Nick’s boots - on the trail?

[Grasshopper777]

About 5 months ago I ordered these boots for work. It will be my first pair of Nick’s. I hear they’re the most comfortable boot on earth. That being said..they’re not hiking boots. Nonetheless I am considering hiking and camp with them. Curious if anyone has experience with this type of boot in this context.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I've never had Nicks, but I've had Hawthorn back when they were top shelf quality, and Nicks is supposed to be better. If you get the right size, they will be more comfortable than any hunting boot, but in my opinion, smoke jumper style boots like that can be painful on the ball and heels of the foot when on hard and rocky terrain for long periods of time, but in the woods, they can't be beat. These are the boots you wear when sawing, setting chokers, etc., and that's a lot more demanding than hunting.

 

[Grasshopper777]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I do have to say they aren’t full on smoke jumpers (I could absolutely be wrong, I don’t know much about boots), they are 8” height. From what I’ve seen smoke jumpers are usually 12” or more?

I love White’s. I have their MP boot. Never felt anything like it.

If Nick’s meets their lead time schedule I should have them in 4-5 weeks. I’ll update the thread once I get some experience with them.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I do have to say they aren’t full on smoke jumpers (I could absolutely be wrong, I don’t know much about boots), they are 8” height. From what I’ve seen smoke jumpers are usually 12” or more?

I believe that's correct, and anything over 12" in a lineman boot? I was just using the term smokejumper boot to reference an non-corked, hard lug Vibram with the tall heel.

 

[khart_6882]

I wouldn’t recommend. I wore nicks for 10 years for work and tried hiking in them a few times. They’re heavy as hell, they don’t breathe even the slightest, if you’re doing multiple days they don’t dry out without a boot dryer, they’re the coldest boot I’ve ever put on my foot when sitting still (colder than cowboy boots somehow) and it doesn’t matter how well they fit my feet or how tight I laced them I rolled my ankles all the time in those high rise things.

 

[wowzers]

I’m not a big fan of that style of boot and I’ve worn them for years doing the stuff IdahoBeav is talking about. One of the biggest issues is that the heels walk over when you’re on steep ground all day. I realize a lot of older things are better but 100 year old footwear technology isn’t it in my opinion.

 

[Customweld]

I’m not a big fan of that style of boot and I’ve worn them for years doing the stuff IdahoBeav is talking about. One of the biggest issues is that the heels walk over when you’re on steep ground all day. I realize a lot of older things are better but 100 year old footwear technology isn’t it in my opinion.

If you wear them long enough, it’s hard to go back to a flat bottom style boot without pain in your Achilles for a while. I deleted a post earlier but I’ve been wearing them since I got out of high school in 93. They wouldn’t be my first choice for a hiking boot. On a log landing or down in a trench, they are tough to beat.

 

[Blurry1]

I’ve worn them pretty extensively as well. Hunted in them a bit too. As said they are heavy and cold. However, what ultimately move me away was downhill hiking. The high heel throws you forward a bit and eventually started to cause some knee problems.

 

[Norcal18]

I can’t imagine hiking and camping in them. I wore Wesco’s for years when I logged. After moving to Crispi Lapponias hunting and Alta lone peaks at work, hiking in a logging boot sounds awful lol. Like others have said they are cold as well.

 

[anonymous22]

I’m familiar with logging and fire boots, but it would be a hard pass for me, regarding hiking. I too am largely but not exclusively a Crispi fan. I’d probably actually choose almost anything over logging boots…trail runners, runner hybrids, mountain boots, modern hunting adjacent boots, or even any of my old military boots.

 

[streamerfish]

I've worn Whites smoke jumpers for years. Worn them plenty hunting.

Weight was/is the only real issue to me. Well, wouldn't necessarily say issue, but annoyance maybe.

Maybe lack of breathability a bit too if its early season/warm weather hunting, But as someone who used to wear them daily for work through the middle of summer, not really much of an issue.

Never had any problems with any kind of terrain in them personally. I would imagine wearing a high heel if not used to it being a bit of a process though.

 

[wowzers]

If you wear them long enough, it’s hard to go back to a flat bottom style boot without pain in your Achilles for a while. I deleted a post earlier but I’ve been wearing them since I got out of high school in 93. They wouldn’t be my first choice for a hiking boot. On a log landing or down in a trench, they are tough to beat.

My caulks I always got with a spring heel so they weren’t that tall. The last pair of Whites I bought I blew out in one summer of hooking logs and wrote them off and switched to Meindls and never looked back. I do still have a pair of Whites packers I wear occasionally.