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So what does everyone else use for backpacking or hiking boots? I had a pair of Vasque St. Elias GTX boots which I loved. They where lightweight, waterproof and seemed to grip everything. But I now have arthritas and a bone spur on my right foot big toe (Old Injury) and the boots got real painful after some long backpacking trips. I tried there wide boots but they didn't seem to work. So I switched to a pair wide Lowa Renegade GTX boots. So far after maybe 100 miles of backpacking my one foot does not get sore. The only problem is they don't seem as grippy as the Vasque boots. So does anybody have any other good backing boots they have used. The problem with backpacking boots is the only true way to find out if you like them is to do a trial backpacking trip. But after that trip you own the boots. Plus the boots are not cheap to keep switching out for new ones.
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It's tough to suggest a certain boot to someone. It's all about fit. We all have feet that differ in shape, volume, etc. and what I find extremely comfortable, someone else will find torturous on the trail. Your particular issue certainly makes finding the right fit even more difficult and I feel for ya. Nothing can ruin a hike like experiencing foot issues. I don't know if surgery would be a option but failing that perhaps a custom made boot would be the answer Unfortunately they will cost you.
That being said, I generally look for a boot with Vibram brand soles as they have traditionally been the market leader and have found them to be good although I've heard it said that their quality is less - or at least less consistent - than it was before they started manufacturing overseas. This may be why you notice a difference in the grip on the two boots you mention, both of which have Vibram soles. I currently have a pair of Timberland Cadions that I've been pretty happy with but I think I'll try to find something non-Gor-Tex next time. Although I've never had an issue with sweaty feet, I find Gor-Tex hot and the waterproofness limited. The best boots I ever owned were a pair of TNF Glacier Points. Still have them but they are full of holes and restricted to the occasional day hike and yard work. When I put them on my feet say "Hello old friend".
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One of the most common misconceptions is that one needs to break in a hiking boot or shoe.
Not true! Let me repeat it's not true - it's a lie perpetuated by shoe sales persons who are more interested in selling than fitting.
You should be able to walk out of the store and go hiking without a problem.
One memorable shoe salesperson tried to tell me that I didn't have wide feet - ummm, I've been wearing a wide width shoes since I was in my 20's and probably should have been before that! It turned out that they didn't have any wide widths in stock in my size so she was trying to cram my foot in a regular width to make the sale.
Unfortunately I have yet to find a store that does a good job fitting shoes to the foot properly.
I simply had to keep trying different shoes in different stores until I found a shoe that fit from the very start. In 3 seasons of wearing my Merrells I have had nothing more than an eraser tip size blister on one foot and that was because I wasn't washing my wool socks inside out and had an accumulation of fluff that put pressure on the spot.
I have a set of fitting instructions written by a very knowledgeable person but unfortunately it's a pdf file on my laptop and I'm not sure about posting it here. PM me if you're interested and I'll send you the file.
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Beth
I agree some sales people at the stores do not give good info.
I wear boots everyday for work so I'm pretty good at judging the boots for fit. But I can tell you that some boots do need broken in for a proper fit or should I say comfort level. My present boots I'm wearing now are a pair of Irish setters with a saftey toe. It took me about two weeks till the boots softened up and felt good. I always look for a vibram sole if available. For work I prefer leather but have other fabrics on various boots I have. I normally use a green superfeet insole in my boots and hikers. For boots I have 8-9 pairs of differant brands plus my other hiking shoes. My favorite hikers are Merrel Moab Ventilators. I'm always looking for other boots that my be good.
The bad part about fitting hiking or backpacking boots is until you have a full load on your back and have the pressure of some long decents. You don't know how your feet will feel or if you'll get blisters. One time I was 12 miles into a 35 mile hike when my feet didn't like my boots. I couldn't stop so I pushed through. But then on the next long hike my feet where good using the same boot.
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I have one foot that is wider than the other and I find that lacing that boot differently helps. I run the laces on my wide foot straight up vertically through the holes closest to my toes and then start to criss cross them when they get further up my foot. This means that when I tighten my laces, I only tighten the boot around my ankle and the front of my foot has more space.
I have the Vasque Breeze and really love them. I am a stickler for sturdy boots and wear them when paddling too. I hate taking the time to switch shoes at a portage and I like supportive boots when I've got a canoe hat and uneven ground.
Another thing to consider, some stores will take a return after you've been out for a trip. My husband returned a pair of boots to REI after using them to hike Half Dome. He wasn't trying to hose them but his original boots were technically "low profile" (e.g. low drop between heel and toe) but nothing in the boot literature talked about that. You don't notice the effects of that until after a long hike and he was aching. REI gladly took them back and helped him find a more appropriate boot. They hold "garage sales" where they sell used products from returns as is for lower prices.
I'm pretty sure MEC has a similar policy although they ask that you clean up the gear
Last edited by CanoeClaire (9/23/2015 8:25 am)
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Got the Merrel Crestbound. Over $200 but worth it in the long run. But they are true hiking boots. I cant imagine them on a canoe trip unless you change into them at each portage.
Its nigh impossible to swim in heavy hiking boots in case of a capsize. And has the potential for foot entrapment. Plus I kneel.
I tend to stumble with thick soled bootswithout hiking poles so I don't take them at all on a canoe trip. I use Merrell Maipo canyoneering shoes that still have a vibram sole. It gives me better feel of the ground (ie to step or not to step on that rotten wood)
I leave my hiking boots for climbing mountains and ascending rocky creek beds which is what I have at home.
Do ask about returning after a use. I got my current boots at a store that did not allow returns once out of the store. They had to put up with me for several hours. But it was in Whitehorse and I really had no choice.
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CanoeClaire wrote:
I have one foot that is wider than the other
I have one foot that has more volume than the other (I think this is fairly common) and I find the fix for me is with the socks: When I buy hiking socks (Smartwool is my preference) I buy one pair of regular weight and one pair of heavy weight. Then I mix them, using the thicker ones on my low-volume foot, and this seems to even it all out.
...REI gladly took them back and helped him find a more appropriate boot. They hold "garage sales" where they sell used products from returns as is for lower prices.
I'm pretty sure MEC has a similar policy although they ask that you clean up the gear
They do and I have bought a couple of pairs of boots there. They refer to them as warranty-returns. Look brand new and priced to move. I think I paid 15.00 for my current pair. MEC's next Toronto Gear Exchange, BTW, is October 18th.
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I've used Salomon 4D Quest GTX boots the last 2 years and couldnt be happier. Very light for a full size hiking boot, great grip and I did not break them in at all. Bought them and 2 days later went out on a 10 day trip and had zero issues with soreness or blisters.
I usually have an issue with changing footwear as the season changes (I have high arches and tempermental ankles) and the Salomons are the first boots/shoes ever that have yet to give me a sore foot at all.
Kinda pricey but I found mine at 40% off so it was worth it forsure.
Cheers!
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This is a reply from a different perspective. We farm, and both my husband and i wear Keens, as They seem to accommodate a wider foot, especially at the end of The day, when our feet have a tendency to swell slightly. We trek throug plowed fields, through The woods with our dogs, up silo's and in barns over rough cement, where grip is quite important, all day long. As well, we often put loads on our bodies ( think carrying 50 lbs of feed/haybales/animale etc)
When out canoeing, i prefer lighter shoes.
I do not take them for portages, shoes are too heavy.
The keen soles are vibram, and the shoes are waterproof, a must for us.
Longevity too is important to us, my husband can walk up to a year on them, me longer, and no other shoe has lasted that long, having tried most brands over the years, including vasque.
So, a Good fit,THe right socks,waterproof, strong ,long lasting, especially when carrying a load, seems to me where it is at, just like it says in all The other replies. Keens are iT for us.
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My last 2 sets of boots have been keen targhee mids. First set lasted 5 years and going on 3 years with this pair. Find that keen boots don't really need to be broken in per say as they are comfortable out of box but they do get much more comfortable over years of use. "Broke in" the second pair on the West Coast Trail with no issues.
The main reason I got them in the first place was they are ridiculously light, almost as light as a running shoe. I can't wear the traditional heavy leather boots on be trail.
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I wear Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2's. The most ridiculous name for a pair of shoes ever. They're trail runners, non-Goretex. Nice size toebox. My feet can't stand having ankle movement restricted and covered, so no regular boots, except in winter, grudgingly.. Great shoes. I'm on pair number five. Yeah, your feet get wet, but they always get wet no matter what you wear (Goretex, etc) and they dry out quickly, and if you wear wool socks, your feet don't get too cold in the late season.
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I agree with the other comments about the keen boots. My one pair is all leather in mid height and waterproof. Well they used to be 100% waterproof. The toe box was great and they did feel good right out of the box. I have many miles on them. Keen has some vibram soles but not all the boots are vibram. My set of Lowa boots also have a wide toe box. I also have one foot that's bigger for the past 30 years from a injury.
About returning boots. I think most of the bigger chain stores will do that. But for good boots you have to find them at your local outdoor stores. The bigger chain stores here only carry the most popular boots. They don't often have designated backpacking boots. For me the outfitter store would not return boots once you have actually hiked with them. Even though your buying another pair. My last pair I wore around the house and office for a week before I decided to keep them. Kinda sucks when most of the boots are $200 and up
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Does anyone know of any manufacturers of extra wide hiking boots? By wide I mean EEEE width! Thanks.
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Bob010. Keen seems to have boots to EEEE size.
Checkout XLfeet.com
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I have eeee feet and wear keene Durand. They fit good and have served me well. No issues.
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Thanks for the info.
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I swear by Keens. They have a good selection of wides which aren't overly wide at the rear .. just the ball and toes area. Following is some 'Internet wisdom" on the topic of old wide feet. It matches my own experience of taking a size 10 back in the early 90's and now needing size 12 ...
"Our feet become longer and wider with age, as the tendons and ligaments that link the many tiny bones lose elasticity. This allows the toes to spread out and the arch of the foot to flatten. Some over-40s can gain as much as one shoe size every ten years."
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