Meindl Denali, Crispi Nevada no cushioning, pain

[GerGa]

Hi,
I have trouble finding boots to fit my feet because my feet are wide at the toes. I need a wide toe box. I wear Altra hiking shoes in the summer but they don't fit perfect and sometimes I want the support and water resistance of a leather boot, especially for winter snow hiking.
Internet research directed me to the Cabelas Meindl Denali for having a wide toe box. It was right after they discontinued their Meindl line, but they had my size so I bought it. I took a 3 mile hike in them and noticed some discomfort on the bottom of my foot, mostly the ball of my foot. Afterwards, the sole of my foot was hurting for weeks, and maybe lingered on and off for a while longer. Just not enough cushioning in the foot bed.
So fast forward over a year later and research on this forum directed me to the Crispi Nevada for its generous toe box. I just bought it and it fits fine, not as much toe box width as the Denali, but enough. My first impression is that the sole is stiff just like the Denali. I wore them around the house for 40 minutes and was starting to get a little pain in the ball of my foot. I think I will have the same problem with these as the Denali.

It's ok that the sole of these boots are stiff flex wise, but I need some give or cushioning below my foot. I think I have bony feet, different from many other people because I see good reviews for both of these boots. I did see one review on the Denali where the guy had the same problem as me though.
I considered aftermarket insoles, but skeptical that 4mm of cushioning under my foot will be enough when the surface below it is hard as a rock. Does anyone have any insight or experience on this? Are there other boots I should consider? I notice Meindl now has a US line of boots and sells the Vakuum Hunter(comparable to Denali) and a line of "Comfort Fit" boots. I am particularly interested if their Comfort Fit boots would have some cushion under the foot. I tried on the Ultra Light Hunter at Cabelas and wasn't really impressed with the boot.
Crispi also has many other boots but I have no idea what those are like cushioning wise.

Thanks

PS. I have Keen Durand leather boots because they have a wide toe box but the heel is loose and slips a lot. Not good for putting the miles on. And they do not have the support or build quality of Meindl or Crispi.

 

[2rocky]

I think the level of cushioning you are looking for is not going to be in a stiff boot.

Perhaps Hoka is a better choice...

Hiking Boots & Shoes | HOKA ONE ONE®

Our hiking shoes combine our running technology with a durable design that can withstand the elements. These hiking shoes are perfect for day hikes, backpacking excursions or quick trips up the mountain.

www.hokaoneone.com

 

[GerGa]

I think the level of cushioning you are looking for is not going to be in a stiff boot.

Perhaps Hoka is a better choice...

Hiking Boots & Shoes | HOKA ONE ONE®

Our hiking shoes combine our running technology with a durable design that can withstand the elements. These hiking shoes are perfect for day hikes, backpacking excursions or quick trips up the mountain.

www.hokaoneone.com

I see Hoka has a leather boot, I didn't know that. Toe box looks tapered so not sure in that regard. Hoka is one extreme(cushioning) where the Denalis and Nevadas are the other extreme(no cushioning). I don't necessarily need Hoka level cushioning but they are definitely an option.

 

[Smokey12]

I have a similar foot as yours. I went with Salewa Crows. They fit my foot perfectly. I did size up a half size from running shoe size though.

 

[Tauntohawk]

Topo athletic has a toe box that rivals altra and a more durable build, they do have a waterproof boot. It's not going to be leather level of supportive but it's going to be a good bit more cushioned. The other option is get a boot with enough volume and add well cushioned insoles

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[ericF]

I could be wrong here, but I think the old Meindl Perfekts have more cushioning with the cork footbed then the Denalis. Meindl is distributing directly now that Cabelas no longer carries them. They have different names, but if you liked the toe-box of the Denalis, it might be worth giving them a call, or checking out the Comfort Fits.

Meindl Comfort fit( old Perfekt Hunters)
https://meindlusa.com/collections/alpine/products/comfort-fit®-hunter

https://meindlusa.com/products/comfort-fit®-insoles

Meindl Vakkum (old Denali)
https://meindlusa.com/collections/all-products/products/vakuum-hunter

https://meindlusa.com/products/air-active-insoles

 

[Hondo]

I put some of the cork insoles (Comfort-Fit) in my Denalis and Alaskan Hunters and it made a world of difference in comfort. I believe I had to purchase a full size or 1 1/2 size smaller for them to fit in the Denali but just used the same size insole from a blown out pair of Perfekt Hikers for the Alaskan Hunters.

 

[WyoWrangler]

I added some Synergy insoles from Lathrop and sons, maybe check them out and see if they would help you

 

[ejs21]

I have the Meindl Denalis and experienced the exact same pain after a day of hiking. Get back to camp and couldn't slip into camp shoes fast enough. My feet ached the entire hunt. Frozen boots certainly didn't help, but I will blame the problem on the paper thin factory insoles. Swapped them out for some gel insoles and it made all the difference. It would be nice to get a half decent insole with a pair of $400 boots, maybe that's too much to ask!

 

[Runwilderness]

Any chance you have a Morton’s neuroma? I have one in my right foot, and overly narrow or stiff shoes can leave me literally hobbling.

I‘ve learned to trail run in Alturas, even though I find the overall fit a bit sloppy. Even with a wide toe box, overly stiff soles can kill me, especially if my foot is torqued side to side when edge with the outside of the sole on uneven terrain.

I’m currently wearing Salomon Quest 4D boots. I find the toe box roomy enough (which is odd since their runny shoe last is super narrow) and they have enough flex that I can usually wear them all day.

I do my best to guess when trying on footwear, but I only really know when I’ve put some mileage on my feet. Occasionally I can break in a pair of shoes...but it can be a painful experience. Usually if they’re not working after 30-50 miles, out they go.

 

[ejs21]

Any chance you have a Morton’s neuroma? I have one in my right foot, and overly narrow or stiff shoes can leave me literally hobbling.

I‘ve learned to trail run in Alturas, even though I find the overall fit a bit sloppy. Even with a wide toe box, overly stiff soles can kill me, especially if my foot is torqued side to side when edge with the outside of the sole on uneven terrain.

I’m currently wearing Salomon Quest 4D boots. I find the toe box roomy enough (which is odd since their runny shoe last is super narrow) and they have enough flex that I can usually wear them all day.

I do my best to guess when trying on footwear, but I only really know when I’ve put some mileage on my feet. Occasionally I can break in a pair of shoes...but it can be a painful experience. Usually if they’re not working after 30-50 miles, out they go.

Runwilderness,
I'm not sure if this was directed at me or the original post. I've never heard of Morton's neuroma but in my case my pain was directly below the big toe. The extra cushion from the gel insoles fixed the issue.

 

[Runwilderness]

Runwilderness,
I'm not sure if this was directed at me or the original post. I've never heard of Morton's neuroma but in my case my pain was directly below the big toe. The extra cushion from the gel insoles fixed the issue.

Directed towards the OP. I wanted to call out that foot pain is t always just lack of cushion.
The hyperlink in my post directs to a description of the condition, but it’s basically scar tissue surrounding a nerve in the ball of your foot. Swelling in the area leads to pressure on the nerve and pain. Surgery is an option but careful footwear selection can keep it under control and, at least for me, keep me in the hills.

 

[2-Stix]

I found my Crispi Nevadas have a hard footbed. It hurts more than I woud like. Its really hard. But the boot is awesome and fits very well so currently, I am working on getting better insoles to deal with the lack of padding. I run a mid-weight sock also. So far I am running super feet and its better. I still desire more padding.

 

[Grady.J]

I'd go see a podiatrist before spending on another pair of boots. I went through something similar, pain and numbness in the balls of my feet after wearing my boots for varying amounts of time depending on which boots. I tried 5-6 different pairs of high end boots thinking it was a boot issue, because I didnt have the same issue when wearing runners. I never had blister issues with any of the boots, and they were all super comfortable wearing around the store, and for the first half hour or so of hiking before the issue would start. After one particular late season muley hunt with some decent daily mileage, my big toes were numb for 3-4 months.

Finally went to see a podiatrist after looking at yet another pair of boots to buy to see if they would be the magic fit. Turns out(I can't remember the actual name), I have an issue where one of the 'knuckles' on the bottom of the balls of my feet sits lower than the others, putting way more pressure on it, and ultimately pain, and eventual numbness. Custom orthotics have essentially solved the issue.

Bootwise I went through Scarpa SL Actives, Lowa Tibet's, Hanwag Trapper Tops, Scarpa Kailash Plus, and Meindl Dover's. The last pair I looked at when I decided to see a doctor were Crispi Guides. Insole wise I tried all the factory ones, superfeet orange, Lathrop and Sons, and the Meindl Cork footbeds.

I'm now back to the Lowa Tibet's, that might've been a bit too big in the first place, but now fit fantastic with the extra volume from the orthotic inserts. Those are the boots I got the Lathrop insoles cut for, so I use those underneath the orthotics. I've got a decent amount of miles on the orthotics this year, and the Tibet's are still super comfy. I wouldn't be surprised if all the boots would've worked out, if I'd had the orthotics.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

Hi,
I have trouble finding boots to fit my feet because my feet are wide at the toes. I need a wide toe box. I wear Altra hiking shoes in the summer but they don't fit perfect and sometimes I want the support and water resistance of a leather boot, especially for winter snow hiking.
Internet research directed me to the Cabelas Meindl Denali for having a wide toe box. It was right after they discontinued their Meindl line, but they had my size so I bought it. I took a 3 mile hike in them and noticed some discomfort on the bottom of my foot, mostly the ball of my foot. Afterwards, the sole of my foot was hurting for weeks, and maybe lingered on and off for a while longer. Just not enough cushioning in the foot bed.
So fast forward over a year later and research on this forum directed me to the Crispi Nevada for its generous toe box. I just bought it and it fits fine, not as much toe box width as the Denali, but enough. My first impression is that the sole is stiff just like the Denali. I wore them around the house for 40 minutes and was starting to get a little pain in the ball of my foot. I think I will have the same problem with these as the Denali.

It's ok that the sole of these boots are stiff flex wise, but I need some give or cushioning below my foot. I think I have bony feet, different from many other people because I see good reviews for both of these boots. I did see one review on the Denali where the guy had the same problem as me though.
I considered aftermarket insoles, but skeptical that 4mm of cushioning under my foot will be enough when the surface below it is hard as a rock. Does anyone have any insight or experience on this? Are there other boots I should consider? I notice Meindl now has a US line of boots and sells the Vakuum Hunter(comparable to Denali) and a line of "Comfort Fit" boots. I am particularly interested if their Comfort Fit boots would have some cushion under the foot. I tried on the Ultra Light Hunter at Cabelas and wasn't really impressed with the boot.
Crispi also has many other boots but I have no idea what those are like cushioning wise.

Thanks

PS. I have Keen Durand leather boots because they have a wide toe box but the heel is loose and slips a lot. Not good for putting the miles on. And they do not have the support or build quality of Meindl or Crispi.

Why would you lay out the cost of new boots before trying a more cushioned insole? I would rather lay out $30-60 bucks and it may work vs. laying out $3-400 and find out it was no better than what I had.

 

[Firehawk]

Sheep's Feet custom insoles helped me ALOT in this arena. I also have struggled with a Neuroma and had a podiatrist built orthotic in the past. The Sheep's Feet are significantly better, and cost quite a bit less. Very pleased with that decision. I run my "double layered" version in my Nevada and my Guide. I am looking to get either a "half" or a single layer version for my lighter every day shoes now. My FSA covered the costs.