Hiking boots recommendations?
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I am in the market for a good pair of hiking boots and wondered if anyone here had some recommendations. I’m going to Nepal in December and am planning on doing the Manaslu circuit, which is about 12-14 days and goes up to 5106m on the Larke Pass. Last year I wore my Viberg service boots (2040 last) and loved them, but only went up to a little over 3800m in dry conditions. They have a nice stiff sole and the fit is great. As you can see in the picture, they are a roughout CMX leather.
This year I’ll be going into colder temperatures and am expecting snow for at least the Pass. As much as I love my Vibergs and how they feel and perform, I think that this trek will be pushing their and my comfort zones. Their downside for this trip is that they aren’t lined (cold) and they are not waterproof. I’ve been looking online at hiking boots for the past couple of weeks and seem to keep coming back to either Scarpa or Keen - influenced some by local availability. I want to be able to try them on and make sure they fit properly before breaking them in. I’ll be going into town on Tuesday and plan on going to a local outfitter and trying on different pairs of boots and seeing what works.
Do you have any recommendations for a good pair of hiking boots that have a fairly stiff sole, a wider fit, and waterproof? The terrain is a lot of dirt paths, rocky staircases, metal suspension bridges, scree, boulders and snow. What has worked for you?
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@Denman-John You’re definitely in the part of the country to find the perfect pair. My thoughts are the Scarpa’s but I’m biased as that’s what I see most of the time. Finding the perfect pair is just trying them on and asking for recommendations from the experts. Luckily for you Vancouver is a Mecca for advice.
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Danner Mountain Lite and Zamberland GTX have always been my go-to. The Danner is super versatile where the latter are very technical and stand out a bit.
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Highly recommend checking out Russell Moccasin, the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned and the hiking models are exceptional.
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Personally, when going above 5000m and into wet conditions, I wouldn't play around with 'heritage boots' and go for something technical. Especially, if you're going to use crampons you'll need something from category C or D. But you're probably aware of that. I've done a few 4000s and 5000s with La Sportivas and was never disappointed. Used an older version of the Trango Alpine GTX on Mt. Kilimajaro.
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I can only agree with @endo my go to for high altitude mountaineering and hikes are the La Sportiva Evo. I wore mine on several 4000m climbs, waterfall climbs and alike and trust these. If you ask me this is not the climate where you want to wear nice boots, they need to work and be reliable.
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Good article on boots that might be of interest: https://www.switchbacktravel.com/best-mountaineering-boots
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I've had a pair of Scarpa boots for over a decade, and they're incredibly supportive, durable, and waterproof. I've been using hiking boots since I was a child, and nothing has come close. Highly recommend. And as other have said, skip the heritage boots and get something technical. They cram features into contemporary hiking boots and that usually means high water resistance, insulation, support, ergonomics, and durability.
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I like Keen and these are my second pair of Pyrenees. First pair lasted 3 years of heavy use. While shopping for a replacement I tried on boots from many companies but nothing seemed to fit as well as the Keens. Everyone’s feet are different though so try on stuff until you find which fits best.
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I've been selling a lot of hiking/climbing/mountaineering equipment as a part time job as a student. I'd recommend visiting a proper outdoor retailer and get some professional advice. Plenty quality boots (Meindl, La Sportiva, Hanwag, ...) will serve you well, but it's important to get the intended purpose and fit of the boot right.
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@Denman-John I would check out the Scarpa Phantom 6000. Great high elevation boot and on the lighter weight side.
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If you can find them in your area, there is a Pennsylvanian brand called Topo Athletic and they make a fantastic hiking boot called the Trailventure Waterproof. The part that got me to switch over to them from almost every other shoe is the wide toe box design. Fits my weird feet well and makes hiking much more comfortable for tougher spots. $185 USD last time I bought, if you have access to Zappos usually they do 25% off during Black Friday with free shipping so I usually will grab a pair every year. My last pair took 3 years of beatings before I had to replace. I’ll wear this boot (hopefully) for life now. It’s just the one made for me. Keen is also a great brand. Oboz is also great too. Waterproofing will help trap some heat in so you may not need any insulation… but 200-400g may help at those high points.
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Thank you everyone for the wonderful response! It’s good to hear firsthand accounts to help balance things out. I’ve been researching hiking boots, watching videos, reading reviews, etc., and to be honest I feel a bit overwhelmed. I’m definitely overthinking this considering I saw porters/sherpas last year carrying big loads wearing a pair of flip-flops. I’ll be going to a good outdoor shop today and see what they recommend and have in stock. If I’m not blown away by anything they have, I’ll go down to Victoria this weekend as there are a number of good outdoor shops with a wider selection available.
I won’t be needing a full on mountain boot as I’ll be sticking to the trail for the most part, with maybe a couple of smaller side-quests. I was a little surprised last year as a lot of people were wearing running/trail shoes compared to hiking boots. I’ve always been more in the traditional camp with heavier leather boots, but there are some nice lighter weight boots that are available and something I’m considering. In the end it’s going to come down to fit and feel, so it’s time to start trying some boots on.
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For me, boots have always come down to fit, first and foremost. After that, I consider the load I'll be carrying, then the terrain, and then any needs for technical climbing or things like crampons. Usually I've found that a robust set of waterproof / trail running type shoes can be suitable for most things I do that are 2-3 days at most with a pack 30lbm or lighter. For the trip you're describing, staying on trail maybe small snow patches, no ice climbing, a general "hiking boot" like the above or something most people would go into REI looking for a hiking boot seems like it would suffice. Less can often be more as I've found those very technical boots to be incredibly stiff and overbuilt unless there's lot of crampon use or other technical sorts of climbing.
having said that, I've had good luck with scarpa boots fitting my odd shaped foot since they have a fairly traingular last, lots of toe room, and a fairly low volume instep. even the ones I have feel like they're too much boot about 75% of the time i wear them.
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@endo is spot-on, @Denman-John . You aren't Sir Edmund, and you have access to technology he would embrace had it been around in his day. I definitely love exploring the wilderness in heritage hikers or even smokejumpers, but if you really are going hard and/or long, the weight savings alone of a modern technical boot will make a gigantic difference in how far and how well you can trek.
Much like ski boots, different hiking boot makers' products may work better or worse for certain feet. I would take each recommendation you see here that looks appealing and try to test it on your foot, and ask for other options at a retailer as well to try. If you can find an outdoor retailer that really understands hiking that would be great.
That said, my go-to tech boot for outdoor activities these days is an Oboz Sawtooth X mid waterproof. These are really good for tough terrain, heavy loads, and long hauls, on my feet at least. The waterproofing works and they still seem to allow sweat out well for my feet. They are extremely comfortable out of the box under all conditions and very grippy. They do well with crampons and even snowshoes if coupled with gaiters (though I usually go with Sorel there). I have not encountered more capable footwear for hiking and light bouldering.
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The PNW area is so very good for that as they are launching and training points for so many expeditions around the world. That area of BC used to have a lot of great shops for climbing and mountaineering with a lot of the guys working there, walking the walk and talking the talk. I don't know if it's still the same, but he's in good hands.
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Having spent many years in the mountains of Montana - and now around the volcanoes of the Cascades, the advice here on technical boots, specific to your purpose, is some great advice.
I, too, love my heritage boots, but hikers in Nepal and in the Himalayas they are not. I've had great luck with Scarpa and La Sportiva in several flavors. However, as mentioned, spend time in shops to find the right fit because, at this level, for what you're doing, they should fit really well. The analogy of ski boots is apt (I'm also a high-level skier), and based on where you're going and what you're doing, high-level technical mountaineering boots are a sound investment.
If it were me, I'd be spending my time in your local shops, talking with the people using these boots, only supplementing those discussions with what you find on the ol' YouTubez and the like. Heck, you may even need to make a trip north to Squamish or Whistler to find the hardcore shops if they've been pushed out of the greater Vancouver area.
Your trip sounds truly awesome, @Denman-John! Best of luck on the voyage, both with the gear and the trip itself.
