Re: Hiking Boots

[Rod Speed]

fastfreddy wrote:

> Anyone give their recommendations for a good place to find good hiking
> boots and brand of boot for humid tropical climates where it rains alot?
> Something that breathes and can be made waterproof also.

> Something that you can walk a long ways in and still not get blisters.

Thats really just determined by what you break in properly.

I am guessing leather uppers with maybe Vibram soles, but I don't really know.

> Is it even possible to have waterproof boots that still breath,

Yes.

> maybe not?

[Michael Black]

On Thu, 6 Jan 2011, fastfreddy wrote:

> Anyone give their recommendations for a good place to find good hiking
> boots and brand of boot for humid tropical climates where it rains alot?
> Something that breathes and can be made waterproof also. Something that you

> can walk a long ways in and still not get blisters. I am guessing leather

> uppers with maybe Vibram soles, but I don't really know. Is it even

> possible to have waterproof boots that still breath, maybe not?
>
You might want to check the endless thread that began sometime in February
of 2010 titled "walking boots-- which are good?", that was cross-posted
to uk.rec.walking
uk.rec.gardening
uk.rec.birdwatching,
misc.consumers.frugal-living
alt.rec.hiking

There seems little reason to rehash the Goretex debate.

Michael

[SMS]

On 1/6/2011 3:19 PM, fastfreddy wrote:
> Anyone give their recommendations for a good place to find good hiking
> boots and brand of boot for humid tropical climates where it rains alot?
> Something that breathes and can be made waterproof also. Something that you
> can walk a long ways in and still not get blisters. I am guessing leather
> uppers with maybe Vibram soles, but I don't really know. Is it even
> possible to have waterproof boots that still breath, maybe not?

Look for:

-Full grain leather upper. Not nubuck, not fabric.
-Goretex lining. Never buy hiking boots that are not Goretex lined.
-Vibram sole. Accept no substitutes.

These won't be inexpensive of course. I.e.
<http://www.rei.com/product/693828>. I got these when they were on sale
a few years ago for around $160.

Also be careful to buy the proper width (higher end boots come in
different widths), and wear the proper socks that help avoid blisters.

Another excellent boot is this one
<http://www.danner.com/boots/mountain-lighttm-ii-mens-womens-hiking-boots.html>
but it seems to be impossible to buy it anywhere except on-line. I had a
pair that I got at REI but they wore out after 20 years and REI doesn't
carry them anymore. The big advantage of this boot is that the sole is
stitched, rather than glued, which is very rare these days. These boots
are still made in the U.S.A. too.

[Alan Justice]

"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:4d35d4a0$0$44056$742e...@news.sonic.net...

I have some Danners I bought locally. (I can't imagine buying footwear
without trying it on first.) My feet love them. However they ruin all my
socks by staining them maroon, the color of the leather. I assumed it would
all get worn off eventually, but not after many hundreds of miles.

--
Alan Justice
http://home.earthlink.net/~wildlifepaparazzi/

[gr]

I found the wide Danners not to be wide enough for my feet (or shape of
my feet. Not Gortex, but decently water resistant are Alico boots, real
Vibram, Norwegian Welt stitched, excellent Italian craftsmanship, and
come in wide. Sierra trading post often sells them for around $150 (with
a stiffer model at around $300). Looks like right now they only have the
Alico XC ski boots.

They also sell Asolo boots, which I thought were well made and
comfortable, but not wide enough for me.