Help me finally pick a boot

[Hoofing It]

I've been looking at boots for a long time and could use some help finally making a decision.

I normally wear zero-drop shoes. I'm not all-in on minimalism, I do think letting the foot move naturally is good when you're on a natural surface. But even gravel and densely packed dirt trails aren't natural, and concrete and asphalt definitely aren't, so I tend to wear Lone Peaks most of the time and even more cushioned shoes for running. Still I have pretty good ankle strength and mobility.

I move my ankle a lot when taking a step. Most boots that are even a little stiff rub and cause pain pretty fast so I usually just avoid them if I'm going long distances. But I think I need them because going through rougher terrain is hell in low shoes, especially if water is involved and I don't want to deal with that anymore.

I've tried pretty much every brand available in stores and only found one I'm considering. The Lowa Renegades. They're pretty flexible, have more support than my ankles really need, and I heard the waterproofing and durability is good.

The other I'm thinking about is the Vivobarefoot Tracker ESCs, after seeing a lot of positive comments about them on this forum. I thought why not take advantage of the ankle strength I've built up? The biggest worry I have is that I can't try them, and some people suggest one of the lace loops can dig into the ankle bone, which would make the rubbing issue really bad. Also, I've had really bad experiences with tread on minimalist shoes. Either it doesn't have the traction to start with or it breaks down and loses it really fast.

I'm sure a lot of people are in a similar boat as I am, that cross-train in different shoes but aren't sold on one style. Did you end up with boots that are somewhat rigid, or go for something minimalist?

(Should note that I welcome specific model reccs, but for one reason or another I've dismissed boots from brands I've already owned or tried, like Lems, Altra, Topo, Xero, and pretty much any shoe from a boot company that's sold in chain stores.)

 

[sargent]

I wear Lone Peaks a lot. On hikes where water is an issue, I really like Crispi Lapponias. They are not zero drop, but they are lightweight and waterproof. The toe box is wide and they are very comfortable for me. Keep in mind that, unlike your Lone Peaks, Lapponias and other leather boots might require a break-in period before they achieve maximum comfort levels. Good luck with your search.

 

[logan123]

The boot stiffness needed would depend on the expected load. Renegades are fine for my wife, but my weight and pack weight leave me wanting a stiffer boot. I refer to midsole stiffness.

I don’t know the other brand you’re looking at, but Renegades are reasonable. I had 2 pair that I wound up giving to my dad and brother. One is 5-6 years old. Still waterproof. I do think they’re a bit expensive at list price for what they are, but it’s usually no problem to get them on sale. Moosejaw almost always has a 20% off deal going.

I wear Lone Peaks a lot. On hikes where water is an issue, I really like Crispi Lapponias. They are not zero drop, but they are lightweight and waterproof. The toe box is wide and they are very comfortable for me. Keep in mind that, unlike your Lone Peaks, Lapponias and other leather boots might require a break-in period before they achieve maximum comfort levels. Good luck with your search.

I looked those up, they appear to be discontinued. That’s disappointing given that it looks like you get a hell of a lot of boot for the money with those Crispis.

 

[sargent]

I looked those up, they appear to be discontinued.

I have the originals, but there is a Gen 2 version available that looks very similar other than the color and the laces run a little further towards the toe.

 

[Hoofing It]

I wear Lone Peaks a lot. On hikes where water is an issue, I really like Crispi Lapponias. They are not zero drop, but they are lightweight and waterproof. The toe box is wide and they are very comfortable for me. Keep in mind that, unlike your Lone Peaks, Lapponias and other leather boots might require a break-in period before they achieve maximum comfort levels. Good luck with your search.

Crispi is a brand I've been wanting to try, but there are no retailers near me. Well, depends on near. Closest is 80 miles away, 40 of which is city freeways. Are they stiff around the ankle and accommodate low arches? I might be able to order one from a place that has free try-on returns.

I fully expect a break-in, but if shoes are painful or straight uncomfortable initially then I've never had them break-in to comfortable.

The boot stiffness needed would depend on the expected load. Renegades are fine for my wife, but my weight and pack weight leave me wanting a stiffer boot. I refer to midsole stiffness.

I don’t know the other brand you’re looking at, but Renegades are reasonable. I had 2 pair that I wound up giving to my dad and brother. One is 5-6 years old. Still waterproof. I do think they’re a bit expensive at list price for what they are, but it’s usually no problem to get them on sale. Moosejaw almost always has a 20% off deal going.

I'm pretty light, and I can twist my foot completely and stand on that one foot, so my own weight isn't an issue. I do backpack a bit but haven't done a backpack hunt yet, so I've yet to try 80+ lb loads, but with 30 lb backpacks I've been okay in unsupported trail runners as long as there's not a ton of sidehilling involved.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[Hoofing It]

Welp to complicate things more I tried the Lowa Caminos and like those a lot too. Maybe more than the Renegades, since on a serious sidehill test on the REI rock tester the Renegades flexed enough to put some rivets directly against my foot. But walking around casually the Renegades were the winner. I guess Lowa accommodate my ankles well in general.

Weirdly the size 10's were more comfortable for me. I'm almost always a 9 or 9.5 so it's strange for that to be the case.

 

[croben]

What kind of hunting are you doing? That would help determine a little more what kind of boot you want/need.

Similar to you, I lean more towards zero drop shoes/boots for the majority of the year. I run in Lone Peaks and Topos. When it comes to the mountains, I need more ankle support and a stiffer sole for heavy loads. I can’t imagine wearing a zero drop shoe/boot while packing an elk out in steep country. I spend the majority of my time in Crispi Colorados and absolutely love how they fit my feet, especially with a pack on.

I’ve heard great things about the Cripsi Lapponias. They’re a lighter boot with less ankle support and less stiffness in the sole compared to others.

 

[sargent]

Are they stiff around the ankle and accommodate low arches?

Mine are not stiff at the ankles. I'm not sure about accommodating low arches.

 

[Titan_Bow]

I’m a minimalist shoe guy, so my experience is probably not the norm. But if you are already acclimated to that style of footwear, I’d suggest the Vivo Trackers. I’ve not had any issues with the eyelets digging in. That could be caused by cinching the laces down real tight, but in my opinion, this type of footwear is not meant to be worn like that. The soles on the new tracker ESC’s have good grip, and I like that they’ve stitched it in now compared to their old ones.



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[Hoofing It]

What kind of hunting are you doing? That would help determine a little more what kind of boot you want/need.

Similar to you, I lean more towards zero drop shoes/boots for the majority of the year. I run in Lone Peaks and Topos. When it comes to the mountains, I need more ankle support and a stiffer sole for heavy loads. I can’t imagine wearing a zero drop shoe/boot while packing an elk out in steep country. I spend the majority of my time in Crispi Colorados and absolutely love how they fit my feet, especially with a pack on.

I’ve heard great things about the Cripsi Lapponias. They’re a lighter boot with less ankle support and less stiffness in the sole compared to others.

I don't really backpack hunt yet, but I will put 10+ mile single days regularly, slightly less if there's a lot of elevation gain. Can go up to 25 lb loads including gun. Biggest issues so far has been sidehilling in low shoes (even if I put weight on the sides of my foot the shoe wants to roll over without being held on at the ankles) and waterproofing and briarproofing. Also I do some backpacking on trails so this would serve double duty for that.

That's another time the Lapponias have been brought up. Super curious about them, but they seem to be low in stock at Crispi USA so I'd have to find a way to get them to try with free returns in case they don't work out.

I’m a minimalist shoe guy, so my experience is probably not the norm. But if you are already acclimated to that style of footwear, I’d suggest the Vivo Trackers. I’ve not had any issues with the eyelets digging in. That could be caused by cinching the laces down real tight, but in my opinion, this type of footwear is not meant to be worn like that. The soles on the new tracker ESC’s have good grip, and I like that they’ve stitched it in now compared to their old ones.

Agreed with the cinching down part. I'm surprised how loose I can wear my Altras or anything more minimalist without my toes touching the end, while I'm having to cinch down other shoes a lot to make sure the toes don't slide all the way forward.

This is another one I want to try. Not sure if I can get them and return them in 100 days if I have an issue though, since shipping seems to take so long. I usually cross-train picking shoes based on the intensity and surface. The soft surfaces I typically hunt on would be fine for minimally cushioned shoes. But the intensity might be a bit high.

 

[Hoofing It]

Sorry to bump my own thread. Right now I'm leaning towards the Lowa Caminos, they have just about the right amount of ankle flex and padding on the upper to not hurt my ankle bone like most boots do while still providing enough support for someone with decent ankle strength. My low instep doesn't lock in super well but I'm guessing I'll be able to lace them tighter after the shoe breaks in. The Renegades would be a fine general hiker but I'm happy with trail runners for most things.

I still really want to try the Crispis. I'm not sure where the Caminos land in terms of stiffness and support vs the Crispi lineup but I want to try the rough equivalent of them. Mainly because according to what I've heard the Lowas aren't very waterproof and the Crispis are. The way the Lapponia is advertised makes me think they're more like the Renegades, so would the Valdres or the Nevada non-insulated be more like the Camino in terms of stiffness?

 

[TradArcher]

I own crispis and have owned lowas...lowas are built way better but they don't fit my foot. They stayed waterproof and provided great support sidehilling, had traction on wet rocks but did not fit my feet so I eventually sold them. I think they run narrow in the forefoot but that might just be my feet.

I own Valdres and its a phenominal bird boot for me or a great hike the dog around boot. I would not use it for sidehilling with the lack of ankle support for me but I love the boot's fit enough I bought a backup pair. Valdres leather shrinks at least 1/2 size and it is a glove fit so try them on inside on carpet with your hunting socks to see if you need return them.

I recently also got the new version of the Lapponias and love that fit - I actually purchased the wide where in Crispi I usually don't have to and its like those were also made for my feet. I think out of Lapponias and Valdres you only need one pair with the Valdres being a touch stiffer. I would think the Valdres would last longer than the Lapponia and only plan to use the Lapponia for stalking hunts, still hunting...probably nnot in too crazy terrain (sidehill stuff - around my house when its steep it gets stupid and really rocky steep for context).

 

[Nick992]

I'm in a similar boat, started wearing minimalist and am weighing the options for an upcoming western hunt.
I just bought a used pair of tracker 2.0 (since the esc is impossible to find for cheap) to see if I like them. If yes, I'm planning on using the revivo site to get the tracker esc refurbished for $170. I'm also looking at thermal insoles in addition to heavy weight wool socks. I've been training with heavy rucks on hills with just socks, so my main concern is cold.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Paladin]

I have several different pair of the Crispi's. Each model has their own characteristics but, like others have said above, the Lapponia II is probably the most flexible and for me super comfortable straight out of the box. Even with my high instep and wide foot they have enough room.
I've tried the Camino's and although they didn't fit my foot so well they are super boots. They will be a bit stiffer than the Lapponia but may be perfect for you. The Renegades were a bit too flexible for me but I think I've always suffered from weak(er) ankles.
Just FYI, for the Crispi's, it sounds like the price goes up tomorrow, on Black Ovis at least.

 

[Hoofing It]

I own crispis and have owned lowas...lowas are built way better but they don't fit my foot. They stayed waterproof and provided great support sidehilling, had traction on wet rocks but did not fit my feet so I eventually sold them. I think they run narrow in the forefoot but that might just be my feet.

I own Valdres and its a phenominal bird boot for me or a great hike the dog around boot. I would not use it for sidehilling with the lack of ankle support for me but I love the boot's fit enough I bought a backup pair. Valdres leather shrinks at least 1/2 size and it is a glove fit so try them on inside on carpet with your hunting socks to see if you need return them.

I recently also got the new version of the Lapponias and love that fit - I actually purchased the wide where in Crispi I usually don't have to and its like those were also made for my feet. I think out of Lapponias and Valdres you only need one pair with the Valdres being a touch stiffer. I would think the Valdres would last longer than the Lapponia and only plan to use the Lapponia for stalking hunts, still hunting...probably nnot in too crazy terrain (sidehill stuff - around my house when its steep it gets stupid and really rocky steep for context).

Which Lowas did you have? That's a pretty good endorsement of them, and my feet are narrow up front (a bit wide in the back) so they might just be the ticket for me. I was planning on getting the Camino leather lined and treating it consistently with Obenauf (hopefully that'll get me through quick stream crossings), and wearing good Goretex gaiters in bad weather.

Sounds like the Valdres might be worth trying but at this point it seems like it's a wash. The lacing system seems to be a bit lacking.

 

[GotDraw?]

I have large, wide-ish, low volume feet- I like the following boots, but don't believe they are limited to my use-case.

Ask yourself: how much trail vs steep ascending/descending? How steep is your sidehilling? There is a huge difference between wanting a boot for steep trails vs steep/completely off trail.

I have owned/used Lowa Camino, Lowa Tibet, Crispi Colorado, Asolo Fugitive GTX. Boot attributes to consider:

• FOR STEEP TERRAIN OFF-TRAIL:
• Square edges on the sole at toe, sides of foot and heel are critical IF you are in extremely steep terrain and off trail. Square toes allow you to kick in and ascend, round toes will prevent you from doing this. Square heel back edges allow you to kick your heel in while descending, round back heel edges can slip. Square sole edges on the sides of the heel and front foot allow you to "edge"-in and kick in while side hilling.
• Stiff boot soles and boots that become a structural "monocoque" when laced keep the sidehilling torque from twisting the sole or the entire boot, If your boot twists this will fatique your feet. More importantly if your boot maintains its structure it will keep your boot from twisting out of the edging position, which would cause your foot to slip out of sidehilling/edging position and fall.
• Pronounced heel lip/transition to the fore foot. A "blocky" heel lip on the front of the heel is your "brake" when walking strait down hill, you want a sharp edge there to help keep you from slipping.

I have used Lowa Camino, Lowa Tibet, Crispi Colorado, Asolo Fugitive GTX in the most challenging/dangerous sidehilling conditions where every step needs to be kicked-in. They are all great boots, but there are distinct advantages, disadvantages to each, I'll try to summarize:

• Tibet- fantastic boot for steep terrain off trail/heaviest loads. Phenomenal sidehilling boot:
  • Pluses: LARGE toe box, amazing lacing system, best I've ever used. Distinct ability to completely dial in and differentiate lacing pressure between lower boot/foot and ankle/higher. Stiff upper, extremely solid when sidehilling, kicking-in, steep ascending, steep descents. Excelling support under heavy pack-load.
  • Minuses- HEAVY boot, v stiff sole. That stiff sole and the weight that it takes to build a stiff upper give you great confidence in dangerous, steep terrain are a liability and fatiguing on long trails in flat, safe ground. Too much boot if your pack is light and you're on flat ground/trail a lot. If you've got a heavy backpack, then sole/boot still has benefit with regard to support.
  • The square front toe edge is not as comfortable on hard packed, flat trails because it does not create an easy "roll" transition to your gait.
  • There are very few eyelets over top of the foot and they do not extend far toward the toe. I found this made it difficult to perfectly adjust the laces over front of the boot, but once close, the eyelets were fabulous at locking the laces in place.
  • These boots absolutely need a break-in period of perhaps 20 miles. Until they are broken in you will not be able to get the laces close to correct. I soaked the outside of my boots with water, then started hiking while the leather was more pliable. This helped speed the break-in period a lot.
• Camino- half notch below Tibet for steepest terrain, a great boot for pretty heavy loads, perhaps 60 lbs for all day, heavier loads for shorter. Boot is lighter, less tiring on long hikes, but still plenty supportive. Was my go-to boot for years
  • Pluses- Excellent lacing system, almost as good as Tibet's. All edges of the sole are square, which gives great ability to edge-in. Toe edge is a bit rounded, which makes trail walking easier but still stiff enough to kick-in. Great, blocky heel for braking/descending.
• Crispi Colorado- GREAT boot for steep backcountry off trail, long loads at 30-60lbs, heavy loads for shorter. My go-to boot for past 2 yrs and next yr.
  • Pluses- Amazing sole w/square edges all around. Lighter than Tibets and feel lighter than Camino, but I've never weighed them. Very comfortable. Squared toe sole edge is not optimal for long, flat walks but awesome for steep off-trail ascents and kicking-in. Lacing system not as good as Tibet or Camino, but stays snug enough w/heel hooks ok.
  • Waterproofing has lasted well so far for 2 yrs.
  • Minuses- I cannot get the upper to provide quite as much support as the Camino or Tibet, it's a little less, but the lowers and sole are so awesome that it is now my go-to boot.
• Asolo GTX- just a fantastic all-around boot. I wore mine until the sole was worn out.
  • Pluses- Good price point. Super comfortable, pretty light, gore-tex never failed in 5 yrs hard use. Square boot edges except for the front of the toe so boot was great at ascending, descending, sidehilling. Upper is cut a little lower, so sidehilling ankle support is much less than Tibet and less than Camino. Little less than Colorado.
  • Minuses- sole is less aggressive than the others, but still great. A little light for super heavy backpack loads, but capable.

I am really happy with Cripi boots. hope this helps

 

[zpearo]

I've had good luck with Lowa boots before (the Camino fits me very well) and just got a pair of the Tibet Hi, but am still breaking those in so don't have a good review yet. Super sturdy and love the lacing system on them.

Also snagged a pair of Zamberlan 1111 CRESTA GTX boots for super cheap recently and found that those fit my feet very well. It was my first experience with Zamberlans, but you might consider trying them too

 

[TradArcher]

Which Lowas did you have? That's a pretty good endorsement of them, and my feet are narrow up front (a bit wide in the back) so they might just be the ticket for me. I was planning on getting the Camino leather lined and treating it consistently with Obenauf (hopefully that'll get me through quick stream crossings), and wearing good Goretex gaiters in bad weather.

Sounds like the Valdres might be worth trying but at this point it seems like it's a wash. The lacing system seems to be a bit lacking.

TiCams, really wish they would have fit my foot shape. Traded them on here for a pair of high end pac boots.