Stiff boots not the way to go?

[Wrench]

I’ve worn Scarpa mountaineering boots for the past ten years and won’t wear anything else. They are ridiculous to break in, but I love how stiff they are, very helpful for me in the terrain I hunt.

I have the Wrangell and Gran Dru's and when I compare the build quality to a crispi or kennetrek the difference is laughable.

I would like to try a Wrangell upper on a slightly softer soled, sticky rubber sole.

 

[Speaks]

I went from medium boots like pronghorns to Crispi and they were real hard for me at first, I pushed through with people telling me they were better and I would get used to them. I did more or less.

Then I switched to Vivos and used them for more and more use cases to the point where they are just about all I use now for everything. I had worn largely barefoot shoes in day to day life for years so not really sure why I didnt translate it into hunting boots earlier.

Short of needing some of the overboot type crampons I dont see using a stiff boot anymore.

 

[justinspicher]

My most worn scarpas are the Fuegos. I’ve had them since 2015 and have a few thousand miles on them.

 

[WRO]

How does the grey synthetic hold up compared to the leather? Leather has been super tough (good thing)


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I get 18 months a pair if I’m lucky, i usually run them about 80 days a year and they crap out around 6-700 miles.


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[R boar]

I'm all in on minimalist boots. I wear stiff scarpas for mountaineering if I need real crampons (like hood, rainier, etc type mountains) but otherwise minimalist boots no matter how steep, rocky, cliffy, whatever.

Some of it really is personal preference, and whether you can "get away with" wearing more flexible boots. Some people may need years to adapt or it just might not be the way you like to walk or have your feet feel. So I don't try to convince anyone it's the right way, but it works well for me and many others.

 

[Bubblehide]

My most worn scarpas are the Fuegos. I’ve had them since 2015 and have a few thousand miles on them.

I have several different pairs of Scarpa's boots; the Fuegos are thee most stiff, unfortunately, they are slightly undersized for me. (All my others fit well (at 1/2 size larger.))

I prefer a bit stiffer boot than most, it appears, but I've never been disappointed in any of my Scarpa's (other than the one pair being slightly too small). But people have different preferences.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

How does the grey synthetic hold up compared to the leather? Leather has been super tough (good thing)


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I wear them almost daily in this winter and put 15 days hunting and they seem basically new. The Synthetic looks like leather but drys much faster. Doesnt seem to strech when soaked and doesnt shrink. Seems like all of my full leather boots seem to shrink in the toe box overtime and when things are really wet the leather takes for ever to dry and the boot needs major tightening because of stretch. I used to treat my leather boots constantly. I havent touched the synthetic and dont plan to. If I had to guess the soles will be shot before the synthetic leather is shot.

 

[Jimss]

You would be amazed how quietly you can stalk in lighter, less stiff boots vs tall, stiff boots with thick soles. When covering miles while scouting and hiking it definitely is nice wearing a lighter, more flexible pair of boots. The new products used in today's boots are generally lighter with more shock absorbing features.

I bought a pair of Kennetrek Mtn Extremes and returned them the day after I tried them. They were super stiff, heavy, with extremely thick soles. I felt like I was on stilts trying to negociate steep, rocky terrain. They are about the stiffest, heftiest boots I have ever tried.

I have a pair of Lowa Tibets that are similarly taller but still fairly heavy. They also are difficult to stalk quietly because of the weight, stiffness, and relatively thick soles...although not nearly as bad as the Mtn Extremes. The only time I use my Tibets is in really deep, wet snow due to being taller than my other boots and they are extremely waterproof. They are bomberproof since they are all leather with few seams.

I have around 5 pairs of different Crispis. My preference is lighter weight, less stiff boots. I prefer them way over stiff, heavy boots even when hunting steep, rough country like Alaska dall sheep and mtn goat carrying hefty loads. My legs are thankful at the end of the day with lighter boots and I can cover a lot more country in comfort. I find this even more important as I get older.

 

[mtnbound]

Wanted to hear from the guys that have used stiffer hunting boots and transitioned to less stiff (but still a high quality boots). Did you stay with the less stiff or go back to stiff?

Context is western hunting, mainly off trail, decently steep areas hiking but not usually shale/rocky

Edit: also wondering if stiffer boots leads to more foot fatigue. What I’m considering stiff is Zamberlan lynx /Crispi brikstal


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I found years ago that stiff boots reduced foot fatigue. I went from using flexible boots like Danner Pronghorns and Crispi Idahos to stiffer boots like Hoffmans and stiffer Crispis. What I noticed was my feet did not feel beat up in the stiffer boots especially after long rucks. I do also use Sheep feet insoles. My favorite boots have been Crispi Kenai, Colorado and Briksdal. I wear Crispi boots everyday at work.
I went through two sets of Vivo ESC and liked them until I devolved foot pain in one foot so I no longer wear them and stay with Crispi boots.

 

[Kurts86]

In the last 5 years I’ve gone from La Sportiva Trango Cubes to HOKA Speedgoat GTX. At this point I’m really liking the less stiff option that happens to be the equivalent of my HOKA Clifton’s I wear daily and run in.

I have a narrow foot and I have always had a lot of heel slip issues even with narrow Italian boots. I will blister on my heels and the balls of my feel in stiff boot but not in flexible ones. I can train up to a stiffer boot and manage hot spots but it’s a big effort. With less stiff boots I just don’t think about my feet.

The one downside to trail runners is that cactus pokes right through the uppers unlike a leather boot. Beyond that minimal stiffness high cushion footwear works for me.

Footwear is a personal thing. You just have to experiment and find what works for YOU.

 

[dgfavor]

This is about as stiff and heavy as I ever wear anymore.

These are getting into 3rd year of heavy use and they literally look no worse for wear - been on sheep, elk, mule deer, chukars, rucking, etc. They have never leaked a drop of water either. I honestly didn't think they'd last a week. I do think I am more conscious of where I put my feet (see cactus reference above) with less on them so that probably helps with footwear longevity. Xero Ridgeways. :

I never have figured out why folks think heavy and stiff is the way to go to haul loads...other than boot companies of course need to pick some feature to market.

Stiffness and lack of ground feel really handicaps our natural neuromuscular pathways that keep us upright...I don't wanna pile drive into the ground ever and for sure not with 70lbs on my back!

Too much important shiz going on down there to just lock 'em up! :

 

[cmwhitmoyer]

I feel less sure of my footing while crossing rock fields here in Eastern PA with my Kenetrek Mt Extreme and Schnees Beartooth. I get a better response from my Salomon Quest boots. I think the less stiff sole conforms to the rock better.

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[HiMtnHntr]

When I was younger I used to hunt everything in dang near a sneaker. Broke my ankle and sprained it several times so a stiff taller boot is my go-to now. My current favorite is zamberlan Wasatch. I like the subtle heel more than other boot makers. Just don’t like the new price…

 

[COJoe]

I do all my training hikes in Crispi summit GTX boots with a flex 3 and I have used them on scoutung missions and mule deer hunts, they are really geat all around boot. My elk hunting boots are Crispi Colorado boots with a flex 5 because nothing is flat where we go. It's not too rocky but we can do a lot of side hilling or climbing/descending so I appreciate the added stiffness for my ankles. I beat my ankles up playing seven years of soccer, many year sago, but thankfully they seem good now. While training around my neighborhood, I have stepped in a number of prairie dog holes, both toe first or heel, which actually hurts my knees worse, but the stiffer boots seem to prevent injuries for me. My feet feel great wearing them for 12 hours or so a day hunting. When I am carrying a heavier load, I am glad to have the stiffer boots for less fatigue.

 

[nphunter]

For 99% of stuff I’m wearing lone peaks. I wore dozens of stiff boots from most high end companies. I still have some resoled Mendl AK hunters for deep snow and either Scrapa Grand Dru or Scarpa/Kuiu boots for steep break type country if it’s super wet and muddy.

During hunting season I wear lone peak hikers sometimes with waterproof socks if it’s going to be wet. If packed many animals out in nasty steep rocky terrain with them and zero issues.

 

[FuddRucker]

I prefer stiffer boots, especially in rocky country, but I'm heavy. I've worn lighter, thinner, more flexible boots before but I end up feeling every little pebble under my feet which increased foot fatigue. Sold a light pair of salomons last year for that reason. Hanwags have worked for me so far.

 

[elsb0048]

I have and use both kinds depending on the loads and terrain but I've generally trended lighter weight on the whole.

My main 3 hunting footwear:
La sportiva ultra raptor mid goretex - 34oz - high top trail runner synthetic top
La sportiva trango tech leather - 55 oz - high top modern 3 season mtneering boot 3/4 shank, heel welt
La sportiva karakorum evo - 94oz - full shank classic mountaineering boot, uninsulated, toe & heel welt, very stiff

I had the 3 season 3/4 shank boot first.
Then beefed up to the full shank boot.
Now been trending lighter.

For 90% of days I pick the trail runners lately. The lighter weight is noticeable and meaningful as is the nimble and quiet. As this has coincided with lighter multi day pack weights (45-50# instead of 55-60#) for me I've been moving a little faster & farther in the backcountry.

The days I consider reaching for the big stiff boots tend to contain, combine, or focus on: slopes 40° or steeper (especially sidehill), loads exceeding 50#, surfaces requiring kicking steps (soft dirt, shale, talus), snow, temps below 25F. Even when I may hunt the aforementioned terrain in lighter boots the big boots still come to the truck for when I'm going back for a second load of meat.

Honestly the mid weight boots are the ones that have seen the least use, they mostly live in the truck as a spare pair but I nearly never pick them as a first choice.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I escalated all the way to Scarpa Mountaineering boots (charmoz), which were awesome for cranking uphill quick but sucked in a lot of other terrain, back down to Schnee Beartooth/Timberline, have landed on Crispi Briksdal Mtn GTXs. I have the regular and stiffer pair. The regular 3-4 flex crispis are kinda my “ideal” for an all around boot. I really like softer boots for archery and have been considering even more flexible.