Best Men's Backpacking Boots
During the following 60 years, Salomon's commitment to innovative design and passion for mountain sports created a vast range of revolutionary new concepts in boots, skis and apparel and brought innovative solutions to footwear, apparel and equipment for hiking, adventure racing, mountaineering and trail running. High hiker featuring rugged lacing hardware and protective rubber toe cap. Salomon 4D Chassis for stability/protection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The boot was still good to go but I had a pair of unused Merrell's waiting at home so I decided to get those sent out. I completed my thru hike a couple days ago and I'll say that I will never use another pair of boots. If you're unfamiliar with the AT, the last 484 miles of the trail going north includes the White Mountains, southern Maine (which some including myself believe is harder than the Whites), the 100 Mile Wilderness and then the summit of Katahdin. I noticed that the seams on the front of the boots do come open though, same thing happened with the Quest 1s that I began with. You can fully submerge the boot up near its collar and as long as you remove your foot fast enough, you will stay dry. Other hikers I was with would have to carefully hop around little 2-3 inch puddles of mud and water while I could just walk straight through it and stay dry. It's a high cut boot so if you roll your ankle while hiking (which I do a lot) you will be fine. The soles of the Quest 2s are pretty tough, you'll have to step on a very sharp pointy rock to feel it. After summiting Katahdin, I continued onto the Knifes Edge which is a very narrow and dangerous trail. I carried a load of 40-45lbs on the trail and the Quests (1 and 2) had no problem bearing that weight and keeping my feet comfortable. Pros. - Nice lacing system. - Great traction/tread. - Does well against water. - Very durable and lasts long (Have nearly 500 miles on mine and they can still go. Over 1,000 on the Quest 1s). - Good looking boot. - Almost zero break in time. - No blisters. - Comfortable. - Great foot and ankle protection. - Can handle heavy backpack weight. - Easy to put on and take off. Cons. - Laces tend of come loose. - Seams wear out."
"I read many reviews of this boot and decided i'd give it a try. One day on the job to break them in and I may just decide to wear them all the time at work. Most of my hiking will be on the SHT, but I plan to do some in the AT and some in Yellowstone/Grand Tetons."
"No issues with the interior comfort of my foot, even after 10 hours of walking thru the concrete jungle of NYC and the subterranean caverns and tunnels underneath."
"These boots initially felt too big but with them laced up my foot was held very securely."
"I guess that's good, though, because with the lace material they've chosen, unless you double tie them, they quickly come untied."
"They are a well built hiker, I don't hike much anymore, but I am in construction and wear them daily in all sorts of bad weather, rock, crawlspace, etc."
"But a hassle to cinch up laces as eyelets stop too far down the shoe and laces easily become unhooked (with the upper hooking system) when attempting to put on the boot."
At Vasque, they are committed to making functional, innovative and aesthetic footwear that performs to the highest standards. GORE-TEX waterproof construction with Performance Comfort Technology. Vasque Exclusive Vibram Frontier rubber outsole.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If at all possible, any pair of boots bought online need to be tried on in advance unless you're super confident of the brand and the return policy is solid. These were my first pair of all leather boots because, living in a warmer environment, I'd always been a bit reluctant due to the lack of breathability. Given the soft leather the break in time was minimal (for me it was about 20 trail miles) and while the TPU shank gives super solid underfoot protection there's enough flexibility to provide for agility. I don't anticipate a problem with the Vibram sole breaking down (which delivers KILLER traction....particularly on granite) so I'm hopeful these will see a lot more miles to come. UPDATE: While the boots are holding tough the laces, which started showing wear around the metal eyelets very quickly, fell apart on a recent overnight. I'm not a kneejerk "bash China" guy because so much of the manufacturing has really evolved, but this is clearly a case of shoddy, overseas workmanship and a company that really doesn't want to address the issue."
"It is a wider boot and has a very blunt-shaped toe box, as opposed to the tapered toe box of this boot."
"Vasque St Elias GTX Hiking Boots for Men. I bought the St Elias GTX after using Vasque's Taku GTX for 5 years. I would have bought the Takus again but they were no longer available so I bought the St Elias, I didn't consider another brand since Vasque fit my feet well, kept them dry and the sole gave me confidence on the trail. But I am very disappointed with the St Elias, because I have done just two short hikes with them on to break them in and while lacing them up for my third trek, one of the right hand side lace lugs on the left boot just broke."
With the combination of Vibram soles, SympaTex liner, top-notch nubuck leather, nifty craftmanship, more than competitive price and rock solid amazon return policy, what is the reason of not giving it a shot? WATERPROOF BREATHABLE - German SympaTex Waterproof Breathable technology keeps your feet dry and allows sweat out, ensuring comfort on rainy, muddy trails or even in shallow streams. NUBUCK LEATHER - Nubuck leather uppers with padded nylon mesh collars offer durable and breathable comfort for your feet; 360 degree abrasion-resistant rubber rand reinforces toughness and protects your feet on the most rugged terrain.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Warmth the Keen will win this challenge having 200 grams of insulation vrs 0 on the competition all in all the Keen stands tall over hanagal nice try China but there's no comparison with these boots."
"These are actually more comfortable than my Merrells, which is impressive."
"I ordered the next size down as advised and found them an exceptional fit."
"Bought these for my son (17) who does a lot of hiking, camping, fishing & outdoor activities."
"They are a litter wider than most boots but that worked great for me because I normally have to buy a wide size and this boot did not have wide sizes available."
"Ordered wrong size at first, exchanged the the right size."
"I've had to ware a medical boot for the last 3 month and need something with a higher sole to match."
"I highly recommend these and the price was very good compared to other hiking boots."
Best Surf, Skate & Street Backpacking Boots
Functional and fashionable, the Sloan Hi WR will take you where you need to go. Features of this item include: Cushioned, Lace Up, Lug Sole, Memory Foam, Water Resistant.
Find Best Price at AmazonBest Men's Hiking & Trekking Shoes
Ideal for day hikes and weekend adventures, the Timberland Men's White Ledge Boots are constructed from full-grain waterproof leather and seam-sealed for complete protection from raindrops and water crossings. Waterproof full-grain leather upper for comfort Padded collar and tongue protects ankles Breathable EVA footbed offers comfort Multidirectional lugs provide traction Gusseted tongue relieves lace pressure. Waterproof Leather Keeps Feet Dry The Timberland White Ledge Boots feature a seam-sealed full-grain leather upper that keep your feet dry and protected while hiking in wet or muddy conditions. In 1973, Timberland introduced their first waterproof leather boot, setting new standards for craftsmanship, durability, and protection for the outdoors. Leather.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Well padded up top, and plenty of room at toes The sole tread pattern is very agressive, you could climb a mountain in these, but not good for cycling."
"I’ve had my last pair of White Ledge boots for going on 10 years now."
"A friends wife asked me where I got them because she wanted to get some for a Christmas present and he had said he liked my boots!"
"Proof is in their ability to stand up to my hiking regimen."
"I also worked around and lot of water and wet feet were an everyday thing."
"The fit was what I was worried about, other brands (Hi-Tec) a 13 is to small- these fit just right."
"My boyfriend uses these as his daily work boots and stands up nearly all day, sometimes for 12 hour shifts, and now will not wear any other shoe to work, because nothing else compares in comfort."
"I was looking for a hiking boot presentable enough to wear to work on casual Fridays, yet tough enough to hike a macadam path 2-3 miles at lunchtime (not challenging). On line,Timberland promotes its "Renewbuck Suede Leather" cleaner, along with a warning that it may discolor the upper."
Best Men's Mountaineering Boots
FEATURES of the La Sportiva Makalu Boot MtnFlex insole and full steel shank for automatic crampon compatibility Idro-Perwanger Leather upper is durable and extremely water repellent while still remaining breathable Rollerball hardware incorporates steel roller ball eyelets and locking D-rings for effortless and precise tensioning of boot laces. Leather.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I had to go a full size up 12 to 13 but they fit great and are great to climb in."
"already coming apart on sides."
"Bought boots for my son."
"I was due for a new pair of pole-climbing boots and struggled with purchasing "traditional" lineman's boots as Wesco and Whites frequently put my feet and legs to sleep during extended periods of work on a pole. Update: 5.21.2016. While I still love the performance of this boot for my intended purposes, I did encounter a failure with this boot, specifically the nylon lacing tab attached to the upper, that the laces go through to tighten the boots."
"Wear a size 42 euro sizing, not with the La Sportiva Makalu."
"Plenty warm in the winter and keeps the feet dry."
"Ordered my regular size and they fit great."
"I got 3 1/2 years wear out of my first pair."
Best Men's Hiking Shoes
We've carefully selected leather uppers designed to last. To treat day to day wear and tear, especially on lighter color leathers, we recommend using a leather cleaner and conditioner, found at most footwear dealers and/or shoe repair shops.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My Keen Targhee boots are a size 9D; I think I would have needed to order these shoes as a 9EE or 9.5D for them to have fit me properly."
"I will admit that I wear these 5 to 6 days a week for 10 to 12 hours a day waling maybe half of that time, plus being a big, athletic guy at 270 lbs is going to put any shoe through its paces."
"They gave me great traction on a very icy hill and kept my feet dry and warm for the few hours I was outside. I previously tried the Keen Utility Men's Detroit Low Steel Toe Shoe. While the shoe was nice and had good traction in the snow and was waterproof it felt too much like a boot."
"Fits perfectly, however I am just wearing light smart wool socks."
"BUYER BE ADVISED: at first I felt like the tongue was too loose, couldn't get tight enough - and if I did tie the shoes really, really tight it would feel "normal" but then my feet would get their circulation cut off."
"I wear a size 13 and they were literally about a half inch shorter and super narrow. This may also explain why on a previous order the shoe lace loop broke the fist time I put them on, at least those pair were the proper size, but that was over 2 years ago. The whole point of the wide toe is to give a comfy fit, but these are so narrow that I am not sure I want to chance keeping them and having them not stretch out. REI will tell you which shoes from Keen are still made in the USA and which are not, plus they have a one year return no questions asked policy."
"I've owned this pair for 3 months with every day usage and part of the treads are separating from the bottom of the shoe."