Looking for a softer boot

amassi

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May 26, 2018
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Been wearing kenetrek mountain extremes and guides for years. Find I dont need that much support most of the time and would like to move to a softer soled boot. Thinking meindle usa vakkuum hunters. If not the vakuum hunters any recommendations? Non insulated

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Mosby

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Jan 1, 2015
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I like Lowa Tibet's(2 pair) but I can't say how they compare to the Kennetrek or the Meindl's. I would probably look at Hanwag or Crispi for a comparable hunting boot to the Meindl's.
 

Randle

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Nope
I went thru this a few years , I would be careful and try them before you trust them. I went that route on a short hunt to try it and found I felt every todk and stick I stepped on , my feet were sore after a few miles .
 
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amassi

amassi

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I went thru this a few years , I would be careful and try them before you trust them. I went that route on a short hunt to try it and found I felt every todk and stick I stepped on , my feet were sore after a few miles .
Will do, fortunately my wife and daughter love to hike so I get a chance to get some good weighted hikes in over the summer

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ttucci16

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The Meindl Vakuum Hunters are in the exact same league as the Mountain Extremes as far as stiffness and sole goes. I swap between Lowa Tibets and Vakuum Hunters all the time depending on what I feel like lugging around. If you're wanting a "soft" soled boot i would look elsewhere. I always said that if i wanted a softer soled boot i would get the Lowa caminos. It also depends on what kind of terrain you're going to be in. Are you sidehilling on scree fields? or stalking deer in rolling sage brush? carrying a lot of weight?
 
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amassi

amassi

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The Meindl Vakuum Hunters are in the exact same league as the Mountain Extremes as far as stiffness and sole goes. I swap between Lowa Tibets and Vakuum Hunters all the time depending on what I feel like lugging around. If you're wanting a "soft" soled boot i would look elsewhere. I always said that if i wanted a softer soled boot i would get the Lowa caminos. It also depends on what kind of terrain you're going to be in. Are you sidehilling on scree fields? or stalking deer in rolling sage brush? carrying a lot of weight?

This is exactly what I was looking for thanks.
Not much scrre fields but heavy weights, some of the terrain I hunt in northern ca can get quite steep and rocky but not enough to make a soft boot miserable. I found the kennetreks down right treacherous on granite, looks like most of the lighter boots have a sticky vibram lug.

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I can speak to the lug/sole of the new Meindl hunting series. They are pretty good on wet granite (Colorado), grass, pine duff, and snow. I switched to the Meindl from Lowa and have been impressed. I have the Solomons but don't like them for packing. They suck for me on downhills and side hills. I get a lot of sheer on my foot wearing them.
 
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amassi

amassi

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I can speak to the lug/sole of the new Meindl hunting series. They are pretty good on wet granite (Colorado), grass, pine duff, and snow. I switched to the Meindl from Lowa and have been impressed. I have the Solomons but don't like them for packing. They suck for me on downhills and side hills. I get a lot of sheer on my foot wearing them.
Which meindl?

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Tauntohawk

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This is exactly what I was looking for thanks.
Not much scrre fields but heavy weights, some of the terrain I hunt in northern ca can get quite steep and rocky but not enough to make a soft boot miserable. I found the kennetreks down right treacherous on granite, looks like most of the lighter boots have a sticky vibram lug.

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I would think your descriptions might fall in line with some of la sportiva approach boots. Flexible with a sticky vibram mega grip

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Parker, Colorado
The comfort fits look to have a sole that would flex, is that the case?

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They are pretty good for midsole flex. I'd call them a medium stiffness. They are softer than the Lowa Ticam and Tibet. They have a wider toe box and they flex better at the metatarsal than other full nubuck boots I've tried.
 
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Nov 6, 2019
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Texas
If I am in lower country and don't need the stiff shank of my la sportive or Crispi boots I have a set of Russell mossican gran slam sheep hunters...expensive? Yes...but by far some of the most comfortable boots I have..sometimes I wear them "just because "...my second pair my first one I literally wore them until they fell apart...rebuilt twice and the leather just rotted (11 years)--and Russell wanted to rebuild them--I just offered to buy a new pair. I've had these for 3 years and hopefully they will make it 10 to 12 more...if you ever get a chance get up to Wisconsin and go to their shop...makes you proud to be a American...
 

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Ag111

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Aug 13, 2015
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211
Lows boots are awesome for me. In terms of stiffness it goes

Tibet, Ticam, Camino, Baldo, Renegade.

I have the Ticams and the Baldos. Baldos are a great compromise between support/structure without max stiffness
 
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amassi

amassi

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Lows boots are awesome for me. In terms of stiffness it goes

Tibet, Ticam, Camino, Baldo, Renegade.

I have the Ticams and the Baldos. Baldos are a great compromise between support/structure without max stiffness
There is a lowa dealer near me, going to try them on

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amassi

amassi

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Bumping this up for anyone shopping
Picked up the lowa Camino gtx
-very comfy out of the box
- best ankle support for a mid I've ever had
- just enough flex in the foot for comfortable wearing around and general hiking, but stiff enough I dont feel like going to get punished side hilling or packing a load
Odometer just clicked over 40 miles, couldn't be happier.

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