Boot Comparison Spreadsheet: Thoughts?

[Jaden Bales]

After being a fly on the wall for a ton of conversations about gear, I been comparing some different stuff just with data to help filter through brand opinions. I've had my hands on most of these and feet in 2 of them and am kinda just able to put together specs from their website. Clearly missing important info like the warranty and fit on purpose. I want a boot who's warranty I won't use and I won't wear any boot that doesn't fit my specific foot well.

1. Any you folks think this is helpful at all for folks looking to get into a good pair of boots?

2. Are any of my specs off?

 

[WannabeHunter]

As someone who literally just finished an exhausting boot search that took 4 months, YES this would be helpful to narrow down what I'm looking for. Tough part would be how subjective most of the important categories seem to be. I'll be watching.....

One thought is to see if rokslide admins or contributors want to put together a true ranking/testing system.

 

[young7.3]

I've worn both the lowa Tibet and Solomon quest 4d, and they don't have the same flex. If 1 is no flex and 5 means a lot, then the quest have to be either a 3 or 4.

To answer op question, yes it would be helpful.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jaden Bales]

Nice! Good replies fellas. I think that would be awesome if there was a systematized comparison deal on a website like this. The flex is such a prime example of that subjective but important category. I was a boot fitter in a ski shop in college and they have the same issue. No standard but some ratings to provide guidance.

Good to know about the Tibets! I am running the Quests right now and agree they're not very stiff. I built this loosely based on Crispi and Schnee's flex rating. I was thinking 1 was most flexible like a trail shoe and 5 would be like a solid shanked mountaineering-type boot with no flex.

 

[Trial153]

Are flex ratings standardized from brand to brand?

 

[Jaden Bales]

I tried to standardize them from reviews, my personal experience with them, and whatever the company said if they said anything about the flex.

I was a ski boot fitter throughout college and that industry has the same issue. The ratings companies put on their boots are a helpful guide but in no way are they standardized from brand to brand.

 

[PathFinder]

I'd change some of the stiffness ratings. La Sportiva Trango Cubes are closer to the L&S Mountain Hunter. The uppers are light but the sole is very rigid. Definitely a 3 and probably a 4.
I'd categorize them into hiking/hunting boots and mountaineering boots (mountaineering boots are crampon compatible and have a shank, hunters/hikers aren't/dont). Maybe add a general fit category too. For example, La Sportiva tends to be narrow, Crispi tends to be wider.

 

[bojangles808]

i think if you would add in a column with toebox width that would be super helpful (wide, narrow, average). probably the most important thing for me in a boot. i also agree the quests are pretty flexible once broken in. if 1 is stiff and 5 is flexible than for me theyd be a 4

 

[prm]

Whether it’s waterproof, and the degree to which a boot moves moisture is important to me. My feet tend to sweat, so a light boot that moves moisture keeping my feet relatively dry can actually be warmer than a leather insulated boot where my feet stay damp.

 

[Jaden Bales]

All good feedback guys! Really appreciate you fellas taking the time.

I probably should of mentioned my main goal with this comparison. I am hoping to use this to parse out one fairly stiff shanked waterproof boot that's a workhorse for everything from drift busting snow on Spring bear hunts to packing out elk meat in October. I switch to a trail runner for August/early September hunts. Turns out these conversations helped me actually get rid of categories once I found the boot from each company that fit the mold I was looking for. Now it's just time for me to try 'em all on and see what fits my foot the best.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I think of something like flex and stiffness separately.

flex: the ability of the shoe to not dig into my shins and calves as I walk, not dig into my side feet and allow some flexibility as I walk. There are boots that have great flexibility and boots that feel like I am walking in a concrete cinder block.

Stiffness: the amount the foot of the boot angles when walking. A high stiffness would be like walking with a solid bar along the bottom of the foot, when the ankle lifts off the ground there is midfoot and toe departure as well. A low stiffness would be the exact opposite, more like a tennis shoe fit where the ankle leaves ground followed by the midfoot and then the toes leave last.

That is totally my definition and I may be way off as I don't know "boot words", but something to that effect. Maybe I am describing fit and flex?? I don't know.

What I do know is having a single "flex" category is useless to me unless defined

 

[Jreinan01]

The Lathrop price is wayyyyy off. Yes they are advertised at $454, but they cost $1000-1100 all in when you include fitting and the kit.

 

[Jaden Bales]

The Lathrop price is wayyyyy off. Yes they are advertised at $454, but they cost $1000-1100 all in when you include fitting and the kit.

Man, that's great to know. Had no idea.

 

[Jaden Bales]

I think of something like flex and stiffness separately.

flex: the ability of the shoe to not dig into my shins and calves as I walk, not dig into my side feet and allow some flexibility as I walk. There are boots that have great flexibility and boots that feel like I am walking in a concrete cinder block.

Stiffness: the amount the foot of the boot angles when walking. A high stiffness would be like walking with a solid bar along the bottom of the foot, when the ankle lifts off the ground there is midfoot and toe departure as well. A low stiffness would be the exact opposite, more like a tennis shoe fit where the ankle leaves ground followed by the midfoot and then the toes leave last.

That is totally my definition and I may be way off as I don't know "boot words", but something to that effect. Maybe I am describing fit and flex?? I don't know.

What I do know is having a single "flex" category is useless to me unless defined

I see what you're talkin' about here. Like a tall Beartooth boot from Schnees may not be flexible because it's such a high leather upper, but the sole wouldn't be as stiff because of a thinner shank. Good point.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

The price of the L&S boots including the custom fit is high but you can buy the boots without the custom fit for the price listed. As far as I know they do not require custom fitting, it is only an option.

 

[Wisco_LOT]

I went thru a fairly extensive search myself for new boots for the 2019 season. Last year I ran a budget pair of Irish Setters and although they worked fine, I realized I would prefer a stiffer boot, especially if I were to haul out a pack loaded with meat. I ended up ordering a wide range of boots and settled on the fit of Salewa boots as my favorite. After that, I went on Amazon and ordered (with free returns) different models ranging from Mountain Trainer Mid, Rapace, Crow, and Raven 3...I ended up keeping the Raven 3, and am very happy with them.

Might be something for you to consider...ordering some of these options from Amazon to get a quick review and be able to ship them back for free if they don't fit your needs, and your feet. Whether you try out the Salewa's or not! (But I'm thinking you might like the Rapace from some of your comments)

 

[Jaden Bales]

I went thru a fairly extensive search myself for new boots for the 2019 season. Last year I ran a budget pair of Irish Setters and although they worked fine, I realized I would prefer a stiffer boot, especially if I were to haul out a pack loaded with meat. I ended up ordering a wide range of boots and settled on the fit of Salewa boots as my favorite. After that, I went on Amazon and ordered (with free returns) different models ranging from Mountain Trainer Mid, Rapace, Crow, and Raven 3...I ended up keeping the Raven 3, and am very happy with them.

Might be something for you to consider...ordering some of these options from Amazon to get a quick review and be able to ship them back for free if they don't fit your needs, and your feet. Whether you try out the Salewa's or not! (But I'm thinking you might like the Rapace from some of your comments)

Nice! I didn't even think about how Amazon has such good shipping and you won't have to pay to send 'em back. Definitely gonna have to try that and with those Rapace's, as well! Thanks man.

 

[Wisco_LOT]

Nice! I didn't even think about how Amazon has such good shipping and you won't have to pay to send 'em back. Definitely gonna have to try that and with those Rapace's, as well! Thanks man.

Sure thing! Sometimes the free returns on Amazon are based on certain sizes only, so a person has to watch decently close...but it's worth it to try different styles/sizes if the boots aren't readily accessible/available close by.