Hiking Boots

Nighthawk Bravo wrote: Thanks for the feedback on the Merrells.
I also looked at these. www.duesouth.co.za/pdp/adidas-men-s-ax2-mid-gtx-black-grey-hiking-boot/_/A-194614AAAG3
Anyone using/used them?
Thanks

I have zero idea But I personally prefer a boot made fully of leather, or at least with leather on the circumference for maximum life. Each to their own though.

I originally started hiking with all leather boots (Jim Greens) and lately have used the imported molded hiking boots which have continually let me down, especially with poor gripping abilities in the Drakensberg terrain. My previous were Merrells and I threw them away while still fairly new as they were slipping badly in the Berg. Now I have gone back to all leather stitched boots, double layer with waterproofing in between...... and am so pleased with them. I feel safe with them as the grip is excellent. After many years of use I can have them resoled or repaired and they are not as costly as the imported boots. The Redline Footwear link is ...www.redlinefootwear.co.za/?product=african-buffalo-hiking-boot-brown

I was keen to get a pair of the Redline boots, after speaking to Richard, but unfortunately needed boots in a hurry as mine had had a blowout. .. Redline quoted a 6 week lead time from date of order..

So I ended up getting a pair of Merrell Chameleon 4s which I have found comfortable if I get the lace tension right, fairly water resistant snd not bad boots...

However I have one huge problem with them, they STINK!!

Not my feet, and I have no problem with any other footwear, wear boots to work every day.. but even after a day hike these boots smell something awful! I have used a powder called Odour-Night which stops them smelling after a hike, but as soon as they are worn the problem arises again.

Any ideas? Or anyone have a similar problem?

Thanks
Papa D

Hi Papa D,

As you know I have Merrell Ridgeways, They also stink after a days hike but not something awful after a day, BUT if my feet have been in there for 2 or 3 days straight they tend smell a little more. a day or 2 outside and the smell goes away.

I have another pair of Merrells, low ankle shoes with a netting type outter, they have never stank at all, and they have been in a alot of places.

I am guessing its a Merrell thing, especially with the type of outter and not being able to breathe properly.

saros

My gear review on the Hi-Tec Trail OX Chukka boots with Michelin soles is up at:
jonathantheghaznavid.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/245/

They have been fun shoes to test, very grippy!

Summary of the shoes:
- Grip: amazing
- Weight: 600g per boot (please note: these are not trail shoes, they are hiking boots)
- Waterproofing: average, about 2-3 hours for dew on grass to seep through
- Comfort: good after you have worn them in properly

If they put these soles on the Flash Force trail shoes and added the reinforcing and light waterproofing around the base (like there is on their GT shoes) - it would make one awesome set of trail shoes!

I bought some KEEN Targhee II Mid shoes in 2014, and they've come apart already. It's been 2 years but I've only done about 150-200km in them. They were super comfortable, and waterproof in the beginning, but the quality is disappointing!

Bit like the how long is a piece of string question, but I wonder how many k's one can expect from a pair of boots?
Average hiker, doing mainly passes, with about 12kg pack... (or lighter)
What are your thoughts?
150-200 seems very little.

I would say that terrain and weather make the biggest differences in boot life. 5 days of hiking in wet conditions through bushy terrain will do a lot of damage to boots. Conversely 5 days in dry conditions on the Giants Cup Trail will probably be the least damage you can do to a pair of boots in mountain conditions. I find scree also doesn't do any favours to shoes. Running vs walking will also make a big difference.

Of the 9 pairs of hiking boots I have owned, only 1 pair was used to the point of being worn out (Salomon Gortek Boots) - and that gave me a rather disappointing 384km, including my first GT. The other pairs have either been given away or are still in my possession. All pairs of hiking boots were in reasonable condition when given away, and my current pairs all have plenty of life left in them.

The Berg distance I have done in each pair of shoes I have used in the Berg is as follows, excluding wearing the shoes in, and non-Berg hiking:

Hi-Tec Largos	257 km
Salomon Gortek Boots	384 km
Hi-Tec Ion Masks	273 km
Hi-Tec Sierra	212 km
La Sportiva Tibet	1030 km
Hi-Tec Altitudes (Pair 1)	25 km
Hi-Tec Altitudes (Pair 2)	64 km
Hi-Tec Altitude Pro	258 km
Hi-Tec Flash Force (pair 1)*	776 km
Hi-Tec Altitude Low*	431 km
Hi-Tec Flash Force (pair 2)*	485 km
Hi-Tec Ox Chukka	65 km
Hi-Tec Flash Force (pair 3)*	463 km

* = trail shoes. Flash Force Pair 1 and the Altitude Lows were worn till they reached throw-away point, the other 2 are still in relatively good condition.

Ps. the above numbers don't tell as good a story as I am trying to tell. My point is: hiking boots should give you 800-1000km if looked after well and used in decent conditions. My first pair of boots cost R540 back in 2008, I used them on the treadmill, for walking around, all my mountain training etc. They probably did over 800km before I gave them away.

My Tibets also did 72km on Kilimanjaro, not included above.

Unfortunately I don't have any stats on my out-of-Berg distance since I started hiking, or for that matter, what shoes I was using on each training trip (also notable that none of my non-Berg shoes are included above). But last year, for the first time I used GPS phone tracking on some of my walking and clocked up over 1000km of recorded non-Berg distance - so it is easily possible that some of the boots listed above could have clocked up 300+km of non-Berg distance.

I bought a pair of Merrell Chameleon 4 in August last year, and done 350km with them.
I noticed that one of the seems on the inside of the boot has come apart, and took them back to
the retailer for advice. They told me that there is a year's guarantee on the boot, and have sent them back to
the supplier for replacement/refund, which I am happy about..

I ran 812 km last year on the trails in my Asics trail running shoes and they did not start their life in 2016. Granted, these stats miss out the last 50 or 60 km of the year as I changed just before an event at the end. They were run on Table Mountain mostly which is very technical and eats shoes. Their sides are mesh and now both pinky toes have formed a hole either side but the shoes are solid and the stitching solid. So what does this mean to you as a hiker using hiking shoes? I know, I know, trail running is a bit different. Hiking shoes would (should) last a long time! The extra weight does wear the sole down faster perhaps, but I prefer leather boots and problem solved.

As Ghaz said above, La Sportiva. I had a pair of Boulders now for 5 years and there is a hole through the leather and the rubber rand on one side and I've hiked and walked a shed load in them. My hiking boots are also La Sportiva. Expensive (I blame the president) but to me, worth it.

The short answer is: if ANY shoe lasts less than the 150-200 km you mention then I would never buy it again. Unless you are indeed a beast (some people are very tall and super heavy - over 100 kg) and hiking with a heavy pack in brutal terrain. For the record, I am not a light weight at 91 kg and those Asics take the abuse, even running for 6/7/8 hours.