5 brands of hiking boot. Vasque, Merrell, Asolo, Lowa and maybe Scarpa (or just their climbing shoes.) Each with several models in a range of sizes, men's and women's. Takes up a lot of space. So the brands we carried were at the time well-known, sold well and got frequent reviews in magazines (remember those?) And they fit American feet on average which tend to be wide and flat (not Scarpas.) But I was working for a regular local retailer, not a national retailer with bigger market and more reach like REI - which does indeed carry La Sportiva now - and not in the era of Internet shops like Backcountry, Moosejaw, etc. I guess same as any bike shop carrying these but not those bikes.

That all makes perfect sense.

My feet fit into Scarpas with no drama, but in general the narrower Italian fit does not work for me at all (in hiking boots or cycling shoes).

Subject to the fit issue, I'd like to try La Sportiva approach shoes for when a hiking boot is a bit over the top. These look good:

https://www.bogong.com.au/la-sportiv...ach-shoes.html

[Chik]

I recently decided that my Chippewas should really retire.

I had actually been eyeing the stalking boots from Le Chameau for a few years now. Since I agree with many that they make the best Wellies money can buy (even after they moved the production of Wellies to Morocco -- the lace-up boots are made in Romania), I had been very curious once they made a return to offering lace-up boots, and the stalking boots seemed just the ticket for me.



It took less than an hour to break them in so that was delightful. As it says on the tin, the Michelin soles shed mud so effortlessly. In contrast, the Vibram soles on the Chippewas love to hold onto mud. On the matter of soles, another big difference is the construction -- the way the soles are attached are similar to many modern hiking boots, viz., they cannot be replaced unlike the welted construction on the Chippewas. I don't really think that will be a problem.

As the "Lite" hints, they are very light. Mine, at size 42 EUR, come in at 1600 g / 3.5 lbs for the pair compared to my Chippewas that weigh 2600 g / 5.7 lbs.

I found these reviews by 1) a Canadian search & rescue guy and 2) a UK-based gun interesting. On the sizing, I have wide feet (UK "E" fitting), but I don't find these to have a narrow fitting -- works just fine for me with thick socks.

They have another model with a shorter shaft for lighter weather conditions.

[Chik]

@j44ke, I'm obviously not doing something right with the IG links in the above post...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJjlDEmp8eG/?hl=en => CJjlDEmp8eG between the IGM wrappers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm3odWhOgxo/?hl=en => Cm3odWhOgxo between the IGM wrappers.

Correct?

[j44ke]

@j44ke, I'm obviously not doing something right with the IG links in the above post...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJjlDEmp8eG/?hl=en => CJjlDEmp8eG between the IGM wrappers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm3odWhOgxo/?hl=en => Cm3odWhOgxo between the IGM wrappers.

Correct?

Looks right to me. I think we are getting the cold shoulder from that spooky kid at FB.

Those look good. What is the quilted section on the shaft? Is it leather or a waterproof fabric? Lowa, Scarpa and Zamberlan also make what they call mountain hunting boots, but they look more like taller versions of some of their mountaineering boots. These from Le Chameau look to have more utility as all-rounders than those boots.

I've noticed more European (style - not Le Chameau) hunting boots around here, versus the more traditional leather Irish Setter/LL Bean/Danner "Upland" style or the ubiquitous Muck style. Seems to be especially de rigueur with the militia playboy set. That step down from those monster trucks is pretty high I guess. Don't want to twist an ankle and drop your AK.

[Chik]

Looks right to me. May be that we are getting the cold shoulder from that spooky looking kid at FB.

Yeah, the examples in the wiki thread are also not showing, so that seems to be the problem.

[Chik]

Looks right to me. I think we are getting the cold shoulder from that spooky kid at FB.

Those look good. What is the quilted section on the shaft? Is it leather or a waterproof fabric? Lowa, Scarpa and Zamberlan also make what they call mountain hunting boots, but they look more like taller versions of some of their mountaineering boots. These from Le Chameau look to have more utility as all-rounders than those boots.

I've noticed more European (style - not Le Chameau) hunting boots around here, versus the more traditional leather Irish Setter/LL Bean/Danner "Upland" style or the ubiquitous Muck style. Seems to be especially de rigueur with the militia playboy set. That step down from those monster trucks is pretty high I guess. Don't want to twist an ankle and drop your AK.

Ah, that's the 11" version, isn't it? I think they're difficult to come by these days.

The quilted part is also leather, nubuck to be specific but waterproof. I don't know whether that part is also "Terracare" leather, however.

I'm really pleased with them so far. And they seem to be on sale in the US, so that doesn't hurt either.

[Chik]

The militia boys are probably wearing models to emulate or identical to those supplied to the US military. I think it was during Desert Storm that I started to notice a different type of boot designs being worn, more technical, but I probably only noticed long after they actually started wearing them since I don't exactly follow the trend in latest military kit.

[j44ke]

Ah, that's the 11" version, isn't it? I think they're difficult to come by these days.

The quilted part is also leather, nubuck to be specific but waterproof. I don't know whether that part is also "Terracare" leather, however.

I'm really pleased with them so far. And they seem to be on sale in the US, so that doesn't hurt either.

What was your sense on sizing? I usually am a 10US/9UK, but the chart puts UK9 = US9.5. I’d lean towards going with the UK sizing as I’ve found that to be more consistent than US sizing. I could actually do with a tall pair of boots like this in winter.

[Chik]

What was your sense on sizing? I usually am a 10US/9UK, but the chart puts UK9 = US9.5. I’d lean towards going with the UK sizing as I’ve found that to be more consistent than US sizing. I could actually do with a tall pair of boots like this in winter.

A slightly tricky one, actually.

I am usually UK7.5 or EU41 for things like "dress" shoes/boots, desert boots, and espadrilles. I've always understood this to be US8, but my only recollection of actual purchases from a US brand were loafers from Paul Stuart that were marked US8 and made in England.

For Wellies and boots of this sort, I usually take UK8 or EU42 because I tend to wear thicker socks and want enough room to change the insole to something with more arch support.

Actually, I usually take UK8 or EU42 for sneakers too since UK7.5 or EU41 tends to feel a bit too short even without thick socks. Similarly for cycling shoes. Giro (Rapha) is EU42, and the label also says US8.75. Fizik is also EU42, and they say that's UK8/US9.

If my memory serves, I got the Chippewas in US8.5 specifically to accommodate thick socks but cannot confirm because the markings are gone.

Anyway, I don't know if any of the above actually answers your question, but it seems their size chart is consistent with my other purchases except I have precious little data on US size interpretation.

[Chik]

PS, I just checked my sneakers (all from Norman Walsh, made in England), and their label reads UK8/EU42/US9. I guess the tricky part is whether one is converting from or to US sizes. On balance, I think I agree with you that selecting based on the UK sizing might be the way to go.

[vertical_doug]

[vertical_doug]

https://www.patagonia.com/product/me...964747937.html

back in stock

I know we diss Patagonia a lot, but this project is still pretty good.

I just finished watching Ken Burn's American Buffalo to boot. (oh, lame dad pun)

[j44ke]

https://www.patagonia.com/product/me...964747937.html

back in stock

I know we diss Patagonia a lot, but this project is still pretty good.

I just finished watching Ken Burn's American Buffalo to boot. (oh, lame dad pun)

Love Patagonia and love the look of these boots but love the look of the women's model better. However, those soles on the men's boots, while likely use appropriate for most buyers, look leather (albeit thick) with Vibram out-sole. I'm kind of done with those after wearing boots built like that (Frye, Red Wing, Chippewa, etc.) like part of a uniform since art school. I've got two 10 year old boots that fit my feet perfectly and one basically new pair that aren't broken in yet, and I just can't wear them. Blundstone's float around but they don't bruise my feet like hard soled classic work boots. And besides hiking boots do just about everything well plus waterproofness. Still - have you seen these in the (buffalo) flesh? I'd have to see these before I'd consider them, but they don't stock them at stores. Nice project though. And the manufacturer in Portugal is supposed to be a real gem.

Men's



Women's

[ides1056]

These boots are as good as they come. Alico. Merino fleece lined, Vibram soled, Norwegian welted, Italian made- so good I bought two pair. Set for life. Limmer has an approach shoe option now. That appeals.

[froze]

I can't post pics here for some unknown reason, but I bought a pair of El Dorado Men's Rust Bison Western boots with a square toe about a year ago to replace a pair of Nocona Lizard skin boots that were pointed toe but my feet have spread out and I was uncomfortable wearing them, I've always had western boots since I was a teenager, and I love the way they feel on my feet.

[j44ke]

These boots are as good as they come. Alico. Merino fleece lined, Vibram soled, Norwegian welted, Italian made- so good I bought two pair. Set for life. Limmer has an approach shoe option now. That appeals.

Limmer also has the ultra-lights back, now with double-stitched Norwegian welt.

[dgaddis]

Stock laces had to go. With the wax coating they don't slip through the eyelets easily, making them a bit of a PITA to take on and off since I need to loosen the laces down near the toe. With these paracord laces as soon as you untie them the whole boot is loose. I got these laces, only $10, made in the USA, and should last a nice long time.

Bit of an update, had the boots (Red Wing Blacksmiths in Copper Rough & Tough leather) and laces for over three years now and LOVE THEM. I almost exclusively wear the boots now, unless I'm in shorts. I can wear them all day, even while on my feet all day, and they're crazy comfortable. Also, the Pisgah laces are still in good shape.

It is getting close to time for a resole though. Trying to decide if I want to stick with the mini lug sole or get the beefier standard lugged sole.

I also have a pair of the Red Wing Iron Rangers in black (I forget exactly what they call the black...harness black? Saddle black?) and I prefer the Blacksmiths. They're more comfortable. Not sure if it's the difference in the leather or the slight changes in how they're put together (both boots are built on the same last and fit the same, and have the same foot bed and sole), but the Blacksmiths uppers are more comfortable. The Iron Rangers feel like the Blacksmiths before they were broken in all the way.