Boot for bad ankles

[The_Yetti]

I broke my tib and fib on both legs, left side compound, and smashed my left ankle between a guardrail and my motorcycle in an accident. After trying lots of different types, I went with the Zamberlan 980's. The tall stiff boot really helps give my ankle support.

 

[QuackAttack]

Personal view, after several bad ankle injuries-

Wear super flexible and soft shoes daily, when walking around town. You want all of the muscles and tendons getting used constantly. For foot health, you want those joints moving and staying limber. Don’t wear stiff hiking boots constantly. Do foot stretches and conditioning nightly. YouTube them. This helps minimise damage if you roll it in the future.

when in the woods, go to a supportive boot like many listed above.

pound of prevention via conditioning…

 

[NABG Hunter]

I'm currently wear a pair of Tibet LL and am searching for something with more ankle support as a replacement. I can roll my ankle with the Tibets. The upper ankle area is a bit soft, they're decent, but not as supportive as I'd like.

I recently tried the Hanwag Alaskans and they're much more supportive. The Tibet's and Alaskans are 9" boots. I've also tried Schnee Beartooths and Crispi Guides. The conclusion that I have come to is that height matters. I haven't put my foot in a 8" boot yet that has the support of a comparable 10" boot.

I‘ve worn a pair of Lowa Tibet GTX’s for years. I like them, but after I broke my tib/fib and dislocated my left ankle it was never been the same. Much weaker now, and very prone to rolling. I wore my Tibet’s on an Alaskan Sitka Blacktail deer hunt on Kodiak after my ankle injury. I rolled my ankle 3-4 times while coming down the mountain packing meet out. I realized then that I needed a taller boot. This past season I bought a pair of Schnee Granite II’s with 200 gr of insulation. They’re a very high quality well made boot, 10” tall, but the toe box is small for me, which I’ve never experienced before in a hunting boot. So much so that I really can’t wear two pairs of socks like I’ve done for decades in all of my other size 10 hunting boots. A little disappointed for a pair of boots with a $500 msrp. I’m considering the Crispi Guides now. Do you have any experience with them? If so, how do they fit? Good support?

 

[cgr1971]

I've tried on both the Beartooth and Guides. The Guides are roomier in the toe box, more like the Tibets. I found that I needed a wide in the Beartooth which fixed the toe box room issue. The Beartooth seems like a better made boot to me.

 

[NABG Hunter]

I've tried on both the Beartooth and Guides. The Guides are roomier in the toe box, more like the Tibets. I found that I needed a wide in the Beartooth which fixed the toe box room issue. The Beartooth seems like a better made boot to me.

Interesting. My only complaint about my Schnee Granite II’s is the toe box is unusually tight. Besides that they seem like a very well made boot. But if they don’t fit, then they don’t fit.

 

[cgr1971]

Did you try a wide? I don't wear a wide in any other boot, but in the Schnee's, I need a wide.

In the regulars, the toe box seems unusually tight to me also.

 

[NABG Hunter]

Did you try a wide? I don't wear a wide in any other boot, but in the Schnee's, I need a wide.

In the regulars, the toe box seems unusually tight to me also.

Hmmm...no, I did not. Never thought of it to be honest with you.

 

[Hoosier_Guy]

I just bought some Crispi Nevadas. Only worn around the house the last few days. Wondering the same thing some of you have mentioned, about the narrower vibram soles on the bottom. They feel higher and I can see it being more “ready to roll” once you take a bad step. The ABSS feels nice but not sure it is any help at preventing an ankle from rolling. I feel stable in the boots around the house, but curious how they’ll feel on the nasty trails when hiking. Can’t go find out without committing to keeping and losing the ability to return to Black Ovis. Anyone know if the Schnees Beartooth is going to feel the exact same way in terms of stability??