Hunting Boot PTSD

[OregonSteeler]

After having some very severe heel issues with my Zamberlan 700 GTXs, I've stopped trying to "fix" them by tightening laces, adding heel inserts, hoping the pain was a break in period, etc....

Now I find myself overanalyzing every boot I look at. Reading every review like I was going to find my ultimate boot in someone's comment.

Well, I finally tried on a pair of Crispi Altitudes and they seemed to fit well in the store. Took them out on some light hikes this weekend and wore them around our Memorial Day camp. No issues thus far but haven't really pushed the limits yet.

Now the true test comes. Planning on doing a pretty difficult uphill hike over the next week or so to see what issues I will have. I've lost confidence in all boots but hoping to be proven wrong.

Finding a boot that fits me was much more difficult than I had thought. For years I had old school Danners, but when they finally wore out, I've been on a quest to find their replacement. Not going back to Danners as I already tried that and the two pairs I bought leaked almost immediately. Bought Crispi Nevada's and they must've been too small even though I've always worn size 10. Did a 3 day hunt with a heavy pack out, they caused me to lose BOTH my big toenails. Went to the Zamberlan's I mentioned previously and now the Crispi Altitudes. Fingers crossed for these boots.

Buying new boots suck! And it's a killer on the wallet too!

 

[Bama67]

I feel you. I've tried better, more expensive boots and they kill me.
The only boots I have found that fit me well and I can go all day in with no discomfort is lighter weight Lowas.
I have some Zephyrs (two pairs now) and the Innox, and both were good to go for me right out of the box. I wear them all day everyday but can only get two years or so out of them, but since I'm usually able to find them for well under $200, it's worth it to me. And made in Europe, not Asian sweat shops.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I feel you. I've tried better, more expensive boots and they kill me.
The only boots I have found that fit me well and I can go all day in with no discomfort is lighter weight Lowas.
I have some Zephyrs (two pairs now) and the Innox, and both were good to go for me right out of the box. I wear them all day everyday but can only get two years or so out of them, but since I'm usually able to find them for well under $200, it's worth it to me. And made in Europe, not Asian sweat shops.

I tried Lowa's lightweight option, can't remember the name (renegades or something like that). They leaked after a couple hikes on the coast range here in Oregon.

That's another major issue that I need to take into consideration when selecting boots. I do a fair amount of hunting in the coastal jungle and it's wet for literally weeks at a time. Got to be a tried-and-true waterproof boot.

 

[RockAndSage]

I'm similarly hit or miss on boots, rarely finding anything amazing. Have become a huge fan of Salomon Quest 4s this last year. Wearing them daily, and was also recently out in a marshy environment working with my retriever, and had zero leaks in water/mud above my ankles for a couple of moments. Not a huge waterproof test, but super happy with them thus far, even after about 7 months of daily wear.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

I’m a kenetrek fan. I can pretty much run up the hills with them. They’re very stiff.

 

[BluMtn]

I wear Hanwags and have had very good luck with them. They have a #4 sole so they are stiff which I like for climbing steep and rocky areas. They have a narrow heel which helps lock your heel in place.

 

[Maverick1]

After having some very severe heel issues with my Zamberlan 700 GTXs, I've stopped trying to "fix" them by tightening laces, adding heel inserts, hoping the pain was a break in period, etc....

Now I find myself overanalyzing every boot I look at. Reading every review like I was going to find my ultimate boot in someone's comment.

Well, I finally tried on a pair of Crispi Altitudes and they seemed to fit well in the store. Took them out on some light hikes this weekend and wore them around our Memorial Day camp. No issues thus far but haven't really pushed the limits yet.

Now the true test comes. Planning on doing a pretty difficult uphill hike over the next week or so to see what issues I will have. I've lost confidence in all boots but hoping to be proven wrong.

Finding a boot that fits me was much more difficult than I had thought. For years I had old school Danners, but when they finally wore out, I've been on a quest to find their replacement. Not going back to Danners as I already tried that and the two pairs I bought leaked almost immediately. Bought Crispi Nevada's and they must've been too small even though I've always worn size 10. Did a 3 day hunt with a heavy pack out, they caused me to lose BOTH my big toenails. Went to the Zamberlan's I mentioned previously and now the Crispi Altitudes. Fingers crossed for these boots.

Buying new boots suck! And it's a killer on the wallet too!

Thanks for sharing your experience. And you are right, finding a great pair of boots can be tough. Once I found a pair of boots that my feet liked, I purchased ten pairs of them. (No joke!).

 

[OregonSteeler]

Thanks for sharing your experience. And you are right, finding a great pair of boots can be tough. Once I found a pair of boots that my feet liked, I purchased ten pairs of them. (No joke!).

10 pair may be a bit of overkill...LOL! But I do like the idea of having a couple back-ups/future boot purchases before they stop production or change.

 

[doc holiday13]

I know the feeling. I bought a pair of zamberlans in the last 6 months. they started off feeling good but then i was getting a little heal rubbing, changed how I laced them up and they felt a lot better. Did a short hike on monday and there was something about lacing up differently and maybe some break in that I came away from the hike pleasantly surprised. Best of luck

 

[CodeMonkey]

I'm an engineer by trade and tend to overanalyze everything, so I hear you. During my search it's not uncommon to have three dozen browser tabs open comparing different models and features. To date, I have spent more on boots/shoes/footwear than my wife.

My best advice is to order a bunch of models and try out / break in a few. It's an investment, but you'll finally find something your foot likes. Then hope the model that works doesn't go out of production.

Detailed approach:
1. Phase 0: Requirements. What am I going to use this boot for? This will immediately narrow a few things down.
2. Phase 1: Foot profile. How have other boots fit for you? This should help narrow down things if you have a certain brand/model that works or doesn't. It seems like every manufacturer has their own idea of what a "foot" is...
3. Phase 3: Order. I usually try to get 4-5 boots and sometimes multiple sizes. The most important thing for sizing is to be wary of the EUROPEAN size. Different manufactures convert to US sizing differently.
4. Down selection / At home fit check. Try on the boots in your house with the tags still on them so you can return ones that don't work. Walk up and down stairs. I look for heel slip (minor is OK, alot is not) and fit with the factory insoles. Generally you can fix a few minor fit issues with better insoles (I have custom orthotics). Based on these initial tests, I can usually return a bunch of boots due to various fitment issues. I am on a first name basis with the people that work at the UPS store as a result.
5. Break in and testing. I do about 10-12 miles with no pack weight (walking the dog) and then go to a heavy pack and inclines/declines. You'll know very quickly if you have the right pair because you'll stop thinking about them.

I'm not going to recommend a particular model because it's all subjective. Good luck with your search. Take a deep breath, and realize that it is a process (an expensive one!).

 

[rm06]

I've spent a small fortune over the past couple decades on boots and boot accessories in my quest for something that would function for my backcountry needs without leaving me with debilitating blisters and / or foot pain. I've been cautiously optimistic about the same pair, I used the Altitudes on a couple of medium intensity hunts last year with success and no pain.

Finding the goldilocks pair is a bit of a state of disbelief, I will be acquiring another pair - not sure 10 more is the answer but whatever works

 

[OregonSteeler]

I'm an engineer by trade and tend to overanalyze everything, so I hear you. During my search it's not uncommon to have three dozen browser tabs open comparing different models and features. To date, I have spent more on boots/shoes/footwear than my wife.

My best advice is to order a bunch of models and try out / break in a few. It's an investment, but you'll finally find something your foot likes. Then hope the model that works doesn't go out of production.

Detailed approach:
1. Phase 0: Requirements. What am I going to use this boot for? This will immediately narrow a few things down.
2. Phase 1: Foot profile. How have other boots fit for you? This should help narrow down things if you have a certain brand/model that works or doesn't. It seems like every manufacturer has their own idea of what a "foot" is...
3. Phase 3: Order. I usually try to get 4-5 boots and sometimes multiple sizes. The most important thing for sizing is to be wary of the EUROPEAN size. Different manufactures convert to US sizing differently.
4. Down selection / At home fit check. Try on the boots in your house with the tags still on them so you can return ones that don't work. Walk up and down stairs. I look for heel slip (minor is OK, alot is not) and fit with the factory insoles. Generally you can fix a few minor fit issues with better insoles (I have custom orthotics). Based on these initial tests, I can usually return a bunch of boots due to various fitment issues. I am on a first name basis with the people that work at the UPS store as a result.
5. Break in and testing. I do about 10-12 miles with no pack weight (walking the dog) and then go to a heavy pack and inclines/declines. You'll know very quickly if you have the right pair because you'll stop thinking about them.

I'm not going to recommend a particular model because it's all subjective. Good luck with your search. Take a deep breath, and realize that it is a process (an expensive one!).

I like the analytical approach! Especially #3. Never realized EUR may be converted differently to US.

 

[fngTony]

I like the analytical approach! Especially #3. Never realized EUR may be converted differently to US.

I don’t think the euro sizing increases in width and length at the same ratio as the US sizing does.

 

[CodeMonkey]

To illustrate my point on European sizes, I wear both a 45 Euro in Zamberlan and Hanwag.

For Zamberlan, this is a US 10.5: https://www.zamberlanusa.com/page/size-charts

For Hanwag, this is a US 11.5: https://www.hanwag.com/us/en-us/customer-service/size-chart

 

[UTJL]

You could try giving GOHUNT a call. Get your foot measured first, so you know you’re exact size. They do a great job of taking your requirements and foot type to give you a few options. They’ll also let you return boots as long as you don’t wear them outdoors.

Ive caller them a couple times and wound up with great boots that fit perfectly. That said YMMV

 

[Marbles]

Gortex/waterproof in boots is worthless. It will leak, or water will wick up your pants and down your socks, and then your feet will be wet and the boots will not dry out.

It works ok in places with puddles that are not hot enough for sweating feet to be much of an issue. However, after living and hunting in Ketchikan (140-160 inches of rain per year) taught me to despise all waterproof boots. The hard thing, is finding a good boot now adays without a membrane.