Outdoor Life

ellisonz

(27,736 posts) Sat Feb 4, 2012, 12:33 AM Feb 2012

What hiking boots do you wear?

In the past I've had a pair of Columbia Sportswear Men's Pole Creek Omni-Tech Hiking Boot that I bought for hiking/general use in Hawaii because they were breathable and fairly water/mud proof. Now I've also had a pair of steel toe Rocky's. Now I'm rocking:

Merrell Men's Moab Mid Waterproof Boot - so far so good. Comfy, good traction, light-weight and breathable which is crucial here in SoCal.

What are you hoofing it in?

23 replies

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Highlight:

What hiking boots do you wear? (Original Post) ellisonz Feb 2012 OP

Vasque 7166 rrneck Feb 2012 #1

When I was looking at buying a new pair... ellisonz Feb 2012 #3

I didnt know that. Thanks. rrneck Feb 2012 #4

They seem to have... ellisonz Feb 2012 #5

These are not the exact ones but they give the right idea. ManiacJoe Feb 2012 #2

Used to have some Vietnam Jungle Boots naragdaban Feb 2012 #6

I was issued a pair of those gejohnston Feb 2012 #7

Merrell Mesa Ventilators JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2012 #8

ASOLO TPS 520. Absolutely love them. Bonhomme Richard Feb 2012 #9

I bought those Asolos for the top-grain leather with minimum stitching Kolesar Feb 2013 #16

I was out in the woods last Sunday after the blizzard. Bonhomme Richard Feb 2013 #17

nm. ge26252se Feb 2012 #10

Danner mokawanis Jan 2013 #11

I tried on a bunch of Merrells a few weeks ago, including Moabs, expecting to like them petronius Jan 2013 #12

Interesting timing Hula Popper Jan 2013 #13

The thread is a year old. More recent research may be needed now. ManiacJoe Jan 2013 #14

I'm still wearing my Merrell Waterproof Mid Moabs ellisonz Jan 2013 #15

I'm still wearing my Asolo's. n/t Bonhomme Richard Mar 2013 #18

Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2013 #19

Depends ellisonz Apr 2013 #20

Actually Hula Popper Jun 2013 #21

Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2019 #22

I've my classic Danner Mountain Lights for backcountry hikes CottonBear Oct 2019 #23

rrneck

(17,671 posts)

1. Vasque 7166

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Feb 4, 2012, 04:39 PM

Feb 2012

A bit of a disappointment. Soles split in less than a year. I'll look into the Merrells.

ellisonz

(27,736 posts)

3. When I was looking at buying a new pair...

Reply to rrneck (Reply #1)

Sat Feb 4, 2012, 08:10 PM

Feb 2012

...what sold me on Merrell's was the number of soldiers deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan who gave them rave reviews. Sawtooths are the other commonly worn style.

rrneck

(17,671 posts)

4. I didnt know that. Thanks.

Reply to ellisonz (Reply #3)

Sat Feb 4, 2012, 08:18 PM

Feb 2012

I use Kifaru backpacks for the same reason.

ellisonz

(27,736 posts)

5. They seem to have...

Reply to rrneck (Reply #4)

Sat Feb 4, 2012, 08:58 PM

Feb 2012

...been overlooking footwear regulations by unit or something. Merrell seems to have really good customer service too.

Aloha.

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)

2. These are not the exact ones but they give the right idea.

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Feb 4, 2012, 05:19 PM

Feb 2012

Back when I was doing backpacking with the Boy Scouts, it was mostly full leather boots like these:
http://www.rei.com/product/693828/asolo-tps-520-gv-hiking-boots-mens

Now-a-days my pack is more likely to be a camera backpack or at most a day pack. Now the boots are more like this:
http://www.rei.com/product/737707/vasque-breeze-gore-tex-hiking-boots-mens

naragdaban

(30 posts)

6. Used to have some Vietnam Jungle Boots

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 01:02 PM

Feb 2012

I had some Vietnam Jungle Boots (issued to US troops during the Vietnam war). I got them cheap at an army surplus store. They were actually pretty nice and great for hiking off the trails in the woods, good all-purpose boot, I might add. I must have lost them when I moved, though.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)

7. I was issued a pair of those

Reply to naragdaban (Reply #6)

Sat Feb 11, 2012, 10:20 PM

Feb 2012

in the early 1990s. They were great. The only problem I had was walking to work during Korean winters.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,735 posts)

8. Merrell Mesa Ventilators

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Wed Feb 15, 2012, 06:19 AM

Feb 2012

Not waterproof at all, but well ventilated. Very comfortable on trails. Not much ankle support, so gotta pay attention.

Bonhomme Richard

(9,095 posts)

9. ASOLO TPS 520. Absolutely love them.

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Feb 18, 2012, 08:37 PM

Feb 2012

Kolesar

(31,182 posts)

16. I bought those Asolos for the top-grain leather with minimum stitching

Reply to Bonhomme Richard (Reply #9)

Tue Feb 12, 2013, 05:24 PM

Feb 2013

It is more "waterproof".
They were "instantly" broken in.
Vasque Sundowners were another standard.

Bonhomme Richard

(9,095 posts)

17. I was out in the woods last Sunday after the blizzard.

Reply to Kolesar (Reply #16)

Tue Feb 12, 2013, 10:08 PM

Feb 2013

I had the boots and gaiters on. In some sections I was going through snow over my knees and when I got home my feet were still dry.

ge26252se

(50 posts)

10. nm.

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Wed Feb 22, 2012, 04:06 AM

Feb 2012

mokawanis

(4,471 posts)

11. Danner

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Thu Jan 17, 2013, 05:58 AM

Jan 2013

Bought them about 10 years ago for $150 and love em, even though they're pretty beat up at this point and should probably be replaced.

petronius

(26,655 posts)

12. I tried on a bunch of Merrells a few weeks ago, including Moabs, expecting to like them

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Jan 19, 2013, 05:37 PM

Jan 2013

But none of them felt right - just really pinchy across the top of my foot. I do all my hiking in trail-running shoes (New Balance), which is great everywhere except the rockier parts of the high Sierra - there I'd like a tougher sole and a little bit of protection on the ankle from pointier and rolling talus. Still on the search for the perfect compromise...

Hula Popper

(374 posts)

13. Interesting timing

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Tue Jan 29, 2013, 04:47 PM

Jan 2013

I'm looking for boots now. Previousily had a pair of leather Timberlands and they split across the ball of my foot. They sent another pair free, but those split the length of shoe...
Maybe I'll go New balance this time.

ManiacJoe

(10,136 posts)

14. The thread is a year old. More recent research may be needed now.

Reply to Hula Popper (Reply #13)

Tue Jan 29, 2013, 05:52 PM

Jan 2013

ellisonz

(27,736 posts)

15. I'm still wearing my Merrell Waterproof Mid Moabs

Reply to Hula Popper (Reply #13)

Wed Jan 30, 2013, 02:57 AM

Jan 2013

I also got a pair of Merrell Sawtooths and am loving those.

Bonhomme Richard

(9,095 posts)

18. I'm still wearing my Asolo's. n/t

Reply to Hula Popper (Reply #13)

Wed Mar 20, 2013, 08:55 PM

Mar 2013

Response to ellisonz (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

ellisonz

(27,736 posts)

20. Depends

Reply to Name removed (Reply #19)

Tue Apr 23, 2013, 05:42 PM

Apr 2013

http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Mens-Waterproof-Hiking-Boots/dp/B004D3ALIG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1366756921&sr=8-3&keywords=merrell+moab+waterproof

Hula Popper

(374 posts)

21. Actually

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Sat Jun 22, 2013, 11:30 AM

Jun 2013

these were the boots I purchased this year after a trip to the San Juan islands. Thanks for the tip.
I never hurry to shop!

Response to ellisonz (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

CottonBear

(21,613 posts)

23. I've my classic Danner Mountain Lights for backcountry hikes

Reply to ellisonz (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2019, 03:52 AM

Oct 2019

I’ve my Women’s Salomon light weight hiking boots for car camping and hiking expeditions and my Columbia women’s Monotrail hiking/trail running shoes for local trail treks.

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