Hiking Shoes
Dec 30, 2018 08:24:08 #
mizzee
Loc: Boston,Ma
Merrell MOAB boots worked for me. You must go to a store though and walk around in them a bit in the store. Yes REI is expensive but they took the time to work with me. They had me walk on inclines with both boots on to make sure my foot was secure and wouldn't slide forward. I didn't mind paying for their extra service. P.s. I have awful feet to fit. Women's size 11 boats and flatter than a pancake!
Dec 30, 2018 08:32:22 #
Bass Pro stores are few and far between. The sizes of foreign made shoes are different from US made shoes. Plus many brands don't offer wide sizes. Can you imagine that LL Bean sells sizes like 12 and 13 only in narrow widths??? how dumb is that?? if you settle for a regular width you'll be walking around like a Chinese girl with cramped feet.
jim quist wrote:
Bass Pro has a good selection
Dec 30, 2018 08:35:08 #
JeffR
Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
I've found REI to have an excellent selection of boots, and superior salespeople who are knowledgeable about getting the right fit. Let them help you. I wouldn't go anywhere else for hiking boots.
Dec 30, 2018 08:35:09 #
Davet wrote:
I am asking for advice on brands of good quality hiking shoes for my photography excursions. The last pair I purchased were great, but too small. I got them on line and that was the problem. I could not try them on first and walk around. Any suggestions will be helpful.
I hope that it is not just me who has an obvious response to this “dilemma”.........
Dec 30, 2018 09:00:34 #
Ariat. I bought a pair for a 3 week excursion with two of my boys. We hiked over 125 miles in Big Bend National park and several Utah parks. They were/are as comfortable as moccasins.
Dec 30, 2018 09:00:52 #
bob fleer
Loc: Annapolis, MD
I have wide feet and each foot is an 11 and the other a 11 1/2 have tried several different brands now I have had Wolverine for 4 years and love them. My foot doctor taught me a simple trick. In the store or when ordered on line take out the inner sole and stand on it if your toes go over the end shoe is to short if you go over the side your shoes are not wide enought. Also have found that all shoe companies do not have a standard so one companies double wide is not the same as anothers. I also have hammer toes another issue to contend with.
Dec 30, 2018 09:09:39 #
There are many great brands of hiking shoes out there. The few I have tried and like a lot are Danner, Merrill and Kenetrek. For me the Kenetrek are too narrow. I wore a pair of their hiking shoes for a couple of years and they felt somewhat comfortable after getting them on but they were honestly too narrow for me. For others they are an excellent brand of footwear. Build quality on all three above is excellent. But there are different models to sell at varying price points. My Danners were close to $200.00 and I love them. My brother just paid well over $300.00 for the higher grade of Danner's. Too much for me but he and his wife who bought the same model, love them. Some hiking boots are around $69.00. I know they work for some people but I tend to give mine heavy use while hunting and fishing.
A mistake I discovered years ago, for me, is to never buy footwear online as sizes vary for the same exact listed size. I have never gotten footwear online that fit me. I always have to try it on in the store.
Dennis
A mistake I discovered years ago, for me, is to never buy footwear online as sizes vary for the same exact listed size. I have never gotten footwear online that fit me. I always have to try it on in the store.
Dennis
Dec 30, 2018 09:20:14 #
I just went through the same dilemma. I will spend a lot of time hiking this summer and wanted to get a pair of hiking boots now and wear them now to check for comfort and blisters. I decided on a pair of Danners. They were $200.00 but well worth the price. I don't think there is a perfect boot but these come close. Just a bit hot because they are waterproof. I tried getting a pair of a couple of other brands using the online retailer "Zappos.com" but struck out...but they do have a wide selection to try. Free shipping both ways and are easy to return.
Bill
Bill
Dec 30, 2018 09:23:29 #
rmalarz wrote:
Dave, I've been wearing Merrell Moab boots for the last 14 years. I purchase mine at REI. My suggestion would be to go to a shoe store and find out what size you need prior to ordering anything.
Duluth Trading Co. has some good footwear solutions, as well.
--Bob
Duluth Trading Co. has some good footwear solutions, as well.
--Bob
Dec 30, 2018 09:24:36 #
Dec 30, 2018 09:26:01 #
I have discovered that different manufacturers’s hiking boots/shoes can be sized significantly different. Keen boots and shoes tend to have larger toe boxes than say Chaco or Merrell. Also arch support placement in the shoe or boot vs the size can vary. For mountain hiking with a lot of steep downhill walking, you will need a shoe or boot slightly longer than your normal size so you don’t continually cram your toes into the end of the shoe and mess up your toe nails. Good socks are equally important and your sock choice should be what you wear when trying on hiking boots or shoes. It boils down to finding the right boot or shoe for your foot. It is not about price, etc. From personal experience and after trying many different brands and size variations (kind of like picture exposure, more than on setting/size can work!), I found that for my foot a lesser expensive shoe works best and now that shoe in the size that works is all I buy. I just hope they don’t change it! So far so good! I do encourage you to go to a store with a knowledgeable sales staff that knows the ins and outs of hiking boots/shoes. The average Joe shoe salesperson who is not a hiker can really misinform you regarding hiking footwear and the appropriate size/fit for your foot, etc. Good luck!
Dec 30, 2018 09:37:33 #
berchman
Loc: South Central PA
Gene51 wrote:
They're not cheap, but boots made by Peter Limmer ... (show quote)
My first pair of boots, when I didn't know anything, were bought at Abercrombie and Fitch in the mid 1950's. After a few years, I found out about Peter Limmer and Sons and got a fantastic pair custom made from them. The ranger leading a group hike at Glacier National Park noticed I was wearing Peter Limmer boots and complimented me. The current wait time for a pair of boots is about two years. For a serious hiker, it's worth the wait and the cost. I was never a serious hiker, but I always like to buy the best.
Dec 30, 2018 09:40:47 #
If you know your European shoe size, then you may confidently buy online from retailers like Ecco using this size standard. I bought my hiking boots there with satisfaction.
Davet wrote:
I am asking for advice on brands of good quality hiking shoes for my photography excursions. The last pair I purchased were great, but too small. I got them on line and that was the problem. I could not try them on first and walk around. Any suggestions will be helpful.
Dec 30, 2018 09:41:52 #
I swear by Salomon hiking shoes. I may have spelled the name incorrectly. Imperative that you try them on before buying. They are lightweight but have aggressive sole, very comfortable. They have climbed mountains with me and slogged through mud. I depend on them. Keep shooting.
Dec 30, 2018 09:46:17 #
bgrn wrote:
Absolutely buy them from a major store. Merrill ... (show quote)
I’ll second on Keen. Have lots of miles on mine and very happy. Light weight and waterproof.
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