Cabela's Alaska Hikers By Meindl-Light Mountaineering Boot-Hunting Boot
These are very well made bbots and nice looking too I think. Forward flexibility was about average or maybe even a little better than average for this class of boot. They are pretty easy to walk in on the flats and the talus.
Class-light mountaineering, made for heavy loads and rough terrain
Height-high, 8 inches, 7 loops/cleats plus mid-tongue cleat
Materials-leather, metal loops/hooks, heavy duty rubber rand
Insulation-none but the skin is thick and there is good padding around ankle
Waterproofing-Gore-Tex waterproof breathable liner
Cushion-footbed is thin, midsole is very firm, outsole is stiff,
Flexibility-good at the ankle, fore foot, breakover point, very supportive
Tread-Vibram Multi-Grip, aggressive
Volume-medium to full, has comfortable tongue, great lacing system
Width Availability-yes, EE but no E
Weight-my 11 D US weigh 2 lbs 5.4 ounces per boot
Crampon Compatibility-yes, most, built in welts
Quality-very high, made in Germany
Break In-some suggested but they were comfortable out of the box
You pull one out of the box and you are immediately struck by the fact that this is a very well made, heavy duty boot. There is nothing dainty about it. It is made of the finest leather, shod with a Vibram outsole, sports a Gore-Tex liner and has a heavy rubber rand running all the way around it. You will notice that it looks very much like some of the other boots that I have shown you in this class and it doesn't end here. I assume that is because people who make these kinds of boots know what works.
This is a boot that came very highly recommended to me by a number of very experienced guides and outfitters. In fact, just about as many suggested this boot as did the Kenetreks. I liked the Kenetreks very much so I had high expectations for the Cabela's Meindls.
I met the UPS guy at the door like I always do, took the box, opened it, inspected the boots and then wore them for at least a couple of hours around the office before I head for the trail to try them out. My first impression was that the fit was right and that they were comfortable. Remember that I am pretty much a 10.5D in dress and running shoes and an 11D in boots. I was also pleasantly surprised that these boots had a little more room in the toe box and forefoot for a fuller volume foot. I like that, like a king size bed or a seat in first class, a little extra room is always appreciated. So far so good, right?
The collar of the Alaskan Hikers is a smooth, perforated foam that wraps the ankle nicely. Lacing is easy and you can adjust the top and bottom independently by virtue of the pinch cleats right where the top of the foot meets the bottom of the shin. Again, indicative of a well made light mountaineering boot.
The interesting thing about these kinds of boots and especially these is that the insoles are hard. I mean very hard. It may seem counter intuitive but heavy loads, difficult terrain and long distances require a very stout boot. It's a lot like the suspension on a one ton pick up. Pretty rough until you load it up and then it comes into it's own. A softer boot may seem more comfortable in your living room but out in the bush your feet will take a beating, fatigue faster and will be more prone to injury. However, even as these kinds of boots go, these are pretty firm.
After four or five hours of wearing the boots I headed for my test loop in the mountain preserve. I try to keep these comparisons apples to apples so I use the same socks, the same trail, and the same distance for all of them. Everything was going pretty good until I hit the first incline and then I started to get some numbness in the bottoms of my feet. Numbness is caused by either a reduction in blood flow or pressure on a nerve. So I sat down, took the boots off, traded socks, put the boots back on, laced them back up a little looser this time and took off again. No relief. I played that game for the whole rest of the time I was on the trail. Sometimes it was the tops of my feet, others it was the bottoms and sides. I don't know what the problem is really, it's never happened to me before. My theory is that either the collar is putting pressure on a nerve somewhere or the tongue is not thick enough and the laces are restricting blood flow. The shame of it is that I really like the boots.
The tongue is gusseted so you don't get any unwanted water or debris in the boot. You can see that the tongue is not made out of the same material as the collar, nor is it as thick which is part of what I think was causing me trouble. I think maybe I am going to try a thicker sock next time I take these out for a spin.
This is where I explain to everybody again that feet and ankles are as individual as faces and just because this boot gave me a little problem the first time on the mountain doesn't mean that it is an inferior boot or that it won't be perfect for you. Remember, this boot was highly recommended by some pretty salty dogs so I know they are good boots. I only have 9 miles on them so far so I am hoping that it is a break in issue that will simply go away with time. I plan to do at least two more circuits on the loop which is another 12 miles so I will let you know how it turns out between me an this particular Cabela's Meindl boot.
Thanks.
Wade Nelson
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