Well since it took a while to get all three pairs in because one pair was shipped separately, I did not make my final decision until last week. I ultimately decided on keeping the Tatra Top gtx boots and sending the others back, but I gotta say I was torn and almost went with the ancash. Next time I'm looking for boots those will definitely be on the list, especially if I can find them at that price again. Below are some notes about the fit for each one. For reference my feet are a bit over 30.5 cm long and 12-12.5 cm wide. All the boots were purchased in size 14 wide if possible. I didn't get to take these on any real walks because I wanted to send some back, so these are mostly my impressions on based on initial fit, walking around the house, and doing box step ups inside.
Brenner Pro GTX wide : When I initially put these on, they felt really comfortable and I liked the height and lace set up. This was definitely the most flexible out of the three boots, which could be good. However I think it was partially contributed to the severe heel slipping that I got when walking around in these. The lacing system felt nice, but in practice I could not do anything to lock in my heel even when going uncomfortably tight. This happened whether I walked normally, high stepped it a bit more, and when doing step ups. It felt like I had an inch or two of space beneath my heel with each step. It was almost like the wide version went way too through the heel. Ultimately had to immediately eliminate these because of that slip and was worried it would be the same for the other wide boots I ordered.
Ancash ii GTX: I almost kept these! Similar to Solomon boots I'm used to, these felt out of the box comfortable, and the straightfit extra last they use for this model felt tailor made for my feet. There was only one spot on the right foot that felt a bit snug, but the width was nice and they captured my heel really well. This pair is just a tad shorter than the other two and the upper part of the boot is shaped more like a mid-height hiker. Aside from the fit, the best part about these is that they felt really light for how stiff they are. I did not weigh them, but according to the specs I found online they are just under 4 lbs per pair, but in size 14 they are like right at that 4 lb mark. The fit + weight of these are really made me consider keeping two pairs and I don't think I could've went wrong between these and the Tatra tops.
Tatra Top GTX wide: Although these were also widea, these did not feel as roomy as the Brenner's or even the Ancash's. I had room in the toe box but these also had a good level of snugness around the outside edges of my feet, but nothing that felt like it would require tremendous break in it cause rubbing. It just feels secure. The heel cup on these was perfect and the way the laces are laid out was much more conducive to locking the heel in. These were a full size 10 inch boot which I have not used outside of a heavy boot for tree stand sitting, and I liked the feeling of ankle security even if it doesn't functionally protect the ankles more than the ancash. I'd say these are also slightly stiffer than the ancash, but neither are overly stiff. I picked the Tatras in the end because despite being slightly heavier (about 7 oz per pair) I really liked the full sized upper. Plus they still felt really light for how stiff and durable they seem.
All in all, I'm excited to test these in the field on some training rucks this summer and hunts later this year.
