Boots, boots, and...shoes.  I admit it.  I am the Imelda Marcos of outdoor footwear.  For every one of my favorite outdoor activities there is a veritable cornucopia of specialized shoes or boots.  Fact is, the market is over flowing with choices which makes it very difficult to zero in on what really works.  Fortunately, for you, I enjoy the process of identifying, securing and evaluating the best boots and shoes available.  Here is my recommended boot list which I guess should really be called the Recommended Footwear List since it includes trail shoes.

But first, some comments about this subject.  1)  Feet are weird, continually changing and very specific to each person.  The perfect boot for you may not work at all for me no matter how much I want it to.  There is no one best boot or shoe; there is only the best boot or shoe for you and your funny, ugly feet.  2)  Problems most likely come from poor fit and or poor quality socks.  Most people wear their boots too short and too narrow.  Find a master boot fitter or error on the big side.  Go at least ½ size, maybe even a full size up from your street shoes and then get some top notch socks (yes, there is a corresponding sock list).  According to the Docs, your feet may expand and contract up to a full size over the course of an outing.  4)  The amount of extremely high quality products out there for your feet is stunning but the names, models and color offerings change constantly.  That’s fashion for you.  I blame the suits and the posers in the marketing departments of these companies.  More formal schooling and fancy letters after their names then real time in the sticks sweating and humping big loads.  Shameful.  Anyway, here you go.  These are what I like and what I use.  Hope you get something out of it.  See detailed evaluations of each in the "Feet" catagory. 

Light Hiker/Trail Runners
Lowa Renegade GTX
Danner 453 GTX
Danner Talus GTX (soft tread-great for sneaking around)
Danner Pronghorn GTX Hunting 8 inch
New Balance M801AT(if you can find them)
New Balance MT908OR
Montrail Hardrock 08

Heavy Hikers
Asolo FSN 95 GTX
La Sportiva Glacier EVO
Danner Recon GTX 8 inch insulated
Danner Rain Forest GTX 8 inch insulated
Danner Quarry GTX 6 inch
Danner Quarry GTX 8 inch
Danner Santiam GTX 8 inch insulated

Light Mountaineering
Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hiker
    Mountain Extreme 400 is the 10 inch insulated version
Lowa Tibet GTX
    Hunter GTX Extreme aka Sheep Hunter is 10 inches with Primaloft
Cabela's Meindl Alaska Hiker
    Alaska Hunter is the 10 inch insulated version
La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX
Scarpa Escape GTX
Hanwag Mountain Light

Mountaineering
La Sportiva Spantik insulated
La Sportiva Nuptse insulated
Scarpa Inverno insulated
Lowa Mountain Expert GTX

Snow Pac Boots
Sorel Conquest insulated

GTX, by the way stands for Gore-Tex.  eVent is another waterproof breathable that is said to breathe significantly better and is starting to show up in the footwear market.  I have noted the boots on the list that use it.  Also, insulated boots use between 200 and 1000 grams of Thinsulate unless otherwise noted. 

Boots and Shoes Under Consideration
Trail Runner-Continental Divide
Trail Runner-Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra
Trail Runner-Brooks Cascadia
Light Hiker-Vasque Breeze
Heavy Hiker-Asolo Blaze
Heavy Hiker-Lowa Outback insulated with Primaloft
Heavy Hiker-Lowa Korba GTX
Heavy Hiker-Montrail Torre GTX
Heavy Hiker-Scarpa Kailash GTX
Heavy Hiker-Scarpa SL M3
Mountaineering-Scarpa Liskham GTX
Snow Pac Boot-Salomon B52 TS GTX
Snow Pac Boot-Sorel Glacier
Duty Boot-Bates 922 duty boot

Here is the complete list of footwear that I am working with.  Footear Evaluation List-revised 9/15/08

Thanks.

Wade Nelson
Editor

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